Set Plays 101

[KamakazeSalami]

Somewhat of a different thread to the usual player/coach/team related ones... and time to invest in some education for myself.

I've said before that while I absolutely love the footy and have been watching it for over 20 years I've never played and as a result miss some of the nuances of the game.

I played some social basketball and watched a heap of it back in the day, and set plays are such a big part of the game. Clearly its easier to do this with only five players, a limited playing area AND a round ball whose bounce is fairly predictable. However, given there are so many stoppages in the game these days it surprises me that we don't have more 'set plays' in footy. Perhaps we do and I just can't pick it.

One obvious play on the weekend was Coxy's over the head tap to Kerr who was motoring past him at full pace. Nice to watch, but not sure that we really got anything out of it as the forwards weren't really expecting it (could be wrong here though). This sort of indicates how much more complex the set plays in footy need to be. Still, if it can be worked out the team pulling it off can have a significant advantage going forward in particular.

Generally, I assume, the set plays would involve the ruck/midfield and forwards.

So, what are some set plays? I'd be really keen to hear of examples (any team, any level of footy, whether in teams you played in or coached etc.). How the setups work and the timing etc.

Ding, ding. Class is in session.

 

[lloydbraun]

The flying V is a popular one.

 

[KamakazeSalami]

The flying V is a popular one.

I think someone said a diamond is a better formation as you can switch direction easier without losing the strength of the formation.

 

[The_Eagles]

under 11s 'huddle' for a behind kick-in

 

[dynamite kid]

This season will see the emergence of 'Kennedy's Paddock'

 

[gx122]

Run in single file to hide their numbers

 

[bunsen burner]

I would like to see a grand final side turn out on the day with all their heads shaved and their jumper numbers randomly swapped. And then swap them each quarter. I think it would confuse the opposition.

 

[Todd_Gack]

Well we already have the quarterback position (apparently) so why dont we give him a sleeve with plays on it like an actual quarterback has. The offensive coach will relay the play down to the qb via the helmet mic where the qb then informs the boys in the huddle.

Qb is a pretty specialised position so it might be worth getting a real qb like Ryan Leaf to execute the plays.

 

[lloydbraun]

Against Collingwood when Ben McKinley badly missed timed an attempted high mark was a set play. When we look dangerous and look like scoring a goal Woosha looks to McKlinley to stuff it up.

 

[Todd_Gack]

Against Collingwood when Ben McKinley badly missed timed an attempted high mark was a set play. When we look dangerous and look like scoring a goal Woosha looks to McKlinley to stuff it up.

I guess Woosha doesn't quite understand the concept of set plays then.

 

[Strider83]

Set plays are practised all the time by ALL teams. But rarely get pulled off in games. The conditions have to be perfect. Any skill errors, or mistiming, going too early etc will throw everything out. Plus if the defenders are on the ball then it makes it almost impossible to pull them off.

 

[CursoryMercenary]

McKinley is good what are you on about?

 

[bodazoka]

The most common set plays IMO are sharking the ball from a tap out and driving the ball from defence to forward. Most of the time you only really notice when the opponents have dropped off and it allows the team to do the set play (or flying V as it seems to be called now) un opposed, thats the best way to see it in action.

Not to harper on... but Collingwoods set play of handballing through our zone was noticable by every man and his dog.. not that we decided to do anything about it.

 

[KamakazeSalami]

The most common set plays IMO are sharking the ball from a tap out and driving the ball from defence to forward. Most of the time you only really notice when the opponents have dropped off and it allows the team to do the set play (or flying V as it seems to be called now) un opposed, thats the best way to see it in action.

Not to harper on... but Collingwoods set play of handballing through our zone was noticable by every man and his dog.. not that we decided to do anything about it.

I would've thought this was more a game plan than a set play.

 

[RoJo Junior]

The handball to Hurn from 60 .... and BANG! Goalllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!

 

[bodazoka]

I would've thought this was more a game plan than a set play.

Id classify it as a set play because it was a repetative movement, they did exactly the same thing multiple times. It wasent an overall game plan to handball more than kick but to get the ball out of defence they used a set plan to one two handball.

 

[Empire_Persian]

The most obvious one in my opinion, is when we have marked the ball in the corridor 55-65 meters out, the controlling player should at least look around for Lynch, Hurn or Nicoski in order to kick the long goal. In most instances this isn't even considered as the controlling player lobs the ball high for Mckinley or Lecras to mark (in a usually flooded forward line). At least consider the option by looking around for the 3 above-mentioned targets to roost for the long haul.

 

[KamakazeSalami]

The most obvious one in my opinion, is when we have marked the ball in the corridor 55-65 meters out, the controlling player should at least look around for Lynch, Hurn or Nicoski in order to kick the long goal. In most instances this isn't even considered as the controlling player lobs the ball high for Mckinley or Lecras to mark (in a usually flooded forward line). At least consider the option by looking around for the 3 above-mentioned targets to roost for the long haul.

This happened a couple of times with Hurn in the early rounds but haven't seen players making conscientious decisions to dish off to the 'big three'. You'd think it'd be a bit harder for Hurn and Nickoski to get there if they're playing in defense but certainly Lynch lingering with intent around the 60m zone when a mark is taken (when not playing as a forward that is) would be a given I would've thought. Even as a decoy to get the defense a bit nervous aboout the dish off. Does get a bit predictable though and at best accuracy is around 60% (just a guess) so you wouldn't wanna be depending on this as an avenue to score too often.

Can't remember the game (west coast weren't involved) but there was a set play where the two forwards set up in the goal square when there was a stoppage just inside the centre square. At the bounce the ruck tapped it to a designated spot where player X was already on the move to. Player X's tagger was bumped by player X's teammate to give him that extra half a metre. Other players on the team around the stoppage cleared a path by blocking their direct opponent and gave player X free run to the ball. He swooped took the ball out and by this stage forward had already started his lead to 30 metres out in front of goal because he's direct opponent was blocked/bumped by the other forward (bit like a pick and roll in basketball). He had a good metre and a half on him. Player X delivers the pass on to his chest and forward goes back and goals. The play took less than 10 seconds to unfold. It was really well worked and nice to watch. Of course the opposition didn't have numbers back or a loose man in defense (probably why they ran the play).

Its a bit complicated and requires some coordination and the ball to fall your way but certainly not rocket science either. I'm just surprised it doesn't happen more often.