News Sorento training camp

[40yearBLUE]

Realising they needed more size in defence, the Blues drafted Matthew Watson, a 195-centimetre, strong-bodied key defender from the Calder Cannons, and the 194-centimetre Pat McCarthy from Glenelg.

Jamison said Watson was a legitimate chance to make his senior debut next season.

''Matty Watson doesn't look out of place. He is kicking the ball pretty well and making good decisions, which is probably what you look for in a new kid,'' he said.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/blues-to-learn-from-pie-and-saint-defences-20101129-18dyv.html

Heres hoping its Rd 1

 

[Sin City]

The bit about learning from the filth and Saints defense is interesting. It could be that all these half back types we seem to have on the list is because we might be playing with a few extra numbers back in defense rather than leaving the defensive 50 so open like we had a bad habit of doing last year.

 

[40yearBLUE]

I dont know about that, I dont think we will flood, its not our game. Our game will be fast and accurate (yes accurate, thats what Ratts means when he says he is looking for players that can kick) ball movement. We did lack some size in defence, but the under reported aspect of defence is midfield control. The reason winning teams also look defensively strong is their mids are controlling the ball and the game.

I have heard people say that flags are won from defence, I dont subscribe to this, flags (in fact most games) are won in the middle. I accept a strong defence is important but part of its importance is it frees the mids to attack and move the ball with confidence whether by running it or kicking it. Its all interlinked, if the other teams mids are on top, our mids need to defend rather than attack.

The area we lacked in defence was against the fast break, where we lost control at half back and before you knew it, their key forward was lining up for goal. Stronger big bodied defenders will cut that down but control the midfield and you control the outcome.

Our defence wasnt terrible last year (mid table) but our much touted mids lost dominance during the middle part of the year. And as good as Judd is, and as good a season as he had, you need 6 dominant mids now.

 

[Sin City]

I dont know about that, I dont think we will flood, its not our game. Our game will be fast and accurate (yes accurate, thats what Ratts means when he says he is looking for players that can kick) ball movement. We did lack some size in defence, but the under reported aspect of defence is midfield control. The reason winning teams also look defensively strong is their mids are controlling the ball and the game.

I have heard people say that flags are won from defence, I dont subscribe to this, flags (in fact most games) are won in the middle. I accept a strong defence is important but part of its importance is it frees the mids to attack and move the ball with confidence whether by running it or kicking it. Its all interlinked, if the other teams mids are on top, our mids need to defend rather than attack.

The area we lacked in defence was against the fast break, where we lost control at half back and before you knew it, their key forward was lining up for goal. Stronger big bodied defenders will cut that down but control the midfield and you control the outcome.

Our defence wasnt terrible last year (mid table) but our much touted mids lost dominance during the middle part of the year. And as good as Judd is, and as good a season as he had, you need 6 dominant mids now.

We'll see. I think our defenders are good (Bower was obviously shot last year but he's a gun when fit) but the defensive play of the whole team was lacking at times which is kind of what you're saying as well. Too many times we had players pushed right up the ground and the opposition had an open forward line to kick to. It doesn't matter how good your defenders are in that situation, they're in big trouble. I wouldn't be surprised to see a huge focus next year on not giving the opposition so much room to move in their forward line.

 

[Alice]

We'll see. I think our defenders are good (Bower was obviously shot last year but he's a gun when fit) but the defensive play of the whole team was lacking at times which is kind of what you're saying as well. Too many times we had players pushed right up the ground and the opposition had an open forward line to kick to. It doesn't matter how good your defenders are in that situation, they're in big trouble. I wouldn't be surprised to see a huge focus next year on not giving the opposition so much room to move in their forward line.

Agree - Freo's early good form centered around their commitment to apply pressure across the ground and in numbers. Opposition were given little space to find targets and if they did they were swarmed. THEN as a team they ran the ball skillfully on the rebound. The defensive mindset across the whole team is paramount.

 

[Alpha1]

Excellent

 

[Jock]

I'm hoping the two ex Collingwood assistants have taught Ratts and the players the full zone press and its in play round 1.

Why ? Because it works and if we can master it we may just well put our self in a position to play off in the next two years.

We have to reduce the oppositions scoring by 3 to 4 goals a game on average and our current defensive system will not achieve that.

 

[40yearBLUE]

There is no doubt the most exciting brand of footy is games where we win, but that said, I hope we dont go negative to do so, we have creative mids and exciting forwards, I would rather see us play to those players skills than go defensive and win dour low scoring affairs. In other words go more Collingwood than StKilda.

It seems the Saints are moving away from the defense first or defense oriented approach to play a more attacking style. It works to an extent but in the end, you have to be able to outscore the opposition and I am not convinced keeping the others side score low at the expense of your own and just outscroring them, (in a low scoring game neither side scores well and there is rarely more than a couple of kicks in it) because if you have just a short lapse, especially late in a game then the other mob have caught you up fast. The saints had the best defensive record but only the 4th best percentage because they had only the 7th best attack, we outscored them by nearly 20 goals for the year.

I dont think Collingwood had an overly defensive game they scored well but again I see this more to do with their mids controlling the footy and winning the contests. Its a tough one to pick on the stats, they had the second best attacking record and the second best defensive record for the second best percentage overall, and they were not blessed with what you would call a gun forward line, none of their forwards registered in the top 10 goal kickers so again I believe it was their runners (Swann, Ball, Pendles, Daisy, Beams, Didak, Sidebottom etc) that made them the strength they were, and I believe that is how we can also build our side. Defensive pressure of course, but hurting sides with our attacking midfield and forwards.

 

[Blue since 72]

I dont know about that, I dont think we will flood, its not our game. Our game will be fast and accurate (yes accurate, thats what Ratts means when he says he is looking for players that can kick) ball movement. We did lack some size in defence, but the under reported aspect of defence is midfield control. The reason winning teams also look defensively strong is their mids are controlling the ball and the game.

I have heard people say that flags are won from defence, I dont subscribe to this, flags (in fact most games) are won in the middle. I accept a strong defence is important but part of its importance is it frees the mids to attack and move the ball with confidence whether by running it or kicking it. Its all interlinked, if the other teams mids are on top, our mids need to defend rather than attack.

The area we lacked in defence was against the fast break, where we lost control at half back and before you knew it, their key forward was lining up for goal. Stronger big bodied defenders will cut that down but control the midfield and you control the outcome.

Our defence wasnt terrible last year (mid table) but our much touted mids lost dominance during the middle part of the year. And as good as Judd is, and as good a season as he had, you need 6 dominant mids now.

Would agree with this, plus as Sin alluded to our mids push too far forward at times (all looking for a give and goal perhaps?... ahh the glory).

Adding the likes of Mclean, Gibbs and Lucas to the midfield and a settled defense in terms of personal wont hurt either.

 

[Jock]

There is no doubt the most exciting brand of footy is games where we win, but that said, I hope we dont go negative to do so, we have creative mids and exciting forwards, I would rather see us play to those players skills than go defensive and win dour low scoring affairs. In other words go more Collingwood than StKilda.

It seems the Saints are moving away from the defense first or defense oriented approach to play a more attacking style. It works to an extent but in the end, you have to be able to outscore the opposition and I am not convinced keeping the others side score low at the expense of your own and just outscroring them, (in a low scoring game neither side scores well and there is rarely more than a couple of kicks in it) because if you have just a short lapse, especially late in a game then the other mob have caught you up fast. The saints had the best defensive record but only the 4th best percentage because they had only the 7th best attack, we outscored them by nearly 20 goals for the year.

I dont think Collingwood had an overly defensive game they scored well but again I see this more to do with their mids controlling the footy and winning the contests. Its a tough one to pick on the stats, they had the second best attacking record and the second best defensive record for the second best percentage overall, and they were not blessed with what you would call a gun forward line, none of their forwards registered in the top 10 goal kickers so again I believe it was their runners (Swann, Ball, Pendles, Daisy, Beams, Didak, Sidebottom etc) that made them the strength they were, and I believe that is how we can also build our side. Defensive pressure of course, but hurting sides with our attacking midfield and forwards.

Collingwood played a full zone press and I wouldn't say their game style was defensive in fact with so many of their defenders sitting at the half way mark I'd say they were quite offensive. Its the proven way to go we look to be getting aboard the right train with the influx of new coaches that have had exposure to the game-style.

 

[Dramoth]

Talking of the Sorrento training camp, I think that it is time to cause every Blues lady on this forums mind to implode...

Sorrento Beach Recovery Session

*Warning for the ladies, lots of Carlton male flesh showing*

 

[Salaryman]

Too late...think lovemyblueboys has already experienced multiple implosions

 

[HARKER]

Would agree with this, plus as Sin alluded to our mids push too far forward at times (all looking for a give and goal perhaps?... ahh the glory).

The mids have to follow the ball and if we have the likes of Murphy and Judd forward at times, you'd think that to work in our favour.
I'm not sure how much time the mids did spend forward though, as the results were hardly there to suggest that to have been a success either.

Our backline was largely unstructured this year and with the addition of injuries and poor form from Bower along with Thornton out from what would have been a settled line up we were always going to struggle.
We were very depleted in the tall department down back, hence ..........

 

[drusswaylander]

The mids have to follow the ball and if we have the likes of Murphy and Judd forward at times, you'd think that to work in our favour.
I'm not sure how much time the mids did spend forward though, as the results were hardly there to suggest that to have been a success either.

Our backline was largely unstructured this year and with the addition of injuries and poor form from Bower along with Thornton out from what would have been a settled line up we were always going to struggle.
We were very depleted in the tall department down back, hence ..........

Weren't we actually one of the better teams at limiting the opposition getting the ball? I'm not sure how it ended up in the end, but with a couple of rounds to go we ranked in the top three at limiting our opposition's disposals and marks, yet were the easiest to score against, of the teams in the eight, once the ball entered the defensive fifty. To me that highlights Harkers point.

There were some big defences playing for the top teams last season and I think that was by design as part of an overall structural plan. Defensive efforts up the ground seem to be less effective if your pressure isn't complemented by big defenders to deal with less precise kicks coming in IMO.

 

[HARKER]

There were some big defences playing for the top teams last season and I think that was by design as part of an overall structural plan. Defensive efforts up the ground seem to be less effective if your pressure isn't complemented by big defenders to deal with less precise kicks coming in IMO.

We had Austin struggling with The Ants after his pre-season setback
Thornton was ousted for his juvenile posturing which sent him into a downward mental spiral
Bower was really not even there last year to be fair to him
White put a couple of fair performances together and then: Injury
Jamo had an ordinary year, not surprisingly.

The ball did come through the middle of the ground a little quicker and easier than we would have liked also, but it just seemed to me that the whole team had a very ordinary 5-6 weeks.
Whatever the problem was there is the one that we should be concentrating on.
That was not the team that I know us to be, win, lose or draw.

 

[drusswaylander]

We had Austin struggling with The Ants after his pre-season setback
Thornton was ousted for his juvenile posturing which sent him into a downward mental spiral
Bower was really not even there last year to be fair to him
White put a couple of fair performances together and then: Injury
Jamo had an ordinary year, not surprisingly.

The ball did come through the middle of the ground a little quicker and easier than we would have liked also, but it just seemed to me that the whole team had a very ordinary 5-6 weeks.
Whatever the problem was there is the one that we should be concentrating on.
That was not the team that I know us to be, win, lose or draw.

Probably didn't adjust as well as we would have liked to some teams just waiting for the opposition to try and either run or handball their way through their improved pressing zones, such as Collingwood. That defensive pressure really caused us to cough up the ball in bad spots.

 

[bowlingshane]

I hope the Blues don't come back to Sorrento. My six year old son asked one of their players for an autograph in a bakery. This well known player pretty much told him where to go. Was very disappointed and if I was 10 years younger I would have dropped him.

 

[drusswaylander]

I hope the Blues don't come back to Sorrento. My six year old son asked one of their players for an autograph in a bakery. This well known player pretty much told him where to go. Was very disappointed and if I was 10 years younger I would have dropped him.

You have a six year old son, but if you had only been ten years younger you would have dropped him...yeah right.

I would be very surprised if this was the case. Some players from all clubs have their moments and do get testy at times with some of the older fans, but generally they are good with the kids

 

[Sharks On A Plane]

I hope the Blues don't come back to Sorrento. My six year old son asked one of their players for an autograph in a bakery. This well known player pretty much told him where to go. Was very disappointed and if I was 10 years younger I would have dropped him.

u mad?

 

[Sin City]

I hope the Blues don't come back to Sorrento. My six year old son asked one of their players for an autograph in a bakery. This well known player pretty much told him where to go. Was very disappointed and if I was 10 years younger I would have dropped him.

Get your hand off it mate.

 

[Jezza U Beauty]

I hope the Blues don't come back to Sorrento. My six year old son asked one of their players for an autograph in a bakery. This well known player pretty much told him where to go. Was very disappointed and if I was 10 years younger I would have dropped him.

Fair enough if true.

Feel free to name the player.

 

[Sin City]

Sounds like a few of them should go back on training wheels

“Sugar” sweet at Sorrento

Kane Lucas is first to admit he’s no Lance Armstrong. But Carlton’s second year draftee, who quite literally fell off his bike in the Visy Park car park on Monday morning, insists there’s worse than him on two wheels.

“Jaryd Cachia came off three times, he got the hat trick. Young Kerry (Rohan Kerr) also came off, as did Dennis Armfield and Marcus Davies, so there was a few of us.”

“Sugar” sweet at Sorrento

 

[Blue and Silver]

Fair enough if true.

Feel free to name the player.

I concur. Pretty dog thing to do if true, please inform us of the player

 

[zeeCFC]

i call bullshit

 

[Blue since 72]

The mids have to follow the ball and if we have the likes of Murphy and Judd forward at times, you'd think that to work in our favour.
I'm not sure how much time the mids did spend forward though, as the results were hardly there to suggest that to have been a success either.

Our backline was largely unstructured this year and with the addition of injuries and poor form from Bower along with Thornton out from what would have been a settled line up we were always going to struggle.
We were very depleted in the tall department down back, hence ..........

Acknowledged.......however, I'm more talking in terms of our mids being guilty of pushing too far forward or guilty of having too many forward of the ball at times and then being exposed on a turnover, rather than being specifically played in a forward position. I agree with 30 year in that if our mids are controlling the game, both in attack and just as importantly in defending we will win more consistently. Lets face it, its not like we have the unfittest team out there and they just run out of puff running up and down.

Getting the right guys on the park through the middle will help our cause but our mids have been accused quite often of only running one way. In practical terms they obviously run both ways but if you're forward of the play and the ball gets turned over well... you're stuffed.

Don't disagree with your backline statements as it essentially gels with what I said (therefore it must be right).