Effes wrote:
https://twitter.com/1116sen/status/1785227040033325325
Daniel Hoyne outlines the area of the ground that is the biggest concern for the Blues right now
No surprise. When Voss talks about our defensive problems, he's not just talking about our back 7. They made some critical errors on the weekend but our defensive problems are coming from further up the ground.
Some people get carried away by the clearance numbers but have a look below the surface how they're being obtained and the positive/negative outcomes of them.
We brained Geelong at centre clearance numbers but they outscored from centre clearances. We outscored them at stoppage clearances but we're pushing half forwards up to the contest to outnumber them. We win the ball, kick it forward and they brain us on the turnover as they have extra numbers.
We smashed GWS at the clearances. Cripps dominated, as did Walsh. Hewitt had his highest rated game in 2 years. At half time we scored 27 points to their 6 from centre clearances. Cripps had 19 possessions and 6 clearances. Yet GWS led on the scoreboard. Because they smashed us at turnover.
In the second half we continued to dominate clearance but it was our turnover game that changed. We outscored them heavily from turnover. That's what turned the tables. The facts are there for everyone to see. 17 of the past 18 premiers have been top 3 at the turnover game. The clearance game is incidental. It is the icing. The turnover game is the cake.
It's the balance we have to find again. After the first 3 games we conceded the 2nd lowest score from turnover. Since then we're 14th. We've conceded the second most points in the AFL. We're conceded the second most marks in defensive 50.
This isn't a 1 or 2 ruck debate. I was supportive of the coaches bringing in Pitto as we needed a different method with our injury list.
It's about system v talent. IMHO, if we prioritise the clearance game, we're relying on talent. We need Cripps, Walsh etc to have big games and we put players around them to support the method. But what happens when the talent doesn't fire?
Last year when Cripps had 27+ possessions, we won 9 out of 10 games. When he was stifled or underdone (less than 20 possessions), we won 1 of 6 games.
We can't keep pushing extra numbers up to stoppages to win a stoppage. It leaves loose opposition players and it allows our mids to be lazy. It removes accountability. If you can't win the stoppage one on one, then is it as sound strategy? We need to focus on system over talent. We have to get turnover working first and then add clearance. Not at the expense of the turnover game.
We won the first 3 games playing a turnover game. We were number 2 turnover team in the AFL. Since then it's turned to shit except for the second half against GWS. The clearance game is a big bonus but we need balance.
Getting back to our back 7, they need to be better. I'm sick of seeing players leave their opponent without impacting the contest. When the opposition are streaming down the ground unmanned, I understand players must leave their opponent to pressure. But flying continually into contests without impacting (Kemp), running into stoppages without impacting (Williams), they're the same stupid decisions these players are making week after week. Kemp has so much talent but he must frustrate the hell out of the coaches. His ball use has improved but he keeps making junior football mistakes.
We're pressing too high without watching the opposition players dropping behind us. Including our mids. There's no need for them to all push inside our forward 50 as they're getting burnt going the other way.
As several of us have said previously, we're desperate for a tall defender with some physicality. Hopefully the club is scouring every inch of earth before the mid season draft.
Hopefully the return of players will again provide pressure on spots in the team because at the moment, too many players are playing on their own terms.
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