Why our game plan wins – A thesis

[Dr Tigris]

That may well be when we have the ball, but when they have the ball how do you think we will play it, I think they will concede some ground but not laterally.

Not sure. If teams take us on we'll try to have someone push up behind the mark I think. Otherwise we'll rely on our zones. It'll be interesting.

 

[Dr Tigris]

A good write up.

I think it was not so much a perfectly executed plan of drafting and developing players to suit a specific game plan, rather tailoring the gameplan to suit the players we had on our list.

Dimma had tried to force a game plan from '14-'16, and finally gave up and tailored one to suit the strengths of our squad instead..."i'm just going to let the boys play" And it is that gameplan you have explained imo.

Our strengths are a great backline, good midfield and forward line, a gameplan that suits our quick pressure chaos players forward of centre, and good leadership on and off the field that results in as close to 100% buy in from the players as possible.

My first draft was about the evolution of our game plan. I reckon there is a direct line from 2012-2015. 2016 Dimma tried to change a bit and it failed completely. The previous game plan relied on enormous pressure on the man through holding space and shutting down angles, followed up by overlapping runners to attack. That worked fine until finals. Then teams took us on and broke through the defensive structure an we were wide open. After 3 years of losing that way Dimma realised we had to go for a more physical pressure style (not so much occupying space). 2016 was a transition year, done badly.

So the underlying philosophy is the same(ish) - massive pressure on the ball carrier with direct run and carry attack. But 2017 showed that if we took the whole physical pressure thing and chaos ball out to a ridiculous extent we'd win premierships. Since then we've continued to grow the game plan.

But yes, we have drafted and developed players to play that high intensity repeat effort style. Without the right players it won't work. Our old style had similar physical demands, but was easily countered and out counter back was non-existent. We have used our players best attributes to our gain.

Kudos to Dimma for admitting his genius was junk and that he had to go back to the drawing board. Not sure how much of what emerged (3 premierships) was accidental and how much planned.

 

[Dr Tigris]

Sides stop short of completely copying our brand as it requires real discipline at team selection , you’re arguably leaving players out of the side EG caddy that are better players yet cannot perform a select role say that macca does equally as well . Takes real nerve and belief in a system to do that

I also reckon that playing guys like Cripps as contested beasts is the easy and obvious way. You won't be trashed for doing that. But taking a brilliant inside mid like Cotch and playing him a much less statistically rewarding role take genuine cojones.

People say Cotch is a lesser player, but he is much more influential now. Same sort of deal with JR. Pretty gutsy coaching to take super stars and make them team players. But = premierships

 

[Bojangles17]

I also reckon that playing guys like Cripps as contested beasts is the easy and obvious way. You won't be trashed for doing that. But taking a brilliant inside mid like Cotch and playing him a much less statistically rewarding role take genuine cojones.

People say Cotch is a lesser player, but he is much more influential now. Same sort of deal with JR. Pretty gutsy coaching to take super stars and make them team players. But = premierships

My point entirely

 

[Tiger2709]

I think it's more than mentality, it's an evolved whole of game plan and approach that is different.

I probably phrased my Dusty statement poorly. What I meant is that people reckon Dusty is why we win. If we replaced Dusty with, say Caddy, we'd lose a few goals overall, but still play our style and still win lots of games - especially finals. I reckon we'd win all 3 premierships without Dusty, but it would be closer.

Its not our top 6 although they are good its the quality of our bottom six, and the way we give them a simple job to do.

Daniel Rioli gets bagged but he does the job asked of him, especially in finals, same as our Captain sacrifices his own game for the team, not many clubs can get all their players to buy in to this style, Dangerfield would be horrified to have to share the limelight.

 

[guruisatiger]

TLDR = Too Long Didn't Read

My post was about 20K words long, so I gave a short summary up front for those who didn't wan to read my twaddle brilliant insight.

I read it was very good very informative

 

[Grrr]

Its not our top 6 although they are good its the quality of our bottom six, and the way we give them a simple job to do.

Daniel Rioli gets bagged but he does the job asked of him, especially in finals, same as our Captain sacrifices his own game for the team, not many clubs can get all their players to buy in to this style, Dangerfield would be horrified to have to share the limelight.

Our top 6 are pretty bloody good though, but yes the bottom 6 are also pretty bloody good.

 

[Soberian Tiger]

People say Cotch is a lesser player, but he is much more influential now. Same sort of deal with JR. Pretty gutsy coaching to take super stars and make them team players. But = premierships

Can't see Neale dropping to twenty-odd disposals after winning a Brownlow getting double that (game-time adjusted). Sort of takes Brissie out of the copy-cat stakes. Add in Daniher doing a Jack R and it's doubly unlikely, if it's possible to double zero precent for a different result.

 

[Ralll]

My first draft was about the evolution of our game plan. I reckon there is a direct line from 2012-2015. 2016 Dimma tried to change a bit and it failed completely. The previous game plan relied on enormous pressure on the man through holding space and shutting down angles, followed up by overlapping runners to attack. That worked fine until finals. Then teams took us on and broke through the defensive structure an we were wide open. After 3 years of losing that way Dimma realised we had to go for a more physical pressure style (not so much occupying space). 2016 was a transition year, done badly.

So the underlying philosophy is the same(ish) - massive pressure on the ball carrier with direct run and carry attack. But 2017 showed that if we took the whole physical pressure thing and chaos ball out to a ridiculous extent we'd win premierships. Since then we've continued to grow the game plan.

But yes, we have drafted and developed players to play that high intensity repeat effort style. Without the right players it won't work. Our old style had similar physical demands, but was easily countered and out counter back was non-existent. We have used our players best attributes to our gain.

Kudos to Dimma for admitting his genius was junk and that he had to go back to the drawing board. Not sure how much of what emerged (3 premierships) was accidental and how much planned.

Although over simplified I see it as 3 very distinct game plan or styles

2009?-2013. Attacking game plan that suited the group and allowed them play to their strengths and grow together.
2014-2016. Panicked after the Elim and implemented a far more slower and controlled game style that didn't suit our personnel. (I remember them stating that they knew half way through '16 they had it all wrong but couldn't change a 2+ yr game style overnight)
2017 - Went back to a game plan allowing the players to play more on instinct and which suited their natural strengths.

I'm not sure we "drafted and developed players to play that high intensity repeat effort style", I think it is more by drafting the best available talent we fell into the current game plan, successfully identifying our strengths and playing to them. But we can agree to disagree on that.

But as you said it's just great that Dimma finally changed what wasn't working, and the club stuck by him and gave him the tools and support to bring it all together.

 

[Bojangles17]

Although over simplified I see it as 3 very distinct game plan or styles

2009?-2013. Attacking game plan that suited the group and allowed them play to their strengths and grow together.
2014-2016. Panicked after the Elim and implemented a far more slower and controlled game style that didn't suit our personnel. (I remember them stating that they knew half way through '16 they had it all wrong but couldn't change a 2+ yr game style overnight)
2017 - Went back to a game plan allowing the players to play more on instinct and which suited their natural strengths.

I'm not sure we "drafted and developed players to play that high intensity repeat effort style", I think it is more by drafting the best available talent we fell into the current game plan, successfully identifying our strengths and playing to them. But we can agree to disagree on that.

But as you said it's just great that Dimma finally changed what wasn't working, and the club stuck by him and gave him the tools and support to bring it all together.

There’s way more system involved than players just acting on instinct , they’re zoning off ,applying pressure trapping the oppo to direct their thrusts forward right into the hands of our strategically placed interceptor defender

 

[northeasttiger]

Dr Tigris Hardwicks 2016 game plan was without doubt the worst game plan since Timmy Watson's failed attempt at St Kilda.

We crawled the ball up the field going sideways and backwards trying to copy Hawthorn on steroids and it was pathetic.

The introduction of Blake Caracalla and his game plan in the 2016 preseason training(November) when Dimma was sent to America to attend a course is where

it all began to fall into place. Blakes position was that he was in charge of ball movement.

 

[RFCGloryJC]

Good analysis Tigris.
Don't often watch replays but saw the first quarter of the Saints final.
It was interesting watching the up ground shot, seeing a Saints player look up from the wing, to see maybe 15 Tigers players occupying the Saints forward zone.
They use the term "swarm" in military tactics these days and that is what we do.
No system is failsafe however.
The only time they had effective scores was when they speared the ball quickly through the defence.
From memory, Butler kicked an opportunistic goal.
King had a couple of chances, should have fed the ball out to a pocket receiver, instead of snapping wildly at goal.
We dominated play, as is often the case, but let them sneak back to a respectable margin.

 

[Dr Tigris]

Although over simplified I see it as 3 very distinct game plan or styles

2009?-2013. Attacking game plan that suited the group and allowed them play to their strengths and grow together.
2014-2016. Panicked after the Elim and implemented a far more slower and controlled game style that didn't suit our personnel. (I remember them stating that they knew half way through '16 they had it all wrong but couldn't change a 2+ yr game style overnight)
2017 - Went back to a game plan allowing the players to play more on instinct and which suited their natural strengths.

I'm not sure we "drafted and developed players to play that high intensity repeat effort style", I think it is more by drafting the best available talent we fell into the current game plan, successfully identifying our strengths and playing to them. But we can agree to disagree on that.

But as you said it's just great that Dimma finally changed what wasn't working, and the club stuck by him and gave him the tools and support to bring it all together.

Sort of agree. I guess underneath it what I am saying is that the underlying philosophy of super pressure and run and carry attack hasn't changed. How it is done has transformed. The 2009-13 period was trying to build a team that could carry out a decent game plan. And yeah, you're right it was more attacking because that's the easy part. 2013-16 was pressure through controlling space, which teams worked out how to beat. Then 2017-now is physical pressure and extending that phase of contest.

On the drafting thing, it's in Yellow and black, and stuff various posters with inside knowledge have said on here + stuff the club has said. Just little comments. But they recognised an area of player performance that was undervalued and have recruited for that - running ability in all variants. I'd love to know the full story. How much was drafting following the coach, and how much was coach following drafting. Possibly a bit of everything. But genius to recognise a particular skill set that was systematically undervalued and to include that into the drafting and game style. An in built advantage over all other clubs, if you can use it properly.

 

[RunningBounce]

Sides stop short of completely copying our brand as it requires real discipline at team selection , you’re arguably leaving players out of the side EG caddy that are better players yet cannot perform a select role say that macca does equally as well . Takes real nerve and belief in a system to do that

Absolutely. The game style isn't hard to copy, and IMO, was not something original Hardwick introduced to football. The "kulcha" is very different from anything we've seen at the top level in my lifetime.

 

[RunningBounce]

Our top 6 are pretty bloody good though, but yes the bottom 6 are also pretty bloody good.

This might be the point that opposition supporters struggle with. Our bottom 6 can not be beaten one on one. Can not. They don't miss tackles. They might not win a lot of contests, but they don't lose any. And they don't stop chasing and harassing.

Do they play pretty outside footy? Not really. Many supporters struggle to see the value in a footballer that doesn't make the highlight reel.

 

[Grrr]

Our bottom 6-8 would be Graham, Rioli, Castgna, McIntosh, Pickett, Broad, Balta, Baker.
Fair players in their own right and not just role players.

Daniel Rioli

17

Daniel Rioli

Age

27

Ht

179cm

Wt

78kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.2

3star

K

5.8

2star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.7

3star

T

3.2

5star

MG

179.2

3star

D

8.1

2star

K

4.9

2star

HB

3.3

2star

M

2.0

2star

T

2.6

4star

MG

144.9

3star

D

9.0

3star

K

3.8

2star

HB

5.2

4star

M

0.8

1star

T

3.8

5star

MG

160.2

3star

is an interesting case, he looked back to full fitness in the back half on the season so only taking that into account, but it is not only his harassment and pressure he applies, but he rarely wastes a possession and almost never misses a shot on goal. Role players don't do that.

 

[tora tora tora]

One other part of our game that changed after 2016 was not racing ahead to big leads and then get mown down. We are now often behind at Qtr time or half time. And we play catch up footy

 

[RunningBounce]

One other part of our game that changed after 2016 was not racing ahead to big leads and then get mown down. We are now often behind at Qtr time or half time. And we play catch up footy

Good point. Part of the secret sauce is timing. Both in games, and across the season. Hardwick has always been clear in his view that momentum is critical in all sports. No point having the momentum going your way at quarter time or in Round 1. (Are you listening, Carlton?)

 

[TJASTA]

we also have Jack Graham

34

Jack Graham

Age

26

Ht

181cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.7

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

6.8

4star

M

2.1

2star

T

6.3

5star

G

0.4

3star

D

11.8

3star

K

5.3

2star

HB

6.5

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

4.2

5star

G

0.0

1star

D

14.0

4star

K

6.0

3star

HB

8.0

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

7.0

5star

G

1.0

4star

 

[Ceehook]

we also have Jack Graham

kapow

 

[Not Important]

must admit to thinking the game plan had more to do with carracella than dimma. wrong

 

[dusty1234!]

I just have one question. How did we manage to dominate clearences all of a sudden in finals?
In the round 11 game we lost the count 40-22 against port.
In the Prelim we won 41-29.

 

[Dr Tigris]

I just have one question. How did we manage to dominate clearences all of a sudden in finals?
In the round 11 game we lost the count 40-22 against port.
In the Prelim we won 41-29.

I wonder that. All of a sudden we win clearances. Previously we didn't even try to, we focused on the first possession from the clearance. I understand our set up etc. But what triggered the sea change. I had to rewrite my draft when they did that for 2020 finals. I imagine that there was a heap of analysis about how we were getting beaten and then fixing that.

 

[Dr Tigris]

must admit to thinking the game plan had more to do with carracella than dimma. wrong

Caracella was important in ball movement. But the underlying philosophy is DImmas. I reckon DImma is good at learning from others. He was the man who knew everything until 2016. Then from 2016 he's genuinely changed and is a learning machine. Dimma philosophy is pretty basic - immense pressure and take the game on through any way possible then run and carry. That's not a huge innovation. But how it all works together is pretty amazing.

 

[Dr Tigris]

One other part of our game that changed after 2016 was not racing ahead to big leads and then get mown down. We are now often behind at Qtr time or half time. And we play catch up footy

I reckon our style is relatively easy to beat, but not to continue to beat. All it takes is immense effort and poise combined with constantly being in the game. As we're the only team that plays the way we do no other team is used to doing this all game. So they get ahead based on effort and poise, and that slowly breaks down and we grind them under.

If you can play perfect traditional footy all game we'll lose - easy. It's just so hard to do that against us.