Freos tactics DID work

[TGTOA]

A lot has been written about how Freo's tactics of trying to soften the Cats up didn't work because we won by 74pts. I take a different approach. If you look at the free kick count in the first quarter, you'll see how effective the tactics were. Because of our overzealousness (as well as the failure of the umpires to penalise the original antagonists and instead ping the retaliators) Freo saw their way to one of the most lobsided free kick counts in a quarter of footy I've ever seen. They can't have hoped for much more from their tactics.

Of course the fact is they weren't good enough to capitalise on this, and despite the lobsided free kick count and having the wind in the first quarter, they still went to the first break trailing. But they got a win out of their tactics. They just weren't good enough to capitalise.

As much as Harley and Bomber have come out and talked about how "we just played footy", I reckon behind closed doors, they'll have a lot to work on in handling these tactics better in future. Not many teams will try it, since it comes with a high risk (giving away free kicks if the umps are more vigilant than they were on Saturday, possible suspensions, bad press etc.), but it could well be something a desparate team might try against us in a final. Although we settled well after quarter team, against a better team, the lobsided free kick count might have done a lot more early damage.

Just my two cents. I think the large final margin has masked what Freo actually managed to acheive by their tactics. They're just too shit to take advantage of it.

Thoughts?

 

[jim boy]

There is only one stat that counts, the score. It isn't going to help Freo at all if we give away frees if they are too busy niggling. The frees count in the 1st quarter was an anomaly, but it wasn't just Freo's niggling.

 

[hamG]

Clearly our tactics of countering their attempts to 'rough us up' worked since we won all the quarters. Perhaps giving away a few frees was essential to proving to be a superior side who put emphasis on team mates. Or maybe the umpires ****ed up in the moment and paid all the wrong free kicks. Who knows, who cares, I can't wait till next week so we can move on from this overly flogged game.

 

[The Casey Cat]

What about what happened after the first quarter? Freo got within a point last time and despite their terrible record were entitled to get closer to Geelong than 12 goals, however such tactics were only going to run them into a brick wall and ensure an uglier and less honourable loss than otherwise. Definitely DID NOT work but I'm happy for opposition sides to think they did and waste energy on that crap only to ensure they are belted in the end by a more focused side.

 

[kicksome]

i think it worked to a degree aswell.
If a team that could actually play football done this in a grand final; i would be very worried.

 

[scottydeewah]

If a team that could actually play football done this in a grand final; i would be very worried.

- I would be more worried about who Rooke would KILL if they acted like that on GF day. If Ling had of copped that on GF it would have been an all in brawl, not a bit of push and shove.


I still havent seen the game though from what I heard on the radio a lot of the free kicks in the first quarter where from retaliation (so bad umpiring) and there were a lot of holding the ball for Geelong (6+ I thought I heard, which just proves we were first to the ball).

Until someone notes down what the free kicks are for, it doesnt prove much.

 

[Motormouse]

Their tactic worked only if you mark their success by having a higher free kick stat. Even so, one quarter does not a game make.

If you judge them by any other stat including the important one (the score) then their tactic failed to have any effect (except for giving our boys a valid reason to grind them into paste).

 

[bigdroppunt]

Lmao.

 

[TGTOA]

Their tactic worked only if you mark their success by having a higher free kick stat. Even so, one quarter does not a game make.

If you judge them by any other stat including the important one (the score) then their tactic failed to have any effect (except for giving our boys a valid reason to grind them into paste).

Exactly. It was never going to be a tactic that could win a match by itself, just give them a window of opporunity to get a jump on us. They got that window, but weren't good enough to do anything about it.

 

[Fright Knight]

A lot has been written about how Freo's tactics of trying to soften the Cats up didn't work because we won by 74pts. I take a different approach. If you look at the free kick count in the first quarter, you'll see how effective the tactics were. Because of our overzealousness (as well as the failure of the umpires to penalise the original antagonists and instead ping the retaliators) Freo saw their way to one of the most lobsided free kick counts in a quarter of footy I've ever seen. They can't have hoped for much more from their tactics.

Of course the fact is they weren't good enough to capitalise on this, and despite the lobsided free kick count and having the wind in the first quarter, they still went to the first break trailing. But they got a win out of their tactics. They just weren't good enough to capitalise.

As much as Harley and Bomber have come out and talked about how "we just played footy", I reckon behind closed doors, they'll have a lot to work on in handling these tactics better in future. Not many teams will try it, since it comes with a high risk (giving away free kicks if the umps are more vigilant than they were on Saturday, possible suspensions, bad press etc.), but it could well be something a desparate team might try against us in a final. Although we settled well after quarter team, against a better team, the lobsided free kick count might have done a lot more early damage.

Just my two cents. I think the large final margin has masked what Freo actually managed to acheive by their tactics. They're just too shit to take advantage of it.

Thoughts?

One word; Collingwood

 

[JUBJUB]

A lot has been written about how Freo's tactics of trying to soften the Cats up didn't work because we won by 74pts. I take a different approach. If you look at the free kick count in the first quarter, you'll see how effective the tactics were.

Yeah,real effective
They lost the first qtr easily and got smashed by the end of the game.As one newspaper mentioned,it was one maggot [#22 ?] paying all the frees to the Frocker fools.Watch and see if that ump gets dumped this week.My guess is he'll be umpiring some bush league game for a few weeks.

 

[Rik E Boy]

I don't think that a team that is good enough to take advantage of that type of tactic needs to employ that type of tactic in the first place.

regards,

REB

 

[rocker_oz33]

Freos tactics DID work as far it sucked geelong's players in for most of the 1st quarter it was good to see the boys get back on the ball in the second

 

[kicksome]

- I would be more worried about who Rooke would KILL if they acted like that on GF day. If Ling had of copped that on GF it would have been an all in brawl, not a bit of push and shove.

haha now that would be a sight to see. Maxy would do his absolute nut.

 

[Cohzee]

I didn't see it as sucking our players in as much as our boys wanting to go out the and inflict some much deserved pain on those pansies for a quarter.

Some of those frees against in the 1st were shocking. Pack on top of the ball, somehow it is a Cat holding it in every bloody time.

But I agree with a previous post, bring on this week so we can stop hearing about those wanchors.

 

[The Cork Soaker]

To be honest I don't know that the "tactic" was to rough us up and thereby gain an advantage by getting a superior free kick count, as we would naturally retaliate illegally, which the umps would see and award a free to them. Any "tactician" who thought that one up is wasting there time at AFL club level, a job at the UN would be more useful solving the problem of rising world oil prices. I think the idea was just to rough us up, we're the handbaggers remember, you know how we go to water when the physical stuff starts, I just think Harvey's not that clever and hasn't watched too many recent video's of our games. I think coaching at AFL level is a bit beyond his ability and intellect
I watched the 1st quarter last night and to be honest, most of the frees against us were there, and I'm as biased and one eyed as you get. Most of the frees were for ruck infringements (arm holding/chopping)how else do you ruck against a 13 foot monster, over the shoulder/ high tackles, holding the ball (sellwood definitely dragged one in). ther were a few tiggy's but there always are. And yep they missed a few off the ball niggles, but we were guilty of that as well and none it was awarded a free kick, unless i missed some.

 

[Portia]

i think it worked to a degree aswell.
If a team that could actually play football done this in a grand final; i would be very worried.

Watch Damien Hardwick and Josh Carr in the 2004 GF. Heck, Darryl Wakelin.

 

[highflyingcat]

i think it worked to a degree aswell.
If a team that could actually play football done this in a grand final; i would be very worried.

That team would be Hawthorn; they are the only team with the physicality & skill to play that sort of game