Eels Blogs

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  Premier2018 August 18, 2015 at 1:29pm

  We've always had a good staff due to our relationship with westmead.

  Medically there isn't much you can do to avoid broken bones and torn ligaments.

  It can be about training and playing smart but sometimes it can just be about genetics and bad luck.
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    sixtiesboy > Premier2018 August 18, 2015 at 1:41pm

    You are correct about avoiding certain injuries. I'm not saying that there is something wrong, I'm saying that we need to investigate if things can be better. A review cannot be a bad thing in light of one of the biggest problems our club has faced this year.
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  Forty20 August 18, 2015 at 1:30pm

  I think this is definitely a valid concern.

  There is always a degree of luck involved in such a matter and I certainly think we have just been plain unlucky with injuries to an extent. The matter has also been compounded by the fact that certain players have pushed themselves to the limit carrying moderate-to-considerable injuries and/or niggles due to our Top 25/Second tier issues. Guys like Choc, Wicks and Taka have repeatedly injured themselves until they simply can not play any longer. Not ideal at all (although it is an admirable reflection on their characters) and even with the concessions I made just prior I think a review and overhaul would be ideal.

  I am no where near qualified to tell you where we need to improve and as fans we simply don't have access to the requisite information about what the club does do but in a recent News Limited article (LINK) we see that Paul Devlin is trying to put us on the front foot as much as possible but it likely comes down ultimately to sheer $$$ involved and the fact that the club may need to bite the bullet and wear some hefty costs to improve player welfare and recovery.

  Further to the point of dollars and facilities I recall a recent interview that Corey Norman had with ex-Bronco turned new-age media identity - Denan Kemp where Corey mentioned the shock he got when he joined the Eels due to the stark difference in training facilities compared to the Brisbane franchise. Interview located here.

  I am not sure how far the new training centre at the Old Sales Yards will go towards putting us on the same level with the premier clubs in that area like the Broncos and Bulldogs as far as training and recovery facilities go but in a competition as tight as the NRL every little percentage of training/performance/recovery you can eke out can take you that much further up the ladder and towards the ultimate goal of the title. It also makes for a useful feather in the cap for recruitment as well so there really is a considerable incentive to identify and improve in this area.
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    sixtiesboy > Forty20 August 18, 2015 at 1:38pm

    Thanks for the detailed response Forty. It's about putting us at the elite level in comparison to other clubs. Our construction of the Saleyards complex is a step in the right direction, but we have the now to take care of. Players exist in the now.
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  JJ - The EEL August 18, 2015 at 1:33pm

  Some very good points there 60's, I wonder how much the club actually budgets towards a medical program or they just fix it on a "When Broken Basis". Another small point I note is with the boots most of the players wear nowadays which look very bright and fancy, but given the amount of night football that is played in slippery / dewey conditions are these the best option to maximise a players performance. I noted last Friday night there were several Bronco's players with screw in metal studs and they didn't have a problem with there footing.
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  Kurupt August 18, 2015 at 1:43pm

  My comment was directed at the trainers, the medical staff seem to do a good job rehabilitating our injured players, I honestly believe we have a problem with the training methods used.
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    sixtiesboy > Kurupt August 18, 2015 at 2:18pm

    My issue is more to do with examining how much funding we put into the medical program.
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  Forty20 August 18, 2015 at 1:48pm

  Exactly. Everyone knows the famous adage about how winning starts in the front office (and dear god does this apply to us as well!) but in the modern game you can easily adapt it in a similar manner to recovery and player welfare. It really is that big of a deal.

  This blog goes hand in hand with your recent blog that examined how heavily each club has drawn upon their Top 25 and second tier squads and the fact that invariably success comes with keeping your best seventeen on the park. The revelation itself is hardly shocking but going about doing so is where it gets tricky.
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  SuperEel 22 August 18, 2015 at 1:48pm

  I think we definitely need to look at how best to aid the recovery of our players. I think our medical staff are on the right track here. Last week I believe they were in sub zero chambers to aid muscle recovery. I believe they did pick up some medical advice when they were in the States. Of course you're going to have injuries throughout the season which are unavoidable but it's important we ensure we don't have players experiencing physical burnout or injuries due to fatigue. If I was working with Parramatta, I'd be taking a look at how cyclists manage physical fatigue. They ride for 3 consecutive weeks in a grand tour with many riding injured if they crash. Their medical teams are experts at managing their physical workloads and ensuring the riders maintain their form throughout the race.
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  Bert de Naturál✌️™ August 18, 2015 at 2:05pm

  Dr Kervorkian?