Gameplan

[HeavyPop]

It seems as if we have completely forgotten the press. I think we might have used it against Carlton. Not sure. Last year the ball would be locked in our 50 for 3-5 mins at a time and if they did manage to get it out, it was normally to one of our players.

Obviously we needed to change some things as we're the hunted this year, however I think we could have implemented small changes, rather than basically forgetting the whole thing.

It appears that we are playing more players behind the ball so other teams don't have the opportunity to get the ball into their 50 to lock the ball in there. If it does, we are pushing some players up the ground so that we have the numbers to counter attack. We scored a few goals tonight going end to end.

I'm probably wrong, but that's how I see it. What does everyone else think of our gameplan atm?

 

[mattys123]

Nah, one game, Mick made the comment in his presser that the "structure" completely fell apart tonight, so on face value, you write it down as a bad night when things just fell apart.

The other 6 games this year we have been as good, if not better at the press then anyone.

The structure/gameplan just wasn't there tonight, and as per my rant in the post match thread, our management of our players throughout the bye weekend was part of the reason.

Side by Side we say, how the **** can they be side by side in different states.

 

[Pera]

Not only is the press probably non existent at the moment, we are really not hitting up players on the lead when moving the ball forward. I felt sick the amount of times tonight we just bombed it long, expecting Dawes and Cloke to beat two or three opponents at a time.

Dawes isn't taking marks, most of Clokes are contested marks. I honestly can't recall the last time we actually hit them up on a lead and allowed them a chance one on one with their direct opponent.

Tonight though, I think we were beaten at our own game. BRING BACK THE PRESS!

 

[jimmy35]

It's round 8.

 

[DWil6]

I agree the press pressure seems to be way down on 2010. I think the bombers are using it the best of all teams at the moment by a fair way. We have beaten teams but I feel through better contested ball and fast mivement than an unstoppable press. I hope the round 8 excuse is true and that we build into the year. I don't believe it's because they are pacing themselves for 24 rounds. That's BS. But other teams mimmick our style and hopefully we can master it again cause surely then, we will be close to unbeatable.

 

[Alexander323bc]

We lost to brisbane last year in round 12 or something. Look at where they are at the moment. Take a deep breath and exhale. Do that a few more times and you will see that we have all been spoilt at the moment with how good this team has looked.
Also, much harder to press is wet weather. Harder to stop, harder to turn, and harder to accelerate hence more holes in the zone.

 

[Berankis]

Nothing to do with the gameplan.

We are not playing our best 22 not sure why.

Bring back Beams, Macaffer, Maxwell.

** Didaks form has been very poor and he needs to improve if we want to Win the premiership

 

[Bay Pie]

It's round 8.

Yep. MM has said on numerous occasions how taxing the the full press is on players bodies. We'll burn the guys out before the finals.

Think back to last year. We didn't really see any sight of it, until about round 16 against St.Kilda.

You watch carlton and Essendon both start to struggle towards the end of the year with this taxing gameplan.

Geelong, like us, have only used it sparingly. They need too, considering the age of their players.

 

[HFF]

Nothing to do with our gameplan. It's simple, you get killed in the middle and it makes it very hard to put up the "structures". We were on the back foot for far too long last night in this regard.

Also, when we managed to obtain possession and move forward (save for a few coast-to-coast moments of play) we allowed to many Geelong defenders to just freely come over the top and either spoil or take easy marks and then rebound.

As Mick said, it fell apart last night for one reason or another but the press was still active and always has been. It just makes it harder to implement when you are being dominated in contested footy and clearances.

 

[The New Breid]

Yep. MM has said on numerous occasions how taxing the the full press is on players bodies. We'll burn the guys out before the finals.

Think back to last year. We didn't really see any sight of it, until about round 15 against St.Kilda.

You watch carlton and Essendon both start to strugle towards the end of the year with this taxing gameplan.

Geelong, like us, have only used it sparingly. They need to considering the age of their players.

This. Our press and forward pressure will be much more intense later in the year.

It wouldn't have made much difference last night though. We got smashed in the middle and our ball movement was very slow for the most part.

 

[Knightmare]

It’s not the best system that wins. But the team that best executes their system that wins.


Right now we probably aren't defensively executing our system as well as we can. The press doesn't feel nearly as forceful as last year which is evidenced by us not having the ball in our half as much as we did in 2010.

The changes that need to be made in short are: Need to win more contested football, up the tackling pressure and get the ball forward and lock it in there by playing at an intensity greater than that of the opposition.

 

[buzzbuzz]

For those at the game, you would have seen the Cats use a pretty good tactic to get out of our press. When kicking out after we kicked a point, they'd spot up a short target, which is something we usually allow. However, the kicker would run on and accept the handball from the player who marked, run on and kick it long. We simply weren't expecting this, and it consistently worked.

 

[jonbe54]

Round 8 guys - remember back to round 8 last year? Press? What fr1ggin press? It's a finals winner but trying to implement it week in week out for then entire season is a first class ticket to the also runs society of September holiday fun.

Key reason for loss was lack of Jolly's commanding prescence in the middle, cats got an armchair ride from Ottens.

The press will return - when it is advisable to re-implement it.

 

[Baltimore Jack]

It's round 8.

Yes, I sometimes think people actually believed we could go through a season undefeated.

And if they didn't think that then what is the issue.

As you say its round 8, this is the time of the year to sort out any structural problems we may have and to tweak the game plan

This loss will do us far more good than harm

 

[THATSGOLD]

midfield center clearances were the biggest problem!!! Wood not getting first hands on the ball didn't help but the ease in which selwood etc ran out of the middle with the footy was the most frustrating to watch for mine.

 

[Kirby]

I sat up high wwhich I don't like but it does give you a good view of our structures.

In my opinion whilst we zoned we certainly did not use a full press anything like we did in the second half of last year. I think it is intentional due to it's taxing nature.

Both teams played an extra defender most of the night.

Having said that, the reason that we lost is that we lost through the middle. We are generally good enough to win without the press these days but we can't get thumped in the centre.

Very odd game imho and we deserved to lose.

 

[Thommo 42]

when you are consistently beaten at stoppages, your gameplan becomes irrelevant

 

[Kirby]

when you are consistently beaten at stoppages, your gameplan becomes irrelevant

Yes, and this.

 

[jimmy35]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...hange-experiment/story-e6frf9jf-1226056345912

While their unbeaten run was broken by Geelong, the Pies are clearly working to a different schedule to their rivals.

Assistant coach Nathan Buckley confirmed again on Friday the Pies' focus was on peaking from Round 15.

Paper talk of course but quite clear what they are trying to do.

 

[Zahki]

Yeah the word out of the club has been consistent, they want to peak later in the year and are happy with how things are progressing. If you're wondering why there's so much of an emphasis on player management this year have a look at the players who were in the side Round 1, 2010. Lockyer, O'Bree, Prestigiacomo, Fraser, Medhurst. We don't have these guys anymore to play the first few rounds so the young guys can come in halfway through the year fresh as daisies, we can only replace tired young bodies with even younger bodies this time so it's going to be much tougher to keep a side that can keep getting the wins while making sure the players who need to get their rests, even more so with the injuries we keep getting.