DownUnderChick wrote:
Just wanted to get a run down on the game plans and structures of the other 15 clubs.
Can someone with the smarts post them here and then I will sticky it so we can refer to it as season progresses to see why we suck so much at our game plan and structure?
Crows
Brions
Collonwood
Essenscum
Freo
Cats
Hawks
Dees
Roos
Power
Tiggers
Saints
Swans
Weagles
Doggies
I'm not going to give a detailed analysis of each individual teams gameplan. I have neither the expertise nor the inclination for such a large task.
What I will say though is that the three best teams (St. Kilda, Geelong, WB) all share similar properties in the way they play the game:
1. They defend ferociously and ''tightly'' the moment they loose possession. If the ball is lost at half forward, players deeper forward will push back hard to attack the opposition ball carrier, while the backline pushes up to attack the long get out of jail kick. This squeezes the opposition's space and time to think while in possession, reminiscent of how the Socceroo's played under Guus Hiddink.
2. Every team switches play but the best teams do it a whole lot quicker and are not afraid to break from the arc and take the game on. Of course it helps if you have defenders who are quick of mind and foot, creative and can kick well.
3. Their forwards work to create space and provide options at the same time. Revolutionary.
I mention these elements because these are all things we did poorly last night, but are also things I have seen us do well, if not consistently. The second half of the Freo game in Subiaco last year springs to mind. So I have hopes that we can actually play tactically astute footy.
On the other hand though, we have a fair few defenders who are neat kicks, but not what you would class as creative. And a few midfielders who you could say the same about. I'm of the opinion that anyone can learn and become better at anything. I'm not always proved right though.
Our forward line will naturally take a while to gell. I assume there is a gameplan in place that is being fine-tuned and tested under match conditions. I hope anyway.
I'm sure what i've written is no great news to anyone, but it's an interesting topic to discuss, no?