Strategy question

[Sportzilla]

As I learn about this great game, I have been watching 2020 replays. I notice most of the action occurs near the boundary line as opposed to toward the center of the pitch. Is this a strategy, to play the ball towards the boundary? If so, what is the logic behind this? Thank you!

 

[DanWCE]

As I learn about this great game, I have been watching 2020 replays. I notice most of the action occurs near the boundary line as opposed to toward the center of the pitch. Is this a strategy, to play the ball towards the boundary? If so, what is the logic behind this? Thank you!

It's risk vs reward, essentially. Playing along the boundary allows you to reset your structure and force a stoppage if the ball goes out of bounds. It's also a low area of risk to be scored against if you turn it over.

Playing through the corridor is the fastest way to hurt a team by scoring, but if you turn it over you're almost guaranteed to concede a goal.

Some teams play the high risk game, so they look to move the ball through the corridor with handball chains and playing on at all costs, whereas we like to control the ball, take care of it, work it around and break down opposition zones. This means we switch from boundary to boundary a lot, and don't start to move the ball quickly until we're in our front half.

 

[Sportzilla]

It's risk vs reward, essentially. Playing along the boundary allows you to reset your structure and force a stoppage if the ball goes out of bounds. It's also a low area of risk to be scored against if you turn it over.

Playing through the corridor is the fastest way to hurt a team by scoring, but if you turn it over you're almost guaranteed to concede a goal.

Some teams play the high risk game, so they look to move the ball through the corridor with handball chains and playing on at all costs, whereas we like to control the ball, take care of it, work it around and break down opposition zones. This means we switch from boundary to boundary a lot, and don't start to move the ball quickly until we're in our front half.

Thank you for that very good answer! It actually makes sense to me! I watched Carlton-Richmond this morning and saw some of each thing you described. Again, thanks for the explanation.

 

[Bender_]

DanWCE for Simmo's next assistant.