I believe the biggest improvement we can make throughout the year will be due to stability, consistency and confidence. For the last 4 years we have been introducing youth into the team, testing potential, reorganising structures and positions and incouraging players to fight for a spot in the line-up.
While this is a healthy motivational tool for the coach and players alike it makes it difficult for the playing group to strategise, become instinctual and to establish confidence in their team mates and even their own decisions/actions.
As last year began to draw to a close and hopefully continuing on in 2009, we had a more settled line up. We still had the odd players moved in and out but we left players like Riewoldt, Morton, White, Edwards, McGuane, Moore and Cotchin in the team over long periods. This allowed them to gain in confidence themselves and learn how to work with the other players.
Our defence in particular has now formed an excellent core group who continued to improve, understand their role and learn to relie upon the other defenders in the backline. Similiarly our forwardline is learning similiar lessons but we need Hughes to step back into the team to continue this development.
I am hoping that with continued stability our team start to play for each other more instead of just trying to ensure they keep their spot in the team. When every player is playing to win for the club regardless of individual accolyades then that creates onfield success.
I think our young lineup is almost settled. We just need to slot in a few players such as Rance and I think we will find changes to the team will become less and less week in, week out.
Hopefully this makes the biggest difference to our future success.
Stripes