Brad Arthur - My Training Observations - Eels Blogs

In my recent training blogs I've provided information on how the players are performing and made some reference to the coaching I've observed. I'd like to give everyone a picture of the coach in action.Firstly, I should mention that there is a coaching team. From assistant coaches, physios, trainers and the physical performance manager, Paul Devlin, there is a quality team that has been assembled.So to what I've seen of Brad Arthur.When Brad speaks to the players, there are no doubts about his message. He doesn't mince his words. He tells them if what they have done is not up to scratch and also what they need to do to fix it. When they are running plays he lets them know the reason for that play. He explains the impact that it will have on the opposition. What advantage it will give them in the game, what it will set up for them.As the players work through their sets he will call out adjustments to players about their positioning, the lines that they are running, reminders about what they are trying to set up.He is quick to praise those who execute well, using them as the example for others.Players are given their opportunity to speak to the group. I have witnessed Peats and Hoppa address the group after BA has spoken to them. I have watched Watmough bark instructions and Champion guide his younger team mates.When the assistant coaches are controlling drills, BA might walk with individual players and you can see through his hand gestures that he is talking about their movements in a game.BA has identified skill sets that players work through after training. He has them working on little things like shoulder turns when passing, kicks, hand positions. All players are being skilled in playing what is in front if them. He's not developing a team of athletes around a couple of footballers. He's developing a team of footballers. I hear about teams who spend large parts of an off season not using a footy but just working on fitness. These blokes use the football.Finally, he has created a happy camp. There is some serious work that goes into training but there is also plenty of laughs and enjoyment. When tries are scored in opposed drills,on some occasions,you would think that it was worth real points.As a footnote, the most recent session that I observed was run as separate sessions for the NRL and Wenty teams. BA ran both sessions and ran many of the same plays. The advice and praise was there for the Wenty blokes as it was for the NRL. This is a club. They are growing as a club.We are fortunate that this great coach loves our club, because his reputation in the rugby league community is already outstanding. You know what that will mean for the recruitment and retention of players.

"Great points you made Longfin in your second paragraph! Totally agree with you, pretty clear we can't attract big names maybe we have to focus on keeping our worthy juniors right now and build from there. Realistically build this year. We must do…"

"Parra boy let's not forget when Norman and Moses were at each others throats and playing shit. R&R gave them both the choice to leave. Here below is an excerpt from AI that i asked. so take it however you want re AI product, but R&R has been a…"

"Im very happy to hear that HOE. Coz the last thing we need is an outside back less. With Will out, Samrani in we basically have no one else (going off what Kelly showed).still wish we'd keep quiet in future on those we chasing...seems like we have…"

Replies

GRUNTA - Death of a Salesman January 17, 2015 at 10:05am

Thanks sixties great to hear but I just wish we got Jason Taylor ;)
- sixtiesboy > GRUNTA - Death of a Salesman January 17, 2015 at 10:08am
  
  Haha! Bet Taka doesn't agree with you!
GRUNTA - Death of a Salesman January 17, 2015 at 10:09am

Lol
Sir Col "THE NODDY MUSHROOM" January 17, 2015 at 10:10am

60s my boy you are doing a magnificent job by "sacrificing" yourself to watch and report on training.

THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ is possibly the most encouraging blog for our future I have ever read for more years than I care to remember.
- sixtiesboy > Sir Col "THE NODDY MUSHROOM" January 17, 2015 at 12:41pm
  
  Thanks mate.
Hugo January 17, 2015 at 10:34am

Great work champ!
sixtiesboy January 17, 2015 at 10:34am

Larissa comes to this site. I think that if the club wants something that I have written they are welcome to it. If they approach me to contribute I would be more than happy to clean it up to a publishing standard.
Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐 January 17, 2015 at 10:47am

Arthur is definitely making all the right moves, and feel the club is in it's best position it's been in since the early 2000s regarding jnrs, managerial stability and salary cap management.
Mr 'BringBackFitzy' Analyst January 17, 2015 at 10:53am

So now its up to the players if they are footy smart n put it into practice
Bup January 17, 2015 at 11:00am

"He's developing a team of footballers" music to my ears.