keepzitreal
8 May 2009, 02:57
Alright, I'm a bit bored and a bit excited for tomorrow... this is a bit of a read so if u cbf then hit the back button... though I appreciate any constructive feedback anyone might have..
We haven't beat the Hawks in a while... we come in to this game without our best defender and starting midfield.. against the reigning premiers. Everything suggests that this will be a grand pumping... and it will probably will be.. however I'm gonna be optimistic and feel we are in with a chance if all goes our way... and that's a big IF...
- Taking a broad perspective let's remember that the Hawks side is also young.. meaning inconsistent... they havent had a great start to the year and I feel their hunger isn't what it once was since winning the premiership.
What it comes down to is whether or not our players are switched on from the first bounce... willing to provide the workrate necessary to be competitive... Clarkson is a great coach and they'll look to enforce their zone to force turnovers, a quick switch and spotting up one of their key forwards whom should have plenty of space. Knights needs to have all aspects covered and emphasise pushing back hard after giving up possession. Too often there are too many players coasting through the middle of the ground rather than SPRINTING to get numbers down back. All the great midfielders push back hard... that's why they get to as many contests as they do... our midfielders often stay in front of the play rendering them useless if we don't win the ball..
DEFENCE
Hooker on Roughead - This has to be the matchup. I think Pears gives up too much height and weight on Roughead who is most damaging in contested marking situations. Hooker has been good and had some size on him to be able to compete with Roughead. If we continually concede inside 50's with minimal pressure then Roughie will go nuts... but if we can force Hawthorn to kick to a 50/50 rather than to advantage and limit Roughie to around 3 goals.. it will be a win for us
Pears on Franklin - Pears to definitely get first crack.. if Buddy plays at CHF, leading up the ground then this will suit Tayte as he has great closing speed and is clever in contested situations. I'd imagine that Clarko will push Buddy deep to exploit Tayte one out. If this does happen, then we just gotta keep the pressure on and hope for the best... If Buddy dominates the first half then they should switch Paddy onto him and let Bellchambers carry the Ruck..
Dempsey on Rioli - Definitely a matchup I'd love to see. I know that this is unlikely as we like to free up Dempsey for rebounding but I feel its the natural matchup. Gives Dempsey an opportunity to show what his got, his got the pace and size advantage and Cyril will probably take Dempsey to the ball.
Slattery on Williams - Tough matchup for Slatts... but this is what his in the team for.. I'll back him... his annoyed me less this year...
FORWARD
- Basically should leave Neagle in the goalsquare... forcing whoever is on him to stay there and giving us a target to kick to. I hope we don't see him coming up the ground with Davey hovering around.
- Lloyd and McPhee to play across half forward giving us targets to kick to who can actually take a contested mark. Please keep McPhee away from Buddy or Roughie.
MIDFIELD
- This is where it will be won, at the stoppages. We must try to break even with contested ball and push back hard when we don't win it. Need a huge effort from Lonergan, Watson and Hocking. If we don't win at least 40% of hard ball at clearances then we will be smashed.
- We'll run a fair few players through there, they just need to keep track of their defensive assignments and not get lost out there...
GAMEPLAN
- We must present in between the gaps of their zone. Gets numbers to a certain area, spot up a target, keeping possession of the ball, playing on as much as possible but ONLY when possible.. no playing on for the sake of as turnovers will be costly.
- Players must continually present. We get criticised over our turnovers, but generally it's because too many players are spectating and not presenting an option or leading a second or third time... players need to want the ball and take responsibility of getting it....
- Defensively, no point of playing anyone loose... we just need players to push hard to fill space and get numbers to the ball in defence. If our workrate is not on, we will have no chance.
SUMMARY
- It's unlikely that we will win, but it sure is possible. If the stars align and 22 players run out switched on with a calculated gameplan then anything is possible... lookin forward to it....
We haven't beat the Hawks in a while... we come in to this game without our best defender and starting midfield.. against the reigning premiers. Everything suggests that this will be a grand pumping... and it will probably will be.. however I'm gonna be optimistic and feel we are in with a chance if all goes our way... and that's a big IF...
- Taking a broad perspective let's remember that the Hawks side is also young.. meaning inconsistent... they havent had a great start to the year and I feel their hunger isn't what it once was since winning the premiership.
What it comes down to is whether or not our players are switched on from the first bounce... willing to provide the workrate necessary to be competitive... Clarkson is a great coach and they'll look to enforce their zone to force turnovers, a quick switch and spotting up one of their key forwards whom should have plenty of space. Knights needs to have all aspects covered and emphasise pushing back hard after giving up possession. Too often there are too many players coasting through the middle of the ground rather than SPRINTING to get numbers down back. All the great midfielders push back hard... that's why they get to as many contests as they do... our midfielders often stay in front of the play rendering them useless if we don't win the ball..
DEFENCE
Hooker on Roughead - This has to be the matchup. I think Pears gives up too much height and weight on Roughead who is most damaging in contested marking situations. Hooker has been good and had some size on him to be able to compete with Roughead. If we continually concede inside 50's with minimal pressure then Roughie will go nuts... but if we can force Hawthorn to kick to a 50/50 rather than to advantage and limit Roughie to around 3 goals.. it will be a win for us
Pears on Franklin - Pears to definitely get first crack.. if Buddy plays at CHF, leading up the ground then this will suit Tayte as he has great closing speed and is clever in contested situations. I'd imagine that Clarko will push Buddy deep to exploit Tayte one out. If this does happen, then we just gotta keep the pressure on and hope for the best... If Buddy dominates the first half then they should switch Paddy onto him and let Bellchambers carry the Ruck..
Dempsey on Rioli - Definitely a matchup I'd love to see. I know that this is unlikely as we like to free up Dempsey for rebounding but I feel its the natural matchup. Gives Dempsey an opportunity to show what his got, his got the pace and size advantage and Cyril will probably take Dempsey to the ball.
Slattery on Williams - Tough matchup for Slatts... but this is what his in the team for.. I'll back him... his annoyed me less this year...
FORWARD
- Basically should leave Neagle in the goalsquare... forcing whoever is on him to stay there and giving us a target to kick to. I hope we don't see him coming up the ground with Davey hovering around.
- Lloyd and McPhee to play across half forward giving us targets to kick to who can actually take a contested mark. Please keep McPhee away from Buddy or Roughie.
MIDFIELD
- This is where it will be won, at the stoppages. We must try to break even with contested ball and push back hard when we don't win it. Need a huge effort from Lonergan, Watson and Hocking. If we don't win at least 40% of hard ball at clearances then we will be smashed.
- We'll run a fair few players through there, they just need to keep track of their defensive assignments and not get lost out there...
GAMEPLAN
- We must present in between the gaps of their zone. Gets numbers to a certain area, spot up a target, keeping possession of the ball, playing on as much as possible but ONLY when possible.. no playing on for the sake of as turnovers will be costly.
- Players must continually present. We get criticised over our turnovers, but generally it's because too many players are spectating and not presenting an option or leading a second or third time... players need to want the ball and take responsibility of getting it....
- Defensively, no point of playing anyone loose... we just need players to push hard to fill space and get numbers to the ball in defence. If our workrate is not on, we will have no chance.
SUMMARY
- It's unlikely that we will win, but it sure is possible. If the stars align and 22 players run out switched on with a calculated gameplan then anything is possible... lookin forward to it....