The cumulative mental toll of perverse and serious injuries

[SemperFidelis]

I’ve been saying for months we should trade Dicko for a team of psychologists to get to the bottom of our goal kicking woes.

But I’m now really starting to wonder about the cumulative toll on the team psyche of some really serious, and perverse, injuries.

Between Koby’s delayed, probably career ending, knock, Robbo collapsing on the field in front of their eyes and possibly never to return, Paddy’s repeated concussions, our one shining light in Long’s serious foot injury, DMac’s sickening hit in the VFL followed by multiple concussions for several players in recent weeks and even Freezer going down again, I really wonder about the impact on team psyche. No skipper this week was not an upside for team morale, despite what many think of his contribution.

I never, ever, buy in to the idea that our team isn’t trying. But last night, with the exception of a handful, we looked unwilling to put bodies on the line.

We all know it’s a brutal game, but for several years we’ve been tougher than many. This year has been different and I just wonder how much of what has happened with Robbo, Koby and Co has contributed to a mindset that isn’t working for us on the field.

That’s not to say there aren’t many other well known and much discussed factors in play that are
contributing to our current demise (there clearly are), but this worries me.

[Con Gorozidis]

Give me a break.
Amazing how the longer he goes without actually playing the better Koby becomes.
When he was fit everyone wanted him dropped.

[Yorkeys]

The cumulative effect of losing and being whipping boys for top teams would be more damaging I think, particularly with no light at the end of the coaching/management tunnel. It just drains motivation like nobody's business. We just have to win a game somehow. I can't think about the aftermath if the Suns beat us - and they do have a forward.

[SemperFidelis]

Give me a break.
Amazing how the longer he goes without actually playing the better Koby becomes.
When he was fit everyone wanted him dropped.

No. I’m not talking about their skills or whether they should have been playing.

I’m talking about what it must be like to watch a teammate lose their career in front of you from a head knock. Have a look at the interview on Fox footy from last week if you haven’t already.

Different issues.

[Con Gorozidis]

We travel less than most teams.
We haven't played finals in 8 years so longer breaks than most teams.

Pitiful excuses.

[Devilhead]

We travel less than most teams.

Ha - Now you are not even trying to hide that you are taking the piss

[Con Gorozidis]

We travel less than most teams.

Ha - Now you are not even trying to hide that you are taking the piss

13 games at Etihad this season.

How much travel do you think the Eagles do?

No. I'm not taking the piss.

The excuses offered up are pathetic.

[chico2001]

13 home games is a good deal. In other years you would pencil that in for 10 wins.

[Con Gorozidis]

How do injuries explain our Rd 2 performance when the game was all over at quarter time against North?

[Scollop]

Crickets to your last post Con. There are no injury excuses for that match. No one can make ANY excuses for the club on that day

No more excuses for that coaching effort on Good Friday. Piss poor team selection, piss poor decisions by the board and list management over the last 3 years and piss poor player development culminated on this day

It was our marquee game and our chance to be relavant in a crowd of teams trying to challenge for a spot in the top 8 in 2018. Our chance to highlight the Saints as a destination club and as a good club for sponsors. It was a marquee game to showcase where we are as far as recruiting, player. development, coaching and game plan are concerned. Need to rebuild all departments