So we belt the tigers 51-6 and then the Storm belt us 64-10.
Last night the tigers were the better side for 79 minutes against the storm. I just don't get it, we're so mentally weak.
How do you define mental toughness and how do you obtain it if you don't have it?? Surely it all comes down to the coaching stuff and their preparation ensuring that the team is up each week
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If someone had the key to mental toughness, we'd probably all know it by now. There are so many different intangible factors that go into winning. Yes, the Tigers were the better side, but they still lost and you could say they didn't have the mental toughness to close it out. On the other hand, Melbourne were beating themselves. They failed to complete multiple sets after scoring which is very un-Melbourne.
So why is it that Melbourne turned up all guns blazing last week and this week they limped to the finish line? Same coach in both scenarios.
Similar question could be asked of us given we won our first two games of the season both away from home and took it to the Roosters before beating the Sharks. All of those performances required mental toughness given we won three of those games from behind.
I think a big part of us winning at Bankwest is the atmosphere of the fans. It feels overwhelming for opponents but fires our boys up.
We have to find that middle ground away from home where we turn up with the willingness to grind out games rather than try and blow sides off the park which leads to dropped balls and forced passes.
That all being said, the NRL is the closest competition in the world. The Bulldogs who are odds on to win the wooden spoon, should've beaten Melbourne. We spanked the Tigers who should've beaten Melbourne. Manly are in every game at the moment despite their injury toll. And although we've been poor in recent weeks, we're still in the eight.
I would like to know what sports psychology they use at Parramatta and what tactics they use to continue motivating the side every week. Because turning around the culture and mentality of a side can take years. It requires a buy-in from everyone in the club and a willingness to be ruthless if they don't buy in.
I have never said Poppa I was an expert on coaching but like every fan, I'm entitled to an opinion wether people agree or disagree that's their prerogative. I've seen enough football and played football enough to ascertain the difference between an excellent coach and a poor coach and like I've stated I'm entitled to an opinion after following the Eels since Cumberland Oval days.
It’s been rediagnosed as a meniscus tear, 4-6 weeks, not an ACL.
It all comes down to leadership, something that the Eels have lacked for a very long time. Given how young our team is it's hardly surprising we've been inconsistent. We need a real tough leader who can keep it all together when the pressure is on.
Comes back to the coaching, Eel for life
Yes, who else's fault is it Brissyeel? The ball boys perhaps, maybe the cheerleaders?
If a side performs well one week and shit the next that shows me that the players aren’t crap at all, they can all play. The skill differences between the NRL squads are minimal and the main difference most of the time is a mental one.
Mental toughness has to fall at the feet of the coach. He is the guy who needs to get the players up for each game - game plans, skillset and ability are secondary in this comp.
The coaches job is not to teach players how to pass, tackle, run etc it’s to get them playing cohesively as a unit and to play for each other. It’s about getting the squad to play with pride in their own performance and for the colours. It’s about getting the players to the right head space for each game and then devising a game plan to help them achieve.
To me Arthur fails in all of the above. He coaches like he’s coaching young first timers who have never passed tackled or kicked before. We need a psychologist not a skills coach and the great clubs have that.