Yep. Let’s draft some forwards that can actually kick goals before we worry about tackling woes. Ballas was the best of both worlds but we won’t get anywhere without some actual skill in the F50.
Does it not depress you that you are more worried about how a forward defends than attacks? Not having a go at all as it’s the way the game is but it really shouldn’t be that way at the elite level.
It terms of where the AFL is at, not really, in terms of where we are at, yes. I just think our forward pressure is so diabolically bad that anyone up there sticking a tackle would be welcome. At the same time, our forwardline isnt exactly chock full of goal kicking talent so Motlop is going to have to be Cyril. No pressure
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Schultz plays too high for me, mainly because we don’t have any high half forwards. He laid 4 tackles on the weekend & if he was able to play closer to goal I’m sure he’d be more effective on the scoreboard & with pressure acts inside 50.
Fair enough. I could not be more down on what the AFL as a product is at the moment. Probably doesn’t help I watch more Freo than any other side but not a lot to get excited about elsewhere. Most sports good offence beats good defence, the AFL doesn’t even have good offence so the attackers are meant to defend to win. Depressing.
Good teams generate some of their score from repeat entries built on forward pressure. You can’t have a dangerous, attacking forward line if they can’t defend. It might be an indictment on the modern game but that’s the game they get paid good money to play.
I get it. I still hate it as the go to tactic at the elite level. Basically skill is secondary in the AFL a lot of the time. That’s my issue.
I think there’s a link between the two. Tackles and pressure acts lead to stoppages or free kicks. Free kicks inside 50 give everyone a 30 second breather. Stoppages slow the game down and let the defenders set up behind the ball. This should result in less basketball style transition running which reduces fatigue and makes them less likely to look like Saturday ammos with ball in hand.
This is an interesting argument because I follow the NBA pretty heavily these days and frequent the NBA subreddit often. There is a fair bit of backlash on there about the current state of the NBA vs FIBA (international). NBA is geared to be entirely offensive in nature and most are liking the fact FIBA ball actually allows players to be defended.
I know you are right. 100% but it still annoys me that the sport values defence so much over offence. The balance is so out of whack but it won’t change. I just hope we can have a player with SOME goal kicking ability in the next decade.
I’m watching ARG v SLO at the moment and agree it’s fun watching more defence than usual NBA. But it’s also awesome that Luka is still dominating and showing his skill.
I reckon a fit Sturt will kick plenty of goals.
Kicking goals requires skill that we accept our smalls don't have. Given that, tackling requires intensity and desire, which is not a skill but a mindset. If you're not good enough, that's bad enough, but if you don't even try, well that's unforgivable and a representation of where we're at.
Bit off topic for the footy but I’m not a basketball guy and I am intrigued about this. The USA men’s team look far from guaranteed a gold medal in Tokyo, do you think they are starting to struggle with some of the defensive structures other teams are playing?
The US bball team problem is three-fold
It's not we usually get up for these kinds of games. Weak.
It's going to turn into a 10 year build because of the older players we have lost (one way or another) and the massive amounts of development time we have lost on injured players.
I think the lost time for those players expands the hurt into the inability to get continuity into a best 22 (or at least a best 15 or so). Other players have played all over the place to fill gaps, structures have changed, often having to manage with too few talls (a list mgmt issue too) etc etc.
