Hitouts

[Deenamite]

For ****'s sake, how come every week we win all the hitouts and still get creamed in the clearances. This is beyond ridiculous. Jeff White is 2nd in the league for hitouts.

That's right, 2nd.

Is it the ruckmen's fault or the midfielders?

 

[Marns]

Has to be a bit of both. Lack of communication perhaps. I think the fact that White is getting first hands to it so much (as you said, he's 2nd in the league) means that he's giving the midfield plenty of chances to get their hands on it. There's just an inability of the midfielders to actually clear it.

 

[StingaArmstrong]

It would help if

a) White hit it to the advantage of our midfielders and
b) Our midfielders actually put themselves in a position to take advantage of a hit out, too often they are flat footed and have no momentum to be able to react to a hit out not landing in their hands.

It just seems like there is absolutely no system in there...granted the fact we've had about 20 different players play through the centre square during the season hasn't helped to create any cohesion between ruckman and players. This will be our great area of improvement next year i hope.

 

[dutchy12]

That is a pretty wierd stat. Hopefully Brock, Jonesy and Sylvia can help the team out in this area nexy year.

 

[marlon]

Its because our ruckmen, especially Jeff White hit it to the opposition.

 

[master bate]

Paul Williams should get himself some tapes of Hawthorn and West Coast, its no longer about the players. McLean, Jones and McDonald can all win some hard ball around the ground, from there it has to be getting some movement to release the likes of Green and Johnstone.
The centre bounces are just disgraceful, it can't be that hard, White says "boys im hitting it 45 degrees to the right, Brock run through get the ball and hand it off the Trav who will run past on the left, Jonesy jump round the back and cover the right side if I lose the tap". Create 5 plays, 1-5 and randomly shuffle through them, if rugby players can do line outs we must be able to get something happening in the centre square.

 

[Bateanator]

If you look at the hit-outs to advantage stats, then i think you'll find we usually get soundly beaten