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Basically cos we have heaps of them and they are talented, creative and usually quite good.
Last year (2019 after we said BYe to Brad) at some point (before the Port game) I was thinking about using Brown and Larkey as decoys for each other but then took it a few steps further. Jack, Garner, Wood, Tarryn (in his first season), Zurhaar, Higgo were all capable of playing as agile targets. Even LDU was leaping over packs like a marking forward. Cunners is a strong mark as well, tho an unusual choice as a forward. (Hi St Kilda.) Till he isn't. After round one I thought we were actually going with that strategy.
It gives us the option to rotate players thru the forward line as well. We have a good mix of talented mid forwards.
You'd probably mix Zurhaar and Ziebell with Larks which leaves room for two more medium forwards and a small. TT and Taylor are both good overhead and at ground level, Taylor from a very small sample tho. Then its a matter of drilling the midfield at kicking and the structures which need good awareness.
Say you go in with Larkey and a heavy/tall backline. Larkey becomes a decoy. Most teams will structure their defence around him. First two 50 entries of the game should go to him too, but we set up to defend that rebound. We allow them to push us into the pocket. Then we target marking leading med.
forwards in space on the fat side of the ground. It needs skill, vision and footy IQ to make it work but that seems to be what we are targeting in our players at the moment. WE have enough marking options among those medium forwards that the area about 40 m out, 25 - 45 deg angle on the fat side should be our go to zone and that at least one of them should get a clear run at the ball or enough space. We need good kicking tho. Elite level. Players like LDU, TT, Perez and Bonar have all shown great accurate, long penetrating kicks that open up space on the forward line. Zurhaar too thinking about it. Players like Jy have shown the ability to stop assess and hit open targets in a way that moves outside the expected flow of the game.
We are also making noises about a faster midfield. We need quick transition out of defence. That stops the handball sideways problem cold because there is pace and movement ... and movement can generate movement. This makes it easier for KPFs obviously but also for a fleet of good marking medium forwards.
Last year (2019 after we said BYe to Brad) at some point (before the Port game) I was thinking about using Brown and Larkey as decoys for each other but then took it a few steps further. Jack, Garner, Wood, Tarryn (in his first season), Zurhaar, Higgo were all capable of playing as agile targets. Even LDU was leaping over packs like a marking forward. Cunners is a strong mark as well, tho an unusual choice as a forward. (Hi St Kilda.) Till he isn't. After round one I thought we were actually going with that strategy.
It gives us the option to rotate players thru the forward line as well. We have a good mix of talented mid forwards.
You'd probably mix Zurhaar and Ziebell with Larks which leaves room for two more medium forwards and a small. TT and Taylor are both good overhead and at ground level, Taylor from a very small sample tho. Then its a matter of drilling the midfield at kicking and the structures which need good awareness.
Say you go in with Larkey and a heavy/tall backline. Larkey becomes a decoy. Most teams will structure their defence around him. First two 50 entries of the game should go to him too, but we set up to defend that rebound. We allow them to push us into the pocket. Then we target marking leading med.
forwards in space on the fat side of the ground. It needs skill, vision and footy IQ to make it work but that seems to be what we are targeting in our players at the moment. WE have enough marking options among those medium forwards that the area about 40 m out, 25 - 45 deg angle on the fat side should be our go to zone and that at least one of them should get a clear run at the ball or enough space. We need good kicking tho. Elite level. Players like LDU, TT, Perez and Bonar have all shown great accurate, long penetrating kicks that open up space on the forward line. Zurhaar too thinking about it. Players like Jy have shown the ability to stop assess and hit open targets in a way that moves outside the expected flow of the game.
We are also making noises about a faster midfield. We need quick transition out of defence. That stops the handball sideways problem cold because there is pace and movement ... and movement can generate movement. This makes it easier for KPFs obviously but also for a fleet of good marking medium forwards.