Defence Structure-2 years too long?

[GoRoos2023]

Thankfully Clarko has finally accepted we don’t have to right cattle to replicate his defensive structure at the Hawks.

We are now playing a conservative shoulder to shoulder setup. No more goals over the back into space etc. in 2026. No repeats of Good Friday spankings.

Personally, off the back of this change I think we push for finals this year.

My concern is though, how much have we sacrificed due to our coaches stubbornness.

We have essentially given up 2 years of onfield competitiveness leaking goals due to his insistence on playing this way.

If we do what I think we will do this year and improve dramatically I am feeling big Al owes us an apology.

Thoughts?

 

[shintemaster]

Genuine question: Did we have the right cattle to implement the current structure either?

 

[GoRoos2023]

Genuine question: Did we have the right cattle to implement the current structure either?

It suits the style of defence Griff, Corr, Pink etc play. Certainly we were better suited to play that way.

 

[JZTIME!]

Thankfully Clarko has finally accepted we don’t have to right cattle to replicate his defensive structure at the Hawks.

We are now playing a conservative shoulder to shoulder setup. No more goals over the back into space etc. in 2026. No repeats of Good Friday spankings.

Personally, off the back of this change I think we push for finals this year.

My concern is though, how much have we sacrificed due to our coaches stubbornness.

We have essentially given up 2 years of onfield competitiveness leaking goals due to his insistence on playing this way.

If we do what I think we will do this year and improve dramatically I am feeling big Al owes us an apology.

Thoughts?

The low number of inside 50s and lack of being able to defend transition have made it impossible to implement. Clarko has been known to try and coach a style before it becomes common knowledge. It was an attempt to give us an edge as it was a lot more aggressive then any other teams including the cats. Lack of games together with the back half didn't help either.
As i've stated in another thread back shoulder is only the starting position. We will then press up and set up a zone. We will revert picking up the closest man when the footy is turned over. We have trained that way in all areas of the ground and Littlejohn has been leading this. The days of following your man around all over the ground are long gone.
Its merely a tweak to the style which is more in line with the rest of the comp. Its simplified it for the players, without a Luke Hodge or a Birchall back there to run it, we have to go with what works for us. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

 

[GoRoos2023]

The low number of inside 50s and lack of being able to defend transition have made it impossible to implement. Clarko has been known to try and coach a style before it becomes common knowledge. It was an attempt to give us an edge as it was a lot more aggressive then any other teams including the cats. Lack of games together with the back half didn't help either.
As i've stated in another thread back shoulder is only the starting position. We will then press up and set up a zone. and go We will revert picking up the closest man when the footy is turned over. We have trained that way in all areas of the ground and Littlejohn has been leading this. The days of following your man around all over the ground are long gone.
Its merely a tweak to the style which is more in line with the rest of the comp. Its simplified it for the players, without a Luke Hodge or a Birchall back there to run it, we have to go with what works for us. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

Amazing response, thank you. You know your stuff!

 

[Zondor]

It’s not just the defensive structure that has sucked balls. It’s the poor defensive efforts of all concerned up near the ball at the contest. Teams have spread on us too easily out of contest when they win the ball. Don't fix this and playing back shoulder won’t necessarily stem the inside 50’s we concede. We need to defend better at the coal face and on transition. :stern look

 

[shintemaster]

It suits the style of defence Griff, Corr, Pink etc play. Certainly we were better suited to play that way.

Pink had to fight to get in the team (two years in a row). Corr has barely played enough to be a regular over the last 2 years. Griffin essentially hasn't played at all.

 

[DuckYeah]

We will revert picking up the closest man

Lol wait till 3 blokes run to the same opponent. Oh wait.. a player is rotated off the pine this is going to be an unmitigated disaster. Amateur hour.

Modern footy has a couple of defenders that sit on dangerous leading forwards. The rest is fluid zones and press. Skinny sides and fat sides, or little circle big circle. Depends on the vernacular.

Clarkson had a whizbang defensive zone set up.. I had word it was tremendous and ground breaking. pity we couldn’t execute it.

 

[andana]

little circle big circle

We have been circling


the drain.

 

[DuckYeah]

We have been circling


the drain.

Little circle, Big-ah Circle Daniel Son

 

[Nylex]

It’s not just the defensive structure that has sucked balls. It’s the poor defensive efforts of all concerned up near the ball at the contest. Teams have spread on us too easily out of contest when they win the ball. Don't fix this and playing back shoulder won’t necessarily stem the inside 50’s we concede. We need to defend better at the coal face and on transition. :stern look

100% agree. We need the coaches to ensure these standards are up held.
Never more evident than the first 10 minutes in 2 games last year.
Against Pt Adelaide in Adelaide and Essendon at Marvel.
The defensive efforts by our midfielders in the first 10 minutes were non-existent. Costing us a win in both games.

 

[JZTIME!]

Lol wait till 3 blokes run to the same opponent. Oh wait.. a player is rotated off the pine this is going to be an unmitigated disaster. Amateur hour.

Modern footy has a couple of defenders that sit on dangerous leading forwards. The rest is fluid zones and press. Skinny sides and fat sides, or little circle big circle. Depends on the vernacular.

Clarkson had a whizbang defensive zone set up.. I had word it was tremendous and ground breaking. pity we couldn’t execute it.

Most defenders have to play whats called 1 and half. Its being able to play back shoulder with the ability to sag back and impact 3rd man up. This wasn't possible with our lack of pressure at the contest and deep inside 50 entries. As we improve those we will find our ability to apply frontal pressure will improve. We will use Pink and Logue to sit on the keys. Ideally you get a winger pushing back to provide defensive cover so someone like Comben can guard space and then intercept.
All systems need to work though or the best defences will be cut open in modern footy.
Our improvement in ball movement and inside 50s as a result in the last 2 games was more of what we should be seeing.

 

[DuckYeah]

Most defenders have to play whats called 1 and half. Its being able to play back shoulder with the ability to sag back and impact 3rd man up. This wasn't possible with our lack of pressure at the contest and deep inside 50 entries. As we improve those we will find our ability to apply frontal pressure will improve. We will use Pink and Logue to sit on the keys. Ideally you get a winger pushing back to provide defensive cover so someone like Comben can guard space and then intercept.
All systems need to work though or the best defences will be cut open in modern footy.
Our improvement in ball movement and inside 50s as a result in the last 2 games was more of what we should be seeing.

Dreaming

 

[LETSGOKANGAS]

Genuine question: Did we have the right cattle to implement the current structure either?

NMFC will always be a farmers club if we keep targeting cattle.

 

[Devil Fish]

This is Clarko's first real pre-season with the group. The proof will be in the pudding as they say.

 

[ferball]

This is Clarko's first real pre-season with the group. The proof will be in the pudding as they say.

The second one where something didn't go **** up actually.

Last year was the first.

 

[Daniltchenko You Beauty]

Littlejohn hasn’t come over from a good role at a strong club to play marbles.

The entire gameplan was off and he’s been brought in to fix it. Expect him to be very hands on siren to siren.