Published By Shamrock Books Suite 1F / Trust House 3070 Surfers Paradise Boulevard Surfers Paradise 4217 PO Box 259 Surfers Paradise 4217 , Phone (07) 5538 9377 Fax (07) 5538 9388 Email [email protected] Web www.rlcm.com.au

Compiled by Coaching Manuals Gary Roberts, Keith Hookway. Production Ardium Pty Ltd Photography Matt Roberts Queensland Sports Photography www.queenslandphotography.com.au

Coach Talk Yearbook ISSN 1443-4210 National Library Collection

Written by Hanna James McCarthy / Dr Adrian Hurley / Anne Thompson

Thanks to the coaches.

Dedicated to Rugby League Coaches at all levels of the game.

Published January 2007

© Copyright RLCM, 2000 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission in writing by the publisher. Contents

Introduction ...... 5

Graham Murray ...... 7

Wayne Bennett ...... 11

Tim Sheens ...... 15

Steve Folkes ...... 21

Jason Taylor ...... 25

Neil Henry ...... 29

Shaun McRae ...... 33

Brian McLennan ...... 37

Recovery (Dr. Aaron Coutts) ...... 41

Nutrition (Leanne Hammond) ...... 45

Dr. Adrian Hurley OAM ...... 49

Anne Thompson ...... 58 Written by: Hanna James McCarthy An RLCM Publication Introduction Evolution. Defined as any process of formation or growth; development’, it alludes to a key characteristic of both the game of rugby league, and the men coaching it. As the face of the professional game continues to change, the unspoken laws and commandments of coaching adapt to allow teams to meet a new standard of excellence.

However, one commandment always remains true in the eyes of the NRL coach; winning is everything. Anything less is simply not acceptable.

With every season, the pace of the game quickens, the pressure grows. Constantly under public scrutiny, a coach must remain two steps ahead at all times. He must have incredible foresight, be a great communicator, have the capacity to learn quickly and be able to think on his feet. Eternally devising ways to exploit the weakness of the opposition, he must mould his team to do the same. Forward thinking and a willingness to take risks may more often than not be his saving grace; the onus of responsibility to produce miracles rests on his shoulders.

RLCM Coachtalk Yearbook opens up a realm of the unknown, bringing you insight from the men who walk, or have walked the line of greatness, only to have been deemed a failure by a demanding public who cry foul. For the head coaches of clubs around Australia and New Zealand, this lifestyle is both a challenge and a sacrifice. While those who reach the top reap the rewards, they have suffered for their art. They have worked tirelessly to remain ahead of the pack while at the same time avidly reviewing not what they can do to improve their team, but what they can do to improve themselves.

In this book, advice and direction is offered on, not only how they coach now, but how their style of coaching will change as seasons go by. Essentially, they recognise the value of evolution.

Hanna James McCarthy

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Plays are courtesy of “RLCM - Drills Book”

6 Graham Murray

North Queensland Cowboys Head Coach As the National Rugby League approaches its first centennial, rugby league has reached the height of professionalism. With continuing demands from fans and the media for teams to successfully compete at an elite level, the pressure is on for teams to succeed. For players, performing to the expectations of their peers and their club, rugby league has become a full time job. Training for an upwards of 40 hours a week, they have to be prepared both mentally and physically for challenges on and off the field. However, if they fail to perform, both individually and as a unit, the onus of responsibility automatically shifts to the head coach and his staff. Graham Murray, coach of the , believes that the culmination of a consistent and efficient coaching staff is paramount for the continuing success of a squad. Following the philosophy that everyone’s word (be it the assistant coach, players or management) is of equal value, ensuring all ideas are represented equally and that everything is open for discussion, Murray utilises his middleman to achieve success and fulfil his responsibilities with the squad. The result: a team that has risen from the bottom of the table to grand finalists, utilising expansive play and capitalising upon a cohesive support system. While on the field the Cowboy’s biggest weapon is their ability to open up the game with elusive play and by continually increasing the speed of play, the largest advantage they have off the field is their coaching staff. Unlike some clubs, the structural foundation of the Cowboys’ staff under Murray advocates the sharing of all aspects of their game. The responsibility of preparing the team does not rest solely upon the head coach, yet belongs to the players and the coaching staff in its entirety, and demands that the assistant coaches claim some ownership of the game. As a consequence, the majority of work is delegated throughout the staff - right through assistant coaches, trainers and managers. Following the ideology that everyone is entitled to an opinion, the result is a general think tank that supplies Graham Murray with a legion of ideas for the team; although that might not be the easiest route, if it is beneficial to the Cowboys’, then it is taken on board. The main focus of this strategy is to maintain a fresh perspective on

7 COACHTALK YEARBOOK where the club is heading, but at the same time remain consistent, ensuring that the team and the coaching staff are on the same page. As Murray says, “Sometimes I will say, listen, I don’t necessarily agree with that, however, I am going with it, because that is the way we should go as a football team. I will always listen. I am all for an assistant coach who runs the session, I encourage a coach to come through the door and say, I had a look at this, this is not a bad idea.” Inevitably, there are times where everyone fails to agree. Yet what sets the Cowboys apart is their consistency; as a result of Murray’s policy of equality, and a supportive coaching staff, what the players can be certain of is that regardless of who said it, the message remains the same. Murray agrees, stating, “Our club works on the consistent word that comes through from all the coaches.” Essentially, the ideology is that eventually the team will have three head coaches. By allocating the assistant coaches added responsibility from the beginning, and increasing their involvement with the team as time goes on, they will already be familiar with procedure and be able to suggest ideas of their own. Emphasising the importance of this assimilation process, Murray remarks, “They don’t just put cones out, they don’t do water bottles - they coach. They have a big say in our little rules and schools which is their forte, but the overall coaching of it, it doesn’t matter whose word it is, it is part of the Cowboys’ way. I am a great believer in assistant coaches and they’ve got to have a say. “ An example of this is the way half time is handled in the Cowboys dressing room. While the traditional time distribution would see the head coach conduct the half time talk to his players, Murray ensures that the first four minutes are handled by his staff: one coach will speak to the forwards and the other assistant coach to the backs. As a result, the players become familiar with the assistant staff and will respond to their instructions, allowing for clear communication channels throughout the team. Additionally, this particular method will be beneficial for the team when Murray reports for Origin duty; it is the responsibility of the remaining coaches to take over in his absence. With the support of the Senior Six (the Cowboys leadership group), the remaining coaches should have no problems adjusting to the leadership role and Murray should have no qualms with leaving his side. However, Murray understands when he must draw the line; although the Cowboys concentrate on having more than one coach, Graham Murray is the

8 GRAHAM MURRAY head coach and still has the final say. Murray maintains a ‘don’t shoot the messenger’ policy with his staff and players and is open to criticism of his methods. Along with always remaining positive in front of his players, Murray follows this general rule; “You’re the man and you should be... that leadership and that responsibility is yours because you are the head coach.” As well as bringing a new level of player commitment, motivation and team spirit to the side, Murray has bought the team a new lease of life. Players are expected to make goals for themselves, and take responsibility for their performance. While the coaches work primarily to improve their game, Cowboys players are expected to work for the coaches as well and provide analysis on their opposition where they can. There is no greater tool than when a player is willing to put effort into the game plan; if they want it to work, then eventually it will. “They are much better than they were about knowing the opposition and doing a little bit on the opposition.” Murray says. “I think a player still sees himself as, I get myself prepared and then the coach tells me all about the opposition; I think we are slowly breaking that down a bit, getting them to work a bit harder, I’m a strong believer in what the players say. “ Since arriving from the Roosters, Murray has reawakened the regional club. They’ve been proudly adopted by the North Queensland public, training harder and are now more disciplined than ever. Drawing on the harsh, humid environment, Graham Murray has reinforced pride into the club, and operating under a common goal, he and his staff are determined to see the team succeed. While much of their current success can be attributed to the skill level of the players, their expansive game plan and their ability to take risks, a large part of it must be accredited to Murray and his staff. By implementing a support system where the responsibility of the team is shared in its entirety, the Cowboys have laid a foundation for continually strong performances for years to come.

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Plays are courtesy of “RLCM - Drills Book”

10 WAYNE BENNETT Wayne Bennett

Brisbane Broncos Head Coach Every coach has a coaching philosophy. Whether it is a mantra they swear by or a quote from a mentor, this philosophy is the foundation of their game strategy, allowing them to provide the support, structure and discipline necessary for the workings of a rugby league team. More often than not, this philosophy will remain the same throughout a coach’s career; adjustments may be made and new ideas will be implemented, yet the main premise will remain the same. Coaching rugby league for over 30 years, Wayne Bennett has produced a formula for what he deems ‘a good coach’. Time management, critical analysis of your own coaching technique, continually adjusting the way you coach and making a difference are all important factors of Wayne Bennett’s philosophy; yet possibly the most important part is not simply coaching, but teaching. To essentially be a teacher, and not just a coach, Wayne Bennett emphasises the need to realise that coaching is not primarily about the coach, but about the team. While the thought of winning the next game might be the main thing preoccupying the coaches’ mind, what needs to be their initial focus is creating the right environment to teach in. Simply observing and delivering criticism constantly, finding fault and demonstrating little organisation or correction is not coaching, nor is it teaching. Bennett agrees. “It is about finding a better way to teach, [and] the ability to teach. Showing how to do a particular skill, seeing how they grasp that skill, develop that and improve on that. If you’re doing that, you’re coaching.” However, while the coach should concentrate on teaching the team, it is important that they continue to learn themselves. As the game evolves, a coach’s style must adjust to suit the pace of the game. To keep going forward, a coach’s strategy must remain current. Therefore, the concept of embracing new ideas and constantly rethinking ones approach, is one that Bennett supports fully. “It is about embracing new ideas. The game often falls short because we won’t seek the knowledge to find how we can coach better, how we can teach better. If I coached the Broncos the same way I did nineteen years ago, I wouldn’t be here today.”

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Another part of a coaches platform that must be re-evaluated continually is change; being able to implement new ideas while maintaining a healthy medium of the fundamentals of play. For example, the coaching of ‘play the ball’, how to tackle and how to pass properly still remains the same. What to do with the ball and how to position players feet will never change. What will change is how the game is taught; how a coach approaches their game, how to improve communication, and how you get the message across to your players. These are aspects that change continually, and in turn provide the feedback that allows coaches to make alterations to their game. Essentially, to change the game plan, the coach needs to primarily take a look at themselves. While a coach’s main role is to provide a critical analysis of his players, he must also look at himself. As a coach involved in sport, an onus of responsibility rests upon the coach and his ability to perform; consequently, this is where personal philosophy is a major factor. It’s not about winning a premiership, or how many games won: it’s about doing the best job you can do with the resources available, remaining honest and always being yourself. As Wayne Bennett believes, “My call is to provide the information, and to teach them. We create the right environment to learn in. Discipline’s a part of it, and it’s making young men realise we’re apart of a team so we have to play as one. Part of that price is doing what the team requires you to do and that’s apart of your goal to make sure that happens.” Being the coach also means being tougher on yourself. Wayne Bennett stresses the need to ask more of yourself; being able to recognise that if the coach is the problem and things aren’t working out the way they should be, then something must be done. “It’s about recognising that I have to create the atmosphere and the rules and regulations they’re going to have. It’s not about being a tough guy, and changing your personality. It’s about always being yourself. You’ve got to be honest with yourself – prioritise – if you can’t be, then the team suffers, because you can’t do your job properly. Make yourself the best coach you can with the time available, and the amount of other things you have, and that’s what your instrument is; your instrument is self, you make a difference.” This is when time management becomes an essential component of a coaches strategy. In order to provide the team with the best opportunities, a coach must be able to commit himself; to the squad and to the teams preparation. As a coach is it imperative that a high level of commitment is demonstrated to the players; wanting to go to training, providing enough discipline and drive to want to get the job done.

12 WAYNE BENNETT

Though as Bennett believes, “I also feel it’s about giving something back and trying to make a difference. I love the game so much I feel I owe it a great deal.” However, Bennett also states that a coach has to be doing his job for all the right reasons. “I’m quite confident that when my philosophy does change, I won’t be doing it any more, because I want to be doing it for the right reasons. It is about whether you’ve done the best job you possibly can, and whether you’ve made a difference or not.” Consequently, although rugby league is a team effort, the onus of responsibility falls on the coach. In order to remain successful and achieve results, it is the coaches responsibility to be the teacher; implementing discipline and structure while maintaining an objective view of their own technique. Regardless of what techniques are used, the main concern for a coach is their philosophy; keeping it current, and constantly adjusting it to benefit the team, and himself.

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Plays are courtesy of “RLCM - Drills Book”

14 Tim Sheens

Wests Tigers Head Coach

Professional sport is full of it. Used in conjunction with a team’s collective skill, it is the hidden element that will win coaches games. Every time the West Tigers run onto the field they use it as their number one defence against attacking teams. It has the potential to determine the final score; if players use their initiative to implement it into the game correctly, they will be praised. If they fail to pull it off, it will hang upon them like a death sentence. What could possibly hold this much power? Simply put, it is risk. The risk factor in the game of rugby league is high; whether it is in regards to a players physical well being or the element of risk that is incorporated into the team game plan. Premiership winning coach of the , Tim Sheens, has formulated his career on it. Known for his work reforming teams and leading them to success, Sheens attributes risk as a major factor in the team’s 2005 Premiership win. Favourites to claim the wooden spoon, with remarkable odds against them, Wests Tigers used a mixture of youth and experience, speed, slight of hand and risk to their advantage. This formula is the culmination of seasons work. Starting with the Wests Tigers in 2003, Sheens knew that taking the Wests Tigers on would always be a gamble; however, it is a gamble that has paid off. “The risk factor started with me taking the West Tigers in the first place,” Sheens remarks. Once there, it seemed that taking risks was inevitable. “You’ve got to take a punt here and there, [that’s] your first thing as a coach.” If Sheens knows anything about rugby league, it is all in taking chances. Following his move to the Wests Tigers, he was forced to build from the ground up. His first challenge was to take a group of rookies, and turn them into first grade players, something he took in his stride. Surely enough, he had his critics; his methods were unorthodox, and his team was just too small. Yet Sheens did something that all coaches should do; kept his own coaching style and worried about the Tigers, not his opposition.

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“As all coaches do, you look at your strengths and your weaknesses. Look at what you’ve got, what your strengths are. If you’re smart, you’ll coach accordingly. Coaching today, too many coaches are coaching against the opposition, they’re negative in their approach. The main thing is to focus on a couple of things that they do [regularly], and then focus on your own game.” It was by following this philosophy that the Wests Tigers accomplished so much. “Keeping the focus on your own game I think was the secret for us. We did not worry about what the other teams were going to do.” Keeping it brief and keeping his instructions simple, Sheens implemented a regime based on focus and control. By ensuring that his team had the basics down first, this allowed room for an element of risk. Concentrating on the little things; passing the ball before the line, marking defenders four on two and four on three, and adopting a different mindset is the answer to the game today. Advocating the method of passing the ball, Sheens practices this tactic as a diversion to put hesitation into the opposition. As well as running the ball from the scrum, this creates an opportunity for the attacking team to pick holes in the defence. The result of integrating such diversity into the game plan is this; the opposition will be continually caught off guard, leaving the attacking team with a direct advantage. Yet where does a coach draw the line on giving his players free reign to try new things on the field? If the team is not accustomed to taking risks, and they haven’t done so all year, then it will be hard for them to do so. They don’t have the necessary confidence in the coaches decision or in themselves to take that chance. This is why Tim Sheens believes that risk is a main proponent of the game from the outset. “You’ve got to be prepared to coach with a bit of risk.” Sheens explains. “[Some coaches are] worried about the risk of losing [their] job; unfortunately, that forces some guys to coach a certain way.” Regardless, to grow as a squad, certain risks need to be taken, and Sheens has targeted the perfect place in the game for these risks to appear; the ‘red zone’. The red zone, the area coming out of your own half from inside your 20 metre line, outlines the prime scenario for a play to shake a defender. Ideally, escaping the red zone will potentially create a distraction and grant the attacking side an extra tackle, which they would have wasted by simply settling into the current game mindset. “Overall, no one wants to do anything but settle the first play – why? Because it’s a red zone mentality.”

16 TIM SHEENS

Sheens emphasises the importance of a coach differentiating away from a low risk mentality. By eradicating talk of a red zone, and pushing guys to play the ball in their own half, the team is demonstrating a willingness to risk showing the ball instead of simply lining up. As a result, the attacking team has then created a sense of indecision in the opposition. The attacking team can then either link a set play together, do a bit more dummy half running, or kick early into a corner; no matter what, doubt has been growing in the minds of the other team. Taking an early risk, and believing that they can escape the red zone, the attacking player will mesmerise the offender by showing the ball, and make that crucial break. “With this, some of the things we did, we had to play with an element of risk.” Sheens justifies. “What the opposition doesn’t want you to do, is sometimes the best thing to do.” Consequently, the best thing that a coach can do for his team is change their initial mindset. As always, it is imperative that a team utilises it strengths to their advantage; something that Tim Sheens illustrated with the Wests Tigers. Using a mixture of youth and experience, speed, slight of hand and risk to their advantage, the Wests Tigers moved away from the more traditional ‘hit up and carry forward’ style of rugby league. Avoiding the red zone and incorporating the risk factor into their game, they have proven that taking a chance, does pay off. Coaching a rugby league team, or any team for that matter, at any level, is not as easy as it looks. Many factors come into play; having to organize a team, enforcing rules and training practices, running training sessions, working out conditioning and nutritional plans and getting a team to work together cohesively. Obviously, it’s not a task that can be undertaken alone. At a professional level, rugby league teams have the luxury of having a structured team of specialists to look after various areas of their game; conditioners, a full coaching staff, dietitians and trainers. Still, the onus of responsibility falls on the head coach. So, what makes a great coach? Is it their ability to front the media after a loss? Or is it their win/loss record? Tim Sheens, West Tigers coach, believes there are several qualities people must look for when searching for a prospective coach. But more often than not, it is not his personal attributes that make him great; it is the way in which he has built his team up around him. Starting with the recruitment of young players and the way in which a coach communicates with his team, and progressing through to team management and personal evolution on the job, Sheens emphasizes the need for club culture, being able to listen and doing whatever you can to improve yourself as components of a coaches repertoire. As well as fulfilling all of his on field duties, he must try to create the right environment for players to want to be there.

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The process begins with club culture. Essentially, the main thing a coach is looking for is a huge work ethic. Beginning with training, a coach wants his players to show a large commitment to both their conditioning and improving their skills. Hopefully, this will then transfer into day to day life as well. “These days, you want a commitment from people to be good people as well as good football players.” Sheens explains. “Not only just for themselves, but for a club image. Players who do the wrong thing drag the club down.” So how do you find the right players? In the era of professional football, recruitment is becoming as tight as airport customs; from background checks and medical examinations to psychological evaluations, no risk is taken in acquiring players with the right attitude. Players must display a definite commitment to training and must be reliable, yet more importantly they must fit in with the current attitudes and culture already instilled in players. If the general assumption is that a player won’t adjust, then he is not granted the opportunity, no matter how good he is. Being the right type of person is important, so a club will be working continually to resolve any issues that arise; they have an obligation to fans and to their team-mates. Players don’t like seeing other players going the wrong way, so a strong club culture is essential. Another area that pertains to club culture is consistency. In any given season, a player will make thirty odd performances, their best and their worst game among them. In the middle of these performances is the line of consistency; a level where a player maintains the same standard of play, and works endlessly to improve upon it. Tim Sheens believes that it’s the little things, such as not cutting corners that add to this. “It’s all those types of things, it’s a whole host of things that you’re really looking at for your culture, that in turn develops a winning culture.” Sheens says. “Winning is doing little things, preparation in particular and winning comes as a result.” Another factor that is often forgotten is man management; how a coach communicates and interacts with his team. Man management reflects the capabilities of a coaches overall management where individual management is only a small area of your approach. The system that a coach implements will influence and dictate how they manage their players and staff; for example, Sheens focuses on a rather informal approach. Initially, it depends on how close a coach is to their players. Of course, a player may only let a coach in to a degree. This demonstrates the importance of constantly being on the ball as to what people are thinking. If a player is having problems, then a coach

18 TIM SHEENS needs to be aware. Sometimes it may show itself in way of form on the park or in their body language. To be ahead of this, a coach needs to know a players personality and get close to their players. “ You try and stay in a position with a player where he trusts you enough to talk. Some will tell you more than others. You give them that opportunity.” Sheens states. “Just simple little things that can be sidetracking them as far as performance is concerned. If you sit and talk with them on a regular basis, not about footy, but about him. Know his wife’s name, know their family, know their circumstances.” A large part of player/coach interaction relies on listening. Some players may be intimidated by direct contact with their head coach, especially when they’re just starting out, yet some players will approach you with concerns. As a lot of feedback will come from players, giving them your time is essential. A tactic Sheens employs is player reports. Players keep a folder in which they analyse their performance; both offensively and defensively. Effectively, it leads them to being able to train and work independently, but it also leads to a greater team commitment. The more players learn themselves, the better they will perform. As a unit, coaches and players should both be working to find a new angle to do things better. Overall, it will have direct influence upon your success. In addition, a coach must always be prepared to do is keep the club environment so that when players turn up for training, they want to be there; something is always happening. Whether it be experimenting with new plays or simply applying pressure to players during a new drill, players need to be continually stimulated to keep themselves alert. Coaches shouldn’t be asking players to do things they can’t do, but ask them to push the line and test themselves. Your key players should then be able to establish what is and isn’t working. This assists with not only their game plan, but allows a coach to continue to work to improve himself as well. While the fundamentals of the game remain the same, the attitudes to how coaches approach them do. As the game changes, coaches must adapt to meet them. “The game has elevated, players have elevated, so has coaching.” Sheens confirms. “You have to be ahead of [the] change and leading it.” Consequently, coaching is more than just the fundamentals and skills, it’s more than just a win/loss record. It’s also about club culture, man management, and ultimately creating the right environment for your team.

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Plays are courtesy of “RLCM - Drills Book”

20 Steve Folkes

Canterbury Bulldogs Head Coach Ten minutes to go in the game, and you’re behind the opposition by a single try. On the back of three repeat sets of six, the opposition is weakening. They’ve been defending their line solidly throughout the game, yet little holes are beginning to appear; there is a noticeable gap forming between the five- eight and the halfback, and every time they rush forward to attack the ball carrier, the gap widens. All that is needed to claim victory is to feign to the right, before passing to the dummy runner who can bolt through the halves and score under the posts. The clock runs down, and you know you need to run that crucial play. However, the halfback wants to run wide and try and score around the wing, claiming that the opposition won’t even see them coming. The five-eight wants to chip the ball over the top, setting the winger in position right beneath the ball, ready to score and the lock forward wants to go himself. The coach doesn’t care what you do as long as you get the winning result. Play continues, the whistle blows. The game is over. What could have been a great victory is simply another loss, something that could have been avoided if for one essential element of any teams game plan; communication. On the field or off, Steve Folkes stresses the importance of communication; between the head coach and his staff, between players, and especially between the players and their coach. Stronghold of the Canterbury Bulldogs for ten years and counting, Folkes has lead the team to two grand finals and a premiership from five finals outings. A strong believer in perfecting the basics of the game, he learnt long ago which buttons to push to achieve success within his squad. Button number one: players socialising together and forming friendships off the field. Steve Folkes places special emphasis on his players enjoying time together when they’re not in uniform or at training. His theory is that if team mates gain the trust of one another in social situations, the better they will work together on the field. Using the example of Sherwin and Holsworth, Folkes believes that the better the relationship between the pair, the more “harmonious partnership” the halves will have. The more they train together, and show each other a shared commitment to the game, the bond grows, and so does their confidence on the field. Players begin to build some cohesion, and the team automatically reacts in kind. They talk more on the field, and the job gets done.

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Regardless of your position on the field, the most important defence and attack mechanism is communication. Whether supporting the ball carrier from the play the ball or building your defensive line out from the twenty, it is crucial for players to be able to read the oppositions next move and combine together to combat any attack put forward. Folkes remarks, “Again it’s communication. Everybody has to be vocal and everyone has to be trying to make the guy next to him have an easier job by letting him know what he is going to do. Then you let the talent of the players that you have at your disposal take charge of the rest.” For example, communication is vital to combat quick play the ball while keeping your line intact. The aim is primarily to dominate the play of the ball. If the opposition gets a couple of quick play the balls then your goal has to be to dominate the next one, and numbers across the field are necessary to do that. To succeed, the whole defensive line needs to be doing exactly the same thing. It is impossible to have players running forward if the opposition is coming at you. You need to hold the line, try and get some numbers in and slow the next play down. Now you hit button number two; communication between players, and their coach. The first challenge is communication channels between the coach and his players. If these are not overcome, problems arise that might impede the player’s ability and desire to implement any suggestions. Canterbury’s latest initiative, a leadership group of players voted upon by their team mates is one platform that allows the players to interact with their coaches about their game. Designed primarily for the purpose of improving the Bulldogs game overall, the group gives the players more responsibility over their performance. Heralded by Folkes as a vehicle for expressing themselves, the groups focus is interaction between each other, with the leaders sharing any further concerns with the coaching staff. As Folkes explains, “It gives them accountability for themselves. It gives them ownership of everything if they are consulted on decisions that we make. If they feel something is not the way they would quite like it, we have a discussion.” An added benefit of this approach, is that it allows the coaches to maximise time at training for areas of the game that are important. Like every coach, Folkes has limitations on how much time he can allow himself to spend with his team at training, yet he still emphasises the importance of connecting with his players.

22 STEVE FOLKES

“You certainly take notice of what they think and what they say, and, quite often, they are just a mouthpiece for all the rest,” he concedes. “If they come to you and feel really strongly about a particular way you are playing the game that they think should be different then I guess you need to listen.” By instituting that level of compromise, the connection between the coach and his players becomes secure. Players need to be able to interact with their coach, and the coach needs to maintain the respect and support of his players. The feedback that comes from the players as a result is beneficial to both parties, and consequently, their game improves. After affirming the communication channels between players, and the team and the head coach, the final hurdle to overcome is opening the channels between the coach and his staff. Hence, button number three. Having only one assistant coach may seem daunting, yet Steve Folkes believes one is enough. This allows for the coaches message to come across clearer and doesn’t allow margin for error. This method minimises confusion, and is another example of clear communication. Priding himself on taking a hands-on approach with his coaching, Folkes has a hand in every aspect of the football. While he may have certain staff working with players on one specific aspect of their training, he devotes as much time as possible to overseeing the team. The success of the team is a collaborative effort. A large part of the winning formula for a team is the ability to communicate on and off the field. The interaction between the coaching staff and players, and the relationships formed between players can have great influence over their performance on the field, and even help obtain that winning result.

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Plays are courtesy of “RLCM - Drills Book”

24 JASON TAYLOR Jason Taylor

South Rabbitohs Head Coach - 2007 Cohesion is the key with the 1, 6, 7 and 9 players. Everybody has an important part to play within a rugby league team. From the wingers and the centres, to the trainers and the coaching staff. They all play an essential part in the teams overall performance. However, there are four players in this team that are an integral part of any game plan every week without fail. Without taking away from the other positions, these players are the end-all be-all; your fullback, your five-eight and your halfback, and your hooker. By nature, they have great passing and catching skills, speed and the ability to read the game, not only off the field but in split second situations throughout a game. Yet more importantly, they are able to communicate with each other. They need to be able to understand each other, be aware of each others limits and be organized. Without these qualities, they lack the elements that allow them to become a cohesive unit. Jason Taylor, member of the Head Coach (2007) recognizes the importance of these four roles. Concentrating specifically on trust and communication above all else between the quartet, he emphasizes that understanding and organization are two definite keys to success. Yet it’s imperative not to play out of your teams comfort zone. “[The] biggest thing is tailoring the way you play to the strengths of the four players in those positions.” Ultimately, before they are able to come together as a cohesive unit, each player needs to understand the role of those around them, beginning with the fullback. The position of fullback calls for all-round ability. The last-ditch line of defence standing behind the main line of defence, they must be able to tackle any player who breaks the first line of defence. They must also catch the majority of kicks made by the attacking side, ensuring possession is retained. Typically positioning themselves behind the first line of defence, the fullback has a view of the entire line, and can be expected to give orders to the other defending players, alerting them to fill possible holes and weaknesses in the line. A fullbacks’ role in attack is usually to join the attacking line as a extra player, keeping the ball alive to provide an overlap or to create a different angle of attack in the centre of the field. However, the biggest thing for the fullback is simply an ability to read the game. Jason Taylor explains that it’s important not to smother the player, yet let him find his own way.

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“My philosophy on a [player] at fullback is not structuring what he does too much, just trying to let him get a feel for where he needs to be at different times.” For example, being able to read the game ensures that the fullback will always be where he needs to be; he can slip into the attacking line, or on the defensive side of things he knows where to be to make crucial one on one tackles and offer his services as a support player. This is where communication between players becomes vital. “Communication defensively, often pointing to players when they’re coming back into the defensive line letting them know which side to go. He’s got the best view of the field, when the teams in defence the fullback knows where the opposition are likely to attack next.” The fullback knows where the line looks short, which makes him a good point of reference for the players coming back in the line so they know where they are. And while the fullback is reforming the line, both the five eight and the halfback are creating opportunities in attack. Numbered 6, the five eight needs to be able to pass left and right accurately. An accurate play kicker, he needs to be able to lead whilst maintain good communication with the halfback The five eight also needs to be able to throw long cut-out balls and have the vision to create something with the outside men. A large part of a five eight’s job requires him to co-ordinate with his halfback, and without constant communication between the two they will fail to achieve anything. The partnership is a continual compromise, as Taylor demonstrates; they need to feed off each other, and be able to understand the others style of play. “The best combinations [I think], both have great catching and passing skills but one’s more of an organiser. [The halfback] is more of an organiser and the five eight can do his share of that, but he’s more of a ball runner and can hit a hole.” Taylor explains. “The ability to understand where the team needs to be going next is paramount to one of them, at least one of them knowing where the team is going, being in control and having an actual read of that.” It is imperative then, that a good halfback understands when it’s time for him to take the ball to the line and play and when it’s time to just catch it and let somebody else play it. Players need to recognise that they must make improvements to their game if it will benefit the team as a whole. The fullback must correlate his actions to the style and thinking of both the five eight and the half. Again, this emphasises why communication and understanding are so crucial. Essentially, the fullback, the five eight and the half must work in tandem. As Taylor believes, any team that works hard when they’ve got the

26 JASON TAYLOR ball – as in having your five-eight and halfback moving from one side of the field to the other while utilising their fullback – they’re going to be hard to defend against. This is where support play becomes a big factor, however, everything leads back to the one initiative – communication and understanding. Over the years, the role of the halfback has become crucial in the organisation of play. More often than not, the half is the man with all the options which he is expected to utilise accordingly. Yet with the combination of the three: fullback, five eight and halfback, there are now a lot more options available. The responsibility does not lie entirely on the halfback but those who work with him. This also includes working with the hooker. Primarily, the dummy half/hooker gets things moving. He must have good pace, a good passing game and the ability to read the game quickly. The trust between the half and the dummy half/ hooker needs to be there so that the dummy half knows (if he doesn’t have anything else to do) he can pass the ball off to the halfback. If he doesn’t want to do exactly that, he should be organising the other players around him to do things. The dummy half/hooker has to trust that even though the half is going to call the ball most of the time, he has to understand when the halfback really wants it. There must be an understanding that the halfback is comfortable with the fact that the fact that he might have called the ball, but the hooker saw an opening so he went for it, and vice versa. “Communication is the most important thing. They need to be communicating the whole time and trusting each other [Not just] playing together. To get these guys working together is the biggest thing.” The goal a team hopes to achieve when they run on to the field is to win the game. Yet for that notion to become a possibility, together they must communicate and understand each others objectives, especially the combination of the halfback, the five eight, the dummy half/hooker and the fullback. They must realise that they are not separate entities; cohesion is the key.

27 COACHTALK YEARBOOK

Plays are courtesy of “RLCM - Drills Book”

28 Neil Henry

Canberra Raiders Head Coach - 2007 Essentially, there is not one definitive recipe for a successful rugby league team. There are various elements to the game that are interchangeable; a team’s kicking game, the ability to draw out the opposition before passing, and creating the opportunity to offload in a tackle. Yet some things do not change; the fundamentals stay the same. Width and depth remain the two key components in attack, as does the importance of short passing before the line. There is a heightened awareness of the need for support play, followed only by the desire for quick play the ball. Mundane as they seem, these tactics are to be the prevalent attitudes in rugby league as the game evolves. More often than not, it is the simple tasks that seem the most complicated. Neil Henry is an advocate for perfecting the basics, making intelligent decisions and achieving continuity on the field. Along with creating opportunities and maintaining pressure, it is the above objectives that Henry believes are necessary ingredients in moulding a reputable team. The goal of any team is to break the line of the opposition and cross the try line to score. The foundation of their assault is built around their attack; the two key components being the width and depth of their line. Initially, the focus is centred around moving the defensive line and bending it out of shape; this allows for the chance to create some space, and initiate one on one situations. As Henry illustrates, this is where playing with width is important. “Get some advantage out of that,” Henry notes. ”So rather with the line we’ll obviously determine where they mark up to mark you so playing with great width is important.” Coupled with width, is depth. The more depth a team carries in attack will increase the amount of time they have to play the ball. Essentially, this is where a short passing game is needed. This will work to move the defenders while running good lines and consequently shorten the time the opposition has to react to play. By combining the two components and bending the defensive line, the attack will be able to mount a good offence. Another element is a quick play the ball. To be able to go forward, you need to be able to mount some pressure on the defensive line, so a quick play the ball is vital. First and foremost, you need to utilize your attack, creating opportunities to move the ball; the rest will follow.

29 COACHTALK YEARBOOK

“There’s a lot of components to that. A lot of that is about moving the ball and getting situations where is only one on one, where there is the opportunity for a legs tackle and a quick play the ball.” Henry says. However, this is reinforced only with continual pressure. Maintaining pressure on the opposition with ball control and field position will allow for continuity and the chance to gain momentum. This becomes prevalent in attack where different shapes are used. For example, using two block runners on the outside with an inside support. This give the opportunity to tip the ball back on the inside, drop someone off in defence and alert the player on the inside to various options on the outside. Neil Henry emphasizes the need to string several sets together and set a standard of play. “You can be constant at what you’re doing provided you’re hanging on to the ball. Get some continuity; you can mount pressure and gain momentum on the defensive side with this style of play. It’s a flat line of attack.” Henry points out that this is where ball security is essential; the opposition will test ball security here if it cannot be controlled well. “You need a ball carrier that can create some space for his outside men, leading into line running. Being able to tackle on the inside shoulder to ensure that he’s not closing down the same space as the support runner’s coming to. It relies upon being able to do that, to be able to use your feet to take a defender away and at the same time having the vision to be able to hit the right support runner.” And support play indeed. As the game continues to evolve, sides are inevitably playing flatter. Taking time away from the defensive line and putting pressure on, straight away is the approach most teams are taking; therefore, the short, flat passing game is becoming more important. This takes an awareness of players who play both sides of the ruck, and a team needs to be fit to do this. Yet it’s not just about physicality, but adjusting a team mentality. The support run is now beginning to gain as much value as the carry. Consequently, being able to create opportunities by pushing up in support is very important. As Henry believes, “The more work you get off the ball, the more chances you’re going to get a one-on-one, to get some space. It takes a commitment to play forward and sides are playing both sides of the ruck.” Evidently, the whole idea is to hold up a defender and do everything to ensure that the opposition is in doubt. The idea is to hold up a defender with a pass and then promote the ball. Ideally, when a player is running lines, they would

30 NEIL HENRY try and run an inside shoulder to hold up the defender before promoting the ball so you can take him out of play. However, it’s still important with pre-line passing so that it’s not an early tip on where the defenders can slide off and move on to the next man. “You don’t want to be turning over the ball because you’re promoting it too much.” Henry says. “A lot of the game is about making decisions, when to pass, when not to pass the ball. Some sides will chance their arm in their own half, others will start to try and offload when they’re attacking the line. It’s certainly something that should be encouraged.” This emphasises the need for structure; the culmination of all the ideas Henry speaks about. Staying square, unders and overs, offloading the ball and drawing and passing are all apart of a structured attack on the opposition; combined with execution, it is the basic recipe for go forward and success. While capitalising on opportunities should definitely be practised, precision work should be the main focus. “It’s all about attacking the defender and not making it easy for him, When you’ve got the ball you dictate; the idea is too create opportunities.” Ultimately, perfecting the basics, making intelligent decisions and achieving continuity on the field are all working components of a successful game plan. Along with creating opportunities and maintaining pressure, it is these objectives that are necessary ingredients in moulding a reputable team.

31 COACHTALK YEARBOOK

Plays are courtesy of “RLCM - Drills Book”

32 SHAUN McRAE Shaun McRae

South Sydney Rabbitohs Head Coach - 2006 Often when a team is on the playing field, things don’t go exactly as planned. The ball is fumbled, mistakes are made, and suddenly the opposition is ahead by a sizable margin. Yet what the is the key to learning how to play under pressure? Surely, it comes from experience; but what about the younger players who are only starting out? They don’t have the experience older players do, and in tough situations are placed under immediate pressure. Is it fair to put them on the spot like that? The answer is no. And the solution to the problem is drills. Shaun McRae has had plenty of experience in coaching teams, and has no doubt been in several high pressure situations. The advice he offers to coaches, no matter what level they are coaching at, is to ensure they do the following; empower the players – make them aware of the possibilities and responsible for their actions, be specific and be prepared to make changes, and finally, prepare them. Whether you choose to simply focus more on drills at practice, spend more time learning how to read play or run the correct lines, make sure your team understands what they have to do. Every week, your game plan will be different. It may reflect things that have worked well previously, things that you have decided to focus on improving or things you simply want to change; yet each week it will showcase the strengths of your team. Shaun McRae believes that it shouldn’t focus solely on the opposition. With the technology available to coaches today, it is important that teams don’t try to outdo the opposition by wasting time on things you already know. It’s all about balance. “You must play to your strengths, understand where you’ve got weaknesses. The first thing I do, is think about what we did last week. What we did well, what we could’ve done better.” McRae explains. “We look at all that, say ‘this is what we’re not doing well enough, how do we improve on it?’ That effectively formulates your game plan.” This isn’t to say that you should ignore the opposition completely; it just means you have to look not at what they’re doing, but how to combat it. You can talk about their play the previous week, what happened when you played them last. But talking won’t necessarily get the message across. At this point, McRae demonstrates the relevance of drills. McRae believes the first thing to look at, is that the game has to be split up into various parameters:

33 COACHTALK YEARBOOK one of course being the physical side. A large part of the physical side is your drills, as it incorporates your technical ability and it incorporates being able to play under pressure. However, it’s also important to be specific. Make sure you set up a drill where you want to put the player under a lot of pressure. For example, coaching unders and overs. If you want a team to learn how to run unders and overs, you’ve got to do it under pressure. “You want to create a situation where it’s match game situation; you also want to increase the heart rate. It can actually become quite game specific. So, it needs to be purposeful, it needs to be intense.” McRae says. “Don’t make a drill to difficult whereby you have players coming out of it and questioning their ability.” These drill techniques also work in accordance with match day preparation. By observing the opposition, coaching staff can plan drills accordingly. It may be simple, it might be left vs right with your left defence competing against your right offence. As a team, talk about the situation as if your left defence is playing defence for the opposition. The left side then simulates what they believe the opposition would do. The right side would then run some of the opposition’s plays, even though as a team you usually wouldn’t run them. The left side then defends as they would normally, and both sides can get a taste of what they are coming up against. Obviously you can then reverse the situation; it’s important to practice against these pressure situations as it will prepare the team for the game itself. The next step would then be understanding exactly what the drill is for. There is no point in practising the motions if the team doesn’t know why they’re doing it. A coach needs to incorporate these drills to improve a skill; whether it be shifting the ball or marker defence, but if you cannot logically explain to a player why you are doing it, then you must ask yourself why. Don’t be afraid to make changes, in fact be prepared to make them; but make sure you know exactly what you are doing. This theory applies to the rotation of left and right defence. Often, players will be hesitant to swap from right to left and vice versa; with a fair amount of practice, and ensuring that your drills incorporate the opportunity for players to change, players will be able to adjust. “Some players remember one instance [swapping from right to left, where they have had problems] and straight away develop this phobia.” Says McRae. “You’ve got to help them overcome that, say [to them] there really isn’t much difference if you’re a right or a left player. It’s important [that they] adapt early. They’re the sorts of players that can be better value to your team.”

34 SHAUN McRAE

This is where responsibility falls upon the players, and player empowerment comes into play. While a head coach and their staff carry a lot of the burden of preparing a team, players also have an influence over what decisions are made. For instance, McRae implements the following step in team preparation. A team may have four team leaders, all experienced players in their own right. When it comes time to practice, the leaders then split the team into four groups; outside backs, halves and hookers, front rowers and then back rowers. These groups then go away and talk about what they feel their role will be that week – how do they think they can win, what they can do in their positions. More often than not, common themes will appear when the team gets back together as a whole. These themes will then be considered for the game plan that week. If something comes up that might be relevant to only position, it will still go up, yet it may not be a major theme. McRae stresses the importance of handing over this responsibility. “Empowerment is important with players. Players are the ones at our level, who look at video tape , look at what they need to do.” McRae explains. “They’re the ones that are putting their bodies on the line out there. It’s not like basketball where there are stoppages in play. You’ve effectively got a messenger to send things out, but it’s very hard to change things when you’re out on that field.” Again, this emphasises the fact that players understand clearly what has to happen for the first forty minutes, then you can reassess it at half time. Consequently, this demonstrates the process and importance of preparation. The amount of practice and pressure applied during drills run at practice is essential for match day preparation and composure of the players on the field. Combined with player empowerment, a team will then be prepared properly for their game.

35 COACHTALK YEARBOOK

Plays are courtesy of “RLCM - Drills Book”

36 BRIAN McLENNAN Brian McLennan

New Zealand Kiwis Coach In the eyes of rugby league fans, the 2005 International Rugby League season culminated with a fairytale. Under the guidance of Brian McLennan, the New Zealand national side overcame the odds to claim their first Tri-Series win against Australia since 1978. Crowned 2005 Tri-Nations champions, New Zealand broke Australia’s 27 year undefeated international tournament record. Yet how? McLennan believes that it is because of three things; planning and preparation, the balance of attack and defence; essentially with play involving the halfback, hooker, five- eight and fullback and pride and passion in their game. When a team is brought together as a representative squad, whether it be for a one off Test or a Test Series, a different approach has to be taken in preparing the squad than would be taken by preparing a team for weekly competition. While teams in the NRL competition spend the season surrounded by the same players, representative teams have to be ready to play with minimal preparation. It is essential that the squad is ready; both physically and mentally. Obviously, the players picked would be in top condition. However, they have to adapt to who is playing alongside them. For Brian McLennan, this means leadership and communication. “We select roughly six players for our core group and we make sure that those players represent different social circles, different areas on the field.” McLennan says. The core group is a key element to establishing a direct communication link between players and coaching staff. Once the communication link is in place, it allows the coaching team to enforce structure, and for a bond of trust to be put in place. As a result, the players will be confident in what they’re doing and become comfortable with each other on the field. “Right zone, left zone, the middle. [We] try and have different age groups so that when we do discuss things we get a true feel of the whole team.” This is also a big part of Brian McLennan’s coaching philosophy. The paramount concern for McLennan is that his players enjoy themselves, enjoy each others company and love winning. In his experience, the main emotion players exert when they are winning is desire. As well as promoting confidence, this encourages the players to perform. Encouragement is a big part of coaching and McLennan’s philosophy. Allowing players to ask questions of the coach

37 COACHTALK YEARBOOK and of their strategy, allows the coach to understand what a player thinks of the game; developing this relationship will reinforce the direction the team wants to take. For example, one directive taken by the side was ‘bully the bully’. This sets the mindset within the team that they refuse to settle for anything. By adopting this theme to their game, the team had a goal at all times; they were going to remain in control. Following communication, comes the game plan. Unfortunately, with limited time, the best thing to do is keep it simple, and play the game that suits your team. Ultimately, this means capitalising on your strengths and effectively using your key players; your halves combination, the fullback and the hooker. Essentially, the play makers need to be comfortable and be able to communicate with each other to allow the other players to fit around them. McLennan affirms that the role of these players is necessary for success. “You’ve got to promote them and [give them] ownership to do things. We’ll try the fullback behind the hooker to tip him when there’s good times to run, when there’s lazy markers. [The] halfback should be constantly talking to the hooker.” McLennan says. The pivotal roles of the halves should also be ready to lead in defence. While your A, B and C defenders can also claim responsibility over defence, the halves have to be ready to call the shots if necessary. If the opposition halves are coming in to set up, then the halves must be out on the edges in defence. Inevitably, how much time a team has to devote to their defence and attack stands to how much time they have for preparation. While the defence has to prevent the opposition from scoring tries, the attack has to cross the line to score points of their own. Whether kicking high or passing before the line; pressure needs to be applied at all times, especially when working plays four and five. McLennan stresses the importance of remaining in control. “Plays four and five are what turn a good set into a great set. Anything that applies pressure is how you’ve got to work plays four and five.” Again, playing to the strengths of the team when in a position where there is time constraints is the only solution. When there is no time to implement and develop new ideas, keep it simple. “We’re a side that doesn’t kick long. It’s really important for us to get to the 50m line [so] we can get a chance to apply some pressure ourselves. We work really hard on plays one, two and three.” The effort made to get yardage must be paramount. If a long kicking game does not suit the style of the game, then metres must be claimed. The New Zealand side focused on getting authority early in their sets, and getting players to

38 BRIAN McLENNAN apply themselves to the principle. Role clarification in the areas of kick chase and leading yardage for players is also imperative to gain momentum. Yet possibly the most important thing for a representative side is pride and passion and a team culture. McLennan emphasises the need for love and compassion within a team; there has to be some enjoyment in training, a love of winning and the want to play football. An initiative that McLennan has brought into the side is the emulation of other sporting victories; teams doing great things, why they do it and why they are so successful. The integration of such influences and a varied mentor system allows the team to look at other teams and build up a definitive culture of their own. Brian McLennan believes that this method offers the team an edge over their opponents; it motivate players to perform by setting a standard. “When you’ve got the best players in the world playing against you, something has to be different, there’s has to be a will to win that is stronger than the other team.” The end result is a team that strives to win. Planning, the balance of attack and defence; essentially with play involving the halfback, hooker, five-eight and fullback and pride in their game are all elements which contribute to a successful squad. With limited time to prepare, the basic premise of representative rugby league is to stick to the basics; the desire to win and will to perform should simply seal the deal.

39 COACHTALK YEARBOOK

Plays are courtesy of “RLCM - Drills Book”

40 RECOVERY Recovery

Dr. Aaron Coutts (University of Technology, SYDNEY) From March to October, professional rugby league players may play 26 games of football. Add another four possible matches from the final series, as well as three State of Origin games, the chance of playing City/Country, two international Test matches and then a post season Tri-Nations Series, and you’re looking at a player who will take to the field upwards of thirty times in eight months. Excusing injury, it is highly possible that they will play over 60 minutes in a game. Over a period of time, this causes significant wear and tear to players, both physically and mentally. Yet with less than a week between games on occasion, how do they recover? Aaron Coutts, senior lecturer at the University of Technology in Sydney, has devised a stringent recovery routine set to aid professional athletes between competition. Hydration, carbohydrates and protein nutrition and active recovery are all components of recovery, yet the difficult part remains in obtaining the right balance; it is crucial to get the balance right and know when and how to implement various techniques. It isn’t very complicated; the main issue is promoting the fact that ‘recovering hard’, is just as important as ‘training hard’. The first step of recovery takes place during a match; when a player comes off the field onto the interchange or at half time. Essentially, the focus is on re- hydrating. The main focus is on getting players to drink as much as they can tolerate; replacing carbohydrates and electrolytes which are depleted during the match. “A player comes off [the field] and they not thinking of drinking, so we remind them to make sure they drink.” Coutts says. “At the end of a match you are depleted of carbohydrates and that decreases your body’s ability to function; so, carbohydrates and fluids are important.” There is also heavy emphasis placed on the notion of exercise during the break. Whether players choose to hop on a bike or walk the sideline, it is essential that they keep their blood flowing. Low intensity exercise for three or five minutes periods allows players to bring themselves down and remove various metabolic by-products from their system, and allows players to adapt their own routine to keep themselves motivated. This promotes awareness and ensures players are ready to get back in the game. A similar system is used on the interchange bench; players are encouraged to move every seven minutes, playing the ball, practising technical skills and keeping their blood

41 COACHTALK YEARBOOK moving. Along with eating, drinking and keeping cool, this should ensure players remain comfortable. Yet what happens after the whistle blows? The most important part after the game is the recovery that occurs as players leave the field. Once again, Coutts reinforces the process of re-hydration. “Physiologically it is very important to get ourselves re-hydrated. During a match, the muscle cells become dehydrated and so your cells are getting smaller. They shrink and as they get smaller they don’t recover as quickly and utilise carbohydrate or recover proteins as fast.” Consequently, the cells are re-hydrated first. As the season progresses, the players adjust quickly to their personal recovery routines. Coaches and staff ensure that they are educated about the various processes; from re- hydrating, they go straight to their debrief. Injuries are treated, and proteins and carbohydrates are combined with amino acids to increase the recovery of muscles. At this point, these carbohydrates are being replaced not just by supplements, but by fruit and sandwiches. As an NRL player uses up to 900 grams of carbohydrate in a game, they need to replace them as quickly; the aim is to replace approximately 90 grams in an hour. Sports drinks are also beneficial here as they are essentially fluid, and contain carbs as well as electrolytes. After the body is refreshed, it is then time to shift on to physical recovery. Low intensity exercise, whether it be on the field or in the pool, is scheduled to remove metabolic by-products and lactates from the system as well as allowing players to cool down. For example, Coutts prescribes that the pool sessions last approximately twenty minutes. Designed to help the large muscle groups, it works to repair the muscle fibre that has been depleted by a loss of carbohydrates and has been dehydrated. While it does not work to rehydrate cells and restore carbohydrates, it focuses on reducing instability and stiffness following the game. Primarily, pool work and ice baths are used to reduce inflammation. By decreasing the inflammation (if there is swelling), you can increase recovery. Low intensity exercise in the pool is interchanged with cold immersion. Traditionally, players will have a warm shower first, and then move to an ice bath. The immersion process concentrates on producing a flushing effect in the muscles as the cool closes up the blood vessels to stop the blood flow; the warm opens up the vessels and flushes them out, and the cold closes them off. This allows for the removal of any metabolic substances and any by-products that produced as a result of exercise. The actual amount of immersion time varies; a balance must be found in regard to what is practical for the team.

42 RECOVERY

Yet recovery also has a social component. Included as apart of a regulated routine, stepping away from the game can be one of the best methods to assist in a players relaxation and recovery. “We’ve got a system where we measure the stress of our players quite closely during the week and during games. We try and match our recovery to the stress that we measure.” Coutts says. “We’ve got methods where we can measure whether the stress is coming from physical stress or it is coming from training, or sources away from training. We can look at reasons why and we can individually adopt individual strategies to improve their recovery.” These strategies are centred around the following; sleeping properly, not sleeping too much and a decent diet. Essentially, it depends on the individual. Consistency in recovery and lifestyle will allow for better performance, it is just up to the player. Ultimately, players need to achieve a mindset where they are prepared to accept the notion of recovery, especially when they are competing. According to Coutts, players cannot be directed to recover, it is a state of acceptance they must acknowledge themselves. “You can’t think yourself into recovery. Obviously, when a message comes down the line they need to focus on the message and that kind of thing, so that they are recovering. We [don’t] give them a specific message of recover now. They know they can do it, if they didn’t want to do it they wouldn’t, particularly in the state of mind they are in.” Consequently, the onus of responsibility lies upon the individual. While a large part of team preparation is being based on recovery, it is also up to individual athletes to assist in their own recovery. Upon leaving the field, some players are keen to go right in to their recovery routine after a game while others may not. It again depends on the individual; some players will be finished recovery and ready to leave an hour after the whistle blows. This demonstrates the willingness of players to recover, especially when they are tired. Some may need extra time to rest and rehydrate before they focus on physically recovering. Either way, they are still reducing inflammation. If players don’t remove that fatigue, then they are not going to be playing very well. Coutts stresses that it is not complicated, it is about routine and awareness. When a player recovers fast from training and is in a fresh state before the game, then their physiological status means they can perform better. Simply put, training hard, is just as important as recovering hard.

43 COACHTALK YEARBOOK

Plays are courtesy of “RLCM - Drills Book”

44 NUTRITION Nutrition

Leanne Hammond (Accredited Practicing Dietitian) Elite athletes need to be physically fit. To ensure a consistent performance week in and week out, they need to be sure that they are doing all they can to be able to perform at a high standard. Although training is an essential component of any athlete’s preparation, before they can even make it to training they need to have the energy to get there; this is where sports nutrition becomes an important factor in any players training routine. Yet how can an athlete be sure they are putting the right foods and supplements into their body? Sports nutrition is all about education; learning what to put into your body and how to create an equal balance of nutrients. According to sports dietitian Leanne Hammond, there are three things that are imperative to an athlete’s diet: carbohydrates, proteins, and fluids. It all begins with training nutrition. Training nutrition refers specifically to what an athlete is doing during the week. Starting from the moment an athlete gets out of bed and heading to their morning training session, to what they eat before hand, and finally moving on to what they eat afterward and what they consume during the day. Everything they eat will have an impact on their day, and will allow them to get the most out of their training sessions. “If you’re not putting the right things into your body during the training week, then its hard for your body to make the right adaptations and to get as much out of training as you can.” Hammond explains. “If you’re putting the right types of fuel into your body then you’re going to be able to perform in your training sessions, [when you’re] competing and also to adapt to become the best athlete you possibly can. If you’re putting the right things into your body, or not enough, then you’re really going to struggle.” This is where education becomes a large factor. A prime example here is dehydration, both during training and a match. Dehydration has a huge effect on athletes, with chronic dehydration being the number one cause of lethargy. At the end of a match you are depleted of carbohydrates and that decreases your body’s ability to function; it will impair your endurance performance brain function, alertness and awareness on the field and inevitably your decision making ability. The aim of sports nutrition is to educate the player on how to combat the dehydration; focusing on re-hydrating. The main focus is on getting players to drink as much as they can tolerate; replacing carbohydrates and electrolytes which are depleted during the match. Athletes at any level of competition are going to sweat, and this also contributes to dehydration.

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If a player loses a litre of sweat during physical activity, then they have lost a litre of fluid that their body didn’t have; losing weight during a match means you’re not drinking enough to compensate for your sweat loss. Inevitably, the player will then have to replace the fluid and carbohydrates they have lost. As an NRL player uses up to 900 grams of carbohydrate in a game, they need to replace them quickly; evidently, they will be on a high carbohydrate diet. An important issue in regard to nutrition is ensuring players are consuming the right foods that promote carbohydrate and protein intake. High carbohydrate levels means that athlete’s are sufficiently restoring their muscle glycogen levels, a prime energy source. “Having a high carbohydrate diet and you’re having a lot of carbohydrates specifically in a meal after a training session, then it will help your muscle glycogen levels come back up again.” Hammond says. “If you’re on a low carbohydrate diet you’re not going to be restoring those muscle glycogen levels to where they were before.” An athlete with low levels will have little concentration, have no energy and have their decision making ability compromised as they become lethargic. Over long periods, it is these athletes that become susceptible to injury. This is why before a match, it is important to consume foods with a low glycogenic level – these foods are primarily low fat options that are been minimally processed. Pasta, cereal, noodles and rice fit into this category. It is essential players avoid high fat foods, as the fat content will simply replace the carbohydrates and proteins that an athlete actually needs. During a contest, continuing to replace food in small amounts will help maintain energy levels, as long as a player doesn’t eat too much. After the match, then the objective is to replace all of the carbohydrates and proteins lost, whether it be though solids or fluids. Dairy and meat are used here to help repair muscle tissue, and small portions such as a bowl of cereal with skim milk build up both carbs and protein. In way of fluids, sports drinks are a great immediate energy boost; they are essentially fluid, and contain carbs as well as electrolytes. They are beneficial in that the electrolytes contain sodium and potassium which help with fluid absorption and retention. As the muscle cells become smaller during a match due to dehydration, they don’t recover as quickly and utilise carbohydrate or recover proteins as fast. Therefore a combination of proteins and carbohydrates are combined with amino acids to increase the recovery of muscles and quickly replace energy. Again, education becomes a major factor, as athlete’s need to be aware of what they can do to help or hinder their progress.

46 NUTRITION

Consequently, sports nutrition is all about education. Educating players, coaches and athlete’s on the right solids to be putting in them system, the importance of hydration and the right times of when and where to eat, ensuring that a player gets optimal benefit from the carbohydrates and proteins in their system. Without the right preparation, they won’t be able to achieve a high standard on the field.

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Plays are courtesy of “RLCM - Drills Book”

48 DR. ADRIAN HURLEY Dr. Adrian Hurley PUTTING TOGETHER A WINNING TEAM Dr Adrian Hurley OAM (ARL High Performance Seminar 2006) I have been asked to give some thoughts on how I go about putting together a winning team culture for the NRL. The answer is the same way I try to put together a winning team in any sport at any level. Here below are some of the principles I adopt. 1. Get the right players. Good players make good coaches. • Committed • Talented • Team orientated • Want to win • Love and enjoy the sport. Obviously you are only as good a coach as the players you have. Sometimes at the club level, if we start out as a new coach we do not have a lot of say in who plays on our team at the beginning. However, I think you should set down the above traits and if you see a player, or players, that do not aspire to most of the above, then you should replace them. The only trait above that you can compromise on is talent. 2. Get the right people around the team. • Coaches, assistant coaches • Support staff, managers • Technical staff, video tape volunteers, physios, etc. At the national league level it is extremely important to choose the right staff and get the right people around you to support the way you want to prepare and coach the team. Even at the junior level, you will have a better team if you involve others to help you. I have never had trouble getting volunteers even at the national league level. 3. PLAN. “Failure to plan is to plan to fail.” There is no point in you and the team having different goals. If you and the team or owners “are not on the same page” you will not have a happy season. The differences in attitude may be that the board/owners want to be competitive, hopefully make the playoffs, and to be a stable competitive team each year (based on the amount of money the club has). Yet you as the coach may be aiming to win the competition. The coach needs to sit down with the

49 COACHTALK YEARBOOK players and the owners or club board and ask some questions, such as: • What do we all want to do? What are our goals? How can we best achieve those goals? What do we need to do to achieve those goals? • What do we not want to do? • What is the ethos or covenant going to be? • What are the players’ goals? • What are the coach’s goals? • Goals of the owners? As the coach you need to get a central acceptance and commitment and stick to it. If you and the team don’t know where you are going, then you will not get there. 4. Establish the culture. The culture is the backbone of the team and club. From the previous question you, the coach, can now establish “the rules” that you have all agreed upon. Now it is not you who have set the standard but everyone involved with your team and club. We all have to meet those standards without exception. This culture is adopted by all teams in the club. Your junior players need to at least be aware of what it means and what is demanded of a player in your club. It is no good waiting until a player gets to the senior team and then introducing him to the culture. Combined practices for all grades once a week for fundamental drills is always a good idea. Senior players officially mentoring young players will also help. Some questions to get answers for are: • How hard and often will we practice? • How will we play? Our style? • How will we behave, on and off the court? • How do we want others to perceive us? • What will we be recognized for: never giving up? Always playing hard but fair? How will we dress, behave, etc.? • What you see is what we are! The success of any club/team is very much attached to the culture of the club. The culture is the very being, life and breath of every person in the club as they strive together towards common goals. There can be no exceptions to the culture that everyone agrees to live by. 5. Practice and practice. But practice the right ways. Obviously, if you are going to be a winning team, you need to practice the right way. If your practices are to create the culture you, the coach, must set the following practice culture: • Organized and purposeful.

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• No wasting of time (teach time-management). • Drill, drill and drill the skills and the teamwork. • Be innovative; do the unusual at times. • Be hard but enjoyable; make them feel practice is worth it. • Get the players to take pride in their practice. • Coaches set the example. Work hard. Enjoy yourself! • Hard work and perseverance. Always positive; very little negative. • Remember that more is not always better. 6. Build the FOCUS! An essential is the team and player focus that you establish and build. I tell my players that focus is more about eliminating the distractions than it is about concentrating on particular things. If that sounds Irish, then think about it. We can better focus if we: • Eliminate those things that take us away from what we do. • Understand everyone’s roles; accept the roles. • Build individual development as well as team development. • Reinforce the goals and aims at all times. • Focus the team each game and practice on what we want to achieve. I always clearly espouse to my teams at every practice and every game what it is that we want to do, emphasize and achieve. We then set goals for the practice or the game. This enables everyone to focus. Winning is never mentioned! If the players achieve the goals then the winning will happen. I also like to give individual players goals for every practice and game. 7. Share the VISION and RESPONSIBILITY and LEADERSHIP. If you are to build a competitive team then the coach must share the leadership with the players. Ask them what they think at every opportunity. At my practices, timeouts, pre-games, etc. the players contribute significantly and are encouraged to do so. I emphasize that it is more their team tan it is mine. This does not mean that you (the coach) are giving up authority or power. You are still in charge. It just means that you are sharing some of the power. (By doing so I think you actually gain more “power.” • The vision belongs to everyone. It must be supported by everyone and accepted by everyone. 8. Build the passion and energy (and love of the game). • As a coach your primary responsibility is to build the enjoyment and love for the sport. • The traditions! The history! are important. Emphasize to all your players and teams that we are playing the greatest

51 COACHTALK YEARBOOK game there is, and my major aim is for them to enjoy and love the game all their lives. As you build the passion, so will your team’s “never say die” attitude and will to win. They love the game! They love the contest! 9. Communicate and educate. Motivation without education leads to frustration! Teaching is the essence of coaching and building a competitive team. When the players are struggling at practice or a game, some coaches start yelling to motivate the players when often the problem is the coach’s poor communication. To get a change in their behaviour you need to tell them how to change. Show them the way! 10. Respect, trust and loyalty. • Build and earn the above three. • It is extremely important that players respect you, trust you and know that you are loyal to them. • They want to know that you care, more than they care about what you know! The above ten points are the main principles I adopt in putting together a competitive team each season, regardless of the level. DEVELOPING A WINNING TEAM AND CLUB CULTURE “WINNING ATTITUDE: THE TEAM CULTURE APPROACH” THEME: “Absolutely Everybody” The Winning Team: • Has a plan of direction • Has a strong belief and confidence • Has a core covenant (“Absolutely Everybody”) • Is proactive • Takes control of its environment • Is value driven • Creates an environment for success • Accepts change and controls change • Does not fear failure • Is motivated from within • Uses the resources available • Has a shared leadership • Has an emotional commitment • Manages time • Accepts responsibility and doesn’t blame others • Doesn’t live in yesterday

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• Doesn’t carry excess baggage • Frees its imagination • Strives for quality • Never gives up • Plans for bombshells • Balances work and life • Really communicates by listening • Continually evaluates itself • Builds trust • Sells itself • Encourages “the heard and the head” • Does what it says it will do The effective team has no illusions, is not perfect, is very aware of the elements of success and continually improves itself. The effective team creates a culture that is dynamic, enjoyable, challenging and always moving forward. The effective team is a winner! You, as the coach of your NRL team must: • Challenge the process • Inspire the shared vision • Enable others to act • Model the way • Support and encourage the head and the heart. Each of you is a leader. As part of the team you can’t be half in! Your task as a leader is to: • Work with your team to remove as many barriers as possible so they can do their jobs better. • Demand accountability and give support. • Clarify the vision or covenant. • Define the values and benefits of “culture” that will keep your team on task, focused and united. • Continually “stretch” the covenant by instituting continual evaluation and transitional management. • Create a corporate culture that values honesty, rewards innovation and encourages learning and development. • Communicate to the team in a no-nonsense manner. • Encourage common sense and mutual respect. • Acknowledge the current reality.

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Some questions for you as the coach club leader: • How often do you review? We have to continually review and have major review every year. Every 2-3 years is no longer good enough. You need to be evaluating and reviewing your players, team, and culture on a continuous basis. • How do you respond to new challenges? Do you mainly react negatively? Someone is always throwing hand grenades into our season. You need to be the leader to dive on those grenades and show the way. Don’t be an excuse maker! • Do you have a futures unit? A committee for the future? Do you anticipate or react? You need to have a group of people you can trust and be honest with (perhaps away from the club) who assist you in thinking about the team and club and where it is going and where it will be in two or three years time. • How prepared is your club (and you) for the rapid changes in IT? Technology is a valuable and essential tool of sport these days. While you, as the coach, may not be an IT person of any note, you need to get people around you who are, and you need to be continually striving for that edge that technology can give you. IT is not the answer or the secret but is a powerful tool in the right hands. • How well prepared are you in change management and transition management? All sporting clubs and the NRL itself are continually changing. You need to prepare yourself mentally for these continual changes. As Clint Eastwood says in his film Heartbreak Ridge, “Adapt and survive!” • Do you follow or lead? Are your headlights shining out into the darkness? It is not always easy to be coming up with new ideas, but you can vary what you do, and do a bit of experimenting with your training or the way you play. Remember the “up the jumper” rugby union play? • Do you make the rules or do you wait for other clubs )competitors) to define the rules for you? Again it is your willingness to be “different” or a leader in things that you do. In business, if we leave it up to our rivals to keep setting the standards or “rules”, then we usually come second. • Are you more concerned with protecting what you have rather than challenging the conventions?

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At times we are more concerned about protecting our jobs or situation and as a result “don’t want to make waves.” This can be a negative approach that can lead to the very thing we are trying to avoid. • What percentage of your time is spent catching up, compared to time breaking new ground? If you spend a lot of your time just trying to stay with the pack or even catch up, then you better think of ways to get ahead in some areas. • How much hope is there compared to anxiety in your club/organization? This can be a problem in clubs that are continually in turmoil (on and off the field). The turmoil and anxiety can be very draining on everyone and this can severely affect your results. The financial future is a case in point. It is very hard for you as the leader to get winning results if you are continually being dragged into to off-field issues. Sometimes there is not much you can do about it except shield the players from what is happening and demonstrate by your work ethic that we are going to get things done regardless of the “peripheral opponents”. Control what you can control! • Are you just following the paths of least resistance? It is important, as the coach, not to take the easy way every time. The easy road of least resistance is not always the best road. Sometimes you have to take risks and stand up to the challenge. In this day and age of player off- field issues you, as coaches, certainly have to take the harder road at times to maintain your club ethos and culture. The challenges! The challenges are squarely in your court. In elite sport we have to change, plan, prepare, take risks, be proactive, be innovative, be leaders, predict/anticipate the future, be prepared to diversify, to listen, to be technically prepared, and be prepared to go beyond the cutting edge (yesterday’s standards). “The future belongs to those who anticipate it.” (Dr. Adrian Hurley)

55 COACHTALK YEARBOOK CONCLUSION Creating a winning attitude and a winning team/club culture is a complex and very involved process. We can’t make teams by talking about teamwork. Teamwork is a process that has to be planned and massaged every day. Every team and club is different. The leaders and the parts of each team are unique. The task is to take the strengths of each team and synergise them into a “critical mass” that drives the team and club forward rapidly. The glue for a successful team is culture, not structure. The culture is the core values (covenant) that the team shares as a vision and as a standard.

APPENDIX Some small general tips that you may not read about: • At most of your team meetings try to reinforce (with subtlety) a team value, or aspect of the core covenant. This can be a single phrase of encouragement before practice or at the end of a team meeting (an unofficial theme for the day). I have “Hurley’s 101 percents”, from which players choose a “percent” and tell the team before practice what that “percent” means to them and how it applies to the team/club. • Each day, Monday to Friday, take a few moments out to reassess how you, as a leader, are leading the team. Is there something that needs doing today (“the teachable moment”). Record this act in your diary, and refer back to it over the year. • Each day contribute one action to develop the team culture. This is not an “operational act”. It is a human, cultural act. • At the end of each week give yourself a rating out of ten, as to how you have performed as a leader and creator of culture this week. This is really a good way to jolt you into action on Monday. • Remember that leadership comes in all shapes and sizes. The main things is to be yourself. Try not to imitate others. Learn from others, but make the end result yours. • People (including your team) want to know that you care (about them and the organization) more than they care about what you know. • Ask yourself, on a regular basis, why would anyone want to be led by me? Your answer will tell you how you are performing in your personal growth as a leader of the team.

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• Take every opportunity you can to develop your personal leadership skills. This particularly relates to public speaking, running meetings, non-verbal communication, and the overall image you portray. “What you see is what you get.” • As yourself, “How can I learn more about myself, my team and leadership, while enjoying the process?

Above all, enjoy what you do. Coaching is a unique and privileged occupation. It is not just what you know about playing the game. In this modern age it is about your knowledge, your communication and human relationship skills, your management style and skills, and your drive and ability to learn, change, your ability to build a strong club culture, your leadership, the ability to be a better coach every season, and to love and enjoy what you do every day.

57 COACHTALK YEARBOOK HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR COACHING: Guidelines for Sport Coaches By Anne Thompson Sports Coach UK Coach Development (Humber Region) In my experience, the best way to develop your coaching is by pursuing “knowledge for the sake of knowledge”. That is, by seeking knowledge and/ or skills development when you want to know or be able to do something in your ‘real life’ coaching.

This is different from trying to develop your coaching by pursuing “knowledge for knowledge’s sake”. That is, by acquiring knowledge and/or skills development just for the sake of acquiring it.

“Knowledge for the sake of knowledge” tends to lead to learning, progress and improvement. “Knowledge for knowledge’s sake” tends to lead to information or skills gathering that isn’t applied in any real sense. The result is little or no learning, progress or improvement.

When coaches ask me for, “any coaching information or drills”, or when they say, “do you know of any workshops or courses I could go on”, I am immediately alerted to “knowledge for knowledge’s sake”. Similarly, when I hear coach development officers or coach educators say, “We need to provide some workshops”, I have the same response.

REAL coach development - REAL as in Relevant, Everyday, Applicable and Lasting - by necessity starts with where you are now, and needs to be linked to where you want to be.

Starting with where you are now means the knowledge and/or skills you seek are relevant, linked to your everyday practice, applicable and lasting - rather than being unplaced, unlinked, not applied and short lived. Likewise, linking where you are now to where you want to be means the knowledge and/or skills you seek are highly likely to move you forward and/or upwards towards your unique personal goal(s).

We all need dreams, ideal visions of the future, and challenges to overcome - these things fuel our motivation. As long as we can see in our mind’s eye the steps we need to take to move forward (what we need to know, what we need to be able to do, or what we need to create), and as long as these steps are sensibly linked to current reality, we will develop and make progress towards your goal(s).

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However, too many coaches and people involved in trying to support the development of coaches, either make the mistake of thinking up grand visions of the future that are not linked sensibly to current reality, or make the mistake of not linking the acquisition of knowledge, skills or experience to anything really meaningful in terms of moving towards a personal goal(s).

This is where the need for having a Personal Development Plan (PDP) comes in. The PDP process supports and challenges you to get clear about: -

• Where you are now.

• Where you want to be.

• What you need to know, be able to do, or be able to create to reach your goal(s) or to overcome your challenge(s).

• How you might go about getting to know, being able to do, or being able to create - the resources (things and people) you can use.

• What you are committed to actually doing and by when.

Once you have a clear plan, all you need do is implement it. Taking action along these lines makes your development as a coach – your REAL development - inevitable.

If you are interested in developing your coaching, the following table sets out some clear guidelines for you to follow. Alternatively, if you would like some further support, I am available to provide individual development meetings or to help you set up club/organisational coach development support programmes.

59 COACHTALK YEARBOOK GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING YOUR COACHING

STEPS WHAT HOW

Step 1 Take time out to think • Training Needs Analysis (TNA) about where you or other formal documents. are now with your • Own informal assessment. coaching in relation to • Informal opinions from where you (or others) relevant others. want you to be.

Step 2 Take time out to think • Training Needs Analysis (TNA) about what you need or other formal documents. to know, what you • Own informal assessment. need to be able to do, • Informal opinions from or what you need to relevant others. create to get where you want or need to be.

Step 3 Take time out to think • Seeking out new information, about how you might advice or guidance. go about getting to • Existing knowledge. know, being able to do, or being able to create. Think about the resources (things and people) you can use.

Step 4 Take time out to write • Standard PDP templates. a plan that states what • Own PDP template. you are actually going to do and by when.

Step 5 Implement your plan. • Take action. • Find ways to overcome any barriers that get in the way.

Step 6 Take time out to review • Schedule in weekly informal and re-plan so as to reviews and re-planning time. continue developing. • Schedule in formal 6 monthly or 12 monthly reviews and re-writing of plans. • Repeat steps 1 to 5 above.

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