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Weeks away from the opening of the new season, and the challenge of rising above the devastation of our hopes in 2010. What do the club do to prepare for a massive year? Take the players off to New Zealand for Bungee jumping At atime when we need to have all our players 100% fit some genius decides that risking permanent spinal injuries doing this crazy stuff is the way to take us into a new season! How dumb can a club get? After that "effort" in the replay those players should be out on the track working their butts off for FOOTBALL rather than taking a glorified footy trip to NZ talk about mediocrity being rewarded!!!!
To be frank I think its about overdue for AFL players to be taken back to basics ie: getting fit and ready for football rather than all this BS about "bonding and teambuilding" what a crock!
I actually think the bonding and teambuilding elements are important, especially with the amount of off-field controversy the club has had. I believe it is this sort of thing that will help the group concentrate on playing good footy and shutting out distractions. Interacting with other professional sportsmen is a healthy thing too.
Gets a tick from me.
"... You want to pose a threat to the opposition in as many ways as you can, both defensively and offensively. We've got a responsibility to explore all those possibilities - and we will."
InkerSaint wrote:I actually think the bonding and teambuilding elements are important, especially with the amount of off-field controversy the club has had. I believe it is this sort of thing that will help the group concentrate on playing good footy and shutting out distractions. Interacting with other professional sportsmen is a healthy thing too.
The players also risk having a spinal injury from the plane crashing on the way to NZ or the bus crashing between the airport and their accommodation...
Risks will be minimised where necessary and safety precautions taken if necessary.
InkerSaint wrote:I actually think the bonding and teambuilding elements are important, especially with the amount of off-field controversy the club has had. I believe it is this sort of thing that will help the group concentrate on playing good footy and shutting out distractions. Interacting with other professional sportsmen is a healthy thing too.
Gets a tick from me.
given the need for the team to- regroup mentally as much as qphysically from A) grand final losses and B) all the other stuff-
doing it together is a great way=- In some ways hanging upside down with your life relying on a thin thread would be a good way to put everything else into perspective ( not that I'm going to do it though)
they also risk serious injury just running onto a football field every week- or attending training as many AFL footballers have found already - X clarke for one,
FYI, they didn't go bungee jumping, nor risk spinal injuries. The canyon swing which the saints players went on is completely different to a bungee jump in that it has no sudden jolt at the end which is the main risk in bungee jumping. It is literally a giant swing with no stretchy materials at all and is relatively low risk. AFAIK, there have been no reported injuries on the swing.
If at first you don't succeed, sky diving is not for you.
Bardon Saint wrote:The players also risk having a spinal injury from the plane crashing on the way to NZ or the bus crashing between the airport and their accommodation...
Risks will be minimised where necessary and safety precautions taken if necessary.
The could also get hit by a bus walking across the street in Australia.
I reckon, just for a change, instead of all the overseas trips for "bonding" or whatever cliche' they want to use. The players should get out of the comfort zone and get into serious training at our "new multi-million dollar facility" that the club keep asking us to stump up money for! Now wouldn't that be unique? A club actually using their own training ground and WORKING THEIR BUTTS OFF to make good on last years "effort" in the replay. And yes it IS dumb putting players in harms way in an effort to "build team spirit" If folks are really saying that it takes an overseas trip to build up spirit after what thses guys have been through together then we are in trouble. The manner in which that moron Gilbert dropped his captain in to all that hassle shows that someone in the "bonding crew" hasn't been doing their job!
Among others, reason for trip is to bond, to re-assess game plan with the aim of maintaining our defensive aggression whilst improving our attacking aggression, to train, and take players out of their comfort zone.
Sure we could have done the same thing here too but I reckon now is a good time to get away from all the crap served up by a news hungry media.
Port Adelaide also visited Queenstown in the pre-season of their Premiership year with the aim of reassessing their game plan.
I'll be spending my next holidays in Queenstown too if we win the flag this year.
I once spent a year in Adelaide, I think it was on a Sunday.
thejiggingsaint wrote:Weeks away from the opening of the new season, and the challenge of rising above the devastation of our hopes in 2010. What do the club do to prepare for a massive year? Take the players off to New Zealand for Bungee jumping At atime when we need to have all our players 100% fit some genius decides that risking permanent spinal injuries doing this crazy stuff is the way to take us into a new season! How dumb can a club get? After that "effort" in the replay those players should be out on the track working their butts off for FOOTBALL rather than taking a glorified footy trip to NZ talk about mediocrity being rewarded!!!!
To be frank I think its about overdue for AFL players to be taken back to basics ie: getting fit and ready for football rather than all this BS about "bonding and teambuilding" what a crock!
I'm guessing u've never played football or a team sport then, because team bonding is probably the most important thing that a team needs, if a team ever struggles or looks effortless they are usually put through a hard 'boot'camp" to encourgage teams to work together and help each other through. what they are doing now is working together to block out the nude photo crap, and to try and rebuild the team after the recent scandal, i.e sam gilbert vs nick riewoldt (i still believe they are great mates). gets a tick from me too
Sorry but while I don't entirely disagree with you about the need for "bonding" when playing a team sport. And yes. I have played team sport, (although too many years away to remember now!) and am well aware of the need for comradeship, we just were good mates who stuck up for each other on (and off) the field, we didn't need all this "psychobabble" and trips away to make it happen. The point of the OP is to just express my bewilderment at the concept of highly paid players needing to be taken off on trips to NZ etc, in order to create what should be there anyway! The bungee jump-canyon swing whatever the hell its called poses a risk that a sane club would not contemplate. DUMB!
THis is the first overseas training the boys have had together under Ross and I think it is essential that they do some team bonding and do things differently and away from the normal routine after the difficult times of late and last year. They deserve it and the timing is perfect.
thejiggingsaint wrote:Sorry but while I don't entirely disagree with you about the need for "bonding" when playing a team sport. And yes. I have played team sport, (although too many years away to remember now!) and am well aware of the need for comradeship, we just were good mates who stuck up for each other on (and off) the field, we didn't need all this "psychobabble" and trips away to make it happen. The point of the OP is to just express my bewilderment at the concept of highly paid players needing to be taken off on trips to NZ etc, in order to create what should be there anyway! The bungee jump-canyon swing whatever the hell its called poses a risk that a sane club would not contemplate. DUMB!
well thats some serious crap you just said there, im not sure how old you are but it must have been a lonngggg time since u were part of a team. the trip to newzealand is still for training and i guarntee u they will get fitter because of the trip. they will be doing altitude training and running in the mountains combined with the conditioning they had been doing before hand. in nz they are escaping the media and prety much the abuse from the public as well
well why the hell not?! I've paid out almost $612.00 for another year. Maybe this "strength through loyalty" bit should start going BOTH ways! There's plenty of places here in Oz that the team could be taken to for "bonding". I can't help thinking that taking them away from the controversy etc is PW and if they think ignoring it will make it all fine then theyre delusional. Hard work out on the training track is what these guys need! Time to toughen up boys!!!
Usually agree with what you say but not this time.
Do you reckon that so many clubs would have followed St Kilda's lead on this type of trip (pioneered by G Thomas and the London trip) if it was a waste?
Pies to Arizona seems pretty successful and the players I know who went to London and South Africa (China trip not so good) said it was very worthwhile.
TB 1 - The Brightest Light on the Darkest Night - we miss you.
Think Globally, Act Sainterly
I have Phil Narkle's helmet
linz wrote:
I'll be spending my next holidays in Queenstown too if we win the flag this year.
I'd recommend going anyway, fantastic place to visit, NZ South Island is wonderful.
STRENGTH THROUGH LOYALTY.
''I still get really excited, and I've got the '66 thing up on the wall in a frame … You look at it and think: one day, we want to achieve that.''- Arryn Siposs
You are actually in more danger crossing Flinders St than doing these rope activities with the right equipment if the harness is properly secured.
These guys seem superhuman, but they're not robots..they're human. And humans get sick of doing the same things over and over in the same places. It's vital that the boys 'get away from it all'..the fishbowl existence in Melbourne, assh*les in fish and chip shops etc
The activities the boys have done over there will be (literally a breath of fresh air. Some of the guys had net sessions with Pakistan and NZ cricket teams. How good would that be?
The point I'm making is...these guys train for over 10 months of the year and play matches for 8 months. They need a bit of variety before the hard slog begins.
The Queenstown trip is a much-needed positive...with great scenery!
In honour of those who went before, in the dark and desperate years.
At atime when we need to have all our players 100% fit some genius decides that risking permanent spinal injuries doing this crazy stuff is the way to take us into a new season! How dumb can a club get? After that "effort" in the replay those players should be out on the track working their butts off for FOOTBALL rather than taking a glorified footy trip to NZ talk about mediocrity being rewarded!!!! 
!!
