Shepherd - the lost art.

[KnightersRevenge]

While the inevitable talk rages on about who's earned their spot and who should go I thought I'd offer an alternative.

It's point I've seen made often on other posts, and I've made myself a few times and it relates to teamwork rather than individual skill. It is the lost art of the shepherd. : On it's own it doesn't mean much, but it goes to the mindset of the group. Selfless acts are contagious. We've all seen it. The bloke in front of you let the old girl have a seat on the train and you feel duty bound to do the same.

Well it works that way on Saturdays too! A bloke puts himself on the line instead of hanging back (stationary and vulnerable) to get a cheap handball, he bumps the defender. All of a sudden your team-mate is not under pressure any more and can get off an effective kick.

I believe this makes much of the trade talk irrelevant. Many of the strugglers on our list would look a lot better if they could use their skill under less pressure. Let's not forget that to make it onto an AFL list at any level requires exceptional talent. All these boys can play but they need more time and space to it.

So come on TW oh great tanned leader. Give us something to cheer about. And give our kids the chance to shine!

Go Tiges!

 

[JPM]

Great post and the 1%'s have been missing since 95.

Northey was the last coach that i can recall making this part of the game a must and not a negotiable part of the team rules.

 

[Tagger]

This was the thing I noticed most about Geelong on Saturday, they all gave the 1% ers all the time. I have noticed our Coburg boys doing it regularly too.
But all too often the senior Richmond palyers fail to follow thru with the shepherd after collecting their stat for a handball or kick.
So I'd love to see greater emphasis on this next year Terry!

 

[Tigerfan]

So Art, or Arthur is missing. And he works as a shepherd. is that right?

 

[KnightersRevenge]

So Art, or Arthur is missing. And he works as a shepherd. is that right?

That's about the size of it, you must be on the match committee DDT. :hihi

 

[Elmer]

Selfless acts are contagious. We've all seen it. The bloke in front of you let the old girl have a seat on the train and you feel duty bourself nd to do the same.

Either you give up your seat when you see the old girl or you don't. Not much used being shamed into after the event has passed. Bit like hitting the ground or admonishing yourself after you've done the wrong thing on the field.

It would be good though to get them in the mindset of automatically giving up a seat

 

[Baloo]

I'm trying to think back on our list and remember who would be the guys who always attempt a shepard.

The only ones that stand out are:

Pattison
Foley
King

Anyone else that really stand out?

 

[ronnit]

what about newman, not only does he shepherd but how many times does he race across to cover someones man only to find that no one covers his..happens time and time again..some of the players do need to be team players...unfortunately the game runs on stats...stats get the votes and the eye of selectors...it is true..bring back the one percenters...

 

[KnightersRevenge]

what about newman, not only does he shepherd but how many times does he race across to cover someones man only to find that no one covers his..happens time and time again..some of the players do need to be team players...unfortunately the game runs on stats...stats get the votes and the eye of selectors...it is true..bring back the one percenters...

Quite right. One can only hope that those stat chasers noticed the number of this years premiership players who polled well. The whole team benefits. Ask not what my team-mates can do for me, but what I can do for my team-mates.

 

[kb7882]

Been watching this all season.

Kane Johnson is our only player who consistently shepherds after giving a hand-pass. Late in the season noticed King as well.

When I was a kid, this was one of the golden rules, drilled into us over and over:

"Handball - shepherd".

 

[RedanTiger]

Great post and the 1%'s have been missing since 95.

Northey was the last coach that i can recall making this part of the game a must and not a negotiable part of the team rules.

Can remember watching the warm-up in the rooms before a game back when Northey coached.
Second last drill was a figure eight where you handballed to a player then shepherded the player behind him. Final drill was a mass push and shove in a pack of all players.
Thought at the time (and still do) that its a great message to imprint just before the game.

Haven't been in the rooms since. Does this drill still get used?

 

[KnightersRevenge]

Just thought I'd resurrect this topic for a bit. Today was really woeful. One of the reasons our decision making looks so poor is the lack of support from the group. The number of times we rifled off four or five handballs only to get caught with was staggering. This is because only two or three handballs should have been necessary if the other blokes provide a couple of shepherds then guy on the end of the sequence has time and space.

Thoughts? Have you seen an improvement in this part of game? Do you disagree, is this something that's gone out of the modern game. Cause I reckon Geelong are pretty good at it.

 

[tigers#7]

Raines got injured because no one shepherded. I hope Terry shows the team this footage to the team during the week.

 

[IanG]

Just thought I'd resurrect this topic for a bit. Today was really woeful. One of the reasons our decision making looks so poor is the lack of support from the group. The number of times we rifled off four or five handballs only to get caught with was staggering. This is because only two or three handballs should have been necessary if the other blokes provide a couple of shepherds then guy on the end of the sequence has time and space.

Thoughts? Have you seen an improvement in this part of game? Do you disagree, is this something that's gone out of the modern game. Cause I reckon Geelong are pretty good at it.

Grant Thomas said on SEN yesterday that 1 of the principal reasons for Geelong's improvement last year was the way they protect the ball carrier.

One action that I didn't like was Hyde was jogging to the interchange bench in the last quarter when the ball came near him with 1 Richmond player against 2 North players. He didn't help out the Richmond player but just kept jogging to the bench.