'Lack of Intent'

[Brave Sir Robin]

This probably could have gone in a bunch of different threads but I actually think it kind of warrants its own discussion and apologies in advance for the length. I hear over and over again that the Eagles’ problem is a lack of intent or intensity, lack of heart etc. People on this site say it, commentators on TV say it, even Adam Simpson says it. I don't like these terms that mean nothing specifically, because they are only a proximate diagnosis of what is wrong with our team.

When people say we lack intensity it seems to mean:

• We played badly
• The players looked disinterested
• The players lacked physicality
• The players did not play to the standards we know they can play to

Those are all problems sure, but why do we have this problem and why has it taken years to address with zero progress?

Remember Occam’s Razor - that given two alternatives, the simpler explanation is probably correct. To believe that the players lack intent and that all they need to do is get some, you have to believe that every single time we rock up to the MCG, nearly all of our players, 22 guys, in unison, suddenly become disinterested and fragile independently of one another. That is clearly a ridiculous proposition.

Here is a more realistic explanation (which might still be wrong): I believe that our players are trained to corral at the expense of tackling, probably because:

• We give away less free kicks this way (hello Eagles umpiring bias!)
• It may be considered beneficial to the web in some way, or
• Both the above

There is nothing inherently wrong with that strategy. In fact, kudos to the coaching staff for trying it. But it doesn’t work on the wide wings of the MCG and we all know that at some stage we are going to need a game plan that will work there. We cannot continue to corral, hoping that the kick will be cut off by the next guy down the line. Waiting gives time for options to present. Open space gives teammates plenty of opportunities to do so. Open space also gives you an obvious place to kick to for a teammate to receive. These are all going to create problems if you are not absolutely mauling your opponent as soon as he gets the ball. So give up a few free kicks every now and then, who cares. Make them earn the free kicks. Make them fear taking possession of the ball.

Ultimately what I’m saying is the ‘lack of intent’ you see on the players faces and in their play is in my opinion a manifestation of the gameplan being completely inadequate for the task. They look crap because the gameplan is crap. They look soft because that is the way they are told to play the game. We need to cut our losses with this horrible gameplan and start working on a new one, right now. We need some personnel changes sure, we need to put a few guys out to pasture as well, but overall our list isn't too bad IMO. We need to get them playing a different brand of footy. Right now. Not next year. Right now.

 

[flamingEMBERS]

intent doesn't just mean tackling. Intent means when there's a looseball you win it at all costs. There's no urgency to do that. Should we corrall a loose ball? I have no problems with corralling but sometimes you must tackle.

There's no intent to run the ball out of defence.
Theres no intent to win a 1 on 1 at all costs
There's no intent to block a player near by instead of getting a cheap handball
There's no intent to impact contests

We have no one that would run through a ball that is loose, with the risk of getting tackled.

 

[Matera92]

You can see they are trained to zone off their man and guard space at the expense of possession. Remember seeing a number of instances where I saw one of ours back peddle away from the opposition ball carrier just to guard space, and in some instances actually turn their back on the contest to run to space.

They are playing a soccer/basketball zone defence which works great in a narrow space where you can close down space quickly, but utterly useless on a wider ground.

 

[ChampRevesby]

You can see they are trained to zone off their man and guard space at the expense of possession. Remember seeing a number of instances where I saw one of ours back peddle away from the opposition ball carrier just to guard space, and in some instances actually turn their back on the contest to run to space.

They are playing a soccer/basketball zone defence which works great in a narrow space where you can close down space quickly, but utterly useless on a wider ground.

I guess manic pressure is no longer in Simmos play book. He still thinks its 2015 and we can web our way out of trouble. Pathetic stuff.

 

[Bacchus]

I think there's plenty of talent in the squad but not enough ' g & d' and intent/resolve to be the best, a killer team rather than one that just coasts. This loss has to be a 'water-shed' moment because that was just humiliating yesterday. There would have to be/ ought to be some serious talking going on today. Want to play pretty football rather than ruthless football.

 

[Matera92]

I guess manic pressure is no longer in Simmos play book. He still thinks its 2015 and we can web our way out of trouble. Pathetic stuff.

Hawks showed during that '15 GF that the web is easily enough dismantled if you move the ball quickly with precise kicking, doesn't matter how well you guard space, if the opposition is hitting targets it becomes a training drill. Simmo's counter to that is to play 7 defenders, leaving our forward line short and allows the opposition an extra defender to double team JK/Darling. It then becomes an exercise in who can execute their skills better. If the opposition are having an off day/poorly skilled then the web is great because it allows our zone to cut off possession and kill them on the rebound. However, if the team has half way decent skills and a bit of pace then they slice through the web like a full ground kicking drill your local ammo's can pull off.

Its basic s**t and honestly the fact that he hasn't evolved it at all in the following seasons has me worried that he's truly a one trick pony.

 

[RookiePick]

Every teams gameplan has massive issues when the workrate is poor and the bulk of the players stand off hoping someone else will get in there and win the footy.

I am still gobsmacked at the laziness we showed yesterday. Forwards refusing to go with their opponents, players refusing to get up of the ground and get back into the play. Tackles applied with all the force of a limp lettuce leaf. Players backing away from contest after contest and then still not covering the outlet passes.

 

[ChampRevesby]

Every teams gameplan has massive issues when the workrate is poor and the bulk of the players stand off hoping someone else will get in there and win the footy.

I am still gobsmacked at the laziness we showed yesterday. Forwards refusing to go with their opponents, players refusing to get up of the ground and get back into the play. Tackles applied with all the force of a limp lettuce leaf. Players backing away from contest after contest and then still not covering the outlet passes.

A case of "Well I tried, now its someone else's problem". I usually get over things pretty quickly but the more I think about this current team the angrier I get.

 

[RookiePick]

A case of "Well I tried, now its someone else's problem". I usually get over things pretty quickly but the more I think about this current team the angrier I get.

werd.

 

[Agent93]

I believe that our players are trained to corral at the expense of tackling, probably because:

• It may be considered beneficial to the web in some way, or

The idea is to prevent the ball carrier from quickly eliminating the initial threat to allow players down the field to set up, aiming to turn the ball over from the kick to the contest where the second line of defenders will move to the drop whilst the ball is in flight.

Where this is falling down is the opposition are out-waiting the players (there's usually two of them) pressuring the ball carrier. The pressuring defender will then either allow enough space for a kick, or both go for the tackle at the same time which leads to either the kick working out, or the ball-carrier slipping a handball and eliminating 2 defenders easily.

It's happening so often it isn't funny any more. 2 Eagles defenders doing the same thing leaving a free man who more often than not ends up with the ball. I mean great, you stopped the man who had the ball, but the ball's gone now. Umpires are letting more and more questionable disposals go, so stopping the ball should be the primary objective. At times I don't think we have the skill, or nous to do that.

 

[Quinz]

The gameplan is certainly an issue, but mentally we seem to make so many more simple mistakes at the G than anywhere else.

 

[matt_bas]

This year isn't our problem. I'm starting g to worry about next year. We move to Perth Stadium which I believe is a lot close size to the G, putting it bluntly we are ****ed.

 

[liam123]

More sports psych help

 

[ChampRevesby]

More sports psych help

Do we even have a psych? Most clubs do these days.

 

[wraglesweb]

You can see they are trained to zone off their man and guard space at the expense of possession. Remember seeing a number of instances where I saw one of ours back peddle away from the opposition ball carrier just to guard space, and in some instances actually turn their back on the contest to run to space.

They are playing a soccer/basketball zone defence which works great in a narrow space where you can close down space quickly, but utterly useless on a wider ground.

Yep they get lost on the MCG it's not just about the intent

 

[liam123]

Do we even have a psych? Most clubs do these days.

If we do it needs to be revamped/ increased

 

[eagles rule]

The intensity can be created by forcing competition for spots who really care if mr big shot is better than joe blogs in the wafl .Send a message to the players that you will play WAFL if you don't deliver ..

 

[Milenko]

Let's just scrap it and copy Adelaide's game plan.

 

[Keys]

Intensity is an issue but it doesn't get exposed as critically against lesser skilled sides because they don't capitalise on turnovers as ruthlessly.

Hawthorn were very good at slowing down our ball movement which made us hesitant and unsure of ourselves - i don't think I've seen a side lose possession so regularly through run down from behind tackles

If you want an example of intent look at what hawthorn did whenever one of our players took a mark - they would aggressively run up to the mark, often over it by a foot or two or more, and make sure our player would have to go right back before taking their kick. When they were close enough to the marking contest they would actually force our player to the ground - they got pinged for it once when Kennedy got that 50m in the 2nd quarter but that was the only one

It slowed us down time and again and forced us into taking a risky option in kick down the line to a contest. Worked a treat

 

[domo]

This probably could have gone in a bunch of different threads but I actually think it kind of warrants its own discussion and apologies in advance for the length. I hear over and over again that the Eagles’ problem is a lack of intent or intensity, lack of heart etc. People on this site say it, commentators on TV say it, even Adam Simpson says it. I don't like these terms that mean nothing specifically, because they are only a proximate diagnosis of what is wrong with our team.

When people say we lack intensity it seems to mean:

• We played badly
• The players looked disinterested
• The players lacked physicality
• The players did not play to the standards we know they can play to

Those are all problems sure, but why do we have this problem and why has it taken years to address with zero progress?

Remember Occam’s Razor - that given two alternatives, the simpler explanation is probably correct. To believe that the players lack intent and that all they need to do is get some, you have to believe that every single time we rock up to the MCG, nearly all of our players, 22 guys, in unison, suddenly become disinterested and fragile independently of one another. That is clearly a ridiculous proposition.

Here is a more realistic explanation (which might still be wrong): I believe that our players are trained to corral at the expense of tackling, probably because:

• We give away less free kicks this way (hello Eagles umpiring bias!)
• It may be considered beneficial to the web in some way, or
• Both the above

There is nothing inherently wrong with that strategy. In fact, kudos to the coaching staff for trying it. But it doesn’t work on the wide wings of the MCG and we all know that at some stage we are going to need a game plan that will work there. We cannot continue to corral, hoping that the kick will be cut off by the next guy down the line. Waiting gives time for options to present. Open space gives teammates plenty of opportunities to do so. Open space also gives you an obvious place to kick to for a teammate to receive. These are all going to create problems if you are not absolutely mauling your opponent as soon as he gets the ball. So give up a few free kicks every now and then, who cares. Make them earn the free kicks. Make them fear taking possession of the ball.

Ultimately what I’m saying is the ‘lack of intent’ you see on the players faces and in their play is in my opinion a manifestation of the gameplan being completely inadequate for the task. They look crap because the gameplan is crap. They look soft because that is the way they are told to play the game. We need to cut our losses with this horrible gameplan and start working on a new one, right now. We need some personnel changes sure, we need to put a few guys out to pasture as well, but overall our list isn't too bad IMO. We need to get them playing a different brand of footy. Right now. Not next year. Right now.

Couldn't agree with this post more!! Totally spot on! Sick and tired of hearing empty and vacuous statements to describe losing such as the lack of "intensity" "intent"" heart".
We burn so much energy ( "intent") trying to get in the web/zoning positions. You see them looking sideways at each other setting up etc, meanwhile the opposition gets unmolested access to the ball. Add lack of pace for some of our blokes (to wide grounds) to get to the breaches in the web and no wonder we get cut to pieces.

 

[eagles rule]

Intent is very important and why Simmo went down to the bench to look for player intent at ground level ..Missed his flight back to Perth cause he's still at the MCG looking for it ..

 

[wraglesweb]

Intent is very important and why Simmo went down to the bench to look for player intent at ground level ..Missed his flight back to Perth cause he's still at the MCG looking for it ..

Edwards showed Intent geez I miss that guy !

 

[flamingEMBERS]

If we do it needs to be revamped/ increased

Really, too many players talking about their feelings. We should rid the sports psych and delist/trade out the mentally weak. * them that was so pathetic yesterday. The more they talk about their fears the more they are coming to fruition. We haven't had or shown a glimpse of on field arrogance since 2007. Its beyond a joke now. We draft soft weak players, we need campaigners.

 

[ziad]

You can see they are trained to zone off their man and guard space at the expense of possession. Remember seeing a number of instances where I saw one of ours back peddle away from the opposition ball carrier just to guard space, and in some instances actually turn their back on the contest to run to space.

They are playing a soccer/basketball zone defence which works great in a narrow space where you can close down space quickly, but utterly useless on a wider ground.

saved me typing. also utterly useless if a team goes manic man on man. Freo awaits us!

 

[liam123]

Really, too many players talking about their feelings. We should rid the sports psych and delist/trade out the mentally weak. **** them that was so pathetic yesterday. The more they talk about their fears the more they are coming to fruition. We haven't had or shown a glimpse of on field arrogance since 2007. Its beyond a joke now. We draft soft weak players, we need campaigners.

No it's not a chat session it's somebody teaching them to be campaigners, getting in the zone, visualisations etc for every game and ridding them of rediculous s**t. And yes we need to get rid of some people too