Tony_Clifton
20 Sep 2006, 04:04
Everytime we play Sydney I always think, sure its football but not as we know it. The tactics and discipline that sydney employs almost always ensures that they dictate play and turn a normal game of football into a game I call Sydneyball.
When they have the ball they take minimal risks with precise kick-> marks which gives the impression that we are coralling them. After being lulled into a false sense of security and or state of boredom they flick a switch and go into a blitzkrieg attack.
Without the ball it is all about locking the game down. No freedom or flow of play. Congestion and defence until sydney can get a mark or free kick. And then they go about protecting the ball and waiting for us to get bored and tired of chasing their leading players.
This is the paragraph where I would write about how much I hate it and its not entertaining and is bad for the game BUT there is not much point complaining about it because its going to happen anyway. The best we can do is plan accordingly.
Firstly I would remind all the players to be on their game when Sydney are doing the chipping thing; they are merely waiting for us to be a little lax and allow a hole for them to sprint through.
Secondly I would try to make sure that our best players are involved in the play. Knowing the amount of scrimmages I would want to make sure Pav is not going to waste. The swans will try to nullify Heath Black and if they are shutting him down I would put him into the midfield to tag one of theirs. Make sure to block any potential third men up at ruck contests.
Thirdly I would play at least one extra man back. Michael Johnson loose to give McPharlin (or Grover) help with Barry Hall. Parker or Mundy to go with the speedy O'loughlin.
Lastly I would try the old rope a dope. Try to stick with sydney and play as defensely as they do using guys like cookie, macca and Pav on the ball. Maybe Pav on Goodes.
Then towards the end of each quarter when the game begins to open up a bit we try to play our style of running football. Pav gets a break at fullforward and the Peakes, Schammers and Headlands come on the unleash some run.
When they have the ball they take minimal risks with precise kick-> marks which gives the impression that we are coralling them. After being lulled into a false sense of security and or state of boredom they flick a switch and go into a blitzkrieg attack.
Without the ball it is all about locking the game down. No freedom or flow of play. Congestion and defence until sydney can get a mark or free kick. And then they go about protecting the ball and waiting for us to get bored and tired of chasing their leading players.
This is the paragraph where I would write about how much I hate it and its not entertaining and is bad for the game BUT there is not much point complaining about it because its going to happen anyway. The best we can do is plan accordingly.
Firstly I would remind all the players to be on their game when Sydney are doing the chipping thing; they are merely waiting for us to be a little lax and allow a hole for them to sprint through.
Secondly I would try to make sure that our best players are involved in the play. Knowing the amount of scrimmages I would want to make sure Pav is not going to waste. The swans will try to nullify Heath Black and if they are shutting him down I would put him into the midfield to tag one of theirs. Make sure to block any potential third men up at ruck contests.
Thirdly I would play at least one extra man back. Michael Johnson loose to give McPharlin (or Grover) help with Barry Hall. Parker or Mundy to go with the speedy O'loughlin.
Lastly I would try the old rope a dope. Try to stick with sydney and play as defensely as they do using guys like cookie, macca and Pav on the ball. Maybe Pav on Goodes.
Then towards the end of each quarter when the game begins to open up a bit we try to play our style of running football. Pav gets a break at fullforward and the Peakes, Schammers and Headlands come on the unleash some run.