Strength & Conditioning

guyofthetiger

guyofthetiger

Well-known member
Hoping someone might be able to provide some insight on the calibre of John Skandalis as strength and conditioning coach. Aside from being a club legend, is he highly regarded in this capacity? How does his qualifications for the role compare to others in the same role for top clubs like Manly, the Storm or Broncos?
I would really like to watch the Tigers play a season of football.
The actual first grade Tigers side.
I no longer believe the injury toll is simply poor luck.
Ballin played his 179th consecutive game for Manly Friday night. Inconceivable as a Tigers supporter!
I don't think we can assess the coach or the squad very effectively unless we get the first grade team playing together on a relatively consistent basis.
I don't want to blame Skandalis unfairly - he may be very highly regarded and hence my question - but to draw a comparison, the Waratahs had a woeful run of injuries until they changed their strength and conditioning coach.
 
It's a fair question. One I can't answer for you, but I hope someone can, without you being hammered for it.

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Good post and good question 'guy'. After 'fixing' the board I think examining this aspect of Wests Tigers management is crucial. I'd like to see some stats on injury numbers and time off the field per injury for us versus other teams. This can't be normal.
 
I agree. Any team missing Tedesco, Nofo, Richards, Anasta, Brooks, Thompson, and there are more…. And also trying to play Lawrence, Sue, and again a cast of others carrying injuries. ...

This is just more than bad luck for several seasons in a row...

And as the Cowboys game, you match our players out, injuries, youth, terrible fortnight, etc against a white hot Cowboys side at home.....What did we expect. I don't understand the shock to be honest..

Surely the long term injuries, rehab, strength and conditioning MUST be looked at seriously...
 
I thought someone mentioned a while ago he has a TAFE certificate for this kind of work. I am not sure what kind of requirements you do need but it seemed a bit basic to me.
 
@Muffstar said:
I thought someone mentioned a while ago he has a TAFE certificate for this kind of work. I am not sure what kind of requirements you do need but it seemed a bit basic to me.
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You would think that was a bit basic, especially given what appeared to be limited experience prior to taking up the role. In fact, it appeared like the club wanted to find an ongoing role for him, after putting in for so many years, and that was it. And fair enough, if it worked out, but it doesn't seem to be working out.
I may be way off track here and happy for evidence otherwise.
Luck aside, is there a science to injury prevention that these guys learn? Or is that something that just comes with experience?
 
It doesn't matter how good the coach is, how rehearsed the game plan, or most importantly, how much potential our youngsters coming through have, it comes to nothing if the first grade team isn't on the field consistently.
Tbh I still think 2012 was a lower point than this, but only just.
At least it seemed, at the beginning of this season, that when we were muscling our way over the top of packs, with some genuine go forward, the backline might be protected more from injury.
But obviously that wasn't the case.
At this point, it almost seems inevitable that the youngsters are going to be off the field more than they're on it, and may well be tempted to leave as a result.
Is there anything we can do about that though?
 
we need to recruit more pacific islanders in the backs. they are stronger,bigger & faster. they can be taught skills. our backs are pigmy size compared to other teams.
 
I posted this last night in the live game thread.

With the amount of injuries we sustain every year our strength / conditioning & pre season program needs looking at for sure.
 
@Droppy said:
we need to recruit more pacific islanders in the backs. they are stronger,bigger & faster. they can be taught skills. our backs are pigmy size compared to other teams.
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Don't bring ethnicity into it. Kurtis Rowe (part maori), Keith Lulia, David Nofoaluma, Akauola Sitaleki, Tim Simona, Bodene Thompson all have pacific islander heritage and have played in the backline for us this season.

We do however need more backs who are big, strong and fast, and who have good football brain to make good decisions in defense and good commitment to put it into practice on the field. Doesn't matter who they are, so long as we get them.
 
@cuzzo said:
If I had a choice I'd be poaching an AFL conditioning coach, they are leaps & bounds ahead.
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It isn't that AFL conditioners are ahead of us, their sport is. So they have access to a lot more and more money is invested into the area opposed to rugby league. If an afl conditioner were poached to rugby league they wouldn't have the same access or money which negates the poaching process
 
Hi guys, I am a qualified Strength and conditioning coach and work with an NYC team for a rival Sydney club. What I can tell you about skando is this:

1- initially, his quals were extremely basic in personal training not SnC. It was to get him something on paper, it was a job for the boys. He accepted the role then learnt his trade later.

2- as many ppl know, he went to the USA and got some access and exposure to some College football training facilities and methodologies.. He has come back and tried to apply all they did, here to the nrl squad. Without boring you, the two sports have totally different demands and training cannot be simply transferred from one to the other long term.

3- skando likes to use particular types of strength training using power concepts, more than other clubs, many believe there may be a link there with the shoulder knee probs we have , eg, Keith, brooks, nofo etc…

4- I am a qualified level 2 SnC coach and have been working in this sport. For the last few years, recovery, rehab and safe training is a huge point you're taught in this qualification. With my degree I am more qualified than many of the nrl conditioners, but as I said earlier, lots of ex players get jobs for the boys.

Hope this helps guys, provides something for you. Go tigers!
 
This is an argument I have been concerned about for the past 2 months or more as we see more and more injuries to a lot of the players in our NRL team. :exclamation:

It seems that we have more injuries than any club :crazy WHY IS THAT :crazy :crazy We do not appear to have had the same team playing twice in a row, and I agree with one of the above posters, that until that problem is taken care of, no blame for a bad season, should be shouldered by the coach or players.

Get the strength and conditioning fixed up, and also the defence is still very poor, so maybe that could be looked at as well. Embarrassing :blush: :blush: . oh and as far as I can see Coach Potter needs a gold medal for putting up with all this :master: :righton:
 
@tigerlogic said:
Hi guys, I am a qualified Strength and conditioning coach and work with an NYC team for a rival Sydney club. What I can tell you about skando is this:

1- initially, his quals were extremely basic in personal training not SnC. It was to get him something on paper, it was a job for the boys. He accepted the role then learnt his trade later.

2- as many ppl know, he went to the USA and got some access and exposure to some College football training facilities and methodologies.. He has come back and tried to apply all they did, here to the nrl squad. Without boring you, the two sports have totally different demands and training cannot be simply transferred from one to the other long term.

3- skando likes to use particular types of strength training using power concepts, more than other clubs, many believe there may be a link there with the shoulder knee probs we have , eg, Keith, brooks, nofo etc…

4- I am a qualified level 2 SnC coach and have been working in this sport. For the last few years, recovery, rehab and safe training is a huge point you're taught in this qualification. With my degree I am more qualified than many of the nrl conditioners, but as I said earlier, lots of ex players get jobs for the boys.

Hope this helps guys, provides something for you. Go tigers!
Click to expand...

Thanks heaps.

It seems most other clubs do what the tigers do in terms of jobs for the boys mentality.

Would you know how many people are actually involved in the training process? Sports scientists, physios, assistant physios etc?

_Posted using RoarFEED V.4_
 
@tig_prmz said:
@tigerlogic said:
Hi guys, I am a qualified Strength and conditioning coach and work with an NYC team for a rival Sydney club. What I can tell you about skando is this:

1- initially, his quals were extremely basic in personal training not SnC. It was to get him something on paper, it was a job for the boys. He accepted the role then learnt his trade later.

2- as many ppl know, he went to the USA and got some access and exposure to some College football training facilities and methodologies.. He has come back and tried to apply all they did, here to the nrl squad. Without boring you, the two sports have totally different demands and training cannot be simply transferred from one to the other long term.

3- skando likes to use particular types of strength training using power concepts, more than other clubs, many believe there may be a link there with the shoulder knee probs we have , eg, Keith, brooks, nofo etc…

4- I am a qualified level 2 SnC coach and have been working in this sport. For the last few years, recovery, rehab and safe training is a huge point you're taught in this qualification. With my degree I am more qualified than many of the nrl conditioners, but as I said earlier, lots of ex players get jobs for the boys.

Hope this helps guys, provides something for you. Go tigers!

Thanks heaps.

It seems most other clubs do what the tigers do in terms of jobs for the boys mentality.

Would you know how many people are actually involved in the training process? Sports scientists, physios, assistant physios etc?

_Posted using RoarFEED V.4_
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Sorry I'm not sure of their support staff…
Most leading nrl teams will have a whole team of staff - Conditioner, strength coach, speed coach, sport scientist, and physio would be what all nrl teams SHOULD have as standard at training full time. Plus possibly a few others depending on the budget..
The speed coach is a waste of money to have full time but many have it
 
@tigerlogic said:
Hi guys, I am a qualified Strength and conditioning coach and work with an NYC team for a rival Sydney club. What I can tell you about skando is this:

1- initially, his quals were extremely basic in personal training not SnC. It was to get him something on paper, it was a job for the boys. He accepted the role then learnt his trade later.

2- as many ppl know, he went to the USA and got some access and exposure to some College football training facilities and methodologies.. He has come back and tried to apply all they did, here to the nrl squad. Without boring you, the two sports have totally different demands and training cannot be simply transferred from one to the other long term.

3- skando likes to use particular types of strength training using power concepts, more than other clubs, many believe there may be a link there with the shoulder knee probs we have , eg, Keith, brooks, nofo etc…

4- I am a qualified level 2 SnC coach and have been working in this sport. For the last few years, recovery, rehab and safe training is a huge point you're taught in this qualification. With my degree I am more qualified than many of the nrl conditioners, but as I said earlier, lots of ex players get jobs for the boys.

Hope this helps guys, provides something for you. Go tigers!
Click to expand...

Mate I am dead set sure you could do a better job than the current mob,and therein lies our problem.
 
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