Opinion What exactly is our game plan?

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I keep hearing our game plan isn't working, we have to change it, but what exactly is it? There are systems, strategies, tactics, but isn't a game plan the overarching theme - sort of like a vision statement organisations have? What we want to achieve via systems, strategies and tactics??

The last few weeks when I watch us play, below is what I think our game plan is, especially at home and when we get the ball inside 50 at least 60 times.

http://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2016-01-07/long-bombs-to-snake
The whiteboard contained a list of Ron Barassi’s physical, mental and tactical demands; words to influence his men to win the 1977 grand final replay between Collingwood and North Melbourne. The final sentence, straight down the guts when we can, long bombs to Snake, highlighted the faith Barassi had in his full-forward.

Is that our sort of game plan - long bombs to Dixon, long bombs to Robbie (playing on a bigger bloke), long bombs wide to the boundary line??

For those who don't know who Phil Snake Baker was, you can read about him in the link above. He was a big time finals player who delivered in big games for Barassi and North Melbourne. As the article says, he wasn’t a star, but when Baker was on, he played like a star, and he kicked 15 goals for North Melbourne in grand finals, which remains a club record. Look up his you tube videos and watch Snake take big marks from those long bombs. Unfortunately Charlie, especially at night can't take uncontested marks from long bombs, so its probably not going to work too often when its a bomb to a contested situation.

Kenny used to dash off the half back line and put in long bombs to Ablett, Stoneham, Brownless, Mensch, Barnes etc. That's what Jasper has become this year, give me the ball so I can do a long 50m bomb to nobody in particular type player. I picked on Jasper because so many have said Ken likes him because he plays like Ken. But Ken could actually defend just not be a creative player off halfback. Ken won a B&F in a star studded Geelong era and was all Oz twice.

I know we like to do a forward press - is that part of the game plan? But we are hopeless at letting the opposition use counter attacking footy and slingshot footy when we have multiple inside 50's and don't score and they run the ball all the way to their goal square and its easy to kick goals from 5m out. Its hard to miss from 5m and your efficiency numbers improve. Is that part of the game plan? If not what do you call it?

I know we like to play wide because we were spooked by turnovers and sides forcing Port games to have the most stoppages in 2015 and I think 2nd most ( maybe 1st) in 2016. Is that the game plan, to avoid the corridor and turnovers?

I know Ken loves playing small defensive forwards who aren't that good at taking marks and kicking set shot goals or snaps, over tall forwards who should be taking marks, or at least creating spillages for small forwards concentrating on crumbing to take advantage of them, rather than their next defensive pressure act. Is that the game plan, a strategy or a tactic? Stuffed if I know any more.

Now playing Jacko on Rance was a masterstroke IMO - BUT for only half a game. It would have been considered brilliant if we kicked goals from those entries inside 50 that Rance couldn't get to to defend. Jacko bamboozled Rance and Rance didn't know what to do. I know that was a tactic. But Rance was smart enough to wake up at half time and having Justin Leppitsch as your defence coach who was a brilliant attacking KPD, as good as Rance, probably also gave him a slap across the face to wake up. Then after about 5 minutes of the 3rd quarter it stopped working. Ken should have changed things, either put Dixon on him or taken Clurey and use him to negate Rance as Clurey is fitter and more mobile than Jacko so Rance couldn't ignore him like he did with Jacko for most of the second half. Is that what people mean by we dont have game plan B?? If we had taken advantage of it and been 10-5 instead of 5-11 at halftime and kept them to their half time score of 3-8 we probably would have won.

Surely a strategy when we play at Docklands is to play most of our fast players if they are fit and healthy as its the fastest deck in the league and in mid winter they put the roof on so the ground isn't heavy and greasy. Leave the slower bigger bodied blokes at home. Also leave the poorly skilled ones at home.

We have got Ryder back, recruited SPP and put Ebo back in the guts and we win enough of the clearances and contested footy to go forward enough times. Is that the game plan in operation or is that strategies?? We have done well in the mid field this year overall. Big tick from me.

Our defence has become pretty mean and solid. But we still struggle against the gorillia KPF's be it when they get more inside 50's than us or around the same amount. Is that part of our game plan or just a strategy?? Another overall big tick to that part of the team from me, but there has been some poor selections in a couple of games IMO from the coach.

So we have 2/3rds of the ground covered with good tactics, strategies and systems. The forward line is a mess. I don't know what you call what we are trying to do in there, because against better opposition teams we regularly fail with our forward set up, be it structure, tactics, strategies, systems and game plan and execution by the players. Call it what you like, but its an E or an F against the best sides, and probably a B+ against the dud sides and about a C- overall.

So fellow Port Bigfootyites please let me know what you think our game plan actually is because I don't know anymore.
 
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I keep hearing our game plan isn't working, we have to change it, but what exactly is it? There are systems, strategies, tactics, but isn't a game plan the overarching theme - sort of like a vision statement organisations have? What we want to achieve via systems, strategies and tactics??

The last few weeks when I watch us play, below is what I think our game plan is, especially at home and when we get the ball inside 50 at least 60 times.

http://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2016-01-07/long-bombs-to-snake
The whiteboard contained a list of Ron Barassi’s physical, mental and tactical demands; words to influence his men to win the 1977 grand final replay between Collingwood and North Melbourne. The final sentence, straight down the guts when we can, long bombs to Snake, highlighted the faith Barassi had in his full-forward.

Is that our sort of game plan - long bombs to Dixon, long bombs to Robbie (playing on a bigger bloke), long bombs wide to the boundary line??

For those who don't know who Phil Snake Baker was, you can read about him in the link above. He was a big time finals player who delivered in big games for Barassi and North Melbourne. As the article says, he wasn’t a star, but when Baker was on, he played like a star, and he kicked 15 goals for North Melbourne in grand finals, which remains a club record. Look up his you tube videos and watch Snake take big marks from those long bombs. Unfortunately Charlie, especially at night can't take uncontested marks from long bombs, so its probably not going to work too often when its a bomb to a contested situation.

Kenny used to dash off the half back line and put in long bombs to Ablett, Stoneham, Brownless, Mensch, Barnes etc. That's what Jasper has become this year, give me the ball so I can do a long 50m bomb to nobody in particular type player. I picked on Jasper because so many have said Ken likes him because he plays like Ken. But Ken could actually defend just not be a creative player off halfback. Ken won a B&F in a star studded Geelong era and was all Oz twice.

I know we like to do a forward press - is that part of the game plan? But we are hopeless at letting the opposition use counter attacking footy and slingshot footy when we have multiple inside 50's and don't score and they run the ball all the way to their goal square and its easy to kick goals from 5m out. Its hard to miss from 5m and your efficiency numbers improve. Is that part of the game plan? If not what do you call it?

I know we like to play wide because we were spooked by turnovers and sides forcing Port games to have the most stoppages in 2015 and I think 2nd most ( maybe 1st) in 2016. Is that the game plan, to avoid the corridor and turnovers?

I know Ken loves playing small defensive forwards who aren't that good at taking marks and kicking set shot goals or snaps, over tall forwards who should be taking marks, or at least creating spillages for small forwards concentrating on crumbing to take advantage of them, rather than their next defensive pressure act. Is that the game plan, a strategy or a tactic? Stuffed if I know any more.

Now playing Jacko on Rance was a masterstroke IMO - BUT for only half a game. It would have been considered brilliant if we kicked goals from those entries inside 50 that Rance couldn't get to to defend. Jacko bamboozled Rance and Rance didn't know what to do. I know that was a tactic. But Rance was smart enough to wake up at half time and having Justin Leppitsch as your defence coach who was a brilliant attacking KPD, as good as Rance, probably also gave him a slap across the face to wake up. Then after about 5 minutes of the 3rd quarter it stopped working. Ken should have changed things, either put Dixon on him or taken Clurey and use him to negate Rance as Clurey is fitter and more mobile than Jacko so Rance couldn't ignore him like he did with Jacko for most of the second half. Is that what people mean by we dont have game plan B?? If we had taken advantage of it and been 10-5 instead of 5-11 at halftime and kept them to their half time score of 3-8 we probably would have won.

Surely a strategy when we play at Docklands is to play most of our fast players if they are fit and healthy as its the fastest deck in the league and in mid winter they put the roof on so the ground isn't heavy and greasy. Leave the slower bigger bodied blokes at home. Also leave the poorly skilled ones at home.

We have got Ryder back, recruited SPP and put Ebo back in the guts and we win enough of the clearances and contested footy to go forward enough times. Is that the game plan in operation or is that strategies?? We have done well in the mid field this year overall. Big tick from me.

Our defence has become pretty mean and solid. But we still struggle against the gorillia KPF's be it when they get more inside 50's than us or around the same amount. Is that part of our game plan or just a strategy?? Another overall big tick to that part of the team from me, but there has been some poor selections in a couple of games IMO from the coach.

So we have 2/3rds of the ground covered with good tactics, strategies and systems. The forward line is a mess. I don't know what you call what we are trying to do in there, because against better opposition teams we regularly fail with our forward set up, be it structure, tactics, strategies, systems and game plan and execution by the players. Call it what you like, but its an E or an F against the best sides, and probably a B+ against the dud sides and about a C- overall.

So fellow Port Bigfootyites please let me know what you think our game plan actually is because I don't know anymore.



I wonder whether Wingards long kicks to nothing in the last were kinda saying to Ken, 'great forward structure coach'....
 
I wonder whether Wingards long kicks to nothing in the last were kinda saying to Ken, 'great forward structure coach'....
I reckon on at least 2 occasions maybe 3 times in the last quarter that he was more to the eastern side of the ground, my side of the ground, he said * you I am kicking it to where there should be our forward. On the first occasion I was pissed off and loudly said, Chad that is dumb, and the lady in front of me said where else could he go and I said he could have gone 50m on a 45 degree angle towards the western side as at least we had a one on one out wide on that side - they would have had to run 20m to get there.
 
I feel the defence and midfield is working fine. We have some issues with the midfield working hard enough running back, but overall fine. the only major issues I see is:
- we end up by the boundary line inside 50 or worse in the pocket
- we can't kick straight and thus waste our goal scoring opportunities
- our forwards are lazy and don't chase and put pressure on the opposition defence

Individual player issues:
- neade can't tackle and doesn't know where to stand in marking contests. Players no longer pass to him, which suggests a loss of confidence in Neade.
- Solution - Go to the gym and watch replays of Aker or Betts

- Dixon can't mark the ball as his hands are hard. Hard hands may be great in contested packs to mitigate the spoil but leading marks need softer hands.
- Solution - only allow Dixon to use soft hands and where he feels he needs hard hands, tell him to tap the ball to advantage

- RGray can't be fd running
- Solution - Ken to grow a pair and tell Gray to do the team thing or play SANFL.

- SGray, Pittard, Boak, Westhoff, White and co - are all capable players but to often aren't rolling out an AFL standard game
- Solution - Ken only knows


Often it is only one or two things that need to change for the whole game plan to click. Perhaps Howard is the man to turn things around or perhaps turning to a youth policy and building for 2018/19 is the only way.

In short, our major issue is our forwards inability to mark, kick straight and generate pressure on the rebound.
 
... - Dixon can't mark the ball as his hands are hard. Hard hands may be great in contested packs to mitigate the spoil but leading marks need softer hands. ...
That comment is so last season. Dixon's one grab marking has been excellent this season although he was a bit off on Saturday night.
 

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2015: Bomb it on Neade's head when he's 3 vs 1
2016: Bomb it on Dixon's head when he's 3 vs 1
2017: Bomb it on Robbie's head when he's 3 vs 1

And have your second tall forward tag the opposition's best key defender.
 
Geez haven't you been listening? You get what you deserve.
 
That comment is so last season. Dixon's one grab marking has been excellent this season although he was a bit off on Saturday night.
He dropped 2 piss easy uncontested marks inside 50 in the first quarter and over ran a ball going for a mark in the 2nd quarter on the eastern wing and lent back to mark it but spilt it.

I sat a couple of rows back from normal seat and at half time talked to Damian xxxx who used to work in the club's community programs for a decade and said Dixon needs to get his eyes checked because he drops too many marks at night. He took about 6 marks after half time and I dont think any of them were inside our 50m arc.
 
He dropped 2 piss easy uncontested marks inside 50 in the first quarter and over ran a ball going for a mark in the 2nd quarter on the eastern wing and lent back to mark it but spilt it.

I sat a couple of rows back from normal seat and at half time talked to Damian xxxx who used to work in the club's community programs for a decade and said Dixon needs to get his eyes checked because he drops too many marks at night. He took about 6 marks after half time and I dont think any of them were inside our 50m arc.
As I said he was a bit off on Saturday night but overall he has been one grabbing plenty of marks this season. He has ditched the concrete hands from last season.
 
As I said he was a bit off on Saturday night but overall he has been one grabbing plenty of marks this season. He has ditched the concrete hands from last season.
It was more than a bit off when you get 2 absolute sitters in the 1st quarter and can't hold them.
 
"Plan, you mean plan 2014 isn't going to win us a flag. Harty, Vossy, apparently this plan of playing The fast guys and bombing into the forward 50 isn't going to win us a flag. Somebody just said something about structure and all. What's this nonsense talk?". "All good Kenny, just bring Toumpas and Youngy in. I'm sure the boys will turn it around soon, I know it's been 2.5 years but it's going to happen. We need to keep backing them in".

I'm pretty sure that's our footy mantra. Just keep backing them in and we will get what we deserve.
 
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So fellow Port Bigfootyites please let me know what you think our game plan actually is because I don't know anymore.
Hack it forward. Preferably wide to make it easier to lock ot in or slow them down. If they don't mark it try and lock it in. If we cant lock it in, try to slow them down and force them wide.

If we somehow get it hack it at goals.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 
I'm convinced Ken is desperate for one of the players to win goal of the year.
The higher the degree of difficulty the better, we don't get anywhere near enough easy goals for all the entries and effort.
 
I reckon on at least 2 occasions maybe 3 times in the last quarter that he was more to the eastern side of the ground, my side of the ground, he said **** you I am kicking it to where there should be our forward. On the first occasion I was pissed off and loudly said, Chad that is dumb, and the lady in front of me said where else could he go and I said he could have gone 50m on a 45 degree angle towards the western side as at least we had a one on one out wide on that side - they would have had to run 20m to get there.

I remember thinking, Chad is a lot smarter than that, I think he felt if he went in board the way we were going they probably would of coughed it up. He kicked it to where a 'Schulz' would of been leading to, I think he was sending a message, play a bloody leading forward Ken.
 

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