Woodville-West Torrens responds to Godden’s changing ways

Eagles coach Michael Godden has changed his game plan and the club has opened the season in style.

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The elimination final loss to South Adelaide last year cut deep into Woodville-West Torrens coach Michael Godden.

The manner in which the Eagles faded in the second half of the season before being unable to seriously challenge the Panthers not only hurt the 2011 premiership coach, but had him questioning his worth.

The club needed a change in on-field direction if it was to again threaten for a flag. Could Godden reinvent himself, could he swallow his pride and bend his philosophies?

There was no immediate answer for the proud, ambitious mentor. For a week he stayed away from the club, wondering, self examining and mostly doubting. He confesses to being in a dark place.

“It is fair to say I doubted myself,’’ Godden said. “I absolutely had doubts I could reinvent myself.

“I like to see big scores and an exciting, open brand of footy but as we know, the game has changed and I had to move with it. The Eagles had to get back to winning finals and it was going to be harder to do that playing my way.

“That week off was a dark period and I doubted what I was capable of as a coach. It was a challenging moment because I was questioning myself.

“In 2012, we changed all the things we do at ground level. Those programs I had put in place three years ago with our development, were they the wrong ones because players were not able to stand up? I had gone out on a limb to do things differently. Or was it my coaching?

“It was a dark week but certainly not as dark as certain people have to go through in their life.’’

Godden removed himself from football people for that week and leaned heavily on his father, Graeme, as he searched for answers.

Godden thrives on a challenge so there was no way he would walk away from Woodville Oval. He set about studying the best in the game, Hawthorn and Sydney, obtained every piece of vision he could get his hands on and “spent a month in the dark room”.

He travelled to Melbourne to watch the Hawks train for several days, learning how they went about their work.

Revisiting his philosophies on the game was a must and that meant a stronger emphasis on defensive tactics. That came from his Swans studies. However, he still desired an element of attacking football more in the Hawks style.

The new-look Eagles opened the season with a loss to West Adelaide. The response was immediate, a 81-point win over Norwood followed by their first victory at the home of Central District in 11 years.

They now sit second on the premiership ladder with five wins from six games. Only the Redlegs are above them, although the reigning champions have played an extra game and have inferior percentage.

“We have been in this industry long enough to not walk around with too big a smile,’’ Godden said. “But I feel we are building something great that will be sustainable for many years, that is what I am excited about.

“We are not looking long term though, rather what part of this am I getting right, what part am I getting wrong. Clearly there are lot’s of things I’m doing wrong.

“No way do we think we have clicked our fingers and have got a premiership side. We think we have got a brand of footy, and all things being equal, with which we can challenge and that is exactly where we are at.’’