Toast Damien Hardwicks coaching.

[Bazzar]

Griffiths is a natural forward, 200cm tall and can take a grab and kick a football. The conditions would have suited him, the game style would have suited him and his output couldnt have been worse than an injured Riewoldt.

Interesting Leigh Matthews said last week (re Griffiths) their hasnt been a 200+ quality key backman ever, and he sees Griff as a forward/ruck. I know conditions didnt suit, but match-ups were hard and he looked lost against Freo.

He should spend the year back there and go forward in 2013.

 

[Tigerbob]

Interesting Leigh Matthews said last week (re Griffiths) their hasnt been a 200+ quality key backman ever, and he sees Griff as a forward/ruck. I know conditions didnt suit, but match-ups were hard and he looked lost against Freo.

He should spend the year back there and go forward in 2013.

Griffiths is a natural forward and whilst I do not mind him learning aspects of the game by playing defence, he is a forward. In my mid, he and Riewoldt should be the forwards with Vickery and Maric rotating.

Hopefully this occurs when Grimes returns.

 

[nut]

Outcoached??? well maybe. Freo did play a 1 handball 1 kick type wet weather game which less proned to have skill errors.... they also ran hard to get back in our half and were alot better at moving the ball forward when they were in possesion, whilst we continued to off load handballs trying to find someone who could get a decent kick away.... Our game plan that has seen us beat some really good sides.... relies on quick ball use around packs to find someone on the spread... a game plan that works when the conditions are dry. Allowing Pav space inthe forward line didn't help.

I suppose its pretty hard to get your players to completey change their mindsets when the conditions didn't suit..... but thats what Dimma has to do. It was clear we were still playing the same game plan well into the second Qtr....
Waiting till the start of the third qtr to put both Jackson and Tuck into the centre bounce showed me he the enny had finally dropped and the instruction was just boot the ball forward..... Finally!!!!!

The real test will be getting the players back to playing the style we were doing so well before the Freo game. Will they go into their shells??? slowing up ball use ? or will we return to the high skilled game that will get us into the eight???? This will be another Test for Dimma';s coaching.

GWS has been pretty good in the contested possesions and doing the grunt work around packs, if they pressure us early then I'm predicting we will start slowing the ball use and thus put us selves under more pressure... Leadership around the ground will be important...... We missd Foley's abilty to break out of a pack and get a kick away....

I think the O'hanlon inclusion was a mistake and we should have replaced Foley with a big body and a battled hard player like White.....

 

[Rodney Dangerfield]

Nobody really knows do they?
Perhaps the players were unable to carry out instructions or were incapable of adapting.
Hard to believe Hardwick wouldn't have had a plan to counter Freo or to play a style suited to the conditions.

Essentially in wet conditions the best way to play is what was termed at a club I played for coached by an AFL premiership player was "bash and crash footy" basically move the ball forward by whatever means possible to maintain pressure and keep your body behind the line at all times,be in front always.

It's not a ground breaking secret and a formula adopted by winning teams in wet conditions.Hardwick would know it,the players would know it.
They were simply not able or prepared to do it and Freo were.

Take the goal scored by Edwards when reiwoldt then Maric soccered forward. Not pretty but effective. Not enough of that IMO.

 

[Bazzar]

Its not like Dimma doesnt understand wet weather footy. His very first win as our coach was in appalling conditions over in Adelaide against Port, that day the runners had to paddle out in little dinghies.

 

[Blood Meridian]

What, so Griff could battle one on two when the long bombs came in?
Gotta disagree there, would have been a mistake.

I reckon the coaching panel have one big issue to get their heads around after yesterday.

Was that the template other teams will use to defeat the Tiges? Will other coaches look at that game and use similar tactics to subdue Richmond's attacking game style?

If so, we need to come up with answer, we must develop a strategy to counter the rugby style crap that will get thrown at us. We didn't look like scoring in the last qtr yesterday, which made for an ordinary game and an ordinary outcome.

Astute point. St Kilda employed this game plan in the second half. Last year in Darwin Port employed this game plan. We have a long way to go in certain areas primarily because of our inexperience and lack of depth.

 

[DrMike]

Astute point. St Kilda employed this game plan in the second half. Last year in Darwin Port employed this game plan. We have a long way to go in certain areas primarily because of our inexperience and lack of depth.

I saw similarities to the Collingwood match in Round 2 but I could be wrong.

 

[Gman]

Hardwick, Leppitch & lade were at the G today watching Pies vs Ds

Committed bunch

 

[Infamy]

Interesting Leigh Matthews said last week (re Griffiths) their hasnt been a 200+ quality key backman ever, and he sees Griff as a forward/ruck. I know conditions didnt suit, but match-ups were hard and he looked lost against Freo

Because Sandilands went off at the start of the match and that took away the extra tall that Griff was meant to play on. That's why he was subbed out, Hardwick said as much.

 

[1980GFVideo]

Hardwick, Leppitch & lade were at the G today watching Pies vs Ds

Committed bunch

probably 800K to a million per year salary between them. Going out to keep an eye on one of the best teams in the competition and a team we play within the month is probably on par with what should be expected.

But I do have faith in the coach and his assistants. Leppa seems to be doing a very good job. Good thing Maric is playing well, Lade needed a victory.

 

[Bazzar]

Because Sandilands went off at the start of the match and that took away the extra tall that Griff was meant to play on. That's why he was subbed out, Hardwick said as much.

What has this got to do with Mathews comments regarding a 200cm plus key defender to his knowledge never playing the game?

 

[Infamy]

What has this got to do with Mathews comments regarding a 200cm plus key defender to his knowledge never playing the game?

1. I was referring to the comment about Griffiths looking lost against Freo
2. Dustin Fletcher (who is listed as the same 198cm as Griffiths)

 

[Bazzar]

1. I was referring to the comment about Griffiths looking lost against Freo
2. Dustin Fletcher (who is listed as the same 198cm as Griffiths)

Griff is 200, wouldnt be surprised if he was 201

 

[Infamy]

So your belief that he's 2cm taller than he's listed means that he can't play defence?
Not entirely sure how that works
Plus players are getting taller in every position every year.

Griffiths, speed, agility, strong marking and quick hands are what will determine his ability to play as a defender, not his height.

That being said, I still want to see him play CHF long term with Astbury as our CHB

 

[Dusty Cotch]

Hardwick is coaching brilliantly .He was let down badly by his boys who played very dumb football.
We needed alot more composure going inside 50 & we were very soft compared to freo who were the aggressors all day they were the hunters we were the hunted!
The Umps played a big part too make no mistake, especially in the first half.( 7 to 17)I would be interested to see if Geisch or AFL instructed them to not get influenced by the roar of the amazing Tiger crowd. Did they seem to enjoy upsetting the home crowd or was that just me?
The soft frees they got & the blatant ones we did not get was laughable if it was not so serious.Freo gained a lot of confidence from the umps in the first half which helped them go on to win the game.Have we ever won a game when umpire Schmidt has umpired? his non 50 to Nahas in the last as bad as we played may well have cost us the game.We did have more scoring shots ,we have a long way to go, but shit we are going to be a great side.We just need to recruit very astutely as we have in the past couple of years.
I am hoping this is a good loss in the sense we have had it now & it is a reality check that we need to keep working hard & not take anything for granted.We can still make the 8 this year if the players want it bad enough.Regardless this should be the start of a sustained period of finals success.Eatem Alive!

 

[Bazzar]

So your belief that he's 2cm taller than he's listed means that he can't play defence?
Not entirely sure how that works
Plus players are getting taller in every position every year.

Griffiths, speed, agility, strong marking and quick hands are what will determine his ability to play as a defender, not his height.

That being said, I still want to see him play CHF long term with Astbury as our CHB

2cm is huge. Mightnt be when you look at a rule, but body mass and reach is. And no, its not my belief, its Leigh Mathews belief.

 

[Infamy]

2cm is huge. Mightnt be when you look at a rule, but body mass and reach is. And no, its not my belief, its Leigh Mathews belief.

It is your belief that he is 2cm taller than his listed height, which is the only reason why Leigh Matthews comments are relevant to Griffiths.

... and 2cm is not huge at all... Its |----|----| that much

 

[Ancient Tiger]

2cm is huge. Mightnt be when you look at a rule, but body mass and reach is. And no, its not my belief, its Leigh Mathews belief.

Absolute CR*P!
Tell LeBron James or Kevin Durant that.
In days gone by, KPPs in defence were at most 192cm. More recently 196cm has become the target. As mentioned Dustin Fletcher is 198cm. Each time the height has risen at least 2cm.
It all has to do with reflexes and coordination as well as "hands below the knees". One of Griffiths' greatest strengths as a junior was his clean hands below the knees.
So despite his 200cm frame he has all the attributes to be a successful back man. He just needs to learn how to play the position. He has played a mere dozen games. Give him time. Plenty of time. If Hawthorn can continue to play Schoenmakers we can certainly put time into Griffiths in our back six!

 

[Bazzar]

Absolute CR*P!
Tell LeBron James or Kevin Durant that.
In days gone by, KPPs in defence were at most 192cm. More recently 196cm has become the target. As mentioned Dustin Fletcher is 198cm. Each time the height has risen at least 2cm.
It all has to do with reflexes and coordination as well as "hands below the knees". One of Griffiths' greatest strengths as a junior was his clean hands below the knees.
So despite his 200cm frame he has all the attributes to be a successful back man. He just needs to learn how to play the position. He has played a mere dozen games. Give him time. Plenty of time. If Hawthorn can continue to play Schoenmakers we can certainly put time into Griffiths in our back six!

Who do they play for?

 

[cairo tiger]

said it before and I will say it again- needs a mentor someone to bounce ideas of....he has the basics but may be not that flexible to look at other options when we are pressed.....

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Who do they play for?

Hahaha.
If you need an explanation I'll give it to you. Very tall players in ANY sport usual meant slow reaction time and overall less athleticism. While it applies to many tall people, it obviously doesn't apply to all. Those two just came to mind as giants that play like short people. Griffiths has the attributes to play down back so his height is irrelevant. Actually it plays in his favour! And 2cm is less than 1 imperial inch - hardly huge!