Please, no arguments about the spare man in defence.
We have been told that we will know it when we see it. It's early days, and bearing in mind all the usual disclaimers about not being able to see structures on tv, what did we see? Here's what I noticed:
We have been told that we will know it when we see it. It's early days, and bearing in mind all the usual disclaimers about not being able to see structures on tv, what did we see? Here's what I noticed:
- Highly organised and well drilled around stoppages and contested situations. There was a degree of what I will call "in-close spread", where guys were a few metres off the pack and available for a handball out of trouble. Our hands in close to find these guys tended to be very good - a noticeable change from last season.
- On a related point, our instinct in the contest was to fire out quick handballs, often several in succession, to players on the outside. There were comparatively few blind kicks out of congestion. Rather, we tried to use hands to get the ball into at least a little bit of space before kicking.
- When kicking, the general preference was to kick long to advantage, rather than precision short passing. Short kicks were only used when it was really on. When we did use the short kick, it tended to hit the target - there were very few clangers by foot (for 3 quarters at least).
- Run from behind was a noticeable feature in a few different aspects. We tended to have guys hitting stoppages at pace. When we won the ball back at centre/half back, we usually had guys running past to receive handballs and we made an effort to use them and get the ball moving quickly. It stood out when this didn't happen (e.g. Wright in the back 50 in Q1) rather than when it did.
- We looked to use the corridor when we had the chance. There also looked to be a concerted effort when we had the ball on the flanks to square it to a spot about 30m out straight in front, and a concerted effort for someone to get into that space to make an option. Lynch, Martin and Ramsey's goals all came from uncontested marks from this type of play.
- We got heavy numbers back and forward. When we got numbers back, we tried to find Tex/Ramsey as an outnumbered outlet across wing/half-back, and use them to hold up the ballwhile runners got "over the back". When it worked it looked good. Walker's soccer to Lynch in space (although Lynch missed) and one of Eddie's goals where Ramsey was involved in the build up spring to mind.
- Emphasis on keeping the ball inside 50. Not afraid to put put numbers in there and force repeat stoppages. This is a demanding style and I don't think we have seen the last 4th quarter fade out. It will take a while to get there physically.
- Heavy pressure not only on the ball carrier but also on the receiver. Organised pressure. When they broke through it really opened up for them, but they had to execute 3-4 clean dosposals under pressure to do so. A world of difference to 3 guys diving into the contest and the opposition being away when they get a handball out of it.
- A lot of 3rd man help in defensive contests in the air across wing/half-back.
- No forward line structure to speak of. This might be because of personnel, but there was a fair bit of kick long and hope.. We did hit a couple of nice leading targets though - e.g. Laird to Tex and somebody to Ramsey in Q2 (although both shots missed).
- Also our kick outs remain a shambles.