"Gut Feelings" III - A WEEKLY COLLECTION OF THOUGHTS FROM INFLUENTIAL MINDS DEEP INSIDE THE NEST

"Gut Feelings IIi"

Some deep thoughts from deep in the nest!

• The Pies sit in 8th spot 0-3 after meeting the Top 3 teams in the QAFL, with each loss being by under 3 goals.  Doesn't get any easier this week, when they take on the team in 4th place!
• The Pies were unlucky the siren sounded when it did against Mt Gravatt as it was a game that could have gone either way, and the less said about the Broadbeach loss the better as we don't want to attract fines!
• The 12 point loss vs Palm Beach however probably flattered the Pies a little, as the game was put to bed early in the last by the defending Premiers while the Pies kicked the final 3 goals of the game to narrow a 5 goal defeat to 2.
• After dominating the final quarter in 3 encounters this year without getting the chocolates, its time for the Pies to address the slow starts and stop playing catch up footy.
• Bit of commentary about the state of the game in general in recent weeks.  Congestion, over use of the football etc etc is destroying the game so they say!
• What do we reckon is destroying the game?  Changing bloody rules all the time!  start paying the obvious free kicks, pay the holds at stoppages and most importantly get rid of ruck nomination rules so umpires don't do TWO unforgivable things 1. Waste time looking for a ruckman to nominate and 2. Wait for Ruckmen to arrive!!  - Throw the bloody thing up and get on with it!
• Get it going quickly and not as many players have time to get there, and even less time to set up their 'structures' - they just have to adapt quickly - its not rocket science!
• There are at least 2, and often 3 umpires out there too - where are they looking?  the most important place is the contest.  Pay the illegal blocks and shepherds in marking contests and pay the holding at stoppages.
• Junior and youth coaches need to start teaching players how to protect themselves, instead of teaching them to play for free kicks.  Don't lead with the head, teach awareness - prepare for contact! (analogy - modern batsmen can't handle the short ball because they grew up with helmets and never had to worry about it, or get inside the line and get out of the way...)
• Example of teaching kids to protect themselves, not play for free kicks. Our U/10's coach was shocked to hear the opposition coach (in a match where they don't even keep score) telling his charges to throw themselves to ground when tackled to win the free kick.  4 x Selwoods is enough thanks coach!
• Finally, how about we let the ruckmen within the metre again?  Makes no sense that the midfielders surrounding them can hug each other, but the rucks have to stay 1m apart!
• How about the clash jumpers....? The Pies are forced to wear clash strip against both Broadbeach and Mt Gravatt - mysteriously when they played each other on the weekend, neither team had to wear a clash strip?
• Good to see veteran Anthony Corrie putting in the extra work to help his side turn the year around.  Doing those little extras around the club can turn narrow losses into narrow victories and its great to see Nuxy leading the charge here.
• The club celebrates 50 years of Senior Football this year, where a commemorative guernsey will be created with the names of every player to have played Seniors, Reserves or Woodsmen.
• Its a fairly difficult task sourcing the names of every player to have played a game at any club, even moreso at sherwood after the clubs records were lost in 2 major flood events in 1974 and 2011.
• Ladies Day at the club this week with the turnout expected to be fantastic and sticking around for a little longer with the Colts playing under lights post the Senior match.

Feel free to send us your 'Gut Feelings' for next weeks edition!