What Makes This Team So Tough?

As I sat in the stands on Friday night, I was preparing myself for the double blow of a loss to the Roosters followed by the 12 point deduction. For a bloke that watches training and always feels so positive about how the team prepare for matches, to feel resigned to such heartbreak was a tough pill to swallow. But why wouldn't I feel that way? We had no centres, no half, down to 15 players, refs making life tough and 12 points down. Shame on me for not considering the fight in this team.So why are they so tough? No doubt there is something special about this group. They do turn up for each other. They are as tight as we're told.Where does this come from?They work hard. Bloody hard. There is no substitute for that!Let me take your minds back to the pre-season. (Herein lies my reason for posting this on 1eyedeel rather than on The Cumberland Throw)After attending the Thornett Medal, myself, Forty and Miatch wrote here about the resolve and the desire in the team to get straight back into preparing for 2016. BA and the players were chomping at the bit to right certain aspects in our play - and competing for 80 minutes every week was central to that.As the pre-season kicked into gear, we were provided with images and footage from the club of the ordeals that the players were put through in getting both physically and mentally prepared for the season. I added my two bobs worth in giving a bit of background information about how BA put himself through the same tortures as the players, such as their central coast Sandhills challenge. Told of Beau Scott literally carrying John Folau up the hills (you can picture him doing that now can't you!) Throughout the pre-season I witnessed players pushing themselves until they were physically ill, all the while calling on each other to push harder.The usual laughs about toughest pre-season ever abounded - as expected.But now let's consider where that preparation has led us.You have a team that absolutely love and respect their coach. He was the strength beside them, literally beside them, in that torture of the pre-season. They know that he has both the mental and physical strength to guide them through this season.You have a team that plays for each other and supports each other, just as they did when they didn't have anything left to give physically during the pre-season. They found another gear in their mind.The resolve of this season has been no fluke. It's come on the back of hard work and a coach who has always stood alongside his players.It's been there for everyone to see all along!

There are few things I have noticed about our team this year that have made the difference.

Our discipline with the ball, in the past individuals would of tried to win that game on Friday night, instead everybody did their job, their role and the right person that needed the ball in his hands Corey Norman was the one that got it and won the game for us.
I like the way we work into games, we don’t come out all guns blazing and burn energy in the first twenty for it to catch up with us in the last twenty. We are controlled in what we do, we don’t panic and they keep believing that if they stick to their jobs they will have a chance at winning every game.
As you have pointed out Sixties our mental & physical toughness, without that, you aren’t disciplined with the ball, your team does panic and starts to question the plan and then the wrong individuals try to take it upon themselves to win the game.

What BA has done for this club just can’t be put into words, I love the bloke. There’s not too many things the 15 other clubs would be envious of with our club....but BA is one of them.

Replies

Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 11, 2016 at 10:01am

Nice one 60s, as you've stated, BA is the difference, its a good example to the people that have the opinion that a coach is overrated in a footy team or 'the players can coach themselves', i know theres not to many of those thinkers around but sometimes i read a few posts along those lines.

A great coach brings out the qualities his players already have and instils the qualities lacking in the group, easier said than done.

Big respect for BA, everybody wants to buy into the bloke, i can see why, we are very lucky to have him.

Ive just realised that I've never seen just about every eels supporter on the same page about a coach, even most of the 'bush coach's' critics have come round.
- RIDER > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 11, 2016 at 10:10am
  
  I agree with that in part Snake and the improvement in certain players has has to be attributed to the Coach.
  
  But I also believe that players such as Scott and Flash have made a huge difference in the attitude of the team and then there are others like Kenny and Norman who are the jokers that bond the team.
  
  Wicks and Manu are the realist who can tell the young guys stories about where wasted talent can get you.
  
  This is a genuine TEAM effort I believe.
  
  But BA is the glue holding everything together.
- The French Fullback #1 > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 11, 2016 at 11:24am
  
  This pre-season was different to those in the past. You could tell. The brutality of it was next level. Middle of the day training & the attitude of not letting your opponent know you're hurting, and nt letting the person next to you down. For all those who hated on the media the club provided of the sessions, the videos etc, you look silly now. Never had we seen such coverage & training, never have we seen such resilience on the field like we have in 2016. Remember that next time and don't make such a mockery of it before you see the results.
- Glenn Lifetime Eel > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 11, 2016 at 12:33pm
  
  Even Fongy's usual rubbish about BA being a 'bush coach' has disappeared. If you compare Robinson's Roosters team, still packed with stars, performance this year compared with Parra's, who have lost half their stars thru injury or let go, you can see who is by far the superior coach.
Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 11, 2016 at 10:11am

Totally agree mate.
2oct9gwvbwwon July 11, 2016 at 10:39am

Great summary mate, I too am a proud supporter, its been a while but I cheer more than get angry when players make mistakes as I used to.
Bart July 11, 2016 at 10:46am
There are few things I have noticed about our team this year that have made the difference.
1. Our discipline with the ball, in the past individuals would of tried to win that game on Friday night, instead everybody did their job, their role and the right person that needed the ball in his hands Corey Norman was the one that got it and won the game for us.
2. I like the way we work into games, we don’t come out all guns blazing and burn energy in the first twenty for it to catch up with us in the last twenty. We are controlled in what we do, we don’t panic and they keep believing that if they stick to their jobs they will have a chance at winning every game.
3. As you have pointed out Sixties our mental & physical toughness, without that, you aren’t disciplined with the ball, your team does panic and starts to question the plan and then the wrong individuals try to take it upon themselves to win the game.
What BA has done for this club just can’t be put into words, I love the bloke. There’s not too many things the 15 other clubs would be envious of with our club....but BA is one of them.
sixtiesboy July 11, 2016 at 10:50am

TBUR, it's almost like BA and blokes like Beau Scott and Danny Wicks were meant to be linked in the same team. With Danny, what you see is what you get. He doesn't talk in cliches. Have a conversation and he'll tell you straight. Beau Scott is exactly what Parra needed. You can literally see him as BA's right hand man in the playing group. He also tells it straight. What I've enjoyed watching at training is how Scott rips in. He has no half measures with his work. Will hit a bit harder or run a bit harder in opposed sessions. I've been told he has been known to give a bit of a rev up to his team mates at training, in tackles and wrestling drills.
- Earl Grey > sixtiesboy July 11, 2016 at 11:52am
  
  If he'd be open to it, Scott would be a wonderful addition to the coaching staff once he retires.
  
  Not a bad way to circumvent the cap if we are smart about it like other teams.
  - Sir Penny Wong > Earl Grey July 18, 2016 at 9:37pm
    
    I was told when parra signed him, this is exactly what will happen once he retires, it was part of his deal by joining the coaching staff, he has all the making of a hard nose tough attitude type of hard c unt you want around your players.

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