I'll take Western Force to finals, says Phil Blake

[Sheikh]

What about this year, Blakey! We are only halfway through. The Aussie conference is wide open! Do it and the job's yours next year!

Yep, we're only 2 games behind the Brumbies, Tahs and Reds. The way the Aussie conference looks, you could win with 8 wins. Our run in is:

Stormers (h) - tough, but they've been travelling for a month.
Cheetahs and Sharks (a) - both have only done OK this season - and if we consider ourselves worthy of the finals we should beat them.
Rebels and Lions (h) - cellar dwellers - we've got the talent to beat them both.
Brumbies (h) - could be tough, but would the Brumbies be more tired due to having more Wallabies?
Lions (a) - another cellar dweller - has the talent to have won the comp this year but have been even worse than us in turning ability into wins.
Crusaders (a) - realistically, I'm hoping for a bonus point, as I reckon the Crusaders will be hitting top gear for the finals.

We're playing the 3 teams below us on the ladder, and 2 of the 3 teams directly above us. That should be 5 wins with our forward pack. Of the other matches - Stormers, Brumbies and Crusaders, 2 are at home, and if we think we're a finals quality team we should be expecting results from them. That would give us 9 wins, which should be enough this year to sneak in as the Aussie conference champion!

(OK, I can dream, but is it so far fetched?)

[James]

What, based on their wide experience of coaches? They are in their early twenties and have seen a small handful of coaches within the Australian system. It is a big old world out there...

Pocock has had a handful of coaches between U19/U20 rugby, the Force and the Wallabies. He knows how Phil Blake measures up to John Mitchell and Robbie Deans at the very least.

[shasta]

Blake has no Rugby background prior to his lower grade coaching appointment at the Marlins AFAIK. Maybe, like a lot of kids he played a bit of Rugby and a bit of League around the Northern beaches growing up. He has little experience as a head coach in league, apart from as a caretaker for part of a season at Souths. He has rapidly and tasted success at Shute Shield level. Considering where he came from and where he's been since then, he must be doing something right. The Force could well miss out on a gem were he not given a shot. Let's hope the players DO know what they are doing.

[TrevorM]

I'll take Western Force to finals, says Phil Blake

[Ecky]

Lions (a) - another cellar dweller - has the talent to have won the comp this year but have been even worse than us in turning ability into wins.

...and the direct link between the Lions and the is...?

You could say exactly the same about us, hey?

[BeeJay]

Yep, we're only 2 games behind the Brumbies, Tahs and Reds. The way the Aussie conference looks, you could win with 8 wins. Our run in is:

Stormers (h) - tough, but they've been travelling for a month.
Cheetahs and Sharks (a) - both have only done OK this season - and if we consider ourselves worthy of the finals we should beat them.
Rebels and Lions (h) - cellar dwellers - we've got the talent to beat them both.
Brumbies (h) - could be tough, but would the Brumbies be more tired due to having more Wallabies?
Lions (a) - another cellar dweller - has the talent to have won the comp this year but have been even worse than us in turning ability into wins.
Crusaders (a) - realistically, I'm hoping for a bonus point, as I reckon the Crusaders will be hitting top gear for the finals.

We're playing the 3 teams below us on the ladder, and 2 of the 3 teams directly above us. That should be 5 wins with our forward pack. Of the other matches - Stormers, Brumbies and Crusaders, 2 are at home, and if we think we're a finals quality team we should be expecting results from them. That would give us 9 wins, which should be enough this year to sneak in as the Aussie conference champion!

(OK, I can dream, but is it so far fetched?)

I think we should be able to beat the Brumbies at home, the Lions at home, the Rebels at home, and maybe the Cheetahs away. If we can get up against the Stormers it would be a great effort. Injuries will be key.

Of the others, the Blues, Crusaders and Shorks away will, I think, be 'too hard' assignments.

Five more wins from here would be incredible. Blake and Stiles would have my vote.

[Ecky]

Some would say we should have been able to beat the Rebels at their home and the 'tahs at our home.

It's a great team on paper. It's just that the game isn't played on paper.

[hertryk]

Some would say we should have been able to beat the Rebels at their home and the 'tahs at our home.

It's a great team on paper. It's just that the game isn't played on paper.

I said words to that effect during my "interview"...we have the talent..why can't we win more games????

[normie]

IMHO;

The coach doesn't need to know how to play. The old adage "those that can, do. Those that can't, teach" applies.

The coach doesn't need to teach skills. He is not running a school holidays coaching clinic. At this level all the players have the neccesary skills. Acadamy and development players will develop basic skills they already have by practicing and being critiqued/advised by peers and coaching staff, other that the head coach.

The coach has a team of specialist coaches, medicos, dieticians, et al to take care of the finer details of players needs.

The coaching team/commitee as a whole will weigh up players strengths, weaknesses and identify particular nuances of the squad as a whole i.e Strong pack/ weak pack, fast running outside backs, powerhouse cannon ball centres, great kickers etc etc and develop a general strategic game plan accordingly.

The coaching team will analyse opponents and come up with tactics that take in account the oppositions strenghts, weaknesses, style of play etc

The coach has to get into the players craniums and motivate , inspire and generally get them playing together for a common goal. The coach will get them to lift and better their best, 'punch above their weight'. He will have the players believing in themselves and believing that victory is not only possible it is the only result.

They will trust their skills, ability and fitness, and that of their team mates to WIN a game, not snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. They will not go into their shells surrounded by self doubt with ten minutes to go. The coach must install the WINNING culture.

Ezekial 17: 25(a)

[jombi]

Our undefeated run starts now.

[jono]

[brokendown gunfighter]

Our undefeated run starts now.

started last week

[The InnFORCEr]