I have studied sports psychology over a number of years and there is no doubt it has a huge impact on player's performance. Some players respond well to the chair throwing, cursing, tearing paint off the wall and others don't.
In the previous 2 years there is little doubt that BA created a mindset amongst the group that the harder it got the harder they worked, they did it for each other and they would never give up, which is one of the reasons they won so many close games last year. The players most likely accepted the "tear the paint off the wall" approach and went harder, dug in for each other as a result. They were a team.
This year's dynamics changed from the start. We were expected to be top 4-many thought we could win the comp. All of a sudden the mindset went from being we are underdogs and will fight for everything into believing they were good enough to beat any team on talent and no longer had to fight for everything to get a win. The trial against Newcastle and the first half against Penrith in the first game of the year did nothing to expel this line of thinking.
Presumably BA goes off his dial after the Penrith loss and then again the week after. The attitude shift goes from I'll do anything for this bloke to who the hell does he think he is and then the rumours come out that he has lost the dressing room.
We hear Moses yelling at players on the field and others answering him back, we see kicks going down field without a good chase and you quickly realise we have lost the advantage we had last year-we are no longer a team working together for each other.
Does BA assume responsibility for this? You can make up your own mind but I'm fairly confident its a situation he wouldn't have faced before. Given his time over again I have no doubt he would do things differently but hindsight is a great thing.
The unknowns in this debacle:
a) Hayne joining the team and the impact this had on the culture.
b) The off season with the most competitive player in the club (Gutho) only training at half speed. Was his competitive win at all costs attitude missed? I have no doubt it was
c) The failure to attract/make offers for new players. Potential impact on mindset of existing players that their spot is safe and no need to bust a gut
All are possible reasons for such a disappointing season in addition to the ones that have been discussed on this site over the last 3 months.
It can be turned around and quickly. Penrith won the comp in 2003 after finishing 2nd last and last the 2 years prior. This year has seen the Warriors, Newcastle and Tigers all over achieve compared to last year so it can and does happen as long as you take the right steps to address the big issues
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Great blog mate. I think you nailed our issues. Despite our low position on the table we have gone into plenty of games as favourites. I have no doubt that this current squad are psychologically weak and lack leadership. I think we would all agree that if we started the year with Cameron smith as our captain and hooker and Bellamy as our coach and yet changed nothing else positionally we would not be last.
I totally agree with that Nitram. We really lacked an on field leader who the team could believe in and more importantly respect. Cam Smith and Bellamy are the perfect examples
We don't have the squad dynamics particularly in the forwards strength and size to be a permanent force.
This all comes down to a lack of foresight concerning recruitment and development. And there's the story of this current situation
The real genuine psychological impact this year and for the past 4 and a half years has been the B.A. syndrome! Once that has been eradicated then the Eels may actually win a Premiership.
Have you been doing night school Alfred - pretty good summation here.
Obviously you ave only addressed a small portion of our woes but you surprised me with your analysis.
The one question this raises to me is - what caused the mind set to shift so dramatically?
You mention the Knights and Penrith games, but surely you would expect (supposed) professional players to quickly realise they were digging themselves into a hole too deep to get out of by cruising into games simply expecting to win.
CRIKEY - to even suggest the team would have been happy with the game against the Pennies is stretching it more than a bit for me.
I know many harp on about the Hayne influence (and I have been one) but what exactly does that mean - does he constantly rubbish the coach to other players in private? Does his attitude at training (allegedly a lazy trainer) and being allowed to get away with this impact those around him?
What exactly is it?
Titans went backwards the minute they signed him - we were going backwards prior to his heading off to dreamland - then we saw TWO coaches sacked, his 49s coach and Neil Henry, then he returns after we make the top 4 and...........spoon time.
Is this all to be credited to Hayne?
We have seen Roosters go from last one year to GF winners the next but I seriously doubt we have the leadership to achieve this with what we have at our disposal now.
Coach - very big question mark over him this year
Team - same with a number of players
Support staff - what do we have and more importantly what don't we have at our disposal?
We have very little positive psychology throughout our club, but we do have a mob mentality of failure firmly cemented in our KULTCHA.
Some great points Col and thanks for taking the time to read and respond.
Its a great question re why it changed so dramatically. Possibly (and I'm guessing ) the workhorses in the team on lower coin (eg Alvaro) see the poor training being put in by Hayne (as publicly demonstrated through Arthur's son beating Hayne) and ask why should I bust my @rse when I'm getting paid less than half of what this guy is getting paid.
Your last line hits the nail on the head and its a big one. North Sydney had the same issue and given we are of a similar vintage I know you'll remember the tag line that they were infamous for, being "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory". I hope we don't go down that same path
We haven't had a decent leader at the club since the Canterbury 4. I laugh when people try and tell me Cayless was a great leader. he never turned up in big games and we always lost the games we should of won.
"St George are used to winning while Parramatta are used to losing." Phil Gould 77th minute of Round 16 NRL match played 28th June 2018.
Alfred you could not have got a better endorsement for this blog than that.
Some damming stats to be considered.
2014 - 10th with minus 103 F&A
2015 - 12th with minus 125 F&A
2016 14th with minus 26 F&A (deducted 12 competition pints and would have been 8th)
2017 - 4th with plus 39 F&A
2018 - after 16 rounds minus 138 F&A.
I am not one to call for wholesale sackings but someone needs to find pRicky's old white board imo, and start putting up some names in big bold letters.
Coach - does not appear to be the saviour (almost) everyone hoped he would be, nor does he appear to have the ability to develop a cohesive team.
Players - have adopted the loser's limp and appear unable to change their mindset. Who stays and who goes regardless of contract status.
Remaining problem - The Eels do not have anyone who appears capable of assessing which players are capable of taking this club forward and which one's should go.
That can only mean Turd is finally going to make good on his promise to help the Eels.
Don't get more (not) notable than him.
Or maybe Peter Beattie - if he can find Parramatta.
My money would be on Billy Rogers, Paul Carige or Stephen Kearney though.
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