Playing in front

[greennick]

Why don't we do it?

Just watching the Port game on Fox Sports and there is rarely an occasion we are playing in front. In the forward line, we go for a quick kick forward and it goes straight to the Port player playing in front. In the midfield, the same happens consistently.

One of the keys to quick ball movement being successful is playing in front. Unless of course you can roost the ball over the top and run onto it out the back, but when you are sitting 80m off the ball, that seems unlikely.

Has anyone else noticed this to be an issue? I've always known it is, but in this game it really has been very prominent, more so because our forwards have given up many chances at goals by playing behind. Our conversion inside 50 has been one of the main differences between the 2 teams in this game, and much of this has to do with us playing behind.

 

[drexel]

I think its the result of a slow-off-the-mark Half Forward line. Ideally you would like to have S.Johnston and P.Chapman on your flanks... guys that take a mark, good acceleration... and if they decide, they can drift into midfield if their opponent drags them up.

We usually have ppl like Stenglien, Lynch, Brown, Ebert who are useless unless the ball falls on top of their head.

In 2005/06 we used to play Cousins there quite a bit and R.Jones who were far more mobile and balanced.

 

[greennick]

I noticed that in the final quarter we played in front a lot more and played a lot better too, at least we got more points on the board.

 

[greennick]

I think its the result of a slow-off-the-mark Half Forward line. Ideally you would like to have S.Johnston and P.Chapman on your flanks... guys that take a mark, good acceleration... and if they decide, they can drift into midfield if their opponent drags them up.

We usually have ppl like Stenglien, Lynch, Brown, Ebert who are useless unless the ball falls on top of their head.

In 2005/06 we used to play Cousins there quite a bit and R.Jones who were far more mobile and balanced.

I see your point there, but it is not just the half forward line, we do it everywhere.

On the half forward line, it seems it is not just on the run though. It is when standing around our players just position themselves behind their man. They are slow and starting behind, never going to get in front from that position.

 

[Underdog]

Just watching the Port game on Fox Sports and there is rarely an occasion we are playing in front. In the forward line, we go for a quick kick forward and it goes straight to the Port player playing in front. In the midfield, the same happens consistently.

One tactic for playing on opposition forwards it to play between 1-3 metres in front of your man. This means they can't wrestle with you then burn you off. Instead you can watch where they are leading then watch the ball come in. Quite often if you are successful at this, you will beat the forward to the drop of the ball, other times you may get to a contest with him and some times you may get lost between man and ball watching. If the ball comes in fast, unexpected and drops short, the forward will have little chance.

As an undersized and relatively pedestrian full back, that is the method I find most effective.

 

[Adam Selwood]

A lot of the times as well our forwards led away from the player with the ball. LeCras was one of the main offenders.

I think our forward line is poorly coached, there is definately the talent there.

 

[archiemoses]

I think delivery I50 is the issue. How can a forward be confident where to lead if he has to try and accomodate for the likelihood of a shit delivery?

This must get them frustrated.