Roast 3rd man up

[StonesThrow]

I think at least 4 or 5 times a year I comment on how much I hate seeing a midfielder go third man up at a stoppage. After yesterday's game I can't help but make a thread.

I consider myself reasonably astute when it comes to understanding footy, but I'm obviously no mastermind. Therefore maybe I'm just missing something subtlety advantageous???

Can anyone explain to me, why you would have your best midfielder jump in at a ruck contest, effectively ruling himself out of the contest when the ball hits the ground??

Last quarter with a few minutes to go. We need a fast break from a stoppage. Who better to try and release than Dangerfield right?? Oh hang on, he's gone up for the ruck contest! Maybe this is a cunning plan where he will run onto his own tap? Nope, he's out of the contest and north get the clearance. Master stroke!

I'd need to watch a replay, but I think this happened on more than one occasion with danger. I also noticed Sloane give it a try.

I'm not saying I'm smarter than a box full of afl coaches, but isn't it time this tactic went the way of the dodo? Show me more than 1 example out of 20 where this tactic has worked and not been a disadvantage.


End rant

(Think this is my first ever thread!)

 

[1970crow]

Sauce can't take every ruck contest and needs a breather from time to time. Instead of hanging back and letting jj ruck the fwd 30, the mid/ruck coach think it's better to let the mids help out by going 3rd man up here and there.

Seriously though, it seems a stupid tactic unless you end up with the ball going fwd with a player running onto it. Incredibly risky though because if it doesn't come off you've got 2 mids out of the contest.

 

[Tarasque36]

Not an issue in my mind. Both Sloane and Danger have had the odd attempt at ruck contests since Sando took over. The key is that another mid/flanker is aware and running to the desired position. The idea would be to take a risk to break quickly from the pack.
Danger has a good leap and is used for this, also since he is heavily tagged - when was the last time he broke way from a contest? Happy to surprise the opposition with an unsuspecting runner whilst Danger jumps.
Since we cant spread from the contest, I'm happy to see us try alternative tactics.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I can't remember it working once this season

 

[craig crowing]

Cant agree strongly enough with your views Stone Throw especially from key mids that you would love to see breaking away from packs with ball.
Also coaches work hard to get numbers down to ball area and you lose a extra player jumping over rucks .
Yep hate hate it .
Guess though just another one of those things that been frustrating this year.

 

[StonesThrow]

when was the last time he broke way from a contest?

He actually did a few times yesterday. I was pointing out that in that point in the game danger should have been the one set up to at least try and get free.

Maybe it can work if there is a lot of space in front of the ruck and the other mids are onto it. Saw Jordan Lewis do this last night.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

It's a good option to use occasionally if struggling to clear congestion. The rest of the team need to be aware.

However, yesterday we used it for 3 consecutive contests which was way too predictable.

 

[Elder van Berlo]

I can't remember it working once ever

Fixed.