Leinster CEO right on lack of physical power

Think it’s interesting the Leinster CEO Michael Delaney has urged sides from the province to get physical to catch up with Ulster and Kerry.
Have to say I agree with him on that.
I have thoroughly enjoyed watching some of the football played during the Leinster and Connacht championships in recent years.
It is fast, open and often creative, some great scores and worth the admission fee but in the last few years I have often felt like I’m not watching the real thing, training ground football and haven’t been surprised when they have floundered in the latter stages of the championship against sides who are already battle hardened.
Kerry already learnt the lessons in the earlier part of the decade when they were bullied and simply outfought by good northern sides in the All-Ireland series.
And physical development was one of the first things Mickey Harte brought to Tyrone when he took over in 2003.
He had a great bunch of young footballers but identified early in the league that they weren’t strong enough to break clear of tackles.
He set about putting that right immediately and reaped the rewards when those good footballers were able to express themselves on the big occasions because they matched their great skill and ability with physical strength.
I have found Dublin and Meath in particular a bit of an enigma in all of this because they both traditionally had a very physical approach to the game, which enabled their top players to express themselves.
No one would have dared to try to bully a Meath side of the ’80 and ‘90s, the Lyons’ brothers would have put them in their pocket.
The current Dublin side also seem to have a problem with stamina but I feel that’s because they try to make up for a lack of class in key positions by trying to play a very high octane game which is just not sustainable.
There is no substitute for class but if you can’t live with the physical strength of the opposition then it’s difficult to win on the big occasions.
I think Michael Delaney is right on this one and if anyone wants to look in the province for their inspiration in matching physical power to sheer class then look no further than the Kilkenny hurlers who have got the lot.