Strategy Slow starts...what can be done?!

[raptalia]

Thanks Ross, I didn't realise there was an entire thread on the subject. Obviously a widely recognised failing.

PS Looks like it was a problem pre Hinkley. I took a look at 2009 and the problem is far worse in the present season.

 

[Winganeen]

To paraphrase our prophet:

"History tells me you can lose your first quarters and still win the game"

"Don't judge me on our starts to games, that's just one part of it"

"I've been in footy a long time, and lost a lot of first quarters"

"This is a tough competition, and we have a lot of work to do to be as great at first quarters as _______"

and on, and on, and on, and on.......

 

[Mutha F]

What about sacking Hinkley. That should do the trick.

 

[Steve Dore]

What about sacking Hinkley. That should do the trick.

Definitely worth a try.

 

[GremioPower]

So over the past few weeks, we have started off very sluggishly and slow. Sometimes, we have managed to come back and win the game (Fremantle), or sometimes we've fallen short (kangaroos), but regardless, the slow start has definately hurt us badly.

Again, today against the Bulldogs, the game is still going, but suddenly, halfway through the 2nd quarter the players have suddenly increased their intensity and are starting to look ok.

Why do we start so sluggishly on a consistent basis? Is it phsycological? Are our warm ups not high intensity enough? There's something wrong, and it's costing us premiership points.

Regardless of what happens today, we have showed up to far too many games with poor intensity. I don't think we have played a full game this season at full intensity. We too often play for two or three quarters of a game and put the cue away.

Again, Hinkley should simply start his pre-game speech saying something like this:

“Our performance today so far has been absolutely ridiculous. It’s unacceptable! Enough is enough!

‘Yous’ are letting them do whatever they please. ‘Yous’ should be as ashamed as I am; as our supporters are.

It’s time to go there and show them — and our supporters — what ‘Port Adelaide football’ is all about! I’ve seen you doing it before. I know you can do it now.

No more losing. Let’s turn this game around and get all four points!

Come close to me. Come on! ‘POWER!’ on three: one, two, three… POWER!”

Problem solved.

 

[VineValerian]

Reckon we're so ingrained with the slow start virus that there is no known remedy for our ailment.
It's in our DNA now.

 

[Alyx]

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I know it's not always the problem but in the Cairns game something better than a 0-7 free kick count to start off a game that was always going to be low scoring would have helped.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

I know it's not always the problem but in the Cairns game something better than a 0-7 free kick count to start off a game that was always going to be low scoring would have helped.

You're expecting better V the Bulldogs?

 

[Coobk001]

I've said for a while, when the heat is on and pressure at it's maximum we're just not as sharp or quick reflexed. As the game goes on, space is created, pressure levels drop, then we start to win more ball at the source and take over field position dominance in games.

Occassionally we have an out of the box start, but it's so rare.

If we're with them at quarter time I think we're a big chance of winning.

 

[TeeKray]

I've said for a while, when the heat is on and pressure at it's maximum we're just not as sharp or quick reflexed. As the game goes on, space is created, pressure levels drop, then we start to win more ball at the source and take over field position dominance in games.

Occassionally we have an out of the box start, but it's so rare.

If we're with them at quarter time I think we're a big chance of winning.

All of our repeat failures are explainable by our inability to handle pressure - starts, home games, finals, etc. It's in the DNA of the football club.

 

[JimmyBC]

Have they tried Ken not addressing them before the game? I'd start there

 

[Ford Fairlane]

You're expecting better V the Bulldogs?

I'm not sure where I said that?

 

[Ford Fairlane]

All of our repeat failures are explainable by our inability to handle pressure - starts, home games, finals, etc. It's in the DNA of the football club.

The DNA of the football club would suggest you are wrong.

The conditioning of the teams coached by Hinkley is another matter.

 

[TeeKray]

The DNA of the football club would suggest you are wrong.

The conditioning of the teams coached by Hinkley is another matter.

The AFL incarnation of the club has repeatedly shown an inability to handle pressure - from the finals failures under Chocolate to the inexplicable losses to expansion teams under Primus to the home ground hoodoo under Hinkley. It's hard to say it isn't an ingrained cultural issue at this point.

 

[NoddyHolder]

The AFL incarnation of the club has repeatedly shown an inability to handle pressure - from the finals failures under Chocolate to the inexplicable losses to expansion teams under Primus to the home ground hoodoo under Hinkley. It's hard to say it isn't an ingrained cultural issue at this point.

Have to blame the supporters and their unreasonable expectations of success

 

[Steve Dore]

Have to blame the supporters and their unreasonable expectations of success

How can professional athletes be expected to perform from the first bounce when there are supporters in the stands having negative thoughts.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

The AFL incarnation of the club has repeatedly shown an inability to handle pressure - from the finals failures under Chocolate to the inexplicable losses to expansion teams under Primus to the home ground hoodoo under Hinkley. It's hard to say it isn't an ingrained cultural issue at this point.

Yes I agree the culture of the Port Adelaide Football Club in the AFL is not what we want. But that is different to saying the DNA of the football club is characterised by failure. The history and by extension DNA of the Port Adelaide Football Club is characterised by success. That was how we won the second licence in SA.

There are so many idiots out there who want tell us our own history, especially how Port Power is different to Port Adelaide. Blanket statements about the club that really only apply to Port in the AFL helps feed that hysteria.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

"Yous should start working harder faster".

The problem is that every team works hard at the start. The others teams just have a game plan too.

We need to wait for them to tire so that our working harder can start to overcome their working smarter.

 

[PowerLil]

Treat the cause and not the symptom. #sackhinkley

 

[Winganeen]

Have they tried Ken not addressing them before the game? I'd start there

A bit like Ronny Reagan with the leaves in the pool.


Yes, he's still the coach but can't we direct his energies to somewhere he can cause less damage.

 

[ROBBBO]

Last Bulldogs game we stood behind the opponent particularly in the centre. Clearly it was a directive of some kind. Could not for the life of me understand why you would tell players to do that. Try getting in front.

 

[NoddyHolder]

How can professional athletes be expected to perform from the first bounce when there are supporters in the stands having negative thoughts.

It's not only thoughts. Some of them have their arms crossed

 

[TeeKray]

Yes I agree the culture of the Port Adelaide Football Club in the AFL is not what we want. But that is different to saying the DNA of the football club is characterised by failure. The history and by extension DNA of the Port Adelaide Football Club is characterised by success. That was how we won the second licence in SA.

There are so many idiots out there who want tell us our own history, especially how Port Power is different to Port Adelaide. Blanket statements about the club that really only apply to Port in the AFL helps feed that hysteria.

Yeah, I should've highlighted that I was talking about the AFL era from the start. In that context, DNA might not have been the best choice of words.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Ok maybe time for some WADA banned stimulants pre match. They are banned for a reason.

Surely we have tried everything else and we have failed so many time as it appears we have no answers.