News........ Sunday

[MagpieMad]

Magpies hungrier than ever: Broadbridge
afl.com.au
11:30:37 AM Sun 12 January, 2003

There’s been further affirmation from Victoria Park that the Magpies are not prepared to countenance any slackening off this season after coming so close to taking out the 2002 Premiership.

Paul Licuria said as much late last week in offering a player’s perspective of the pre-season so far in an exclusive interview with afl.com.au.


Now, his hard line has been supported by Collingwood assistant coach Michael Broadbridge, who said he’s never seen a playing group more focussed and more determined.

“It was a very short period after the grand final that the core group of leaders decided they would put that behind them.” Broadbridge told 3AW.

“They weren’t satisfied with just making the grand final. In know a lot of people probably thought it was a great effort and were reasonably happy that we got that far.”

“But the players certainly weren’t satisfied and given that they had to have an extra four or five weeks off compared to most sides, the guys were just champing at the bit to get started and that’s the way they’ve approached the pre-season,” he said.

“The ten or 12 leaders we’ve got down at the club are very hungry, and they’ve passed that on to the rest of the squad which is terrific.”

Broadbridge said that one of senior coach Mick Malthouse’s first tasks in the pre-season was to address the playing group with his expectations for 2003.

“Obviously with his experience over the 20 years he’s been coaching, he’s been there and done that and he’s passed on his tips. But to the players’ credit at the club, they’ve put (last year) behind them.

Meanwhile skipper Nathan Buckley, who was married last weekend will be back on the training track this week after taking a brief break for his honeymoon.


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http://magpiemad.magpies.net/

[Dr Alf Andrews]

Bucks take time off? Impossible. Hope he got plenty of exercise.



GO HARD OR GO HOME
**************
Ph.D. thesis, "Football: the People's Game?" http://alf.magpies.net