YellowandBlackBlood
17 May 2008, 20:12
Today we stepped backwards in the third quarter. In fact for most of the game we lacked the run we have had over the last month.
The simple things, like running hard to space as soon as we gained possession, were missing. Players would trot here and there and would not immediately make a viable option to the man with the ball. What's worse, occasionally the player with the ball would not honour someone who has run to space and instead, has hung onto the ball and allowed the opposition to man up by the time he has decided to dispose of the pill.
Geelong, after half time, on the other hand, ran harder, played on at every opportunity and thus were able to find men in the clear because we were given no time to man up.
The funny thing is that none of the things mentioned above require massive talent or ability. They do require alert minds and the work ethic to run as hard as you can for as long as you can.
The coaching staff have to tell the players to look up and take the first good option immediately and play on at all costs. This will overcome the opposition defense flooding back and plugging up the "Holes" by zoning.
I personally do not care if we make mistakes playing that sort of footy. It sure beats taking 20 seconds to kick the ball and then kicking it either directly to the opposition or to a contest at which we are outnumbered.
Just my 2 cents worth.
The simple things, like running hard to space as soon as we gained possession, were missing. Players would trot here and there and would not immediately make a viable option to the man with the ball. What's worse, occasionally the player with the ball would not honour someone who has run to space and instead, has hung onto the ball and allowed the opposition to man up by the time he has decided to dispose of the pill.
Geelong, after half time, on the other hand, ran harder, played on at every opportunity and thus were able to find men in the clear because we were given no time to man up.
The funny thing is that none of the things mentioned above require massive talent or ability. They do require alert minds and the work ethic to run as hard as you can for as long as you can.
The coaching staff have to tell the players to look up and take the first good option immediately and play on at all costs. This will overcome the opposition defense flooding back and plugging up the "Holes" by zoning.
I personally do not care if we make mistakes playing that sort of footy. It sure beats taking 20 seconds to kick the ball and then kicking it either directly to the opposition or to a contest at which we are outnumbered.
Just my 2 cents worth.