Quote:
If I look at last year’s All-Australian backline, the one common thread is that these players back themselves against their direct opponent — Brad Sheppard, Harris Andrews, Luke Ryan, Nick Haynes, Darcy Moore and Darcy Byrne-Jones weren’t picked for their attacking flair. They were picked because of their ability to play hard, tough, unrelenting, one-on-one defence, and then came the flair.
Natural flair is incidental compared to defensive work.
But watching last year and particularly looking at the Round 2 Carlton-Collingwood match, Lachie Plowman (is not the Blues’ Robinson Crusoe) and Liam Jones to a degree, allowed their opponents (Jordan De Goey, Brody Mihocek and Mason Cox) too much room and the luxury of leading into space. It was Carlton’s downfall.
Sam Docherty, who I love as a player and who is coming off knee issues, needs to address his starting point and become a lot more physical. As co-captain he can’t go another match without a tackle. He must set a physical example for a tame Blues’ backline.
Contrast that with the way Nick Vlastuin, Dylan Grimes, Brayden Maynard, Darcy Moore, Jeremy Howe, Andrew Harris, Callum Wilkie and Jeremy McGovern transition their play from highly defensive to offensive at the right time, and you can see why these players are so hard to beat one-on-one.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/mick-malthouse-art-of-defence-in-danger-of-being-eroded-from-afl-history/news-story/767c2e707f28f1812e779931fc84532c2 things today for the defenders:
Don't go blaming the coach for your man, and Its time to tighten up on your man, to make sure they know of your presence, and, mids, or 7th defender, fill the holes to block the leading lane. Simple stuff.
FFS, Tackle, Tackle, Harass, Harass, Spoil, Shepherd, Block, Scratch, knee, elbow...win the one on one, and stop this stupid laid back method of defense called "corralling". Supporters are sick of this Carlton way of defending.
There's plenty of examples now of how winning footy is played in 2021 of the virtues of attacking the ball and man instead of the insipid corralling, see Crows, Swans and Freo...and even Druggies can do it now.
If we attack the man and ball with ferocity, we play to our strengths as a contested team, we can win this by 10 goals today.
Its a fast track, where marking strength should help with the win. Harry, Levi and Silvagni should be fit to play this week (MC, I'm looking at Levi). They hold the advantage of height in the forwardline so I expect 10 from them alone.
Go Blues
Happy Easter