Plan B

[Smoky]

Last night Brisbane played a stop start game of football. Simply slowing the play and kicking to each other holding onto possession for as long as possible and only moving forward when the opportunity presented itself.

Collingwood were clearly trying to move the ball on as quickly as possible and due to not having the touch required cause many turnovers. Brisbane players all over the ground just seemed to be in better positions at the right time and on countless occasions we were just outnumbered in positions on the ground we were taking the ball into.

It was a slow overtaking of the game... but one we all could see was happening and we seemed to just be hoping to get the touch back even though most players hadn't had their hands on the ball for long periods of time.

Why didn't the team go into Plan B mode. The minute Brisbane gained possession our players weren't manning up, it seemed they just held their head low that we weren't being allowed to play the free flowing game we love... we didn't guts it out. When we beat Geelong a few years ago by 80 odd points that's the game we played. The minute Geelong had possession it was a full court press and the minute we got possession every Collingwood player ran off their opponent into space.

We really lacked the defensive intensity last night.

Heath Shaw should have been moved from being hidden in the back pocket. He stuck to his man as everyone else should of, but was so far out of the play that by the time we got possession he was useless to us.

Travis clearly is a confidence player - he does not gain confidence by not getting touches - could he have been moved to the wing, to have started to have an influence on the game before dropping him back to take some hangers in the last quarter.

John Anthony one out in the forward 50... he is the best lead up marker and converter we have.

I liked the idea of Daisy deep in the forward line in the last... hows about pulling moves like that half way through the third quarter when we could have closed the gate on the game?


*Please note there are countless threads calling for certain players to be dropped - this is not one of them. This has purely been created for game structure and positional changes that could have swung the game our way.

 

[StillWaiting5689]

I don't know about putting Cloke on the wing, every time he gets the ball he just wheels onto the left and roosts it as high and as long as he can just sitting the ball on top of our forwards heads for an easy punch from the defenders. This is especially annoying when he does this but directs his kick to a small player.
If the directive to him was to kick short or spot up targets or just play like a ruckman in that you only pretty much handball to others than it could work. I'd only use this though if he is struggling to get a touch as a forward. I also wouldn't mind a Robert Walls suggestion from last night and run him through the ruck for a few minutes like Geelong do with Hawkins just to get him in the play a bit. The last few weeks Hawkins has been playing pretty good.

 

[Smoky]

I don't know about putting Cloke on the wing, every time he gets the ball he just wheels onto the left and roosts it as high and as long as he can just sitting the ball on top of our forwards heads for an easy punch from the defenders. This is especially annoying when he does this but directs his kick to a small player.
If the directive to him was to kick short or spot up targets or just play like a ruckman in that you only pretty much handball to others than it could work. I'd only use this though if he is struggling to get a touch as a forward. I also wouldn't mind a Robert Walls suggestion from last night and run him through the ruck for a few minutes like Geelong do with Hawkins just to get him in the play a bit. The last few weeks Hawkins has been playing pretty good.

If he had of done that last night and we'd of played a Jolly and smalls at CHF, with JA one out in the square we may have been able to keep the ball in our 50. Instead they would try and spot up Cloke at CHF, who was out of touch and could adjust his run towards the ball unless it went directly to him. Cloke had 2 defenders on him at most times and the ball was simply bouncing straight back from his contest most times.

If it doesn't work, surely the coaching staff have to try something different - or is it about "Lets hope he works it out so he grows as a player?

What about the rest of the team, club and members?

We want to win... teach them lessons when 4 points is not on the line please Mick.

 

[The Zone]

Cloke had 2 defenders on him at most times and the ball was simply bouncing straight back from his contest most times.

Wasn't that often Maguire running off Anthony or Staker off Dawes to support Cloke's opponent?

 

[StillWaiting5689]

I agree, more things need to be done to get Cloke into games where he is struggling. The media have it right when they say he is the most important player in our finals success and prior to the last two weeks he has been very good and its not a surprise we have also played well in these games. When he is playing well it makes everyone else play well and play with more confidence when kicking forward. The question is though does he only play well when the team is firing? I hope not and he did begin his good form this year against the saints but not performing when the team is down has been his thing for the last few seasons.
Either way things need to be done to get him involved in games.

Edit: I also think the team should look for Jack a lot more when going forward. He doesn't pick up big numbers so I think those around him need to make an effort to get the ball in his hands as he is so reliable in front of the sticks.

 

[Smoky]

Went in top heavy on a wet track and still would have pinched it of the ump wasn't blind on Jack's mark

Great point.

Why go in top heavy if we want to run the ball constantly? A massive contradiction of the selected team and capabilities of playing the gameplan.

Surely a tall team playing Plan B should have beat Brisbane... or a smaller team playing Plan A would have won... why try Plan A with a team that is better equipped to play Plan B?