Plan A

[swiftdog]

I'm no expert but has anyone else noticed that we win games when we just BOMB IT HIGH INTO THE FORWARD LINE. Our midfielders haven't got the class and skill of Kerr, Cousins etc so why do we try and pin point passes to Rocca when he is not even a leading forward.

So for once I would like our plan A to be to place every inside 50 on right on top of Rocca and letting him either take a contested mark or bring it to ground where the likes of Thomas, Davis etc can crumb. Why does Malthouse always use this only as a last resort when we have allready proved that it works(e.g last quarters against St Kilda and Blues). Does anyone else believe that this should be plan A and not plan Z?

 

[mdc]

This is fine if we have space in the forward line and can get Rocca 1-on-1...against better sides the forward 50 gets congested very quickly - bombing to Rocca usually leads to an easy clearance and goals down the other end.

The aim is to be able to kick long, but to do that we have to win the hard ball and move the ball quickly.

 

[Kirk Hinrich #12]

Get it in quick is when we win, when our half forwards and mid field break the lines and kick it to our dangerous forward line. When guys like Thomas, Didak, Cloke and Davis push up and play well we get it in quick we are always more than a chance against any side in the comp

 

[Pie eyed]

Plan A worked pretty well in the last quarter against Carltoon but it relies on Rocca getting one out..something the opposing teams try to prevent at all costs.

 

[WakeUpPies]

the bomb it to the fat FF works well, my footy team does it too, just bomb it long to the fat FF and i crumb the ball if fatty doesn't mark it, we should do that with rocca and davis in the forward line, and maybe travis too

 

[mm fan]

Mick might be waiting to use it in the finals. Dont give away your game plan too early side will work it out. Having a few different plans is good so we can mix it up it makes it hard for side to plan for us.

But having said that its the best one we have got and the only one that seems to work.

 

[DWil6]

I still remember us using that tactic against the Dee's earlier this year and we got cleaned up. It was a case of the Dee's playing 2 or 3 on Rocca then they ran it out of defence with ease, worked through our midfield uncontested and kicked goal upon goal, especially early. Ahh the memories...

 

[shawthing09]

Good in theory but requires either you win the clearances and get it long not giving the defence the chance to get numbers back on rocca. Alternatively Brisbane have shown through Brennan the value of having dangerous "Decoy" (i use the term loosely) fowards. In Brennan and Copeland leading and clearing space for Brown if Defenders don't block the lead of copeland or go to Brennan they will kick goals. If they do it usually gives space for Brown to work into. Any Combination of Reid, Cloke, Rusling, Dawes and Egan(i think a lot of similarities to Brennan) could be used in that role for us. Rusling and Dawes are just comnig back from injury and Egan is still injured so it will be intresting to see how the foward line looks if they continue to impress at VFL level.

 

[magpies42]

there is no point bombing it in long when there are 30 ppl in our forward 50!
i wouldnt say that any team try's to slow their entry into the 50, i think some teams choke the game and slow it down. Some times we are out played, and the fact that we cant get it to our forwards quickly means that we are getting beaten

 

[Bloben]

I honestly think that this is when we play at our most exciting. Quickly bombing the ball to about 20 metres out directly in front to have Rocca and Cloke going for contested mark and crumbers at their feet.

Must be brought in quickly so defenders can't get back - no running down flanks just straight down the guts!! If Rocca and Cloke are one out then we are more often than not going to get the contested mark.

I hope this type of play is adopted in finals. May be the difference

 

[Coin_Toss]

In our case, we should do it more often.

Anthony Rocca and Travis Cloke will create a contest even if they are out of position. That says it all, really.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Load the forwardlien up with blokes who can hold their own.

Buckley, Fraser, C3, Pebs...

 

[prO]

When I first started playing basketball many many years ago - I was taught that the ball always travels faster than your feet. As logical as it seems, some people seem to think that the run and carry style [ in football and basketball ] that many teams play, is the best way to go. Due to our strengths being our forwards who can take a contested mark - bombing into the forward line is a much better alternative, particularly when we don't have the leg speed to compete with other quick sides. Therefore the focus becomes more on winning the clearances [ which is why Obree, Burns, Pendles are important ] and our defenders ability to move up the ground and rebound the ball.

 

[rand corp]

It's not so much just bombing it in, it is when we can get it in quick and deep. This is a flood buster and allows the likes of Ant to have a crack at it one on one or, bring the ball to ground for the smalls -who should be entering the contested area at pace and without the oppo's team bus parked across the backline.

 

[Marklar_33]

I think the real key to having success in this area is to start on Pebbles in the forward 40 metres or so. You just need to give him that space in front. When he gets to the front, and gets a nice delivery, who can beat him?

 

[Barwick17]

If we just bomb it in we lose- geelong and melb games great example. Yes if we break then kicking long to a 1 on 1 is great, but if there is a loose man we will get done. Thats why we need smart players, i hope we have em

 

[swiftdog]

If we just bomb it in we lose- geelong and melb games great example. Yes if we break then kicking long to a 1 on 1 is great, but if there is a loose man we will get done. Thats why we need smart players, i hope we have em

Yes, i thought about that but the problem i think in those games were that we continued to do that even though it wasn't working.
OK, if that happens, personally i would like to see Cloke doing his normal thing, plonk Rocca on the 50M arc, we all know he can kick goals from there. Give the entire forward 50 for Medhurst to play as a true leading full-forward and have runners with some pace such as Thomas/Racer (i'm sure there are others) lead into the forward 50 from the wings/centre IF the lead from Medhurst isn't honoured.

my two cents.

 

[Rohan25]

I feel Rocca will win more one-on-one contests than not. Against Geelong we used the wrong plan in that we didn't just let Rocca plant his feet in the goalsquare and wrestle with Scarlett in a duel. Had we done that he would have taken more grabs I'm sure..

Anthony said himself after the game last week that he wants the players to kick it deeper to him. And why wouldn't he? He is outmarking most defenders this year. The midfield should be doubly aware of this when they look up and see someone like Saddington standing next to him. Rocca has a lot less strengths than he used to. We should play to the few he has left.