Tough Love- and strong discussion- Audio

[saintbrat]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl ... 6390514373


ST Kilda coach Scott Watters says pre-season talks with Nick Riewoldt about his leadership had helped the captain deliver on-field.

Riewoldt kicked seven goals against Gold Coast on Saturday night, but Watters was just as impressed with his earlier form.

"We had some really strong discussions on what leadership actually needed to look like," Watters said.

"That was a real one-on-one situation with Nick and me. We continue to discuss that on a regular basis.


"I think his leadership this year, his body language on field, the way he has helped bring on other players around him - we're seeing a forward-line group that is a little bit more multi-dimensional than it has been and he's a key part in all of that.

"On the back of that, I think his performances have been underrated this year.

"I reckon he's been a really consistent, strong player almost in every game.

"I'm pleased he's starting to get a little bit of recognition for the work that he's doing."

Watters also praised Jason Gram's development after conceding he showed the onballer some tough love during the pre-season.

"Grammy and I probably hit a little bit of a juncture in the pre-season," he told 3AW.

"That probably caused him to reflect on where he was going. He had to probably just take a step backwards in order to move forward.

"I reckon his last four or five weeks in particular, he's just consistently now building for some really good footy. I still think there's a real upside to Grammy and I'm really challenging him now to tap into that last 20 to 25 per cent."

Watters admitted he had had to make sure his players didn't buy into the early-season speculation the Saints were on the slide.

"You've got to very careful. The weight of that can actually become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Where you continue to hear it, you start to believe it," he said.

"We started internally just to challenge that outside perception. The group's still working through that."

[Old Mate]

Good article. IMO Roo would be leading our best and fairest. I like the part on Gram as well. I reckon his form has been improving each week after having an injury interrupted pre season.

[felix]

You could read into that , that grams future was pretty bleak unless he pulled his finger out and gave more than the 75% he had been offering. Wouldn't you love to privvy to some of these conversations!

[Old Mate]

Grammy has been solid over the last few years however has potential to be in the top few at our club. He has all the attributes; speed, run and carry, long kicking and is durable. Looks like Watters has been putting the heat on him to get his full potential. Hopefully Gram performs better under a more offensive coach, playing him to his strengths.

[Sick Nal Danto]

Gram getting to 30 disposals, signals back to the form of 09

When he makes those disposals effective he is a very good player

Hope his form continues on an upward curve

[BigMart]

I thought Riewoldts body language was supposed to be a disgrace!

He was continually tearing shreds off players, and ruining their confidence. Wasn't he being selfish??

Love the bit on Gram, it laughs in the face of his continual detractors

[Dis Believer]

I thought Riewoldts body language was supposed to be a disgrace!

He was continually tearing shreds off players, and ruining their confidence. Wasn't he being selfish??

Love the bit on Gram, it laughs in the face of his continual detractors

To the contrary, I think it supports what many have been saying - Grammy has all the attributes, but needs to extract the digit. I read that as Scott saying nicely "you're going around at 75%, pull your finger out or you're gone".

[To the top]

More to the point with Gram is that his running action has looked restricted over the past couple of seasons and he has looked sore and ready to break down.

I would speculate that a significant part of the programme for Gram was to get those fitness issues under control - and that was a club responsibility.

[BigMart]

He was injured and missed 10 weeks...

I believe this criticism has come as recent as last week?? Isn't Scotty saying he has 'extracted a digit' and BTW he is in the top few in most categories this season

But he is SOFT?

[Wrote for Luck]

I reckon on the whole the body language of the leadership group has improved. Nick in particular who last year had his head down regularly.
With returns of Schneider, Ben, and Gwilt - on field leadership will continue to improve.
Gram doesn't strike me as a dumb footballer. But someone who needs to have clear expectations set upon him. Maybe his role under Lyon was becoming a little blurred.

[SainterK]

Gram IS building, it's obvious.

His one poor qtr has been discussed more than....well probably more than any other Saints players poor quarter ever?

[saintbrat]

I reckon on the whole the body language of the leadership group has improved. Nick in particular who last year had his head down regularly.
With returns of Schneider, Ben, and Gwilt - on field leadership will continue to improve.
Gram doesn't strike me as a dumb footballer. But someone who needs to have clear expectations set upon him. Maybe his role under Lyon was becoming a little blurred.

Nick actually mentions that during this interview
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=76322

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-10/t ... tion=sport

[saintbrat]

and the audio that spurned the article
http://media.mytalk.com.au/3AW/AUDIO/11 ... review.mp3
scott at about the 28 30 minute mark

[SaintPav]

Is his Sunday interview up Bratty or are you going to ignore me again?

[saintbrat]

Is his Sunday interview up Bratty or are you going to ignore me again?

the link in my post above pav

[saintbrat]

and the audio that spurned the article
http://media.mytalk.com.au/3AW/AUDIO/11 ... review.mp3
scott at about the 28 30 minute mark

this one

[SaintPav]

Is his Sunday interview up Bratty or are you going to ignore me again?

the link in my post above pav

thanks

[Teflon]

Gram IS building, it's obvious.

His one poor qtr has been discussed more than....well probably more than any other Saints players poor quarter ever?

Yes because apparently Watters felt the need to address Gram off the back of 1 qtr...

Reading your posts I don't think he had a bad qtr at... more like a bad 2-2.4 minutes while tying his shoelaces... Yer that was it...

[Teflon]

I thought Riewoldts body language was supposed to be a disgrace!

He was continually tearing shreds off players, and ruining their confidence. Wasn't he being selfish??

Love the bit on Gram, it laughs in the face of his continual detractors

To the contrary, I think it supports what many have been saying - Grammy has all the attributes, but needs to extract the digit. I read that as Scott saying nicely "you're going around at 75%, pull your finger out or you're gone".

Correct TB but don't tell Mart...apparently Grams been in stellar form for years while Cripps 'dogs it'

FFS...

[dragit]

I concede on this issue, I've been defending his effort but if the coach comes out publicly and says that his effort was in question then there must be a bit in it. Not common for a coach to publicly critisize a players effort.

Still think he has been going pretty well this year, as Scott also says.

[defacto]

I believe the CEO was on record saying the same stuff about gram and that he was a project for watters

[Teflon]

I'm just wrapt that clearly some in the club are not accepting of some of Gram recent performances, expect more and are asking for it. I'm also glad Grams responded in recent games - lets hope it continues.

Had some on here had their way.... Jason would've been whipped to death with a feather while being told " he is the chosen one".... Would love some on here as my boss... Accountability? .... Must have something to do with numbers......