Roast We don't shepherd

[gbatman]

Been watching this all year and it's really bothering me. We just don't shepherd. We give the ball off and go kick chasing instead of shepherding.

The Collingwood game there were only really about 3 decent shepherds the whole game. The best one I think was by Austin which allowed Houlihan to carry the ball from half back to half forward. This really shows how shepherding creates and allows run if someone as slow as Houlihan can run it that far. This is why we lack run, this is why we are constantly disposing of it under pressure causing turn overs.

Good sides lay a lot of shepherds, and hard heavy shepherds at that. We don't.

 

[thylacine60]

gbats, you and I seem to run reasonably parallel when it comes to what shits us with the team. You're dead right, once we have got rid of the ball that seems to be our job done. The fact is it's about a third of the job done - shepherding and running on to link up down the ground among the other acts we don't reckon have much importance.

Get the ****ing Storm boys back at training I say.

 

[gbatman]

Ratts needs to lay down the law and drop any one who doesn't lay 3 good shepherds per game. Start at 3 and make it more, more for onballers.

 

[The Coach]

A tackle requirement could be useful too - I am with Kouta (SEN tonight) - our onballers do not work anywhere near hard enough You could really hear it in Kouta's voice - how disappointed he was that none of our younger guns stepped up on Friday night, adding it cannot be left to Juddy and Fev all the time

 

[Bronze]

Great teams are full of players who want to make their team mates better footballers.

Just look at Geelong, St Kilda and Collingwood's backline......they have got to be best mates or they just want to do whatever it takes to help each other and be successful as a group.

I honestly never get that impression from our blokes.....and when I see Thornton cracking it with someone, Fev being half-ar$ed every second or third week or Stevens showing more support to his local pub, it just shows we are way off being a top team.

 

[The Coach]

Great teams are full of players who want to make their team mates better footballers.

Just look at Geelong, St Kilda and Collingwood's backline......they have got to be best mates or they just want to do whatever it takes to help each other and be successful as a group.

I honestly never get that impression from our blokes.....and when I see Thornton cracking it with someone, Fev being half-ar$ed every second or third week or Stevens showing more support to his local pub, it just shows we are way off being a top team.

Cant you just post some bs - the truth is scary stuff. Mind you Maxie H has been known to give the occasional spray

 

[Cruiser23]

It is a flaw that floats all about the AFL, Clint Jones put in a shocking lack of effort that result in a dogs goal on the weekend. It is all about desire and willingness to help your teammate and Bronze hit the nail on the head i think. Teams will do this if they are a very tight net group, the coach can try to enforce it but at the end of the day it is up to the players. These tight groups are normally the top line clubs, right now that isn't us.

 

[DibbsOnGibbs]

Can't agree more, guys. Without the block, the player who has the ball is put under additional pressure and can often lead to a turnover. Definitely needs to be worked on.

 

[Juddys_navy_blues]

Unfortunetly there is more than just the sheparding that we need to worry about. Our disposal,tackling and decision making are all poor at the moment. We turn the ball over very easily and are left flat footed because we are running forward, the players really need to start working harder for each other and yes sheparding is one of those things, but until they start playing as a team and stop relieing on the same few to do the job we will only be a team making up the numbers.

 

[TwiggleyFanClub]

Ratts needs to review the game and for every time a player could have blocked and didn't, then they get a lap of the oval.
And do it every single week until they learn.

 

[HARV3Y]

Ratts needs to review the game and for every time a player could have blocked and didn't, then they get a lap of the oval.
And do it every single week until they learn.

haha that approach sounds a little under 12's to me but I agree with you in theory.

Shepherding is what I love MOST about Aussie Rules - so unselfish, the act underpins the term 'team sport'. Which is why it's so frustrating when Carlton doesn't look after their team mates

 

[TwiggleyFanClub]

haha that approach sounds a little under 12's to me but I agree with you in theory.

LOL quite fitting then. It looks a bit like Auskick at times out there.
Sometimes an old-fashioned flogging is called for.

Shepherding is what I love MOST about Aussie Rules - so unselfish, the act underpins the term 'team sport'. Which is why it's so frustrating when Carlton doesn't look after their team mates

+1
Seeing your mate put their body on the line to give you that chance is a great feeling, and makes you want to do the same in return. TBH, I don't understand how do they don't get that.

They might at some point work out that it's also one of the things that help other teams break some of these zones and presses and whatever. If your team mates keep them off you for another 2-3 seconds, you have time to make a better decision or run into that space. :rocket_surgery...:

 

[Salaryman]

Noticed a huge focus on blocks, shepherds, 1%ers at TAC level, reckon its really starting to be drilled into the kids hopefully to the point it becomes instinctive as opposed to the exception in draftees.

 

[Silvagnis]

It is a flaw that floats all about the AFL, Clint Jones put in a shocking lack of effort that result in a dogs goal on the weekend. It is all about desire and willingness to help your teammate and Bronze hit the nail on the head i think. Teams will do this if they are a very tight net group, the coach can try to enforce it but at the end of the day it is up to the players. These tight groups are normally the top line clubs, right now that isn't us.

Spot on.

Scotland, Stevens and Houlihan are too old to change.

Second efforts aren't something you can just turn on overnight if a player was a ball magnet like Grigg, Gibbs and Murphy at junior level. I think I read on the draft board that Grigg was played as a sweeper as a TAC player by his coach and given the ball.

Dal Santo and Milne were dropped last year and told to work harder.

Yet look at how good the Saints have been with their teamwork in 2009.

The core of our next team is still young enough to develop this side of their game and improve. Walker being player as a tagger early on has turned him into an accountable footballer who knows how to attack, block and defend.

Walker placed a beautiful block on Ray last year and killed him to set Simpson free.

It was good to see Ratten play Yarran on Swan briefly on Friday night.

That move will show Yarran how hard he needs to work and run to become an AFL player.

 

[HARV3Y]

LOL quite fitting then. It looks a bit like Auskick at times out there.
Sometimes an old-fashioned flogging is called for.

haha I would love to be at training the day Ratts tells Fev he's got laps to do

 

[gbatman]

we would get at least 25% more out of players like Judd, Gibbs, Murphy, Simpson, Armfield, Scotland, Stevens, Betts, Yarran, Russell, Walker and Garlett if they were in a team of 22 players who put on shepherds when ever they could. We have plenty of running players but they are of no use if their team mates wont shepherd and allow them to run and carry the ball.

No wonder we turn it over a lot no one shepherds and gives the ball carrier time.

The difference between Ablett and Judd is Geelong shepherd, we don't.

It's simple, harsh penalties for players who don't shepherd. The coach must harp on it in hes match speaches and he must follow through penalties to players who don't put on enough good shepherds. Players need to worry about neglecting this part of the game.

 

[Blue since 72]

we would get at least 25% more out of players like Judd, Gibbs, Murphy, Simpson, Armfield, Scotland, Stevens, Betts, Yarran, Russell, Walker and Garlett if they were in a team of 22 players who put on shepherds when ever they could. We have plenty of running players but they are of no use if their team mates wont shepherd and allow them to run and carry the ball.

No wonder we turn it over a lot no one shepherds and gives the ball carrier time.

The difference between Ablett and Judd is Geelong shepherd, we don't.

It's simple, harsh penalties for players who don't shepherd. The coach must harp on it in hes match speaches and he must follow through penalties to players who don't put on enough good shepherds. Players need to worry about neglecting this part of the game.

Agree here. One of his few weaknesses, maybe the rest don't do it because he doesn't. Be nice to have a settled team as well, particularly a back six which should build more team oriented play. Can't be too hard for the players to commit to a basic tenet of the game though

 

[blues4flag]

Uhh...I think he meant Geelong shepherd for Ablett, while we don't shepherd for Judd, not other way round.

 

[Bluebear]

The difference between Ablett and Judd is Geelong shepherd, we don't.

Any more differences that might be important boy blunder?

 

[Blue since 72]

Uhh...I think he meant Geelong shepherd for Ablett, while we don't shepherd for Judd, not other way round.

Maybe, but have you seen Judd shephard for a team mate regularly? He's not the only guy in the team who could do with a shepherd now and then.

 

[Beloved]

We don't sheppard, we don't lead, we don't chase...

 

[gbatman]

When Aussie layed a shepherd to release Houlihan it was strange watching a bloke in navey blue lay a shepherd. Just strange watching a Carlton player make good body contact when he didn't have to...

Ah well, when we start shepherding, say hello to the top 4... Bar injuries that is.

 

[Lance]

Been watching this all year and it's really bothering me. We just don't shepherd. We give the ball off and go kick chasing instead of shepherding.

The Collingwood game there were only really about 3 decent shepherds the whole game. The best one I think was by Austin which allowed Houlihan to carry the ball from half back to half forward. This really shows how shepherding creates and allows run if someone as slow as Houlihan can run it that far. This is why we lack run, this is why we are constantly disposing of it under pressure causing turn overs.

Good sides lay a lot of shepherds, and hard heavy shepherds at that. We don't.

I agree, we don't shepard enough. And we don't look after our premium players who are being blocked, pushed and shoved by opposition taggers.
I would like to see Ratten instill a more physical gameplan. Too many of our players are getting physically targetted. Also, I reckon lately there has been too much individual play, and I'd like to see a really great team effort this week. It is a MUST WIN situation, because we won't beat Geelong the following week IMO.

 

[Muji]

I think there was a passage of play on Friday night where Judd had the ball in the middle and there were about three pies players around him.
He was just waiting for someone to block for him to set up a proper pass.. in the end after weaving his way, I think Grigg gave him a block and he set up Fev to kick that goal over his head.

 

[gbatman]

Tonight was shocking. No wonder we don't dominate young and second rate midfields. So many times where no shepherds or bumps when there should have been.