The secret psychological tactics the Broadbeach Cats have used to build their QAFL season.

“We had a tendency of thinking a team would stop and we could cruise through the motions and finish things off.” Broadbeach QAFL coach Beau Zorko reveals the psychological battle the team has waged against itself in a season that continues to gather momentum. Here is the Cats mid-season report card.

AS we reach the halfway mark of the 2019 QAFL season, we chat to the coaches of the Gold Coast teams and run the rule over their performances to deliver the Bulletin’s mid-season report card.

OVERVIEW OF BROADBEACH AFTER ROUND 10 WITH CATS COACH BEAU ZORKO

Ladder position: 4th

Results: 5 wins, 3 losses and 2 byes

Percentage: %131.33

Rating: B-

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“It’s been a good start when you factor everything in with what happened in the off-season and at the club. We turned over quite a number on our list. As an example, five of our back six from last year’s grand final team have changed. So it’s a new look to our list, obviously new coach and coaching group and a different game style. It was always going to take a little bit of time to gel and to understand our expectations and what we wanted as a game style for our team. I think we have achieved that in the past couple of weeks in particular.

Round 8 QAFL game between Broadbeach Cats and Wilston Grange at Subaru Oval. Photo of Benji Neal (Cats). Photo by Richard Gosling

The penny has slowly dropped. I don’t think there was ever a question as to the talent on our list. It was more so a question of how long it would take before we clicked and hit our straps. We have slowly but surely turned a corner and we have been able to put some teams away. Early in the season we were really keeping the door ajar for our opposition. The Mt Gravatt game (one point win) we kept the door ajar at half time and we did the same in the Western Magpies (four point win) and Morningside (50 point win). We were fortunate to get away with two of those three games. When you look at the three teams above us, we haven’t beaten them yet.

SURFERS PARADISE MID-SEASON REPORT CARD

The next step for us is as much, as we feel we are playing a brand of football we want to be recognised by and want to be known for in the competition, our next step is to ensure we bring that style of play and our four quarter effort to the Morningsides, Surfers Paradises and Palm Beach Currumbins of the world. It’s been a pass so far. I’m not going to get ahead of myself or allow the playing group to get ahead of themselves. It’s been nice to put some percentage on the board and beef that up in the last couple of games but if we are going to be there in the back end of the year we have to turn the corner now and be beating the teams above us. We have to do that to be any realistic chance of being, not just there to make up the numbers, but to have a genuine tilt at the premiership.”

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HIGH LIGHT: Round 8 26.12 (168) to 7.6 (48) win over Wilston Grange

”We put three quarters together but for the first time this year our defensive efforts matched our offensive ability and the fact we actually put a team away. That was the first time this year we did that. At that point in the season was fourth verse fifth. So it was nice to bounce back after what was a disappointing week against Morningside the game before. We identified as a group that a lot of what we are working through collectively as I get to know the players better and as I’m getting to know what makes them tick and how they operate best. A lot of what we are coming up against now is more psychological than anything. As a group we have looked at some different strategies to help the team gel and get closer as a unit. If you look at teams like Palm Beach Currumbin they are a very close unit.

Round 8 QAFL game between Broadbeach Cats and Wilston Grange at Subaru Oval. Photo of Liam Nelson kicking under pressure from Lliam Molan. Photo by Richard Gosling

They have like a sixth sense when they are playing on the ground together, they know where each other is and know what they are doing around the ball or contest. Our own work with that has really helped to accelerate the process with our group. We have looked at different team building activities and exercises we have been able to do at training and games and that has started to show. The other thing from psychological viewpoint is we had a tendency of thinking a team would stop and we could cruise through the motions and finish things off. We have been working on shutting the door and gaining ascension when we have momentum in a game. The last few weeks they have sensed that and actually kept the foot down.

LOWLIGHT: Round 7 17.11 (113) to 9.9 (63) loss to Morningside.

“I was bitterly disappointed that we were flat against Surfers Paradise in Round 5. We played flat for the best part of Two-and-a-half quarters. I don’t think we really hit our straps in that game which was a shame because that Sunday game is a stand-alone game on the Gold Coast for a reason. It draws a crowd and it’s a big day for our footy club. The one I’m more disappointed about was against Morningside. We had that game and asserted dominance early and were six goals to two up t one stage in the first quarter. To let that slip and be handed a thumping was disappointing. In hindsight that was probably the catalyst for what we have seen in recent games. To know we not only matched it, but dominated a top three team early.

WHAT NOW FOR QAFL REP GAME?

GROGAN MEDALLIST SENDS WARNING TO RIVALS

STAR:

“It’s hard to go past Jackson Fisher. Sitting second in the Syd Guilford Trophy rankings in his first year of Queensland footy. He has come up and had a really positive impact on the team. He is a midfielder who accumulates the ball and goes forward and kicks goals so he hurts you everywhere.

Broadbeach Cats player Jackson Fisher (right) has been the team’s best so far in 2019. Standing with teammate Blake Erickson. Picture: Jerad Williams

He is such a good user and makes such good decisions with the ball and then will kick goals against you. He has been the standout for us so far. Jason Cloke has been terrific as well. It’s important to highlight him too. He didn’t have the best preparation coming into the season having just moved up and getting a young family settled on the coast he has done outstanding. Now we have him settled and he is fitter and stronger I think we will see him have a bigger impact as the season goes on.

BACKBONE:

“That has to be Jayden Rymer. A lot of his work goes unnoticed because he is a big bull. He does a great job for us every week. His role in the midfield is primarily to be defensive first and then attack from there. He has embraced that and got better and better at his role the more the season has gone on.

HOME RUN:

Round 11, June 22: v Mt Gravatt (away)

Round 12, June 29: v Western Magpies (home)

Round 13, July 7: v Labrador (home)

Round 14, July 13: v Wilston Grange (away)

Round 15, July 20: v Surfers Paradise (away)

Round 16, July 27: v Morningside (home

Round 17, August 3: v Sandgate (away)

Round 18, August 10: Bye

Round 19, August 17: v Palm Beach Currumbin (home)