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Showing results for tags 'What if you were Neeld'.
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Say you were Mark Neeld for a day and you got to make 5 decisions on list management/pre season training/ and they were final. 1. Organise a camp with a heavy feature on adversity. I don't particularly think that these trips like Arizona deliver massive fitness benefits but I'm sure they built team work, I'd like to see our young guys go on a camp and show their leadership. I don't care where it is but I think our players have to experience hard work as a team, not just individually running laps of AAMI park. 2. Bring in a couple of recently retired players who have played Mark Neeld style football as assistant or development coaches. I'm not sure who they are but somewhere I think we need to find someone like a Brett Kirk. Maybe a Brady Rawlings who built a career on work rate. Hearing Jones talk about the benefit he's got from a mentor thinks we need a few guys around the place who have delivered on Neeld's message. Maybe there are other Sydney premiership players around. 3. Trial Tom McDonald at CHF until mid next season. Presuming we can convince Rivers to stay we've certainly got enough down back with Rivers/Frawley/Sellar/Watts that its time to trial a CHF. Neeld's game style revolves around having support for Clark so why not try McDonald who clearly has the work rate and athleticism to make it as a forward. He might not be up to it skill wise but lets give him a go. Clark will draw the second defender and Howe can help out as a target so why not try. I don't see what is to lose in this regard. 4. Go hard for mature talent who will fill roles in the team. If that is Wellingham or a lesser talent lets try to get some guys in who will do a job, we just have too many spots to fill on our list that the draft wont cut it. Richmond's success with Houli, Maric and Grigg is off the charts. Someone out there must be keen on a regular starting gig and has the talent to get the job done. 5. Put on a focus on tackling and stoppages. If we still can't run or still can't kick then that's too bad. Some players wont ever work hard enough and they'll be found out, others wont ever have elite skills, but I think everyone should be able to win the ball at a contest and tackle. Just by doing that I think we could improve from easy beats to at least rival teams. I'll live with a few Bail or Bartram or Macdonald clangers but I can't stand getting beat up at stoppages week after week and then Neeld preaching about playing a finals brand of footy.