Our gut two way running has been poor for years, it’s always been “optional” - and this culture has been passed on to our younger players who think it’s an acceptable way to play.

Thanks for that analysis CC1961.

I don't see enough run and breaking lines, expected as standard from the backline: attack starts from defense.

Have to have a think about the information. Interesting.

Only one in the backline who consistently tries to take the game on and break the lines is Willo.
Yes he makes mistakes and will continue to make them but at least he tries to do stuff.

Good analysis too CC1961. Interesting reading.

The run past handball is great if you have someone down field to give it to.
Usually our forwards are too high to take advantage of a runner who breaks the lines.
It's also why we don't have forwards leading up at the ball carrier. Our forwards are usually running back from the HBF where they have tried to choke the opposition into a turnover. How often did we see Weitering have to stop instead of playing on tonight? How often does SPS have to go sideways instead of long down the middle? It's because we have no deep forwards. If you want to see what Harry could look like, watch Geelong's forward setup with Hawkins one out leading from the goalsquare. It's kid stuff.
Harry could do the same with one small forward at his feet or even a medium one.
He or someone else should be stationed deep in attack and lead out at the ball carrier. It would completely change out F50 entries, which at the moment are diabolical and why we need fifty of then to score 5 goals. One on one, there would be few FBs who could go with Harry so why not play like that? Open up the forward line with him and a small forward deep and the rest can go as far forward as they like. It would force the opposition to change their defensive structure. Harry or Levi one out in the square is a no brainer to me. He leads out and the mids run inside 50 with the footy and give it to him. The BP has to decide to go and make it a two on one contest or stay and mind the FP who stays deep. Or the FP leads out and if the BP follows him, the pass goes long to the small option out the back. To cater for the 6-6-6, the other four stand just inside the F50 and only go deeper if we get the clearance. The flankers start wide and run towards the goal posts at 45 degrees, leaving the spot in front of goals open for Harry to lead into. That gives the mids three passing options, depending on which side the clearance comes from.

I once devised a plan in a water polo game against a team we hadn't beaten for a few years. It was risky and depended on them playing a conventional umbrella attack and us forcing them to shoot from a bit further out by forming a four man diamond defence. We kept one player on half way, which in those days was as far as the goalie was allowed to pass the ball, and one further forward but not so the opposition goalie could man him up and risk the long shot from half way.
We had four goals on the board before they realised what was going on.

The moral of the story is that being predictable such as we are makes it easy for opposition teams to defend and attack. Opening up the forward options forces the opposition to change their defensive strategy or die.

I agree wholeheartedly my Gulf friend.

In this previous thread...
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=36989&hilit=degree&start=194

I wrote this...
Forwards competing for overhead marks just doesn't cut it.
How sick and tired do you get watching Hawkins, Lynch, Riewoldt, Kennedy, Darling running hard out on a lead for a straight forward chest mark??!!
Here's a recipe for success:
Casboult, McKay, McGovern all stand in the goal square at ALL times and when the ball appears over half way they ALL start running in Different directions - one straight forward, the others in opposite 45 degree directions.
THEN our maligned mids can drill it low onto the clearest looking chest at an achievable range of only 30-35 m out and Not on tight angles near the boundary.
yes- it means practice practice practice; but if they put in the effort and the coaching staff reinforce it we Win Every Game.
When those circumstances aren't created on other forward entries, then slam it over the top toward goal so an Eddie can run onto it and score.


Any decent combination of what we've both written would be 200% better than what we've got now.

Great Minds Think Alike, non?