Angus Graham [merged]

[Coach]

That's great claw. The kid can only do the most he can and if he's putting in the hard yards then a big thumbs up to him.  

Whether or not he makes it, at least he seems to be doing his utmost to give it his best shot.

Agreed. I've been critical of Gus but it's great to see him training during the break. Well done, Gus Maybe some of the other lads should follow his lead.

[Smokey]

Think he realises that his spot in 2011 isn't a given. With interchange rule changes, bringing in a mature age ruckman in DerykX... I think our number 1 ruck spot is up for grabs; would appear Gus knows it too

Good on him for putting in the extra work

And there's something I just don't get with professional sportsmen.  Why does it take something like a threat to their position or 'job' to get them motivated in doing the extra work?  Why that isn't a given for their entire career will always astound me.

[Oiafi]

And there's something I just don't get with professional sportsmen.  Why does it take something like a threat to their position or 'job' to get them motivated in doing the extra work?  Why that isn't a given for their entire career will always astound me.

You don't know that smokey. From what I have seen from Gus he has worked hard ever since he has been with us. The only reason the effort is tied to the security of his job is that there is some doubt as to whether he will make it. If he was a great ruckman everyone would be praising him for his work ethic.

[Smokey]

And there's something I just don't get with professional sportsmen.  Why does it take something like a threat to their position or 'job' to get them motivated in doing the extra work?  Why that isn't a given for their entire career will always astound me.

You don't know that smokey. From what I have seen from Gus he has worked hard ever since he has been with us. The only reason the effort is tied to the security of his job is that there is some doubt as to whether he will make it. If he was a great ruckman everyone would be praising him for his work ethic.

Where did I say that was about Graham?  I was responding to WP's comments about Graham, saying how it amazes me with professional sportspeople that it often takes a threat to their livelihood to motivate them.  Do you disagree with me and think every professional sportsperson is 100% motivated/driven for the entire length of their careers?

[Oiafi]

Wasn't attacking you smokey. In my opinion the context of your post could only be seen as relating to Angus Graham. No I do not disagree with you. In all professions there are people that are good at their jobs and people who are not so good.

[Smokey]

Wasn't attacking you smokey. In my opinion the context of your post could only be seen as relating to Angus Graham. No I do not disagree with you. In all professions there are people that are good at their jobs and people who are not so good.

Fair enough, I probably could have worded it a bit better.  I was only using WP's comments on Graham as a lead in to my opinion on professional sportspeople in general - those loaded up with talent but light on attitude (and often tied in with inflated ego's).  I never had much in the way of natural talent but I had a fair crack at whatever sports I played and it has always been something I couldn't get my head around - how you could be blessed with so much ability and not make the most of it.  Like you said - happens in all professions, just sticks out to me when it's a sportsperson.

[Jacosh]

Think he realises that his spot in 2011 isn't a given. With interchange rule changes, bringing in a mature age ruckman in DerykX... I think our number 1 ruck spot is up for grabs; would appear Gus knows it too

Good on him for putting in the extra work

And there's something I just don't get with professional sportsmen.  Why does it take something like a threat to their position or 'job' to get them motivated in doing the extra work?  Why that isn't a given for their entire career will always astound me.

Unless my memory has got it completely around the wrong way, wasnt Cotch flying at this time last year and decided to do extra work of his own bat and over did it.  Leading him to end up doing more damage than good and not being ready to play for round one?

I think you will find that unless instructed by the fitness staff to do this kind of thing the players are advised not to do extra training, making it hard for them to do what you are saying they should.

[Stripes]

Not far wrong Jacosh - it was the year before when Cotch, Jack and Connors decided to start training straight after the end of the season before the offical preseason began and was when Cotch injuried his achilles. I think one of the other two may have also injuried himself not long after too.

You would imagine Gus has certainly made the fitness staff aware of his extra training especially since he is conducting it at Punt Road itself. Shows a real determination to succeed imho and, even though the actions weren't smart in retrospect, the three young players above seem to have gone on to better things on the back of that self motivated determination to succeed so who knows with Gus. This could be the start of a big year for the young fellow...

Stripes

[mightytiges]

Gus' ankle flared up again at the start of the preseason and he missed a couple of weeks of training. He's probably used the Christmas break to catch-up on the amount of running he's missed.

[Smokey]

And there's something I just don't get with professional sportsmen.  Why does it take something like a threat to their position or 'job' to get them motivated in doing the extra work?  Why that isn't a given for their entire career will always astound me.

Unless my memory has got it completely around the wrong way, wasnt Cotch flying at this time last year and decided to do extra work of his own bat and over did it.  Leading him to end up doing more damage than good and not being ready to play for round one?

I think you will find that unless instructed by the fitness staff to do this kind of thing the players are advised not to do extra training, making it hard for them to do what you are saying they should.

Yep, for sure.  But "extra work" doesn't have to mean actual extra km's or extra reps - it can mean pushing yourself harder than you ever have, or for longer than you ever have, and it's that overall motivation I'm referring to.  I agree that the club would most likely be all over any extra work the players were considering or asking for, especially after the Cotch episode a couple of years back, but the motivation in a professional sportsperson at the top of their particular tree to do everything to the utmost of their capacity, to me should be an ongoing given and not driven by a sudden fear of failure or rejection.  Suppose that's where the difference in attitude between winners and losers kicks in.

[mightytiges]

Gus dominated the hitouts last night (36 hitouts to Cam Wood's 16) and fair enough he carries most of the workload as No.1 ruck but sheesh he's a volvo driver on a footy field. At times totally oblivious to what is going on around him lol  .

[Penelope]

Agree with that MT. He got his hands to the ball in a lot of contests and often it was sharked by the scum who were moving while our boys were flat footed.

Aground the ground he is a dinosaur though.

[jackstar is back again]

thought there was a big improvement by Gus last night, we flogged therm in hit outs.
big problem with Gus, gives away too many frees

[eliminator]

He fell over in contests around the ground. He didn't tap to the advantage of a Richmond player. He didn't take any contested marks and didn't back up the defence when help was needed. He was up against Woods who is at best an average ruckman. He let brown take an uncontested mark that led to yet another goal. Not good enough.

[jackstar is back again]

He fell over in contests around the ground. He didn't tap to the advantage of a Richmond player. He didn't take any contested marks and didn't back up the defence when help was needed. He was up against Woods who is at best an average ruckman. He let brown take an uncontested mark that led to yet another goal. Not good enough.

You should watch Vickery then, he is worse