Training 2018 Preseason Thread

Jul 17, 2017
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He came off being carried by trainers on Monday I think. Worried about a knee injury. My mate was at training on the 11th so I'm not sure if he has been on the track since then.
Yeah I heard they were really worried ablout his knee when it happened (possibly many weeks out) but it is all good. No media were at training that day so it wasn't reported. I think he was back at training the next day.
 
Just how complicated are these game plans you speak of??

According to players entering the system learning the game plan is the number one challenge in your first pre-season - Clubs often dont allow new players to enter full scale drills until they've observed for 2 to 3 weeks.
 
Aug 15, 2011
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I dont bide into this 'Game Plan' thing.

The games sinple make the best decision with ball in hand and execute it.

The type of players you have on your list determine the game plan and the coach needs to build around the strengths of these players.

But no one can really say this side has this game plan ect. Maybe a side is better CP and clearance wise but thats due to the quality of players ect they have there.

Port were renowned as this amazing running team a few years ago because they won a few last qtrs ect only to fall off the earth the next year with the same list and players.
 

Vander18

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Apr 22, 2011
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The games sinple make the best decision with ball in hand and execute it.
That's right as regards the guy who has the footy in hand at a given point in time.

But what about players who don't? There is no doubt that setting up the ground, offensively and defensively, is now a big part of footy.
 
Aug 15, 2011
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That's right as regards the guy who has the footy in hand at a given point in time.

But what about players who don't? There is no doubt that setting up the ground, offensively and defensively, is now a big part of footy.

The way you defend is determined a lot by the offense and where they are situated at any given time in the specific scenario. Teams do pretty similar things defensively.

Can someone tell me what every AFL teams game plan is or at least a few?
 
Apr 23, 2016
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The way you defend is determined a lot by the offense and where they are situated at any given time in the specific scenario. Teams do pretty similar things defensively.

Can someone tell me what every AFL teams game plan is or at least a few?

Compare Richmond to Adelaide; there’s a visible difference in the way the two teams need play.

Partly this is driven by the players available to them, partly driven by recruitment.

Also look at West Coast and the web; adapted very well to the dimensions of Subiaco but not nearly as effective on the MCG. Same players available but a different strategy required.

To say game plan isn’t a thing is a little disingenuous, yes it’s driven by the players available and their abilities, but a good coach works with that (and the playing dimensions) to come up with a suitable game plan.

Adelaide have a brilliant forward line and good HB runners, so they rely on opening up space for their forwards and rebounding off the half back line to allow quality entries. Essendon have a similar style.
 
Dec 14, 2008
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The way you defend is determined a lot by the offense and where they are situated at any given time in the specific scenario. Teams do pretty similar things defensively.

Can someone tell me what every AFL teams game plan is or at least a few?

Pretty easy to

There is definitely different styles, some are possession based, some run and gun, some contested based, some play zonal, some man on man.

If I had time I'd do the list, reckon it's pretty easy to mark the different styles to each team tho
 
Aug 15, 2011
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Compare Richmond to Adelaide; there’s a visible difference in the way the two teams need play.

Partly this is driven by the players available to them, partly driven by recruitment.

Also look at West Coast and the web; adapted very well to the dimensions of Subiaco but not nearly as effective on the MCG. Same players available but a different strategy required.

To say game plan isn’t a thing is a little disingenuous, yes it’s driven by the players available and their abilities, but a good coach works with that (and the playing dimensions) to come up with a suitable game plan.

Adelaide have a brilliant forward line and good HB runners, so they rely on opening up space for their forwards and rebounding off the half back line to allow quality entries. Essendon have a similar style.

The West Coast web is the biggest myth going. Every club has something similar.

Everyones trying to rebound quickly off half back to avoid a defensive setup by the opposition. The crows maybe the superior of sides as they have the quality and skill of the players there.

The term 'game plan' is simply over rated. The way a team play is purely determined by the players they have. If you changed coaches at a side id say the team would play so identical to the previous coach you wouldnt be able to see the difference.

I dont buy into this game plan theory.
 
Aug 15, 2011
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Pretty easy to

There is definitely different styles, some are possession based, some run and gun, some contested based, some play zonal, some man on man.

If I had time I'd do the list, reckon it's pretty easy to mark the different styles to each team tho

Depending on situation of play every AFL team has a zone or will go man on man at times. Every team at times runs with a spare behind the ball and every side has had an extra in the midfield at times.

Win CP, Clearances gain territory and Inside 50s. Once inside 50 the key is to cause a stoppage or turnover and thus null rebound 50s this was the biggest key to the hawks domination ask anyone there at the time. Once a repeat stoppage I50 or turnover is caused the chance of a score greatly increases.

Rebound quickly off half back to prevent opposition from setting up defense whether man on man or zone.
 

Kakkle

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The West Coast web is the biggest myth going. Every club has something similar.


The term 'game plan' is simply over rated. The way a team play is purely determined by the players they have. If you changed coaches at a side id say the team would play so identical to the previous coach you wouldnt be able to see the difference.



Wow.
 
Apr 23, 2016
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Depending on situation of play every AFL team has a zone or will go man on man at times. Every team at times runs with a spare behind the ball and every side has had an extra in the midfield at times.

Win CP, Clearances gain territory and Inside 50s. Once inside 50 the key is to cause a stoppage or turnover and thus null rebound 50s this was the biggest key to the hawks domination ask anyone there at the time. Once a repeat stoppage I50 or turnover is caused the chance of a score greatly increases.

Rebound quickly off half back to prevent opposition from setting up defense whether man on man or zone.

Did you not just describe a game plan?

Teams will adjust to what the competition is doing; either copying the premiers or trying to come up with something to combat that, so there’s an element of consistency to what each teams’ strategy is going to be, but within the constraints of the abilities of the playing group (and coaching staff) there’s a wide variance in what is actually achievable.

I don’t think anyone would argue Richmond were the most skilled ball using side of the competition in 2017, but they played with a strategy that worked to their strengths, and were able to effectively shut down the strengths of Adelaide.

Is Clarkson a good coach; and following from that, would Hawthorn have just won 12-15 with any coach?

If the coach and the game plan is so meaningless, then why do some teams appear to be able to consistently reinvent the way they play (Hawks 08 vs 12-15 vs 17) around the playing group and the trends in the competition?

I’m no particular lover of Clarkson as a personality, but he’s been able to reinvent the way that team plays a number of times, which suggests there’s some kind of strategy and plan in place that the players work within.
 

Liberator

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Oct 24, 2014
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If you just tell a team to play on instinct you'll have the under 12b's, a big swarm following the ball and a few cheats sagging forward to steal a goal
I don't know why but I just pictured Josh Green.
(Bless him + here's hoping he is staying out of the sun)
 
Jan 17, 2016
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If you just tell a team to play on instinct you'll have the under 12b's, a big swarm following the ball and a few cheats sagging forward to steal a goal

Aah that takes me back to my playing days.
I was one of the cheats jogging forward to steal a goal.
If there was a cheap ball to be had, it had my name written on it.
Good days.
 

AcuteWhistle

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Aug 6, 2017
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The West Coast web is the biggest myth going. Every club has something similar.

Everyones trying to rebound quickly off half back to avoid a defensive setup by the opposition. The crows maybe the superior of sides as they have the quality and skill of the players there.

The term 'game plan' is simply over rated. The way a team play is purely determined by the players they have. If you changed coaches at a side id say the team would play so identical to the previous coach you wouldnt be able to see the difference.

I dont buy into this game plan theory.


Casual watchers of NFL may well think the same - run the ball or pass the ball with defences simply adjusting zone or man defences to the suit conditions...until reality hits home with touchdown after touchdown being scored. The two games are a lot more similar than we think, intricate planning combined with an element of chaos.
 
Dec 14, 2008
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Also when ade was concquering all, their half back kicking bridge would be dynamite. They'd get free wide and pin point it up the ground to that deadly fwd line.

However they fall down every time at Geelong because the ground is narrow, the pockets are shallow and they can't get free. Geel defenders push out toward the boundary and ade lose their drive.

But, game plans don't work.
 

Towno78

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Nov 6, 2009
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The West Coast web is the biggest myth going. Every club has something similar.

Everyones trying to rebound quickly off half back to avoid a defensive setup by the opposition. The crows maybe the superior of sides as they have the quality and skill of the players there.

The term 'game plan' is simply over rated. The way a team play is purely determined by the players they have. If you changed coaches at a side id say the team would play so identical to the previous coach you wouldnt be able to see the difference.

I dont buy into this game plan theory.
Absolutely. Bring back Knights...
 
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