With a bit of reflection and watching the Cats tonight, reviewing pound for pound we shouldn't be that far off where we are. Cats have the same ageing players, the same D grade players as role players, they've had inbjuries like us (Danger missed a lot of footy, Stewart obviously out). What is the biggest difference between us now vs 2020?
It has to be discipline and professionalism. The free kicks, the 50m penalties, the panic, the somewhat arrogant preparation towards GC and North, our leaders being below par, our strange bias team selection of coaches favourites, our lack of care of umpiring free kick ratio, the mounting injuries compared to previous years. It comes down to professionalism. Its dropped away a far bit in comparison to the top teams and what we used to be.
I hate the idea that this has fallen away since the Mrs Hardwick debacle but our selflessness, openness to vulnerability, ultra professionals, captain cleaning up the change room type stuff - has just fallen away. Maybe it's the hypocrisy of coaches personal life in regard to having a relationship with a coworker, honesty and team/family first, maybe it's the change of leadership, maybe its the loss of assistants that demanded more in their areas than the current ones, maybe its a lack of desire and poorer prep after being so successful.
I'd love us as a club to have a focus on this going forward, our professionalism needs lifting. It's a glaring difference from what we used to value and what the top teams consistently do well, we need to get back to this.
