BullPen wrote:The ‘fitness’ argument is interesting.
Having spent years in sport and formerly at a club who is now a fellow Champ club, I find the argument lazy.
In football, if you have to do more defending and work without the ball you tire quicker.
In rugby, it’s exactly the same if not worse due to the impacts on bodies.
Thackeray kicked us to death and we defended far more than we should’ve. We need to respect the ball, remain disciplined and build pressure.
Crossley and walker are never going to be size zero, but how can you say the team are unfit?
They lacked desire, not energy.
Fitness a lazy argument? Yes and no I would suggest.
For most of the squad I don't think general fitness is an issue, but being able to maintain a high quality performance whilst fatigued is. When we get tired we drop balls, drop off tackles and give stupid penalties away which then compound the problems. Other teams are simply better conditioned to be able to deal with fatigue than we are, and that comes down to the training.
Kear can say its a lack of attitude and disrespectful of the opposition all he wants, but the buck lays firmly on him I'm afraid. Its his tactics and his training methods that put the players into that position.
Chisholm called it out and got the boot. Others have tried and failed too.
