Hahahahahahahahaha

[pevfan]

I'm certainly no expert Filth but I have a son that that competed at the elite level as a middle distance runner.He would build up his training so that he would peak for major events like State and National championships which came at the end of the club athletics season. Now he didn't have to compete every week at the same level of intensity as he did during the end of season champs...unlike today's AFL players. Let me draw another parallel...it's kind of like expecting Craig Mottram to come out and perform EVERY WEEK at the same level as he did at say the Commonwealth Games here in Melbourne...He simply couldn't do it...Elite level Athletes just don't do that, they couldn't do it, they would (and in fact many do...like my son eventually did) break down constantly.

Unlike years ago, AFL footballers are now, in effect elite level athletes who can play football. The game is played (to my knowledge) on the largest ground of any football code the world over and over the longest time period, 120 minutes give or take a few mins adjustment with time on. Mid fielders are running, what is it, something like 15 k's plus on average per game at an extremely high level of intensity just like an athlete would be at say the National titles. Then you throw in the extreme physical contact nature of the game and other variables like fewer breaks during the game and 3 X 6 day breaks and you further exacerbate the problem.

In other words we virtually are asking elite level AFL footballers to peak EVERY WEEK to the same level as an athlete (like Mottram) would perhaps 3 or 4 times a year. Something has got to give. The body is simply saying to the mind I cannot do what you are asking me to do...so TWANG or SNAP!. I don't know what the answer is. A shorter game, deeper lists with more interchange players....Don't Gridiron teams have a virtual second team waiting on the sidelines for example (not sure about that...have absolutely no interest in that game whatsoever) more mid season breaks, perhaps a combination of all of the above, I don't know.

But then of course, now the AFL Boffins are coming up with more teams in the comp which is only going to make the situation (e.g. with scheduling) even worse. Some drastic form of structural change has to be made to ease the problem not make it worse.

[CameronClayton]

Filthy, Essendon, Saints & Doggies occupy 3 of the top 4 for S/T injuries in the league.

Notice anything in common there?

4 games in 19 days has had a lot to do with why we are the worst by far. As GOD & Knighta have both said, it wouldn't have been a big an issue playing this many mid season when they are match hardened, but playing them R1 - 4 has well & truly stuffed us.

[pevfan]

If I knew the answer to that question Filth, I could probably make myself a very wealthy man.

I think perhaps it may be a combination of things. The Dome's surface for one thing...I think it's more than coincidence that it is us, the Saints and Doggies that have suffered more ST injuries than any other side. As I've only just posted on another topic, Hirdy certainly made no secret of what he thought about the surface in his book.

The 3 X 6 day breaks. Listening to Eade on On The Couch the other day, he seemed to think that it would have definitely had an affect on the Dons. I thought he (Eade)made a very interesting comment when asked did he think the Doggies had a chance of getting up in the last quarter...he said he thought the Dons players were looking very tired as they came in for the 3/4 time break. And don't forget the way we came back against the Scum 6 days prior, that would have taken a hell of a lot out or our legs.

I know how you feel about Quinn (although sometimes I wish you'd come out and tell us what you REALLY think about him ) and it certainly is extremely frustrating, if we keep losing players to ST injures at the rate we have been, our season will effectively be over with the next 2 or 3 weeks I reckon, (if it's not already) But remember, Quinn was there in 2000. What was it that he did so right that year that he's been getting so wrong since then? He even got Wally up and about on a consistent basis that year and, as we remember, he was a player who had suffered chronic hamstring injuries throughtout his career to that point. On the other side of the coin you have Campo. To my knowledge he'd hardly missed a game with ST injuries in over 200 games with the Scum...comes across to us and TWANG! almost straight away. And that was under Sheed's old game plan so you couldn't blame the new hard running style back then.... So there's a pro and a con for Mr Quinn right there... I guess you can accuse me of fence sitting on the question of our esteemed fitness advisor but quite simply I'm not sure just how much a part of the problem he is. As I said in my previous post I suspect it has a lot to do with how the competition is structured overall and in Essendon's case in particular, our match fixturing and venue.

In support of the above points, the thing Ialways find strange is how come Sydney have so few injuries. How many times would they play at the Dome each seson, far fewer than any other side I'd wager. Also, apparently they have fewer shorter breaks between games than other sides. Scribes point to their close checking game plan as the reason but I have my doubts about this. Sydney can run with the best of them on their day, they wouldn't be where they now are if they couldn't.

As you've said on another post, it costs approx $30 Mil to put a side on the ground each year and that it's time Essendon dusted off their Boer War bonds and started getting serious about investigating what is rapidly becoming a massive problem. And yes, I agree with you that it should not just be done internally. No stone should be left unturned. Look at the Cats for example with Max Rooke. they spared no expense in fixing his hammies, sending him off o/s to be looked at by expert medicos over there. Now, good and all as Max Rooke is, I think it's fair ts say that he's no Matthew Lloyd. So, if the Cats are willing to spend this kind of money on one of their good ordinary players (to quote an old Jack Dyer saying) then why can't Essendon do the same on a whole of side basis. I don't think I'm overstating the issue by saying that the Club's future prospects depend on fixing this problem once and for all.

[tom9779]

Reckon the entire essendon team will come out on friday night with the legs strapped?

its a competitive thing...teams will just have to adjust until they get it right.
every team has a few soft tissue injuries.
we have just gotten that 3-4 more at the moment, compounded by short breaks and hard grounds.

If we were going to take action I would bee getting Michael Voss and one or two of the Brisbane lions medicos from Uni of QLD in. let them basically train the midfield.

[robrulz5]

A bigger list would be a start. Football in Europe especially play alot of matches, some midweek. They are able to rest players who need to rest and also replace them.Could this work in the AFL? Instead of resting players midweek it would be more a case of giving them a week off so that they can last the whole season and hopefully be at their peak come finals.

[Sartorius]

I say get all the players to wear short skins or under armour (whatever it's called) or whatever brand they want. The ones that go down to the knees. At least that will get the circulation going and keep the muscles a little warmer. A small warm up at the end of the quarter break wouldn't hurt either. Both hamstrings on the weekend were down at the start of the last, and may have been due to not warming up again after the break, or warming down at the end of the last quarter. Not sure though, as I can't say I was focused on what appeared not a problem at that stage.

[Windy_Hill]

A bigger list would be a start. Football in Europe especially play alot of matches, some midweek. They are able to rest players who need to rest and also replace them.Could this work in the AFL? Instead of resting players midweek it would be more a case of giving them a week off so that they can last the whole season and hopefully be at their peak come finals.

Compulsory player rotations - perhaps no player should be allowed to play more thank 18 games the home and away season (4 weekends off during the year)

[j-mac31]

4 games in 19 days has had a lot to do with why we are the worst by far. As GOD & Knighta have both said, it wouldn't have been a big an issue playing this many mid season when they are match hardened, but playing them R1 - 4 has well & truly stuffed us.

I can't agree with this.

First, they are elite, well trained athletes. 6 days should be plenty to recover.
Second, shouldn't Kinghts and Quinn have seen this well before the season started, and conditioned the players accordingly?