Midfield Set Up...

[folester41]

in my opinion you should always start your best 3 midfielders in the middle at the start of the match, having a good start can do so much to get the side going, something we have lacked in our first quarters this season

 

[Ralll]

Its painful to watch sometimes but all part of Dimmas plans.
Throw them into the fire and fast track their developement.
Is it the best way? who knows..

 

[_RT_]

You are either disingenuous or stupid. Read what I said and this time try hard to understand it. I sense from your reaction that you have never been a mentor.

I understood what you said but its quite clear that Hardwick and co don't share the same sentiments.

 

[Dr Awkward]

At that first bounce we should have our best clearance player.

Our best clearance player is Shane Tuck.

Cotchin has comfortably become our best clearance player. There is a thread that shows he is leading the AFL for clearances this year and is also leading for effective clearances.

 

[Mr Magic]

If Cotch is leading the AFL in clearances our Rucks can't be going that bad as some make out.

Plenty of upside in our Ruck area!!

 

[El Tigre]

playing the dark side.... if Cotch is leading the AFL in clearances, then we are relying too much on Cotch.

Anyway with the ruck, the hardest stage of development is when your ruck can't direct the ball, but the mids think (are told) that he can. If you know that you are going to lose the ruck, then players set up accordingly. Freo haven't been, or even come close to, a premiership contender with them winning the ruck. Maybe Dimma is getting the players to play a style for a dominant ruckman.

Anyway, the biggest thing is that has been the setup of the players, not the actual players themselves. Too many easy clearances where the contested ball is fed out to opposition players in space to make a good disposal. The difference between able to make that 2nd disposal with time and space, compared to being under pressure, is huge.

 

[Cathal Brugha]

After all the wringing of hands and "trying everything" to rectify our starts they finally did what all of us have been screaming for. Play our best mid-fielders in the guts at the first bounce. We didn't win the initial clearance count but were spreading well on rebounds.