Strategy Forward line structure

[geelong_crazy26]

something I have not been able to work out is what exactly is our forward line structure ?

over the last 4 years in every game that we have lost the opposition has out numberd us in our forward 50.It happend yesterday,against st kilda 2 weeks ago ,in the 08 GF and every other loss for the last 4 years.

why is that when we lose we are always out numbered in our forward 50 ? are our players pushing up the ground or is the other team putting extra numbers back ?

and do we structure up in a way that allows our midfielders to kick goals from 40-50 metres out or so our players can run back witht he flight of the ball ?

Im not having a go at how we set up because it usualy works ,I just dont think we have a traditional set up

GO CATS

 

[vc_viking]

something I have not been able to work out is what exactly is our forward line structure ?

over the last 4 years in every game that we have lost the opposition has out numberd us in our forward 50.It happend yesterday,against st kilda 2 weeks ago ,in the 08 GF and every other loss for the last 4 years.

why is that when we lose we are always out numbered in our forward 50 ? are our players pushing up the ground or is the other team putting extra numbers back ?

and do we structure up in a way that allows our midfielders to kick goals from 40-50 metres out or so our players can run back witht he flight of the ball ?

Im not having a go at how we set up because it usualy works ,I just dont think we have a traditional set up

GO CATS

As for Saturday's game, Geelong were missing 3 key forwards and a midfielder. But you've hit home some interesting points.

Cheers.

 

[alfy!]

Yeah there is a HUGE difference in our structures against top teams, and bottom teams. Not sure if that is pretty obvious.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

As for Saturday's game, Geelong were missing 3 key forwards and a midfielder. But you've hit home some interesting points.

Cheers.

true but its something that always happens in games we lose and often in close games.

i get the feeling that we structure up in a way that allows our midfield to kick goals from the 40-50 metrre mark but when sides place allot of pressure on us it can fall apart as we have to kick it long and are than out numberd

 

[SJ]

It's interesting that in the 'lesser' games we seem to be able to hit Podsiadly on the lead again and again.

On Saturday, and yes he was double-teamed as we were playing without any other talls, not once did we put it in front of him and rather dropped it on his head.

 

[Archangel]

Two words; 'Work rate'

 

[SJ]

Two words; 'Work rate'

Of the forward line or midfield? Or both?

 

[pinion]

it's hard to know exactly what our structure is given that we haven't been able to have a settled forward line yet this year

 

[Sttew]

It's interesting that in the 'lesser' games we seem to be able to hit Podsiadly on the lead again and again.

On Saturday, and yes he was double-teamed as we were playing without any other talls, not once did we put it in front of him and rather dropped it on his head.

Conditions did not favour a tall forward like Pods, and yes, Buddy managed conditions better. But 2 goals was still third best effort on the day.

 

[MontyMensch]

I agree with most that is written above, however remember you just mentioned the sides Hawthorn and St Kilda and their style of defense is naturally to always clog their backline. Alongside this once Carlton had their lead they played a lot more defensively as well for the second half when we lost to them.

I think this is one such reason that over the past two years once we have had a lead when against Collingwood who play more offensively than the two above we have been able to get our fowardline producing better football and finnish the game as opposed to the other two.

I think going into the finals to combat these defensive minded teams a good defensive foward is essential to pick up the oppositions sweeper/quarterback/lastest word for free man.

Basicially a guy that perform exact task Rooke did to Fisher in the Grand Final last year. If Rooke cannot comeback to do this, then Bomber needs to start teaching someone else the role as it could be the difference between winning a flag or not.

Personally in regards to the fowardline, I feel Bomber should be trying as many Plan B's as possible. He said it himself it was a lack such plans that basicily cost in the 2008 GF. I think that is what resulted in Ablett often starting at bounces at FF. I still think this hurts at times, the Carlton game was a perfect example as all three of are talls stood and did nothing all day in the fowardline.

We do however have the best list (in terms of best 26 players), therefore I cant see the harm in him trying other non-tradtional forwards near the sticks in games that are already dead for future reference.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

a few more points on our forward line

stokes,varcoe and byrnes can not be played in the forward line at the same time.They are all lightly framed players who can be pushed of the ball to easy.

and at all times during the game unless things are going seriously wrong in the middle either chapman or ablett should be up forward .Both can kick 5+ goals a game ,can provide a contest and apply lots of defensive pressure.In fact no reason why we cant often play ablett and chapman up forward at the same time

can you imagine the other side having to find a match up for ablett,chapman and johnson ? that would give me nightmares if i was an opposition supporter

 

[Live in hope]

The tactic that both StKilda and Hawthorn have used on Pods is literally to sandwich him - defender at front pushing back into him and another defender pushing at back (appears to be the more mobile at back e.g. Gwilt, able to run back get the mark over the back and run off).
Noticed that North tried it a few times as well, but the Cats were able to combat it by West coming in over the top. Didn't work agianst StKilda with Mooney trying to do same thing, but was an average night.

Think that we've got to work on this opposition tactic for the finals - other teams know that Pods is the go-to for the under pressure kick into forward line.

Think the answer is the forwards spreading better, with Pods leading up ground (did a few times late on Saturday) to pull defenders up with him and get one or two long kicks into forward line. Liked how this worked with Stokes and Varcoe.

Think we'll miss Rooke in finals this year - hard to get a match up and opposition defenders found it hard to structure up with his packs smashing leaps. Hopefully he'll be back or that Bartel can do it.

Really hope they work on the plans B, C and D in the last 7 rounds, as we'll need them, even with all the players back.

 

[Wish Wellingtons]

Coming up with a best 6 in our forward line is almost impossible.


Johnson Mooney Varcoe
Rooke Pods Stokes

to me this seems our most balanced and perhaps traditional setup. Rooke playing the defensive role, stokes and varcoe crumbing at the feet of the talls, and johnson adding a bit of a freakshow factor that every forward line needs. Mooney is free to play the high forward Carey-esque (well...) position, allowing Pods to play the deep go to FF role, where he seems so dominant.

Bear in mind that Chapman and Ablett are absent from that forward line, though are starters in the midfield. Byrnes and Duncan provid depth, and perhaps push Stokes for a place. Hawkins should start on the bench, coming on to relive Ottens as a primary roll, but also to allow us the versatility to set up the three prong tall set up to stretch short backlines.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

its a problem for sure .Sides now seem to be getting easy disposals in our forward 50 .Over the last month we have let our opponet have way too mnay uncontested marks and posessions which needs to stop.

 

[i_need_a_pencil]

its a problem for sure .Sides now seem to be getting easy disposals in our forward 50 .Over the last month we have let our opponet have way too mnay uncontested marks and posessions which needs to stop.

Mmmm not much forward pressure at Geelong is there... unless Varcoe is in the forward 50 - but we can't rely on him.

 

[MontyMensch]

I think our foward pressure is one of a few areas we have suffered with this year due to the lack of incentives in the 22 round season. When we have had such incentives such as big games agianst Hawthorn/Collingwood, something like our zoning off at kickouts has been a lot better.

The final eight makes so much of the season pointless, with the 3/4 top teams only needing to finnish in the top three this year to have largely the same chance each other. Esp with the major absence of many interstate sides from the top four in the last 3 years.

Alongside the fact that outside these three teams only around three others ever serious fancy themselves at having a crack and then the rest of comp are either part of the follwing groups:
Group 1. Happy with just making the finals and getting quickly knocked out (Despite this be barely an achivement when you consider the second group.)
Group 2. Focus entirely on rebuilding, and will not make risks on older used/mature recruits and getting injured players back into side as fast as possible.

This really only leaves a small number of clubs who can/ and are have red hard crack. Geelong have been he first too really respond to the league being like this with the now infamous "General Soreness" line as reason usually for a different players absence from round to round.

Many People will shout me down (Often Interstate supporters) however I think more than ever that fact that the final eight looks stupid. We all have known that only the top four matters for years, and as Geelong has shown Club's are begining to show the HA season it deserves when it awards teams with 11 wins a spot in the finals.

 

[meto]

At present we're just to small, no Rooke, Johnson, Hawkins, Mooney only just back.

Quality passing into the fwds has to be coaching staffs' No1 priority, or season 2010 will slip from our grasp.