Roast Hardwick outcoached again

[nut]

We moved the ball quicker and were more attacking around the ground.... was pretty simple. The reason I reckon rucks are over rated is because all you have to do is rove to the dominate ruck... we brought the ball to groundand then smashed them getting it out. Maric worked his arse off around the ground too.
Well done Dimma.....

 

[Final Siren]

Has Dimma over-corrected?

Last year we played best when we took players on and backed our fast ball movement. Our main problem was identified as our inability to play tempo football and close out games. It was widely reported we spent a lot of the off season working on this problem.

Have we become too obsessed with maintaining possession to the detriment of the running game required to slice up the good sides? Our best games last year were when we consistently played on and moved the ball forward at any cost. The way Geelong do when Bartel takes it on the half back line and then bang, bang, goal.

We seem to have a lot of players holding up play in an effort to deliver to a team mate and avoid the dreaded turnover. The cross ground switch makes us predictable and it gives our forwards no chance for a clean lead.

If Dimma is spending a year on this game style in an effort to round out our players prior to a big dip at finals next year, he may be a genius? Then the opposite could also be true.

I'll guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I think too much has been made of the way we held the ball up in the Melbourne & Essendon games. I don't know if it gives people flashbacks to the Wallace days or what, but we haven't done it very often, and it's mostly been successful... but it makes supporters go mental.

Against Melbourne in the last quarter, 4 out of 6 of our best scoring opportunities stemmed directly from a backwards kick in defense. The crowd booed every one.

Against Essendon, we only did it in the first quarter and the score was 15-14, then we didn't do it again and got outscored 76 to 48. But all the talk was about how Richmond chipped it around too much in the backline. The TV commentators raved about how this was our problem as we haemorrhaged goals in the second quarter, when we weren't chipping it around at all.

After the Essendon game, Hardwick said we overused the tactic in the first quarter, then over-corrected and didn't use it again even though we probably should have, to stem the bleeding. This is exactly right, for mine. It's not a tactic that can be overused. We never want our defenders to go into their shells and start passing up opportunities to create play. But if we can do it every now and again, it makes us less predictable, more likely to score, and better at defending small leads in tight games.

A clear example of a team with a "play on at all costs" mentality without the ability to stop and control the tempo this year is North Melbourne. They're a good team but they're losing games they should win.

I feel like some posters have seen us chip the ball around in defense a few times, failed to notice that it usually worked out pretty well, and got the idea that Dimma's gameplan is for us to chip it around all the time. That's not the case.

 

[cairo tiger]

let me say front and centre I think dimma and williams did a great job last night.
I have been critical of our game plan and our lack of improvment- you all know that,but this morning I woke up with a big hard on. A couple of things:

1. the game was in the balance in the first qtr- I thought we were defensive again but then:
2. we took them on, we ran and carried, young vlossy- great.
3. our backline was superb- rance and morris- have been critical of them- but wow they stepped up and all those calling for batch to be dropped for conca/ellis had better think again
4. we tackled hard. we manned up.
5. we won contested ball and used it.
6. we had a game plan they could not match. I though their talls were going to dismantle us but our little blokes won the knocks and used it. foley, delidio (shook his tag well done dimma), cotchin.
7. most important we had a winners mindset.

I really want to mention williams as well- he was urging the boys on and getting in thier face- telling them to keep the pressure on. we must keep this bloke. if the melbourne rumour is true I would be devastated.

we need to keep the pressure on but really proud of the boys and the coaching staff. greeerrrrr

 

[Riskingheadandshin]

let me say front and centre I think dimma and williams did a great job last night.
I have been critical of our game plan and our lack of improvment- you all know that,but this morning I woke up with a big hard on. A couple of things:

1. the game was in the balance in the first qtr- I thought we were defensive again but then:
2. we took them on, we ran and carried, young vlossy- great.
3. our backline was superb- rance and morris- have been critical of them- but wow they stepped up and all those calling for batch to be dropped for conca/ellis had better think again
4. we tackled hard. we manned up.
5. we won contested ball and used it.
6. we had a game plan they could not match. I though their talls were going to dismantle us but our little blokes won the knocks and used it. foley, delidio (shook his tag well done dimma), cotchin.
. most important we had a winners mindset.

I really want to mention williams as well- he was urging the boys on and getting in thier face- telling them to keep the pressure on. we must keep this bloke. if the melbourne rumour is true I would be devastated.

we need to keep the pressure on but really proud of the boys and the coaching staff. greeerrrrr

Good post Cairo.

 

[Tigerland]

Couldn't have asked for more from the coaches and players.
I also liked how Dimma said we have a long way to go, and can improve.
The crows play Sydney next week so will probably playing for their season in 2 weeks time.
Mcg v crows with 2 weeks to prepare, no excuses.
I think that game will show us if we can take the next step. Take the Crows and
3 - 0 - 75 could be achievable