Sandilands handballing - why?

[Clay Davis]

As far as I am concerned Sandilands handballs far too much. And from my vantage point he is probably one of the better kicks in the team.

It surely must be coach's instruction, even though it has been a part of his game since debut. Is it to play on quickly through the midfield? Frankly, I think he all too often gives it to players with poor decision making or even worse kicks. They might be streaming past, but that's about it.

Given that so many other players who have quicker reaction times than him seem to bottle it up going forward because they can't make decision, I think the coaches should tell Sandilands to kick the ball long when he gets it rather than handballing off to players. It couldn't do any worse.

 

[paul8241]

As far as I am concerned Sandilands handballs far too much. And from my vantage point he is probably one of the better kicks in the team.

It surely must be coach's instruction, even though it has been a part of his game since debut. Is it to play on quickly through the midfield? Frankly, I think he all too often gives it to players with poor decision making or even worse kicks. They might be streaming past, but that's about it.

Given that so many other players who have quicker reaction times than him seem to bottle it up going forward because they can't make decision, I think the coaches should tell Sandilands to kick the ball long when he gets it rather than handballing off to players. It couldn't do any worse.

I'd rather see Sandi continue on his merry way and get the poor decision makers out of the 22, into the WAFL, and then hopefully off the list. That might be a couple of years down the track so I guess anything could be worth a try.

 

[Freo Blood]

Especially when he gets a free for a centre square infringement. Get it long forward asap to the teeth of the goals.

 

[Clay Davis]

I'd rather see Sandi continue on his merry way and get the poor decision makers out of the 22, into the WAFL, and then hopefully off the list. That might be a couple of years down the track so I guess anything could be worth a try.

Agreed.

But I don't understand him handballing unless his kicking was poor. It isn't poor. It's actually rather good.

 

[Belnakor]

Sandi's kicking is very good, he rarely misses a target. Its very odd, sometimes he will end up handballing off and selling someone into trouble. Has clearly been told to do it.

 

[DockersMad]

Frustrates the hell out me. Sandi is an excellent kick and could be popping them to the top of the square from 70 out.

 

[freodog]

Sandi is a good long kick and he has an advantage. I know when I'm driving a 4WD I can see alot more of the traffic ahead than when I'm driving a small car.

The players runnig past should be running forward to create options for him or crumb at the feet of the players he's kicking to.

 

[Scatter]

It takes a fair while for Sandi to get back off the mark and look for an option then kick. It's a lot quicker ball movement if he hands off to a runner to kick it. Also, if the runner is in trouble he shouldn't call for it in the first place.
The more we hand off and play on quicker the better - ala Geelong.

 

[Docker Clint]

My guess it's a biomechanical thing, for a bloke that tall it takes much longer for the ball to get from his hand to the boot. With the speed of the game, he doesn't have time to do this in normal game play, if the instruction is to keep moving then he has to handpass. Even if the difference is a fraction of a second, in contested play this has to make a difference.

It does seem odd when there is time to take the kick from a mark or free.

 

[yakamoto]

Scatter and Docker Clint have summed it up pretty well. I would have thought by now regular posters would be educated enough about the game not to advocate 'bombing' the ball into the forward line. Certainly worked a treat in the last quarter on Saturday didn't it? Sandi needs to keep handing off and not even think about kicking it.

 

[IbbosBFF]

hurting your dreamteam aye?

 

[Clay Davis]

Scatter and Docker Clint have summed it up pretty well. I would have thought by now regular posters would be educated enough about the game not to advocate 'bombing' the ball into the forward line. Certainly worked a treat in the last quarter on Saturday didn't it? Sandi needs to keep handing off and not even think about kicking it.

Who's suggesting he bomb it?

1. The players to whom he handballs have less effective kicks than he does.
2. As restrained as he is biomechanically, he is no slower in disposing of the ball than smaller players. We see players jar up with indecision often going into the forward line. He'd be no worse.

The idea you have to move it on fast is silly IF you can pin point a kick. Hawthorn do it a lot. They take their time with the ball and make sure they hit targets when they do dispose of it.

Rushing the ball forward and playing on at all costs is a only a necessary strategy if you can't hit targets.

I'll add a little "but" here. If he was handballing off to guys like Headland, Hill or Duffield, who can transfer the ball long and quickly, I'd understand it. But handpasses to Schammer or Thornton are low percentage decisions. He'd be better off kicking it.

 

[Docker Clint]

Beaing such a good kick, I don't know why his isn't rotated through the full forward position. He's unbeatable in the air.

Piss Murphy off.

 

[Sman-21]

hes not that great a kick and lacks confidence.
Coz his ball drop is so much further its much easier for him to get it wrong, so he prefers to play safe an get it to the guys who should be good kicks.

Good play imo just needs to be more aware of whats around the player he goes to give it to.

Also tried him forward but because hes so big an wide defenders are allowed to climb all over him, hold his arms etc.
Umps feel sorry for defenders an let them get away with it.

 

[yakamoto]

Long kick = bombing when executed by a player > 200cm tall.

 

[mdippa]

He was running into an open goal on the weekend and he missed it. I'm not knocking him cos I love the big guy, but judging from that kick I wouldn't say that "he rarely misses".