Here is an interesting article from 'The Age' today and shows the clubs are finally realizing what I have been saying for several years on how to thwart the rolling mall/press/zone.

Unfortunately, the table shows Carlton isn't among the trendsetters. Collingwood, of course is and on Friday we will see Essendon* doing it against us. Essendon* is the leading long-kicking club in the comp, shading Collingwood.

This is an argument for three talls if there was ever one but they have to be able to mark the footy when it comes. Or at least bring the ball to ground.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/long-way-to-the-top-20110413-1de8f.html

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

Our problem is holding the ball in midfield for too long when attempting to find a way through the zone into the forward 50, more so than beating the zone all over the park. We should be drilling them that they each have a maximum of five seconds per possession, then they need to move the ball on.

Then we should structure drills around this 'rule' so that they force themselves to get faster at reading their options.

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They hold it up in midfield as none of our forwards can mark.

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Sometimes, sometimes it's because they're too scared to try (or have been told not to).

If you're not making them shift or adjust the zone at all, time spent waiting for something to happen isn't going to help.

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Exactly!
And against Collingwood the other night it became obvious a couple of times that time spent looking for options is in fact counter productive against a team which adjusts its zone depending on the position of the ball relative to the defensive goal (or attacking goal when they have it).

Even 5 seconds is too long. Sometimes they have to rely on intuition or decide where they are going to kick the footy if they get the next possession and just do it. If their teammates are running to position, the next kick will be thereabouts. This seems to be the big difference in Collingwood and the rest ATM. Last week a couple of them kicked without looking to a space they KNEW was there and in front of a player they KNEW would be running into it.

When in doubt, kick over the zone into space so that even if there is a turnover, it is away from the danger area and forces the opposition to restructure a bit. Turnovers in the 'scrum' if I may use that term, close to goal are what the good teams are looking for. Including us.

Kick it long when you have no immediate short option. Don't wait for something to happen.

'And DON'T do nothing'. (J Kennedy Sr)

_________________
Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

Long and flat.

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.