Sturt and South benefit from work with Leading Teams and Daniel Healy

CENTRAL District premiership captain Daniel Healy wants a draw between Sturt and South Adelaide in the first semi-final at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

Central District premiership captain Daniel Healy wants a draw in the first semi-final at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

He knows that is not possible — there must be a winner and loser when Sturt and South Adelaide strive to keep their seasons alive for at least another week.

Both times the two clubs have met this season he has sat in the stand hoping they will share the premiership points. It didn’t happen but both clubs had a win which helped earn them a finals berth.

Healy has made it his business to help the two clubs find success.

In November, after joining Ray McLean’s successful Leading Teams stable, he pursued two SANFL clubs willing to work with the company’s ideals.

He had worked with first-year Panthers coach Brad Gotch at Port Adelaide — Healy was the development coach and Gotch the defensive coach. The Panthers were ripe for what Leading Teams had to offer, according to Healy.

Healy also contacted Sturt. The well documented financial issues engulfing the Double Blues was a concern but this was an opportunity the club could not let slip if it wanted to be a serious title contender.

“Both clubs had pre-season camps and I spent time with them,’’ Healy said.

“The main focus was what we want our world to look like.

“We would then meet about once a month for a review — how are we going, who is living it, who is not, where can we improve? I’d work with the leadership team to make sure they are driving the behaviours.’’

That is the key word in Healy’s work — behaviours.

He said there was a misconception his company delivers inspiring talks. Not so. It is about getting people engaged in conversation with each other, according to Healy.

The first question he asked the Panthers in the pre-season was how Norwood, as the reigning premier, would describe the Noarlunga club?

“The reality is unless the players and coaches buy into the program it will never work,’’ Healy said.

Healy became a McLean fan when he was at the Bulldogs. McLean was working at the RAAF base at Edinburgh teaching leadership and wanted to test his theories with a football club so approached then Bulldogs coach Alan Stewart in 1993.

So Central District was the guinea pig for a business which has flourished and been adopted by many organisations, including AFL clubs and the Australian Diamonds netball team.

Most of his work is now in the corporate world.

Healy captained the Bulldogs to four flags and coached North Adelaide as well as his work with the Power. He is a teacher by trade. All those roles help him with his approach to Leading Teams.

“I feel like every day is exciting,’’ Healy said.

“I get a lot of satisfaction going into a business and hearing they have improved. With footy, you can see it on the field.

“When you read Sturt and South Adelaide are playing with passion and spirit and for each other ... that is the sort of things on our agenda. It is exciting to hear that.’’

Healy will often sit in the coach’s box. His job is not to offer match day advice but to review how the coaching staff is functioning as a team.

“They are the same principles whether it be The Advertiser marketing team, the council, a sales company — we try to have people agree to a set of values and behaviours,’’ Healy said.

“When I played with St Kilda, Ray was helping (then Saints coach) Stan Alves and I always stayed in touch.

“This line of work has been a real passion of mine and last year I had an opportunity to set up a model here in South Australia.’’

Sturt coach Seamus Maloney. Picture: Sarah Reed.

STURT BENEFITS FROM A BRAVE MOVE

STURT thought long and hard before agreeing to employ Daniel Healy to offer the Leading Teams perspective on the club.

The Double Blues’ financial problems were a stumbling block. But the club took the gamble, believing it was important if the club was to be serious about a premiership bid.

The players were sold on the initiative from the moment coach Seamus Maloney stood in front of them at pre-season night in Mt Barker.

“Seamus was nervous about it - he had 60 blokes discussing him,’’ Double Blues football manager Paul Sandercock said.

“The way Seamus took it on board and embraced it prompted the players to follow.

“We have a fair amount of players around 22 and 23 and there are a few in the mix with leadership potential.

“We want to capitalise on that and it has given the players a voice and the confidence to talk to each other.

“It has been a real breath of fresh air. Winning helps bring out camaraderie but Daniel Healy’s involvement has brought the playing group closer and come up with team values.’’

Such has been the massive impact of Healy’s input, the Double Blues have committed to the program next year.

When South Adelaide coach Brad Gotch spoke to the Panthers board in his bid to secure the job, he said there had to be inroads with the culture.

How you want to be perceived was a key element in Gotch’s message to the club. According to Giotch, the timing was terrific to bring Healy into the fold.

“That has a big impact because it is about being professional,’’ Gotch said.

“It comes down to behaviours. Daniel’s processes gets you to see how you are perceived by the competition and yourself — it is a reality check.

“When you get a list of things that are not nice to listen to or read then if anyone is worth a pinch of salt will do something about it.’’

Gotch said the players were ready to get more structure in their behaviour and control social activity and how they train.’’

“Daniel Healy’s program has been very big for the club,’’ Gotch said.