Analysis Contested Ball and Clearances

[hayes]

With Armo, Steven, Ross, Dunstan etc this was meant to be a major strength but so far it's the complete opposite. Ranked 15th this year which is surprisingly an improvement on last year where we were I think 18th.

Against North we gave up 12 straight clearances.

Against Freo it was at least 10 straight.

For most of our issues I'm happy to concede that we're a developing team that needs time but we're extremely bad in two extremely important stats and the slight worry is that I'm not sure what the answer is.

Do we need to recruit a clearance specialist, are they already on the list, will our young mids naturally get better at it? It's a long way from 18th which we were last year to top 5 which is where you need to be.

 

[STK2020]

The solution will be Blake Acres .

 

[Tom_Wilson_55]

One thing I've noticed with our centre bounces is we have a tendency to put the ball back rather than go forward straight away...
I guess it's to get the run coming through off half back but it just seems to give the opposition a head start on moving the ball forward rather than getting the advantage of our run.
It would be interesting to see Hickey smashing the ball forward and letting a Steven type run onto it and propel the ball forward that way rather than let it slip out the back.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

Add another Jack

 

[plugger66]

We are 8th in centre clearances and 12th in all clearances. There is bugger all difference between most sides. I think its a bit overated.

 

[STK2020]

Add another Jack

Jack Steele ?

 

[SK_MD_#7]

Once we add Prestia, O'Meara, Crouch and Steele over the trade period this year, we will be right....

 

[Luke_sainters]

Yeah agree it is really concerning at this point in time.

Rockliff FA next year.
Brodie/Scharenberg first round pick
Acres steps up to the plate next year

Hopefully these inclusions over the next 18months will solve the problem going forward, but they need to be hard and tough next week against the Crows or else it will be a repeat of WA.

 

[gringo2011]

Yeah agree it is really concerning at this point in time.

Rockliff FA next year.
Brodie/Scharenberg first round pick
Acres steps up to the plate next year

Hopefully these inclusions over the next 18months will solve the problem going forward, but they need to be hard and tough next week against the Crows or else it will be a repeat of WA.

As down on Dusntan as everyone is he will improve his contested ball abilities, Acres should get better, guys like Sinclair, Gresham and even Lonie can develop an inside game to help our clearances. I'm not too worried when we still have bulk of our mids in development mode. Jack Steven, Ross and Armo are all less relied upon and so we must see development potential in the kids still.

 

[Rors]

Yeah agree it is really concerning at this point in time.

Rockliff FA next year.
Brodie/Scharenberg first round pick
Acres steps up to the plate next year

Hopefully these inclusions over the next 18months will solve the problem going forward, but they need to be hard and tough next week against the Crows or else it will be a repeat of WA.

I'd love Rockliff but what is the reality of the Brisbane Lions captain actually electing to leave his club?

0.01% chance IMHO, unless he has a massive falling out with teammates or the coach, I can't see him leaving

 

[saintastic]

As down on Dusntan as everyone is he will improve his contested ball abilities, Acres should get better, guys like Sinclair, Gresham and even Lonie can develop an inside game to help our clearances. I'm not too worried when we still have bulk of our mids in development mode. Jack Steven, Ross and Armo are all less relied upon and so we must see development potential in the kids still.

Spot on. I think we will see some of this evolve over the next 12 months.

 

[FlyingSledghamer]

Its a huge stat. Very rarely teams that loose both centre and field clearances win games. Even though there may only be small differentials they make a huge difference.

 

[Luke_sainters]

I'd love Rockliff but what is the reality of the Brisbane Lions captain actually electing to leave his club?

0.01% chance IMHO, unless he has a massive falling out with teammates or the coach, I can't see him leaving

Every man has his price though.
Yes, its hard to lure a captain but if they don't improve and keep losing this year and next it might be possible.
Griffin is a perfect example of how you cannot rule it out.

 

[Rors]

Every man has his price though.
Yes, its hard to lure a captain but if they don't improve and keep losing this year and next it might be possible.
Griffin is a perfect example of how you cannot rule it out.

Griffen had fallen out with teammates & the club & wanted out ASAP. He then became the cherry on top for the Boyd deal

 

[Luke_sainters]

Griffen had fallen out with teammates & the club & wanted out ASAP. He then became the cherry on top for the Boyd deal

All I am saying is don't rule him out. And remember Rockliff is a Victorian

 

[Barrels]

There's a few options;

Draft: Brodie, Scharenberg, Clarke, Poholke.

Trade: Steele; orrrr....

And here's a novel idea; be patient! Armo's having a bit of a down year, Stevo's doing ok, but Dunstan, Ross and Acres are all young.

We'll get there.

 

[Impatient Saint]

We are far to slow to move at centre clearances and stoppages. For whatever reason we cant read the taps off the rucks and get caught with reactionary type actions eg tackling.

We couldnt even check or stop Neale's run yesterday and they got 10 clearances straight.

Armitage, Ross & Dunstan are ok at scrapping when the ball hits the ground, but particularly Armo & Ross arent great at collecting the ball below their knees when in motion.

With those bigger bodies they should be really clearing paths but theyre not?

Our clearance work is becoming a weakness, but we seem to keep going back to the same 3-4 players. Its time AR began to develop other clearance mids like Webster, Membrey, Minchington, Templeton and give the kids more time inside.

Play Pierce and try using Bruce as a Ruck Rover, mix it up.

AR is very much a "Meat & Potatoes style coach".

 

[Rors]

We just need to get the mix right & have the right players on the defensive side & offensive side of the circle.

Sure, they won 10 centre clearances in a row during the 2nd & 3rd quarters, but how many did we win in a row in the last? It was at least 6...

It's an issue, but it's getting blown out of proportion a little too

 

[RoundCubic]

Our mids are not reading the tap in the air very well probably just need some drills and another preseason.
I would like to see Acres back in we are too 1 dimensional we need other players to win the ball at the stoppages apart from Dunstan, Steven, Armo or Hickey himself

 

[Impatient Saint]

We just need to get the mix right & have the right players on the defensive side & offensive side of the circle.

Sure, they won 10 centre clearances in a row during the 2nd & 3rd quarters, but how many did we win in a row in the last? It was at least 6...

It's an issue, but it's getting blown out of proportion a little too

Partially agree RORS but we simply dont rotate enough players through the midfield and when Steven, Armitage or Ross dont get it done there is no plan B. We shouldnt relying on the same 3 or 4 every week.

Why couldnt the coaches make moves to.at least even the contest, to alter things? There doesnt seem to be contingency plans other than putting it those same 3 or 4. Better teams have 10 mids that contribute, AR simply doesnt mix things up and would be very easy to coach against IMO.

 

[Rors]

Our mids are not reading the tap in the air very well probably just need some drills and another preseason.
I would like to see Acres back in we are too 1 dimensional we need other players to win the ball at the stoppages apart from Dunstan, Steven, Armo or Hickey himself

Acres needs to stay in the 2s until he learns how to be stronger at the contest & stoppages. At the moment, he just gets brushed aside too easily by more seasoned players. He is a beast, but needs to learn how to act like one

 

[Rors]

Partially agree RORS but we simply dont rotate enough players through the midfield and when Steven, Armitage or Ross dont get it done there is no plan B. We shouldnt relying on the same 3 or 4 every week.

Why couldnt the coaches make moves to.at least even the contest, to alter things? There doesnt seem to be contingency plans other than putting it those same 3 or 4. Better teams have 10 mids that contribute, AR simply doesnt mix things up and would be very easy to coach against IMO.

Completely agree we need more included in rotations. It's. Been an issue for the last 4 years IMHO. We need about 10 to be able to roll through there, at the moment we have about 5-6 & it's not enough

 

[Impatient Saint]

We just need to get the mix right & have the right players on the defensive side & offensive side of the circle.

Sure, they won 10 centre clearances in a row during the 2nd & 3rd quarters, but how many did we win in a row in the last? It was at least 6...

It's an issue, but it's getting blown out of proportion a little too

Partially agree RORS but we simply dont rotate enough players through the midfield and when Steven, Armitage or Ross dont get it done there is no plan B. We shouldnt relying on the same 3 or 4 every week.

Why couldnt the coaches make moves to.at least even the contest, to alter things? There doesnt seem to be contingency plans other than putting it those same 3 or 4. Better teams have 10 mids that contribute, AR simply doesnt mix things up and would be very easy to coach against IMO.

 

[bird_man]

Didn't realise this thread was here before I posted on the trades thread.

Is Adam Kingsley the right man for the job?

We have won the clearance count twice all year. Round 1 against Port and then not again until the Bombers.

I realise we lack quality but most of the mids we have drafted have been inside mids, we should be much better than we are.

 

[Defacto]

With Armo, Steven, Ross, Dunstan etc this was meant to be a major strength but so far it's the complete opposite. Ranked 15th this year which is surprisingly an improvement on last year where we were I think 18th.

Against North we gave up 12 straight clearances.

Against Freo it was at least 10 straight.

For most of our issues I'm happy to concede that we're a developing team that needs time but we're extremely bad in two extremely important stats and the slight worry is that I'm not sure what the answer is.

Do we need to recruit a clearance specialist, are they already on the list, will our young mids naturally get better at it? It's a long way from 18th which we were last year to top 5 which is where you need to be.

great post hayes!!! i agree its a major concern with a midfield that is not young. armitage is what 27/28, for him to go through games with major lapses is a significant concern

i'm not sure what the answer is though