The best form of attack..

ablettjnr

Club Legend
Suspended
Joined
May 25, 2005
Posts
2,723
Likes
2
Location
Geelong
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Centrals
Thread starter #1
is a good defence, and I think we have the best going around.
I'm not talking soley about our backline here either. Sure, our backs are great, but what really matters is the defensive pressure up forward put on by players like Ablett, Chapman, Kingsley, S Johnson etc. When the ball goes inside 50 and it's loose, these are the guys that lock it in there. I remember last year Gaz and Chappy were top two in the AFL for tackles inside attacking 50. That is impressive. So many of our goals or goal opportunities are created by our ability to keep the ball in the danger, or pressure zone, forcing our opponents to make the mistake. Then our able small forwards do their job.

Now our backline, they are special. Scarlett is the best full back in the business, no bias, just fact. He is. Harley would be top 5 CHB in the league when fit, (well, there isn't really any good CHB's anyway). Egan has some huge scalps and is improving faster than anyone could have predicted. Mooney and Milburn are both capable of playing back, forward, or in the guts. The key element that allows these two to be so damaging all over the ground is their defensive pressure, and attack on the ball. Both are essentially defenders, and their natural defensive instict sets them up perfectly to play up the ground. Our small backs eg Enright, DJ, Hunt, Rooke are full of running, and while they aren't lightning, they able to lay a tackle, and often run in groups, providing support.

Our mids, again not lightning, but tough as nails, and nearly all have a defensive side. Ling and Bartel are both very capable of bobbing up for a contested mark in the teeth of opposition goal, and neither lack any courage. Rooke, who has impressed us all I'm sure, has done so because he is so tough and plays an uncompromising, defensive game, that allows others like Corey, Tenace, Kelly to play the outside game that is needed these days.

So, in summary, whoever is the defensive coach down at Skilled, and I'm sure there is much of Bombers influence, they are doing a fine job, and defence, not necessarily backmen, will be the key to our Premiership tilt this year.

If you could be arsed to read this, I'm sure you will agree. Damn, that took ages.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

thehoff

Club Legend
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Posts
2,975
Likes
5
Location
Never Never Land
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
GEELONG
#4
ablettjnr said:
is a good defence, and I think we have the best going around.
I'm not talking soley about our backline here either. Sure, our backs are great, but what really matters is the defensive pressure up forward put on by players like Ablett, Chapman, Kingsley, S Johnson etc. When the ball goes inside 50 and it's loose, these are the guys that lock it in there. I remember last year Gaz and Chappy were top two in the AFL for tackles inside attacking 50. That is impressive. So many of our goals or goal opportunities are created by our ability to keep the ball in the danger, or pressure zone, forcing our opponents to make the mistake. Then our able small forwards do their job.

Now our backline, they are special. Scarlett is the best full back in the business, no bias, just fact. He is. Harley would be top 5 CHB in the league when fit, (well, there isn't really any good CHB's anyway). Egan has some huge scalps and is improving faster than anyone could have predicted. Mooney and Milburn are both capable of playing back, forward, or in the guts. The key element that allows these two to be so damaging all over the ground is their defensive pressure, and attack on the ball. Both are essentially defenders, and their natural defensive instict sets them up perfectly to play up the ground. Our small backs eg Enright, DJ, Hunt, Rooke are full of running, and while they aren't lightning, they able to lay a tackle, and often run in groups, providing support.

Our mids, again not lightning, but tough as nails, and nearly all have a defensive side. Ling and Bartel are both very capable of bobbing up for a contested mark in the teeth of opposition goal, and neither lack any courage. Rooke, who has impressed us all I'm sure, has done so because he is so tough and plays an uncompromising, defensive game, that allows others like Corey, Tenace, Kelly to play the outside game that is needed these days.

So, in summary, whoever is the defensive coach down at Skilled, and I'm sure there is much of Bombers influence, they are doing a fine job, and defence, not necessarily backmen, will be the key to our Premiership tilt this year.

If you could be arsed to read this, I'm sure you will agree. Damn, that took ages.
Fanstastic post. I really enjoyed it.

I certainly do agree with most of your points, I just hop the skills and pressure you refer too become more consistant in season 2006.

There were a more that a couple of games last year (and now this year) where i sat back in amasement of my beloved cats (i.e. Kangaroos, West Coast, Port Adelaide, Melbourne (final) and the most recent Brisbane game).

When watching the above mentionedgames, i sat back and wondered who could beat a Geelong outfit when firing and how we don't have a flag at the cattery in recent years, however i'm sure i'm not the only cats supported that has that special feeling about this group of boys!!!!

Please stay alert this year boys. No-one wants to see a repeat of the Fremantle, Collingwood or Melbourne (round 20) games this year.
 

ablettjnr

Club Legend
Suspended
Joined
May 25, 2005
Posts
2,723
Likes
2
Location
Geelong
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Centrals
Thread starter #5
After watching Davey on Sunday...

It's the reason he is so dangerous, his defensive game. Un-praised, but it is what gives him that ability to never be out of a contest. Like Catman mentioned somewhere else, it's why Moloney would never have become all he could, because he completely lacked a defensive game, similar to many of Melbournes front-running mids, eg Green. No place for guys like that at Geelong.
 

Sean Sheep

Senior List
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Posts
172
Likes
0
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Arsenal
#9
What makes it even more satisfying is that the forward defensive pressure was a real weakness in our game. Classic examples would be the night GF against Saints (and the rematch that followed) and if I remember correctly last years loss to Collingwood. It used to be frustrating watching the ball enter our forward 50 only to see it rebound out by the likes of Aussie Jones or James Clement as quick as a flash, therefore placing way too much pressure on the backline.

It has been a massive improvement in our game IMO.
 

Copernicus

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Jul 17, 2004
Posts
11,420
Likes
1,190
Location
Hotlanta
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
UGA, KSU, Knox C.C
#10
Good post and sums up the thoughts of many of us, I'd think. If we keep that sort of pressure up every week we're going to be bloody hard to beat.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

ablettjnr

Club Legend
Suspended
Joined
May 25, 2005
Posts
2,723
Likes
2
Location
Geelong
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Centrals
Thread starter #13
S "Thinks He's Daicos" J said:
spot on. i love the above quote too. heres a competition - name the odd one out. its a toughy.
Yeah, well, the K-dog had just kicked 8, so you couldn't fault him.
 
Joined
Apr 4, 2006
Posts
2,945
Likes
100
Location
join>may '07? - bandwagon
AFL Club
Geelong
#15
hey kopfy:

*Please stay alert this year boys. No-one wants to see a repeat of the Fremantle, Collingwood or Melbourne (round 20) games this year.*

you forgot the lions floggin', but still, have we had some great re-run action this year.

not alert.

not alarmed.
 

ablettjnr

Club Legend
Suspended
Joined
May 25, 2005
Posts
2,723
Likes
2
Location
Geelong
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Centrals
Thread starter #16
TheTimeCometh said:
hey kopfy:

*Please stay alert this year boys. No-one wants to see a repeat of the Fremantle, Collingwood or Melbourne (round 20) games this year.*

you forgot the lions floggin', but still, have we had some great re-run action this year.

not alert.

not alarmed.
I really don't get that at all.
 
Top Bottom