It doesn't seem to matter what style we adapt our skills simply aren't adequate at this standard either by hand or foot, so often the only way we can retain possession is to go backwards and even then...………..Here lies our problem we play with two contrasting styles/structures.
So last year we tried the Richmond style which was to move the ball super fast and just bomb it in hope the forwards can create a contest and if they do either mark it or let the fast small guys kick the goal. However for obvious reasons we weren't skilled enough to do this and we needed up turning the ball over.
However obviously this year we have slowed our ball movement right down. Wgilst helping out our defense it has allowed for opopsition teams to get numbers back, it also makes us predictable when we move the ball form defence to attack and we end up often still kicking it high to the top of the square to out numbered forwards relying on a contested mark from membrey/Bruce. We ares till structured with too many small for our slow movement though. We need another KPF asap, Obviously if Paddy was healthy he would be the perfect placement and untill King is ready our scoring will struggle. I think we either have to bring another backman and move Battle forward or use Marshall and bring in another ruck.
In my opinion good opposition actually want us to play the way we do, they're happy for us to have multiple forward entries because we expose our weaknesses speed, skills and marking power then our forward press allows them to open up the other end of the ground.
Our skills are often too poor to hit up a leading forward let alone trying a slow accurate controlled entrance into the forward line ala Hawthorn. So we go long to a contest except that we're so slow and inaccurate with our entrance and because we only have Bruce as a power forward he can be double and triple teamed and thus negated or we push so far back down the ground defensively our transition leaves no one in the forward line to kick to; add a little subtle blocking by defenders and the second and third tall defender get a nice intercept mark, if the ball comes to ground and we get possession we're too often to be defensive side of the contest where we concede ground to retain said possession always back pedalling while conceding momentum and getting further from a scoring opportunity and getting more rushed at the same time.
Of course we have the added benefit of all this taking a lot of time which the opposition use to advantage by setting up to run the ball past the line of scrimmage and carry it far enough so that the next disposal clears our defensive line one kick behind the play which exposes our hf and ff line. We love having a spare body at the contest which of course leaves us outmanned on the turnover.
The bit I love is that we do this every week, we get about 20 scoring shots and look ok if we kick straight but how often does that happen. Then we're disappointed when we lose. If we can't hit a target on the chest by hand or foot, a target that is in front of us that is moving, it won't matter what game plan we have all we've got is trying hard.
I am disillusioned.