What makes AFL players succeed at a new club Larissa Nicholson
The Age
February 7, 2015Anthony Miles went from delisted wannabe to rising star in 2014.
And there will be plenty of rookies and low-level trades in preseason training who want to be the next Miles, the one-time also-ran who bloomed when given a second chance.
The midfielder's career took off when he made his debut for the Tigers in round 12 after two years floundering at Greater Western Sydney, but recruiting is an inaccurate science.
Club officials must guess at any number of factors that might be holding a player back - a lack of opportunity or unrecognised talent, a bad attitude, injury or a poor club fit – before offering him another chance at making it big in the AFL.
As assistant professor in sport and exercise psychology at the University of Canberra, Richard Keegan studies what helps sportspeople reach their potential.
When athletes perform at their best, it's effortless, instinctual, and thoughtless in the best possible way.
That kind of clear-headedness - when the body takes over - is the ideal for high performance, Keegan said.
Club culture, the relationship between player and coach, and team cohesion are all important, because when one of those elements goes wrong the athlete can become self-conscious and doubt their decisions.
They are also some of the reasons why an athlete may struggle for a game at one club, then turn into a champion at the next.
Club culture is about attitudes, whether the aim is to win at all costs or the focus is on continual improvement.
On average, more sportspeople thrive in an environment focused on improvement, but there are some who flourish under brutal circumstances, when they are pushed to prove themselves every few days and are in constant competition with their teammates.
The relationship between player and coach is also important. Are they trying to do the same thing? Do they act in a way that is complementary to each other? Do they like each other?
Too often, Keegan said, communication between coach and player breaks down.
A sportsperson might assume everything is going fine when really the coach is unhappy with their approach, and that makes it hard for the athlete to get the right opportunities to prove himself.
It can often be a mistake for a coach to talk at his or her players, rather than allowing the sportsperson in on the discussion.
Very few circumstances actually require top-down leadership from a coach.
"It's a cultural norm we have, the person in charge should be in charge, rather than offering some control or autonomy to the players and letting them work it out," Keegan said.
The problem is some players will then find at crucial moments of the game they are wondering what the coach would want them to do, rather than trusting their gut.
Finally, there is the slippery matter of team cohesion.
Going on trips together can help a group of players feel like a team, Keegan said, but it is far more important to recruit people who have a similar approach to the job at hand.
Some athletes may live club life with the attitude that they are there simply to perform, others want the team to be good mates, and both outlooks can work so long as the players are on the same page.
Keegan said the "one-per centers" can add up in professional sport, including how well players can predict what their teammate is going to do next.
"Feeling you don't fit in will get you analysing and thinking, and that's conducive of good playing," he said.
Former champion turned commentator Garry Lyon labelled GWS' decision to drop Miles "a massive mistake", but Miles is more circumspect.
Miles said the Sydney club had recruited a lot of talented young players, which made it hard for him to break into the regular playing group.
Moving to the proud old club of Richmond made him realise he was not doing enough to make the most of his talent.
Assistant coach Mark Williams took him aside when he arrived at Punt Road and told to him to act like a part of the group, not like a rookie, and Miles said watching older, highly experienced players training was the extra push he needed to step up.
Miles has no regrets about his time at GWS and no complaints about how he was treated at the club.
But a combination of new opportunities and personal growth helped his career take off when he joined the Tigers.
For some players, just deciding to move on to a new club can be empowering, Keegan said.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/what-makes-afl-players-succeed-at-a-new-club-20150206-13501y.html
