Player marking technique

[Since1864]

Have noticed for a number a years that Kreuzer & Hampson (as well as others) often either get pushed under or run under the ball far too easily and far too often (especially now that I look for it). A lot of the time when they do mark, their arms are very close to vertical. With the size of their bodies maybe a technique where they mark more forward in front of their eyes would produce more marks per game?

Thinking back to Hamill, he used to be a great mark for his size mainly due to his great marking technique.

Has anyone else observed similar?

 

[toomuchsparetime]

Have noticed for a number a years that Kreuzer & Hampson (as well as others) often either get pushed under or run under the ball far too easily and far too often (especially now that I look for it). A lot of the time when they do mark, their arms are very close to vertical. With the size of their bodies maybe a technique where they mark more forward in front of their eyes would produce more marks per game?

Thinking back to Hamill, he used to be a great mark for his size mainly due to his great marking technique.

Has anyone else observed similar?

someones got teach them to stand their ground.

it's called body-work... a mandatory skill for any good forward, especially the big blokes.

 

[AlecDuncan]

That goes for everyone, except maybe for Waite. It's not so much marking technique as it is leading technique. We need to put the ball in front of them instead of on top of their heads, but forwards also need to be more assertive about leading for passes.

What we saw Friday night was an indecisive team not confident in each other. The forwards must lead aggressively, and on-ballers must put the ball in front of them. That's the system and there's no point doing it without conviction.

If an opponent gets in the road, they get the Buntine treatment.

 

[AlecDuncan]

someones got teach them to stand their ground.

There's a time to stand your ground, but most times forwards should be giving themselves enough room to run and jump at the ball. Waite is a master of it. That means not standing where the ball will land, but a few metres behind or to the side of that.

 

[toomuchsparetime]

Watch waite closely and he'll stop and create body contact mid lead if he reads that the ball is going too deep. He leaves enough room in front of him to make a second move towards the ball when the times right. He's definitely a talented natural and athletic footballer (when fit).

If it's a good kick, he makes a good lead and marks it at full speed hands well ahead to give the defender no chance. 2011 he almost had more contested marks than any other carlton player despite only playing about half the matches.

 

[AlecDuncan]

The difference between Waite and the others (aside from inheriting Vinny's hands) is experience and confidence in his ability. He goes at it without doubt.

Guys like Casboult and Hampson don't have it. Yet. Kreuzer's better, but he's not helped by having his feet rooted to the ground. Rowe at least has done it regularly at SANFL level.

Our talls are on a steep learning curve. Lets hope they can hold the fort until Jarrad gets back.

 

[Dramoth]

The difference between Waite and the others (aside from inheriting Vinny's hands) is experience and confidence in his ability. He goes at it without doubt.

Guys like Casboult and Hampson don't have it. Yet. Kreuzer's better, but he's not helped by having his feet rooted to the ground. Rowe at least has done it regularly at SANFL level.

Our talls are on a steep learning curve. Lets hope they can hold the fort until Jarrad gets back.

I dont think that Cas has been helped by 2 PCL's over the course of his first 3 years at the club.

All that being said I agree that our tall forwards are going to be learning quickly at the top level. I think that they should do ok

 

[Jock]

Some good obs, you also need strong wrists and finger tendons to hold marks when you cop some contact to be able to hang on to the ball. Hampson in particular should have been told to walk around carrying bricks in the tips of his fingers all summer. My old coach used to get us to do it in pre season back in the dark ages, it definitely made your hands stronger with the ball.

 

[gbatman]

The op is correct, Hampson's positioning is ok, he doesn't nearly get himself under the ball as much as Kreuzer does. Because these guys are very tall it encourages defenders to edge them under the footy. Kreuzer positions himself to mark it at the highest point which makes it really easy for defenders to deal with him, Hampson is has learnt to brace himself and hold his ground and allow himself room so that if he is pushed forward he is still in the contest but still can get his positioning wrong. Kreuzer has improved this problem a little but has a long long way to go and Hampson has improved in this area a fair bit. The big problem is these guys, particularly Kreuzer, "prop" to far under the ball drop and they don't plant their feet right and brace themselves for body contact and by the time the defender has pushed them forward and they have responded and braced themselves, the footy is going over the top of them. Kreuzer finger tips a hell of a lot of balls and rightfully should be taking 10+ marks a game because he has the skills, size, strength etc to do so but just doesn't approach things and use his body quite well enough and all defenders who do their homework are well aware of this. I'd like to see Kreuzer looking to take the ball much more out in front of him and allow himself more room to be pushed forward and to force defenders to reach over/around him to spoil so that he draws more frees and takes more marks. Hampson drops a few marks, his hands let him down at times, but he still manages to take a good number of marks and nearly always has the ball spilling forward where the crumbers can read it. I've gone on about Kreuzer's poor body work/positioning/approach a fair bit and it should be a lot better than what it is at this stage in his career. Lets hope he goes forward because he is a good mark away from being an "elite" player in the league.

 

[Sin City]

Waite, Casboult and Walker are the only ones who lift their knees up when they jump. All the others are vertical from hand from to foot and too easy to knock off balance.

 

[TheSituation23]

Shaun Hampson is uncoordinated more than anything

 

[Silvagnis]

This thread is as good a read as the Lucas thread.

 

[themax]

I was always taught to jump a fraction early with knees bent. Anyone in front cops it and if you are in front you extend one of your legs back into the defender. Its all to do with timing. I use to practice by throwing a ball in the air and jumping against a brick wall and push off to take the mark.

 

[thylacine60]

This thread is as good a read as the Lucas thread.

Even schoolkids are taught you can defend your opinion without putting anothers down.

 

[sacamano]

Hampson definitely needs some work holding his ground and strengthening his marking technique..

 

[Big_Luch]

can leading correctly and putting on the right body contact when leading be taught?

 

[SBYM]

Hampson definitely needs some work holding his ground and strengthening his marking technique..

Going up with his hands somewhat near one another would be a good start.

 

[JustaBattler]

Casboult leaps to take marks and has shown an ability to delay his run into a pack, he is also a natural extender of arms forward when required - like any good scary forward. The odds are against Kreuz and Hampson learning to crash packs or get serious elevation by leaping diagonally knees up into the air. That is ok btw - as long as they are strong enough to bring the ball down to advantage - create a contest that is fine, the occasional mark around goal is a bonus. The ability to take boundary marks is in my opinion more important for our rucks to get. Kreuzer is very good at this. Rowe is a wild card - as is Mitchell if either of these two develops faster than expected - Carlton all of a sudden becomes far harder to defend against. Watching the talls develop over the next year - will be fascinating. I would like to know what is holding Mitchell back from being considered - all I have heard is that he doesn't have the required engine to compete for 4 quarters ?

 

[thebluelagoon]

it helps when you watch the ball into your hands

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Casboult - exceptional overhead, hands like buckets, knows where he sits in a pack. Leading or in a pack, natural.

Hampson - hit or miss, will always be like that, not technique, just confidence.

Kruezer - very good one out, tends to run under the ball in a pack, which isn't a bad thing.

 

[Snoozer]

If you don't have decent separation from your opponent, you can't leap for the ball. You're too easy to put off balance. Both Hampson and Kruezer continue to make this same fundamental error time after time. It's not confidence, not lack of ability, it's just dumb and not good enough for AFL players. You wouldn't get away with this in metro footy, let alone in the AFL.

 

[toomuchsparetime]

It has been really really really encouraging that Kreuzer is marking better over the past two weeks.

He has been leading at the ball well, judging the flight and using his body better in the marking contest.

Kudos to Kreuzer and the coaching staff. Hopefully he can keep it up because it makes a HUGE difference.

Maybe Kreuzer can teach 206 how to take a mark now?

Also, don't think it's long until Kreuzer starts slotting some goals. As another poster mentioned, his goal kicking technique is sound, he is dropping the ball well and kicking straight. Only they are starting off-line and staying off-line.... just needs to recalibrate his radar...

 

[gbatman]

Kreuzer's marking, positioning and body use has improved the last few weeks. It's really good to see. It's been frustrating watching a player we paid so heavily for in the draft that was supposed to be able to play forward, fail at it and demonstrate a lack of marking/forward smarts/ability. I know he hasn't played on anyone who's any good for two weeks but it shows that some new people at the club have had a look and seen what he's doing wrong and have got the message through. Still early days, still has to prove he can do it against quality opposition, just good for the first time in a long time to see his game developing and showing improvements. Instigating body contact and being more aware of his opponent, using his body and strength, getting things in the right place and protecting the drop zone, leading hard to the right spots at the right time and getting separation, not letting the ball go behind him or allowing opponents to push him under the ball by propping properly and in the right place much more often are all things he has improved on in the last few weeks. Just needs to keep it up and get that kicking going.

I don't think with all the talls in the VFL, that we will see any of them kicking big bags. Regular hauls of 3 or 4 are something to look out for as I recon with all those big players in the team they will likely get an even spread. I still recon that Casboult is probably one of the closest players on the fringe. Guys is a good mark and a strong body who can use it, just doesn't seem to come hard enough on the lead and get ground on his opponent enough.

Waite's marking is just sublime. His movements off the ball, his awareness of his opponent and use of his body is top line. If it wasn't for injury, this guy would be rated as one of the best tall forwards in the comp.

Warnock is a bloke who it would be good to see take more marks. Gets his hands on it enough, the rest of his game is very good, something he needs to work at and work at presenting a bit harder. He's capable of taking a decent mark, he's done it in the past.

Jamison and Henderson's marking and body use, particularly Jamison's has been top level this year too. This is what Watson and McCarthy need to start doing more, our tall defenders have set a high level and to displace them you've got to take marks.

 

[Poseidon]

Besides Waite and Jamison, our contested marking is very hit and miss. We do need to improve our bodywork.

 

[sosos]

Warnock is a bloke who it would be good to see take more marks. Gets his hands on it enough, the rest of his game is very good, something he needs to work at and work at presenting a bit harder. He's capable of taking a decent mark, he's done it in the past.

Warnock taking some marks is the missing piece of the Carlton puzzle.