Hollow Knight
Imperfect vessel
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At a club bereft of resources and administrated by blokes that would generously be described as D Graders no less.
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Leppa's Gameplan
- Thread starter a mayes ing
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At a club bereft of resources and administrated by blokes that would generously be described as D Graders no less.
From my impression it seems Voss was a great motivator, giving players the belief that they could beat anyone, even if the structures and personnel sometimes left a bit to be desired.
Leppa seems to be calm outside of the box and be a great communicator. From the outside it seems like there's a real unity within the team and players are not only playing for the coach but for each other too. Leppa seems to make quick changes on the field where as Voss seemed to have so much faith in the players that he wouldn't make quick changes like Leppa and that would often cost us during games.
Tairy Greene
Premiership Player
- Aug 12, 2010
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So we lost the belief to win when Voss was sacked? We won the following two games and then lost to Geelong by a point at Kardinia, not a very good post. I think we're doing pretty well under Leppa in that regard too.
I don't belief you.
Tairy Greene
Premiership Player
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Belief. Belong.
Seeing is beliefing.
Fair enough. Was strange how well we played when Voss quit though.
Yeah, it was strange how well we played against Geelong in Rd 13 too. And North Melbourne. And also against Adelaide the year before. And West Coast. In fact, you could say that the 10 wins in 2012 and also in 2013 were all strange.
Strange days.
Totally different beast that I was referring too. We were in shambles the whole season. Not sure what you are getting at with your cherry picked wins.
I went on to refer to the entire 10. In both seasons. We didn't play any better after Voss was booted than before he was booted. All you ever do is clutch at straws when you mention Voss. Time to let it go. Voss is not a topic that you will excel at.
It's hard to let it go with the way he was treated. It was an absolute disgrace the way he wasn't given the last month of the footy year to prove that he was a gun coach. A club champion deserved better and I hope we don't do the same the Leppa.
He had plenty of years to prove he was a gun coach, love Vossy to death but it didn't all work out for him, I also agree it was a disgrace the he way he was ditched he deserved better.
I read on the Sunday paper that Leppa had evolved his game plan after realizing our greatest weapon was speed. Takes big balls to change something that you would have drilled into the playing group since your first session together.
How does Leppa move on after this season? What type of players will he target in the draft/FA, any improvements to the game plan for next season? and what do we need to improve on to make it happen? Contested ball seems an obvious skill to improve for a start.
I think the Leppa will become a very good coach at development but still has a while to go to prove to us that he can become a premiership coach.
How does Leppa move on after this season? What type of players will he target in the draft/FA, any improvements to the game plan for next season? and what do we need to improve on to make it happen? Contested ball seems an obvious skill to improve for a start.
I think the Leppa will become a very good coach at development but still has a while to go to prove to us that he can become a premiership coach.
Need to work hard over the pre-season in two key areas: skills and fitness.
- Dec 1, 2013
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and muscle.
The style we played in the latter part of the season looked like it was attempting to emulate Geelong's "run and gun" methods.
We looked like we had the run but where we are at the moment, we just don't have the guns, especially a forward gun like Hawkins to kick to.
Stiill, you could see what we were trying to do and the players kept at it which says to me that the side has bought into Leppa's "game plan", Now it's a matter of development, fine tuning and (probably) the injection of a key marking target that the lads will feel confident in.
We looked like we had the run but where we are at the moment, we just don't have the guns, especially a forward gun like Hawkins to kick to.
Stiill, you could see what we were trying to do and the players kept at it which says to me that the side has bought into Leppa's "game plan", Now it's a matter of development, fine tuning and (probably) the injection of a key marking target that the lads will feel confident in.
Particularly for a first year senior coach, I think it's a really impressive attribute to make pragmatic changes to your plan. There's a fine line between that and not having a definite plan, but I'm fairly confident it was just as you say: tweaking it to the strengths of our list.
I'd say that us (reportedly) getting Danny Daly from Richmond is probably the first step in that effort to improve contested ball.
Grimlions
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I would like to contribute my impression of Leppa’s game-plan and open it for further discussion, for it may help others understand what we are building towards. I understand we had another thread regarding this but it seems to have decreased in activity & vented more frustration of our performances rather than what we are building towards.
Line Up
Based on our current list of 36 players, Leppa's best 22 for round one next year IMO would be...
B: Patfull Maguire Gardiner
H: Adcock Clarke Rich
C: Mayes Hanley Bewick
H: Zorko Staker Taylor
F: Green Merrett Paparone
R: Leuey Rockliff Redden
I: Martin, Beams, Aish, Harwood
Analysing this set up, we can see Leppa uses the following player types to execute his plan:
3 Key Defenders - Maguire, Gardiner, Clarke
4 Medium Defenders – Adcock, Patfull, Rich, Harwood
6 Midfielders – Rockliff, Redden, Hanley, Beams, Aish, Bewick
5 Midfielder/Forwards – Mayes, Zorko, Taylor, Green, Paparone
2 Key Forwards – Merrett, Staker
2 Ruck/Forwards – Leuey, Martin
Before I analyse - IMO Daniel Rich should play across half back for the rest of his career. Similar to Suckling & Drummond, his penetrating left foot kick is the most reliable tool in our shed and cannot be subject to 10 years of opposition tags. Make him play off an opposition forward and it will make that forward accountable, problem solved!
Analysis
Leppa has always used a back-line of 7 players, so we can have 1 defender resting on the bench or playing loose at all times to ensure we maintain run and carry out of the defensive 50. Although Patfull can play tall, he is now a medium defender for Leppa’s plan, for he has the pace to play on smalls whilst floating off his man to be loose at a marking contest. When we gain possession in our back-line, Maguire, Gardiner & Clarke often move towards each back pocket to provide a switch option but also a goal side defensive wall if we turn it over from our defensive rebound. Once they assess their options, Adcock, Harwood, Patfull or Rich will be used through either hands or a short pass, allowing us to set up further afield and utilize their disposal efficiency.
Our midfield set up is generally one winger plays defensive (Bewick), one winger plays offensive (Mayes). Hanley, Rockliff & Redden are our experienced on-ballers rotating with the developing Beams & Aish off the bench. Mayes, Bewick & Aish are our general switch of play or lead up option out of the back-line for they have good pace off the mark and have strong hands. Once they gather on the defensive side of the wing, we have 3 options of moving forward.
1. Either Patfull, Adcock, Harwood or Rich push up on the opposite side to encourage a switch
2. We will kick forward to a tall ruck/forward boundary side of our forward 50 flank
3. Our midfielders will provide short kick options that can link up the entire wing (the beauty of this option is if we maintain possession forward of centre, our back-line switch options can still be used to enter the 50 another way
Dependent on which option is used, our Mozzie Squad will be quick enough to react and either play as a lead up for option 1, a crumber for option 2 or a quick hands off/short kick for option 3. Each option allows our defence to also set up a wall so we can control possession when needed (last quarter of Melbourne game is perfect example). The basketball style pass around the 50 metre line is where our skills need to improve, for too many times we have turned it over with no defensive depth in place to stop a slingshot attack. Having Rich in the side will help this immensely. We should generally have Rich, Beams, Bewick & Adcock as our running options on the edge of the centre square who can launch long shots or efficient passes.
Our forward line does not need much detail – we simply require a reliable lead up full forward who can kick straight & impact a contest. I have full belief that Close & Freeman can do this but they are still 2-3 years away from fully developing. In the interim, we use Merrett, Staker, McGuane & Paine who have acquired this strength. Merrett needs a full pre-season training as a forward in order for him to be more effective.
In regards to our ball movement, although we avoid being linear at all costs, you have to note that teams set up their defensive structures based on opposition moving the ball straight down the middle of the ground. Once a turn over occurs, they now have space on both flanks & wings to transition their counter attack, for all our players are central. When we move the ball in an S shape across the field, as risky as it seems, what we achieve is a horizontal set up for turnovers. This allows the opposition only one viable option of counter attack, kicking over the defensive wall. As our defenders grow with experience, they will be able to anticipate this counter attack and ensure our opposition cannot run between us and the goals.
Obviously not the most structured analysis, but this is what I observed this year and took great pride in witnessing. Overall, our game plan is exciting & will be imposing once we execute it with the precision & experience we lacked this year.
Open for discussion…
Line Up
Based on our current list of 36 players, Leppa's best 22 for round one next year IMO would be...
B: Patfull Maguire Gardiner
H: Adcock Clarke Rich
C: Mayes Hanley Bewick
H: Zorko Staker Taylor
F: Green Merrett Paparone
R: Leuey Rockliff Redden
I: Martin, Beams, Aish, Harwood
Analysing this set up, we can see Leppa uses the following player types to execute his plan:
3 Key Defenders - Maguire, Gardiner, Clarke
4 Medium Defenders – Adcock, Patfull, Rich, Harwood
6 Midfielders – Rockliff, Redden, Hanley, Beams, Aish, Bewick
5 Midfielder/Forwards – Mayes, Zorko, Taylor, Green, Paparone
2 Key Forwards – Merrett, Staker
2 Ruck/Forwards – Leuey, Martin
Before I analyse - IMO Daniel Rich should play across half back for the rest of his career. Similar to Suckling & Drummond, his penetrating left foot kick is the most reliable tool in our shed and cannot be subject to 10 years of opposition tags. Make him play off an opposition forward and it will make that forward accountable, problem solved!
Analysis
Leppa has always used a back-line of 7 players, so we can have 1 defender resting on the bench or playing loose at all times to ensure we maintain run and carry out of the defensive 50. Although Patfull can play tall, he is now a medium defender for Leppa’s plan, for he has the pace to play on smalls whilst floating off his man to be loose at a marking contest. When we gain possession in our back-line, Maguire, Gardiner & Clarke often move towards each back pocket to provide a switch option but also a goal side defensive wall if we turn it over from our defensive rebound. Once they assess their options, Adcock, Harwood, Patfull or Rich will be used through either hands or a short pass, allowing us to set up further afield and utilize their disposal efficiency.
Our midfield set up is generally one winger plays defensive (Bewick), one winger plays offensive (Mayes). Hanley, Rockliff & Redden are our experienced on-ballers rotating with the developing Beams & Aish off the bench. Mayes, Bewick & Aish are our general switch of play or lead up option out of the back-line for they have good pace off the mark and have strong hands. Once they gather on the defensive side of the wing, we have 3 options of moving forward.
1. Either Patfull, Adcock, Harwood or Rich push up on the opposite side to encourage a switch
2. We will kick forward to a tall ruck/forward boundary side of our forward 50 flank
3. Our midfielders will provide short kick options that can link up the entire wing (the beauty of this option is if we maintain possession forward of centre, our back-line switch options can still be used to enter the 50 another way
Dependent on which option is used, our Mozzie Squad will be quick enough to react and either play as a lead up for option 1, a crumber for option 2 or a quick hands off/short kick for option 3. Each option allows our defence to also set up a wall so we can control possession when needed (last quarter of Melbourne game is perfect example). The basketball style pass around the 50 metre line is where our skills need to improve, for too many times we have turned it over with no defensive depth in place to stop a slingshot attack. Having Rich in the side will help this immensely. We should generally have Rich, Beams, Bewick & Adcock as our running options on the edge of the centre square who can launch long shots or efficient passes.
Our forward line does not need much detail – we simply require a reliable lead up full forward who can kick straight & impact a contest. I have full belief that Close & Freeman can do this but they are still 2-3 years away from fully developing. In the interim, we use Merrett, Staker, McGuane & Paine who have acquired this strength. Merrett needs a full pre-season training as a forward in order for him to be more effective.
In regards to our ball movement, although we avoid being linear at all costs, you have to note that teams set up their defensive structures based on opposition moving the ball straight down the middle of the ground. Once a turn over occurs, they now have space on both flanks & wings to transition their counter attack, for all our players are central. When we move the ball in an S shape across the field, as risky as it seems, what we achieve is a horizontal set up for turnovers. This allows the opposition only one viable option of counter attack, kicking over the defensive wall. As our defenders grow with experience, they will be able to anticipate this counter attack and ensure our opposition cannot run between us and the goals.
Obviously not the most structured analysis, but this is what I observed this year and took great pride in witnessing. Overall, our game plan is exciting & will be imposing once we execute it with the precision & experience we lacked this year.
Open for discussion…
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With Ryder playing forward it will definitely go a long way to seeing how Leppa wants to play the game. He will provide a serious target up forward and could easily score 50+ goals net season with the speed we move the ball.
