Backing off the mark... the worst tactic ever employed by a Bulldogs coach?

[Boyd oh Boyd]

Because you stated "plenty" in two posts I decided to check and verify my memory.
In the 3rd quarter Richmond did not stand on the mark once and in the 4th quarter, once also.
Further, Freo maintained their 100% record throughout the game.
If you can find further examples please list the times in each quarter where they occur.

* it, why not?

Third quarter
19:15 (Richmond. Only sort of counts because no one is called to move outside 5 and he plays on quickly but there are 3 nearby players and all moving away from the mark instead of trying to man it)
15:05 (Richmond)
4:49 (Richmond? It's a confusing one, the ump calls for him to move more to be outside 5 but he just moves sideways a little bit. Isn't called to stand or said to be outside 5 but he's moving the whole time so can't be standing the mark)

Fourth quarter
8:20 (Richmond)
4:47 (Richmond)
2:12 (Richmond)

So yeah generally Richmond manned the mark 9 times out of 10, and Freo did it every time (in that half at least). What struck me more than anything is actually watching another team that closely you can see how smart they play their defence with little holds and pushes, and the little things they do to waste time that we never try. Slowly moving outside 9 to affect the kick in, accidently tripping the opposition that has a free when both players are getting up, high looping throws to the player that wins the free. Just gives the rest of the team so much time to set up. That's the stuff I think is worth investing time into, not manning the mark strategies.

 

[MYOB]

2 points

1. I would love Oliver Gigacz to have a stat as to which team has given the most 50m penalties away in relation to the stand rule.

2. This was taken to another level tonight, when free kicks were paid to Melb next to the behind post, so the man on the mark had to come back 9m and we still decided to move back another 5m.

 

[footscray1973]

Interesting last night (think it was early in the last), Gawn had a mark on the broadcast side, and English did not move back, but stood the mark, and Gawn had to stop and delay his kick, and actually kicked over the mark. We also didn't seem to drop back as far at times last night. Maybe Bevo is reconsidering?!

 

[LondonBulldog]

There were plenty of times in the first half again that Melbourne went coast to coast pin pointing passes at ease due to backing off relaxing the pressure on the kicker. You need to be at the ground to fully see the ridiculous nature of it, especially forward of centre.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[footscray1973]

There were plenty of times in the first half again that Melbourne went coast to coast pin pointing passes at ease due to backing off relaxing the pressure on the kicker. You need to be at the ground to fully see the ridiculous nature of it, especially forward of centre.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Yeah, I was at the game, will have to go back and re watch, but there were 2 in front of us in the second half where Smith and Williams only took a step or so back, almost borderline standing the mark. Saw the umpires watching them closely, but obviously that's far enough. Some of the territory conceded this year has been significantly more, and a couple we've outright abandoned the mark altogether. To the eye, it looked like we tightened it up last night.

 

[Sentinel]

Bailey Dale

31

Bailey Dale

Age

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13.2

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3.1

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1.6

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117.4

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9.0

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3.9

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5.0

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3.0

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1.4

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2.0

4star

was allowed a shot on goal (which ended up a close miss) from Pickett using this tactic when he took a mark ~60m out.

 

[Next Waiting]

Maybe JUH hasn't got the memo. Twice in the last 2 games he hasn't backed off the mark...and we were better for it on both occasions.

 

[Struggle]

Keath manned the mark at the very start of the game and touched the kick. Was shocked to see it

 

[my plums]

Maybe JUH hasn't got the memo. Twice in the last 2 games he hasn't backed off the mark...and we were better for it on both occasions.

I’ve noticed he is the only one that doesn’t back off.

 

[Dale4captain]

I get the tactic in the rear 50% of the field but allowing any time and space in the forward half is crazy. Dump it.

 

[doggies ftw]

I get the tactic in the rear 50% of the field but allowing any time and space in the forward half is crazy. Dump it.

It’s really crazy watching live on level 2 with some aerial view of the ground how much it disadvantages us at times - there was so many occasions Melb took a mark in the centre of the ground and didn’t have to back up just looked for the next target whilst we proceeded to run straight past them with our back to them so we could get outside 5.

A lot of our players seemed to not do it at times too last night for once, and on all those occasions it held them up ever so slightly as they had to back up behind the mark before assessing their options.

More than happy to do it in the back half, focus on our zone in front of the player. As soon as it hits the middle of the ground though push up on the mark and gain every inch of territory possible.

 

[Oliver G]

2 points

1. I would love Oliver Gigacz to have a stat as to which team has given the most 50m penalties away in relation to the stand rule.

2. This was taken to another level tonight, when free kicks were paid to Melb next to the behind post, so the man on the mark had to come back 9m and we still decided to move back another 5m.

As far as I'm aware reasons for 50 penalties aren't recorded by CD.

 

[footscray1973]

Still working beautifully. Bevo is a genius, so far ahead of the curve. One day the game may actually catch up to him. The years of using the tactic where it costs us repeatedly in games will be worth the pay-off. Unfortunately, I suspect I won't be around to see it.

To put it in context though, it's no worse than our defensive structure all across the ground, so almost glass half-full there!

 

[my plums]

What if the plan is to scrape into the finals employing this tactic, and then we'll flick the standing on the mark switch thus bamboozling all and sundry on our way to the flag?

STEP ONE - Complete

 

[footscray1973]

STEP ONE - Complete

Bevo playing 4D, or even 5D, chess?! He's almost in a different dimension to the rest of us!

 

[Libbaaaa]

Am hopefully wrong but in a physical finals game consistently backing off the mark and releasing pressure seems to go against basic finals footy.

 

[bobs head soup]

Bevo playing 4D, or even 5D, chess?! He's almost in a different dimension to the rest of us!

Off topic here, but did you notice that, in a year where we made the finals on percentage, our total score for the year was 1973!!

 

[Jeff 1975]

Thought the Hawks back off a bit too

Game of the back off's

 

[footscray1973]

Off topic here, but did you notice that, in a year where we made the finals on percentage, our total score for the year was 1973!!

It's an omen! (I'm not sure for what yet, but thanks for pointing it out anyway! )

 

[Next Waiting]

Off topic here, but did you notice that, in a year where we made the finals on percentage, our total score for the year was 1973!!

It's an omen! (I'm not sure for what yet, but thanks for pointing it out anyway! )

Wake up Fossie 32

 

[Sentinel]

Thought the Hawks back off a bit too

Game of the back off's

And Collingwood also seemed to do it a fair bit yesterday, although neither team was clever enough to do it when the opposition had it ~60m out from goal like we do.

 

[Fossie 32]

Wake up Fossie 32

19 + 54 = 1973
Also we made the 8 by 0.6%
2016 + 6 = 2022

 

[Lex22]

Haven’t Collingwood been doing this all year?

 

[Mutt]

Haven’t Collingwood been doing this all year?

Collingwood do it pretty consistently in their defensive half, but rarely forward. They also are not as zealous in their application of it in the back half - it might not be a blanket instruction to back off on every occasion. The Collingwood application appears to me to be more nuanced than ours and they probably do it about half as often as we do or even less.

 

[footscray1973]

Haven’t Collingwood been doing this all year?

Other teams have also adopted it sparingly from time to time, and only in specific scenarios similar to the one Mutt has alluded to by the Pies.

Others also try to back off by covering an opponent in the vicinity, we have defenders guarding open space, but still allowing opponents to get free. The whole zone defence application appears to be a shambles.

I wonder if finals will force us to re-think, and tweak it to some degree - or maybe this has been Bevo's plan all along?

Fall into finals, seemingly with a shambolic game plan, only to throw off our 'mask' and turn into a far more nuanced balance between zone defence and man-on-man, and more targeted application of the backing off the mark tactic.

We then steam roll through 4 weeks of finals (again) in a glorious march to the flag, and Beveridge is anointed as the most ingenious of all AFL coaches, having spent all year trolling the entire AFL industry (and us).

He then gives one final wave as he steps off the podium on GF day, and wanders off into the sunset, satisfied with his accomplishments and legacy.

And we appoint Leon Cameron and Matt Spangher as joint coaches for 2023...