Thursday Training. (No Didak)

[DNine]

twice just twice we isolated rocca and kicked to him one out the first time actually 1 on 3

Both times he marked and goaled, one wrongly called a free.

The times of rocca terrorizing teams along the fifty arc and clearing space up field are long gone, but taking marks and causing spillages from goal mouth to no more then 30m out are still there especially against sides struggling for Key defenders right now

I read this, and thought, that is spot on, seen it was Opti, and thought I'd better give credit where credit is due, that is spot on. Going long and direct to a contested marking situation, with Rocca involved, usually gives us the candies. We should do that all day long. Travis Cloke has to stand up to the pack marks, before Rocca is not needed. Jack Anthony too, has a little to learn in the pack mark situation.

Is there any team at the moment that we could say is using the long direct kicks into the hot spot in the fifty meter arch????

Or are we all chipping around a million times before getting it in there, leaving forwards not sure on when to make a decent lead. Time after time, forwards are not trusted over chip kicks around the fifty-sixty arch. When a kick is cut of in this zone (everyone seems sure has the better percentages as avenue to goal) the rebound would be half a kick worse, than the cut off, or outmarking of a key forward. If your kick is penetrating to a marking option well within 50, then the rebounders kick, comes to the zone in which the chipping style would be at instantly. So it is a good kick back in the opposite direction, if going long, as opposed to chip, which can be fatal as far as damage teams can do to you, if they cut it off.

 

[FuManchu]

Thems actually the opinions. I'll wait for a few more games before I form my own.

EDIT: And whilst I agree with your later post about Reid, Rusling, etc. we're not really placed to be trying Rusling out ATM. Why not play Rocca whilst Dawes is still finding his groove and Reid is working out his best position? Especially as Travis isn't yet making him obsolete?

Rusling is still in the same place as Reid and dawes, if for whatever reason he cant get on the track, then he cant get on the track. The end result is the same and this would have to be his last year by any other clubs standards to get him AFL fit.

Cloke isnt making Rocca obsolete, but Rocca isnt exactly making himself relevant either. Seriously, at age 31, he needs to be hitting his straps from minute 1 from the first game he played. Otherwise all he is doing is holding back the experimentation and development that is needed for the future. So far he hasnt justified his place in an underperforming side. To say he missed out on a few opportunties thru circumstance begs me to ask, what did he do to make up for that lost circumstance. Did he expect to be at the end of a chain of play or did he go and impose himself on the game?

 

[DNine]

Just a thought on that, it is just the reason I have high hopes for Ben Reid. If that boy is instructed to kick with a penetrating kick, each and every time he picks up the pill from defencive 50, he would be a danger.

Ben is caught out playing a small mans game, trying to chip the ball like the game plan suggests, and somene like Ben, 195cm tall, misses targets. So it is back to the VFL for him, running on a similar game plan, until A)He tidies up his short game or B) we get a coach that would encourage a bloke like Reid at the CHB position, to kick as far as you can to the furtherest contest, within your range, which I have seen 55-60 meters easily, kick it straight, and let our forwards, earn their money, and contest the marks. Let them do their job, midfielders, you do your job, which is front and center to the contest, NOT providing leads out to the pockets, to get the miraculous goal. Low percentage, dumb footy. Front and center to the contest, Didak, Medhurst, Thomas, Leon in front of Cloke, Rocca, Anthony. Why the hell are we not smashing side, I have only the one idea, and that is talked to death and it starts with M and ends with M.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

we'll find out soon enough thanks for the report matty

I doubt we'll find out until half an hour before game time

 

[Optimax]

I read this, and thought, that is spot on, seen it was Opti, and thought I'd better give credit where credit is due, that is spot on. Going long and direct to a contested marking situation, with Rocca involved, usually gives us the candies. We should do that all day long. Travis Cloke has to stand up to the pack marks, before Rocca is not needed. Jack Anthony too, has a little to learn in the pack mark situation.

Ive been watching football a long time DNine, every now and then i do actually know what im talking about

Is there any team at the moment that we could say is using the long direct kicks into the hot spot in the fifty meter arch????

North have done it occasionally, hawthorn as well, brisbane do it with brown and bradshaw. Otherwise no not a heap of teams do it all that often, we have a set up that could handle it both rocca and cloke isolated with their direct opponent and just a one small at their feet should be able to produce goals and take contested marks.

I really have no idea why we dont try it

 

[well left]

Why the hell are we not smashing side, I have only the one idea, and that is talked to death and it starts with M and ends with M.

Momentum?

 

[DNine]

Rusling is still in the same place as Reid and dawes, if for whatever reason he cant get on the track, then he cant get on the track. The end result is the same and this would have to be his last year by any other clubs standards to get him AFL fit.

Cloke isnt making Rocca obsolete, but Rocca isnt exactly making himself relevant either. Seriously, at age 31, he needs to be hitting his straps from minute 1 from the first game he played. Otherwise all he is doing is holding back the experimentation and development that is needed for the future. So far he hasnt justified his place in an underperforming side. To say he missed out on a few opportunties thru circumstance begs me to ask, what did he do to make up for that lost circumstance. Did he expect to be at the end of a chain of play or did he go and impose himself on the game?

Good points there Fu, I believe that when a midfielder grabs it any where in the attacking half of the ground, they should have pennatration to the contest. We don't play that style of game. Our ideal side for this game plan is No Rocca, No Cloke, Maybe Anthony, but we would be relying on players such as Medhurst, Didak, Thomas, Leon to be our main goal kickers. History shows that such players can kick your 40-80 goals at best. We need to bring the big forwards into the game. Midfielders need to get posession, and forwards are meant to get the big marks, IF the team want to set them the task often. I don't believe they are "often" or at least not often enough.

As Opti said though, the two times Rocca was expected to do what he is good at, he goaled one, and got the infamous free kick for the other. There may of been more than only them two, but there wasn't alot. Not as many times as when Rocca has been on song. Admittedly Rocca would be blowingthe grass off the surface if we did demand more of him, but to demand him to stand up the times we did, he did o.k.

I think Rocca should play every fortnight, but I believe Travis needs to start to take the contested marks in the hot spot, and give him a few chances before we give up. Every time, demand Cloke stand up, warm him up into the game. Don't expect him to lead 900 times in a game, and have half a dozen honoured. He needs to learn, as does Anthony, tough hard marks, hot spot. And encourage the midfielders to penetrate with their kicks.

 

[Col Davies]

Momentum?

Mum?

 

[well left]

Mum?

Could be metabolism if he was referring to Shannon Cox.

Sorry DNine - just taking the p1ss. You and Opti do make a very good point about our forward line.

It's nice to see you out of the MM thread too DNine.

 

[Optimax]

Could be metabolism if he was referring to Shannon Cox.

Sorry DNine - just taking the p1ss. You and Opti do make a very good point about our forward line.

It's nice to see you out of the MM thread too DNine.

im not great at art but hopefully tomorrow i can put together some sort of picture as to what i mean