Strategy Geelong 2017 Midfield

[Art Vandelay_]

Extremely well said.

That said, don't think he was our 6th best player which is what the B&F said. Somewhere between 9-12 is more realistic.
Also remains to be seen how they'll use him sans 3rd man up.

 

[David the Cat]

At the end of the season I didn't think Blicavs had anything more than an average season...basically he was OK without being a standout like the previous year.

I think he will be looking to step up a level this year and impact more on games than he did last year.

 

[nohairandfair]

I was well aware of what his role was and thought he was largely disappointing. I'm hoping that this year they attempt to play an actual midfielder in the role.

A "pure midfielder" wasn't it comrade.

In all seriousness he would have had a multitude of roles / responsibilities / KPIs that irrespective of the claims on here, we know SFA about.

Blicavs' main issue is that the third-man up role that he excelled at has been inconveniently banned by the AFL (for no obvious reason). It will be interesting to see how he is utilised in 2017.

 

[dazbroncos]

He's polarising that's for sure. I don't think he was poor either.
Used in the ruck and the stoppages (lots of tackles) and then was used defensively as a key piece of the zone we set up. His endurance meant he just rolled with the press zone as the oppo tried to switch. So useful in the ruck, in contests and at clogging up space.

This game isn't purely about kicks and handballs. Not everyone has to get 25+ touches or 5+ clearances.

I would also suggest that being 3rd man up makes it hard to get possessions at the contest - and the the ball clears after the tap work.

It would be interesting to see the number of 3rd man up instances that were followed by tackles or defensive pressure acts applied by Blitz.

Go Catters

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

I would also suggest that being 3rd man up makes it hard to get possessions at the contest - and the the ball clears after the tap work.

It would be interesting to see the number of 3rd man up instances that were followed by tackles or defensive pressure acts applied by Blitz.

Go Catters

I'd be interested to see the 3rd man up numbers as I think his impact in that area is overstated.

 

[catempire]

I'd be interested to see the 3rd man up numbers as I think his impact in that area is overstated.

154 out of his 196 hitouts in 2016 were third man up.

I see it slightly differently: I just don't think it was that good a tactic for us and I'm looking forward to having the extra player contesting the ball on the ground.

 

[Spazz Cat]

154 out of his 196 hitouts in 2016 were third man up.

I see it slightly differently: I just don't think it was that good a tactic for us and I'm looking forward to having the extra player contesting the ball on the ground.

I thought it was an ok tactic in 2014,15, but like you I didn't think we really needed it to much last year. We were a pretty good inside and contested team for the most part. We actually could do with an extra player on the ground to run past and receive.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

154 out of his 196 hitouts in 2016 were third man up.

I see it slightly differently: I just don't think it was that good a tactic for us and I'm looking forward to having the extra player contesting the ball on the ground.

Well there you go I stand corrected. You don't have the league 3rd man up stats by any chance?

 

[catempire]

Well there you go I stand corrected. You don't have the league 3rd man up stats by any chance?

Only the top 20:

1. Mark Blicavs (Geelong) — 154 hit-outs

2. Ollie Wines (Port Adelaide) — 65

3. Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs) — 63

4. Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda) — 57

5. Jordan Lewis (Hawthorn) — 54

6. Bryce Gibbs (Carlton) — 49

7. Callan Ward (GWS Giants) — 48

8. Connor Blakely (Fremantle) — 45

9. Brendon Goddard (Essendon) — 43

10. Luke Parker (Sydney Swans) — 35

11. Patrick Cripps (Carlton) and Seb Ross (St Kilda) — 34

13. Rory Sloane (Adelaide) — 33

14. David Mundy (Fremantle) — 32

15. Ryan Griffen (GWS Giants) and Jack Crisp (Collingwood) — 27

17. Shaun Grigg (Richmond) — 26

18. Sam Gilbert (St Kilda) — 25

19. Lin Jong (Western Bulldogs) — 23

20. Pearce Hanley (Brisbane Lions) — 21

 

[Lana]

154 out of his 196 hitouts in 2016 were third man up.

I see it slightly differently: I just don't think it was that good a tactic for us and I'm looking forward to having the extra player contesting the ball on the ground.

Another way of putting it is that during the year approximately 13% of hitouts around the ground (of both teams) were from Blicavs going third man up. It's why his lower disposal average doesn't phase me as his 3rd man up work represents a lot of impact on the game then 3 or 4 more disposals would.

 

[4quarter_cat]

I like Blicavs and I think he brings something to our team no one else in the competition has. I only have 1 problem with him, and it's something he needs to keep working on.

Too often when he gets the ball his disposal is simply a bomb down the line to a contest. I get that sometimes that is the best option, but I feel he does this too often.

Apart from that he is a great asset to the team (even when he isn't going 3rd man up)

 

[4quarter_cat]

Also, like to add I feel his best game in the hoops was in 2015 when he was playing as pure mid v Collingwood. He made Pendelbury Mr Invisible during the first half, and was also creating opportunities for others to push forward.

 

[Bobby_]

This game isn't purely about kicks and handballs. Not everyone has to get 25+ touches or 5+ clearances.

I thought he was poor myself.
Satisfactory would have been what he did last season but he didn't. He had little to no hurt factor with his possessions and we saw the opposition start to hurt him going the other way.
He started the season off in similar fashion to last years but then dipped in and out of games frequently.

I assume this was because Stanley and Smith were rucking and Menegola and Dangerfield were added to the midfield so he was taken aback somewhat.

 

[ChookNorris]

Only the top 20:

1. Mark Blicavs (Geelong) — 154 hit-outs

2. Ollie Wines (Port Adelaide) — 65

3. Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs) — 63

4. Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda) — 57

5. Jordan Lewis (Hawthorn) — 54

6. Bryce Gibbs (Carlton) — 49

7. Callan Ward (GWS Giants) — 48

8. Connor Blakely (Fremantle) — 45

9. Brendon Goddard (Essendon) — 43

10. Luke Parker (Sydney Swans) — 35

11. Patrick Cripps (Carlton) and Seb Ross (St Kilda) — 34

13. Rory Sloane (Adelaide) — 33

14. David Mundy (Fremantle) — 32

15. Ryan Griffen (GWS Giants) and Jack Crisp (Collingwood) — 27

17. Shaun Grigg (Richmond) — 26

18. Sam Gilbert (St Kilda) — 25

19. Lin Jong (Western Bulldogs) — 23

20. Pearce Hanley (Brisbane Lions) — 21

The only way we will know how useful his 3rd man up'ing really was is to determine how many of those hit outs were to advantage compared to the rest of those employing the tactic. Unfortunately that's a stat champion data only release to those in the AFL. From there you could also look at our clearance numbers when he was 3rd man to just having a solo ruck to see if we lose out by missing one player on the ground at the contest.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I thought he was poor myself.
Satisfactory would have been what he did last season but he didn't. He had little to no hurt factor with his possessions and we saw the opposition start to hurt him going the other way.
He started the season off in similar fashion to last years but then dipped in and out of games frequently.

I assume this was because Stanley and Smith were rucking and Menegola and Dangerfield were added to the midfield so he was taken aback somewhat.

You're entitled to your opinion but I do not agree. Lots of defensive stuff that goes unnoticed on TV.

 

[Bobby_]

Lots of defensive stuff that goes unnoticed on TV.

A lot of us do go to games too so it's not solely forming opinions based on what we see on the TV screen.
I thought he was taken to the cleaners by a few bigger sized mids last year. Cripps, Pendlebury, Mundy in particular.

Be nice to see him line up at full back in practice game.

 

[catempire]

The only way we will know how useful his 3rd man up'ing really was is to determine how many of those hit outs were to advantage compared to the rest of those employing the tactic. Unfortunately that's a stat champion data only release to those in the AFL. From there you could also look at our clearance numbers when he was 3rd man to just having a solo ruck to see if we lose out by missing one player on the ground at the contest.

I think we will only know how useful it was when we see in 2017 how the midfield operates when it's not allowed. I expect to see marginal deterioration in hitouts/hitouts to advantage but improved clearance numbers and even more importantly, more effective clearances. The last of those things being a qualitative assessment but should assist bringing the ball forward faster and more effectively.

 

[ChookNorris]

A lot of us do go to games too so it's not solely forming opinions based on what we see on the TV screen.
I thought he was taken to the cleaners by a few bigger sized mids last year. Cripps, Pendlebury, Mundy in particular.

Be nice to see him line up at full back in practice game.

I thought he was ok on Cripps, Cripps got better after half time when Blicavs went off him. But other than that I agree, people will always have the game he had on pendles as motivation to play him as a tagged.

 

[Seeds]

You're entitled to your opinion but I do not agree. Lots of defensive stuff that goes unnoticed on TV.

And when you go to games you watch him continously run to the wrong positions that allows the oposition to create overlaps. Its very frustrating. His game looks much better from tv then live.

 

[Stan The Caddy]

That said, don't think he was our 6th best player which is what the B&F said. Somewhere between 9-12 is more realistic.
Also remains to be seen how they'll use him sans 3rd man up.

All good points Doc.

 

[Stan The Caddy]

I would also suggest that being 3rd man up makes it hard to get possessions at the contest - and the the ball clears after the tap work.

It would be interesting to see the number of 3rd man up instances that were followed by tackles or defensive pressure acts applied by Blitz.

Go Catters

Great point Daz. Now that he won't be going 3rd man up his numbers in other areas are likely to rise.

 

[Stan The Caddy]

I think we will only know how useful it was when we see in 2017 how the midfield operates when it's not allowed. I expect to see marginal deterioration in hitouts/hitouts to advantage but improved clearance numbers and even more importantly, more effective clearances. The last of those things being a qualitative assessment but should assist bringing the ball forward faster and more effectively.

The first possession stat is the most tangible gauge on how effective your clearances may or may not be but unfortunately us mere mortals aren't privy to such information.

 

[dazbroncos]

Great point Daz. Now that he won't be going 3rd man up his numbers in other areas are likely to rise.

If nothing else he'll the chance to get involved more so yes, it should go up.

GO Catters