Strategy Gameday Tactics and Mechanisms - EXPLANATIONS

[Gethelred]

Gethelred there is nothing you say I disagree with. Tactics/Game Plan/Strategy etc require basic player capability or they are meaningless- which is why I put the last paragraph in and yes discussion about the levels or layers of competency can go on and on...however the point I wanted to make is that 'owning the corridor' or not surrendering it - remains THE key strategic goal for any side that wishes to be truly contending for a flag and that requires a bunch of players who know what to do and can execute...

I get that.

I just realised about three quarters of the way through my post just how much time I'd devoted to writing what was something that everyone effectively knows already, if not in those words.

I ended up quoting you, but don't take it as a slight, as the last bit of it wasn't directed so much at you but at me.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Are you saying the media should be insightful? Sounds pretty far fetched to me...

Yeah I am.

The game has changed so much but unfortunately I feel the fans are treated like mushrooms. For me the game would be far more enjoyable if I actually knew what we are trying to do rather than my thoughts from how the game used to be played.

 

[carlton2dabone]

This is getting dangerous, falling back into bad habits after only 10min of breathing fire

 

[Jimmae]

This is getting dangerous, falling back into bad habits after only 10min of breathing fire

Not the point of the thread mate.

 

[Big Red is back]

Our current fwd structure at centre bounces is deplorable. All 5 /6 fwds stand in close proximity to each other around the 50 meter mark, as a forward nothing more annoying than out positioning your direct opponent only to have some other defender save the day. Not once did i see Bolts send Curnow to the goal square at clear out the 50.

 

[Jimmae]

Our current fwd structure at centre bounces is deplorable. All 5 /6 fwds stand in close proximity to each other around the 50 meter mark, as a forward nothing more annoying than out positioning your direct opponent only to have some other defender save the day. Not once did i see Bolts send Curnow to the goal square at clear out the 50.

Playing in that huddled-up way allows for opposition missteps, as well as that overlap from the outer midfield half-forward types to quickly create a release option from the stoppage (or crash in).

Then the deeper options have some space to work into (and less direct opponents) if the defenders get sucked into that. Every team does it, and it's about disrupting the opposition's zone and ball movement.

 

[RudyBlue]

Playing in that huddled-up way allows for opposition missteps, as well as that overlap from the outer midfield half-forward types to quickly create a release option from the stoppage (or crash in).

Then the deeper options have some space to work into (and less direct opponents) if the defenders get sucked into that. Every team does it, and it's about disrupting the opposition's zone and ball movement.

What are your thoughts on our current defensive woes? I haven't actually been to a game live yet this year, so it's hard to know, intimately, how we're setting up. It certainly seems as though we're not getting the delay on the ball we had at our best in 16-17. That's why I'd advocate for any players coming in this week to be able to improve our defensive and offensive transitions.

Kerridge for Marchbank.

What Kerridge lacks in good disposal and poise, he makes up for in tackle pressure and the ability to bust a gut on defensive transition. He'll be able to cover the ground for 4 quarters and is generally good at providing a bailout short kick when we're hemmed in defensively. His strong body could also cover the lack of physical maturity in a youngster, if we wanted to bring a young runner in.

Jack for Jed.

In reality, they're similar output footballers but Jack gets the nod by probably being a cleverer footballer and more a part of our future. He creates space and anything that improves our movement offensively, minimises the risks on turnover defensively.

LOB for Mullett?

Maybe a bit of a look to the future here, but we know he already has one of the best endurance bases at the club. That doesn't necessarily translate to 4 quarter performance in the heated physical environment of the AFL, but his running power is an attribute we could use nonetheless. He'll probably get better outside service in the seniors too, and I'd be more than happy for him to stroke some 50-60m bombs from defensive half to forward half.

 

[Jimmae]

What are your thoughts on our current defensive woes? I haven't actually been to a game live yet this year, so it's hard to know, intimately, how we're setting up. It certainly seems as though we're not getting the delay on the ball we had at our best in 16-17. That's why I'd advocate for any players coming in this week to be able to improve our defensive and offensive transitions.

Previously we've had someone who has steadfastly sat as the deepest player on the field in defence when we've had possession, so if we turned it over, we'd regularly gobble up the high ball kick into midfield, or they'd create a 2v1 situation to cut off the 30-40 metre pass to an option.

This year, it's more aggressive with our defensive shape and our numbers surging forward from defence, so that player is usually covering a lead back into space from the opposition, ie. that player isn't really there any more.

The problem we're clearly having is that the understanding isn't there to hit the targets we need to often enough, and on top of that, the overall endurance isn't there to either maintain our skill level nor two-way run as the quarters drag on. Our setup has been flogging our senior mids for sometime due to the kids' lack of a tank, and now that we've flicked the switch to attack more, that's being exposed further.

Where I and it seems the MC differ, is what skills are lacking in our side to lower the burden on the senior mids. They seem to value injecting ball handling skills and good decision makers, which makes sense in theory, but the work rate has to meet a certain standard to compete with most AFL teams. Lamb might try hard, but he doesn't have the work rate. Kerridge however does, but that comes with some drawbacks (which are exaggerated on this forum, certainly compared to Lamb).

I've already covered my selections in the match day thread, so I'm not going to bring them up here. Suffice to say we're asking too much of the senior guys on every line, and the extra running they are instinctively doing both to cover for the kids and in a panic as the game spirals out of control is pretty much cooking our ability to compete after 30 minutes of football.

To be more competitive, we need to change the balance of personnel or change the tactical balance (largely the tempo and the distribution of where we commit to outnumber the opposition).