- Dec 14, 2008
- 19,830
- 32,286
- AFL Club
- Essendon
Love this from the smh, like mcpharlaine detailing how he played buddy
"It was an absolute focus of never letting him get behind me," McPharlin said. "Every time he tried to turn into the space I'd put a lot of physical work into him and also tried to work back harder than he was so I could keep an eye on where he was going.
"Once he is out the back you can't stop him – he is too fast and he will kick it from anywhere.
"Yes you would defend the lead up on the wing or inside 50, but in the general play it was keeping him up in front of me.That cut out an element of his game that was so strong."
That, for a big key forward, is a unique strength to have, McPharlin said. Not many, if any, that McPharlin played on were so good at getting out the back while defending Buddy in a contested mark situation was not as worrying.
Unique, too, was his stoppage ability: "His strength of working as a midfielder and wrapping around the stoppage and snapping goals was always something to work on. I'd get on his left shoulder, because he likes to wrap that way, and you'd try some deft body work to try and get him to not time his run right and knock him off balance.
"Typically the big key forwards don't get involved in the stoppages.
McPharlin has quite a bit of success on Franklin, keeping him to one goal in the 2013 grand final and two goals in the Dockers' round four win over Sydney in 2015, for example, a game where Franklin threatened to kick a bag.
Instead of following Franklin up the field when he began his forays into the middle, McPharlin let teammates like Michael Johnson or Garrick Ibbotson take him past 70 metres from goal.
"It is largely about up the field. In better days, with a team defence full of forward line and midfield pressure, that helps a lot," he said.
"So much footy comes his way so you know once the ball gets forward of centre they will always look for him.You're very aware the ball is coming your way all the time."
http://amp.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/...lin-to-snatch-sydney-win-20170908-gydgb7.html
Reckon that's brilliant analysis, shows how much work and skill players put in.
"It was an absolute focus of never letting him get behind me," McPharlin said. "Every time he tried to turn into the space I'd put a lot of physical work into him and also tried to work back harder than he was so I could keep an eye on where he was going.
"Once he is out the back you can't stop him – he is too fast and he will kick it from anywhere.
"Yes you would defend the lead up on the wing or inside 50, but in the general play it was keeping him up in front of me.That cut out an element of his game that was so strong."
That, for a big key forward, is a unique strength to have, McPharlin said. Not many, if any, that McPharlin played on were so good at getting out the back while defending Buddy in a contested mark situation was not as worrying.
Unique, too, was his stoppage ability: "His strength of working as a midfielder and wrapping around the stoppage and snapping goals was always something to work on. I'd get on his left shoulder, because he likes to wrap that way, and you'd try some deft body work to try and get him to not time his run right and knock him off balance.
"Typically the big key forwards don't get involved in the stoppages.
McPharlin has quite a bit of success on Franklin, keeping him to one goal in the 2013 grand final and two goals in the Dockers' round four win over Sydney in 2015, for example, a game where Franklin threatened to kick a bag.
Instead of following Franklin up the field when he began his forays into the middle, McPharlin let teammates like Michael Johnson or Garrick Ibbotson take him past 70 metres from goal.
"It is largely about up the field. In better days, with a team defence full of forward line and midfield pressure, that helps a lot," he said.
"So much footy comes his way so you know once the ball gets forward of centre they will always look for him.You're very aware the ball is coming your way all the time."
http://amp.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/...lin-to-snatch-sydney-win-20170908-gydgb7.html
Reckon that's brilliant analysis, shows how much work and skill players put in.
