Efficient and effective ball movement

Football Discussion Dustin Fletcher Hangar
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This article tells the story of how good our defence is and how effective our ball movement has become.  5 of the top six most efficient users of the ball are from our backline. We also lead the competition in disposal efficiency at 74.5%.  

 

Productive ball use the turning point

Essendon‘s rise back into the top eight has been on the back off a solid patch of form on the field. After an up and down start to the season, a number of players have spoken about the bye in round 10 where instead of easing off coach Mark Thompson ramped things up.

A key focus under Thompson has always been clean ball movement, on several occasions he has pointed out it is what top sides do best. During that eight-day bye period, the Bombers clean ball movement was put under the microscope, and it is beginning to pay off.

Essendon now lead the competition in disposal efficiency (74.5%), highlighting the ability to keep the ball off the opposition, maintain possession and generate attack from clean ball movement.

Well-publicised sides with clean ball movement including Hawthorn (4th), Geelong (6th) and Fremantle (7th) are all inferior to the Bombers this season.

Ahead of the final period of this season we divulge just who the key players responsible for the regeneration of ball movement in the Bomber team are.

1. Dustin Fletcher- averages 19 disposals at 84.6%

The 39-year-old tops the list in disposal efficiency this season. He still remains as the cool, calm and collected head in the Bomber defence, hitting almost 85% off all his targets.

Many in the football world have speculated the veteran defender‘s future, yet if he can continue using his smarts down back for the Dons, and almost never missing a target, there is no reason why Fletch can not go round another year and crack the magical 400-game milestone.

2. Mark Baguley- averages 18.1 disposals at 82.4%

It‘s astonishing to think this is just Baguley‘s third season in the AFL. The mature-age recruit has been a sensational find for the Bombers, holding down the small defender position.

He is known for his tackling and defensive pressure, but unfamiliar to many is his use with ball in hand, going at 82.4% disposal efficiency this season. Baguley averages a respectable 18.1 disposals per match, mostly in the back half, and has developed himself into an all-round footballer this season with his previous defensive attributes, and now precise ball use.

3. Cale Hooker- averages 19.6 disposals at 81.4%

Hooker‘s 2014 season has gone from strength-to-strength as he surely heads towards his first All-Australian selection at season‘s end. Along with Hooker‘s defensive marking prowess and rare high-disposal count for a key defender, he also has been one of the Bombers clean ball movers.

Hooker has been the general down back, beginning many chains of attack for the Dons this season through his intercept marks and his extremely high disposal efficiency of 81.4%.

4. Michael Hurley- averages 18.7 disposals at 80.4%

A move to defence looks to have rejuvenated the prodigious talent‘s career. The 24-year-old was a high draft pick for the Bombers back in 2008, and has had plenty of ups and downs throughout his five years in the system. Yet, in what is his sixth year, Hurley is relishing the challenge of the key defensive position.

He is averaging a career high 18.7 disposals ranking fourth at the club in disposal efficiency at 80.4%. Linking up with Hooker, Baguley and Fletcher, the Bomber defence has four of the clubs top six ball users.

5. Patrick Ambrose- averages 11.7 disposals at 80%

Ambrose has been quick to join the best ball users in the team in his first year at the club. The lead-up forward has become an integral part of the forward line, working in unison with the other tall forwards in Carlisle and Daniher.

He averages a slightly less total disposals per match (11.7), yet the 22-year-old has stamped himself as a slick user with the footy in hand, going at 80% disposal efficiency.

Ambrose has also had eight goal assists, as well as booting 10 goals himself this season.

6. Michael Hibberd- averages 24.3 disposals at 78.1%

The already established smooth-moving Hibberd sneaks his way into the top six ball users going at 78.1%.

Signing a three-year deal this season has done wonders to Hibberd‘s confidence, as his average of 24.3 disposals per game this season is a career high. The 24-year-old has the highest disposal count per game of the top six emphasising his ability to hit target-after-target.

He also ranks seventh in the league for uncontested possessions per game in 2014 highlighting his ability to run and create an option in defence.

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2014-07-24/bombers-clean-ball-use

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Amazing stats, best defence in the league bar none.

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1. Dustin Fletcher- averages 19 disposals at 84.6%
Nah, He's done.

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It is amazing to think that only a couple of years ago we were probably one of the worst in the league.  We seemed to continually butcher the ball, particularly out of defence. How things have changed.

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1. Dustin Fletcher- averages 19 disposals at 84.6%
Nah, He's done.

 

This is credit where credit is due. Absolutely.  Fletch has mastered the  maestro / sweeper role in defence over the last 10 years.  Its not just about one on ones.  Hooker spoils, fletch and his team sweep up. 

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1. Dustin Fletcher- averages 19 disposals at 84.6%
Nah, He's done.

 

Averaging more possessions per game than Melksham and Howlett

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1. Dustin Fletcher- averages 19 disposals at 84.6%
Nah, He's done.

 

Averaging more possessions per game than Melksham and Howlett

 

 

If Melksham and Howlett won more possessions in the midfield and used them efficiently,  the backline would naturally get less possessions.  But remember we are not switching much through the backline much anymore.   That pattern of play has been put on hold because its too slow and telegraphs itself,  so the backlines count of uncontested possessions has been reduced

 

IMO the switch through the backhalf will be used less and less as we opt for a more direct , and up the guts game plan.  Theres no doubt we are taking the game on a lot more now.  

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This is a lot to do with the chipping around the Backline we did a lot early on… Pretty easy to be efficient when only 1 in 4 kicks don’t go backwards to someone standing on their own.

Fletch on the other hand does the kick outs and is just a gun. But he’s done and should retire… Apparently.

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Can add Winders to that too now. Topped our disposal efficiency in the last game at 90% IIRC.    Dempsey could barely hit the side of a barn door when he came back into side but is doing much better now. 

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Doggies tried to nullify Licha’s effectiveness off the back half. I think this will work for about 3 quarters. But it won’t take long for him to burn off his opponent with speed and gut running in the last. No one can possibly stop his influence in the last. Very few players in the league would have the fitness of speed to keep up with him. I think this will hurt teams in the future if he stays fit.

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Not sure the stats prove much.

Case in point, Hooker may have a good DE but that's prodominately because he doesn't deliver the ball in high risk situations as much as other players. When he does he is atrocious.

When he stays within his limitations, ala not trying to pinpoint passes to players who haven't got at least 5-10 meters on their opponent, then yes he can be effective.

 

That's not a go at hooker, more that meaningless stats are just that, meaningless.

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Yep, backline best in the business, midfield looking dangerous with Heppell stepping up + will be bolstered by a brownlow medalist in Jobe, forward line still needs work but looking better week by week. Carlisle snatching anything within 20m helps. Gee up for September folks!

edit: also people are kidding themselves if they think Fletch should retire. I agree he hasn't played his best for a couple of games but hes had a very solid year.

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Not sure the stats prove much.

Case in point, Hooker may have a good DE but that's prodominately because he doesn't deliver the ball in high risk situations as much as other players. When he does he is atrocious.

When he stays within his limitations, ala not trying to pinpoint passes to players who haven't got at least 5-10 meters on their opponent, then yes he can be effective.

 

That's not a go at hooker, more that meaningless stats are just that, meaningless.

Then again DNP, it also means that Hooksey is choosing the right option, instead of going for the hail mary's, and making it count.

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Forgotten Bomber nailed it. This says absolutely nothing about how good our defense has been or how effective our ball movement is and everything about how ineffective our game style has been during the majority of the season. Our game style for the vast majority of the season has been all about overpossessing the ball in the back half through static ball movement - chipping backwards, going sidewards and racking up uncontested marks (a game style that more often than not has lost us games), if the majority of your kicks are only going 15-20m backwards and sidewards to guys without opponents, well of course your disposal efficiency is going to look elite...and if it isn't you've got to be the worst kick in the league.

 

There was a stat midyear that we went backwards or sidewards the most (by a fair margin) of any team in the league, it is only recently that we've opened the gamestyle up a bit more and played tempo football more as required rather than as a norm that we've improved.

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It's amusing that the very thing that frustrates the supporter base more than anything else is now being put forward as the reason for our success.

All the article does is prove stats are less and less relevant. 

 

 

Adam McPhee must be dying inside that stats like these are getting airtime.

My main memory of him is racing down the wing from half back, having a bounce, taking a man on, breaking the tackle, then stopping, propping, and kicking backwards to the bloke who just shepherded for him.

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It's amusing that the very thing that frustrates the supporter base more than anything else is now being put forward as the reason for our success.
All the article does is prove stats are less and less relevant.


More accurately, I'd suggest it proves that disposal efficiently on its own doesn't mean aanything.
Stats are relevant, but understanding what they mean changes them from perhaps interesting, to useful.
Note for kicking effectiveness / efficiency that a 39m pass to Carlisle one out with Brent Harvey is ineffective, whereas a 41m pass to Jetta and Colyer against Roughead and Gibson is effective.
Better stats, or better interpretation of the current ones is needed.
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Forgotten Bomber nailed it. This says absolutely nothing about how good our defense has been or how effective our ball movement is and everything about how ineffective our game style has been during the majority of the season. Our game style for the vast majority of the season has been all about overpossessing the ball in the back half through static ball movement - chipping backwards, going sidewards and racking up uncontested marks (a game style that more often than not has lost us games), if the majority of your kicks are only going 15-20m backwards and sidewards to guys without opponents, well of course your disposal efficiency is going to look elite...and if it isn't you've got to be the worst kick in the league.

 

There was a stat midyear that we went backwards or sidewards the most (by a fair margin) of any team in the league, it is only recently that we've opened the gamestyle up a bit more and played tempo football more as required rather than as a norm that we've improved.

 

Problem is that in modern footy,  as soon as you gain possession, your opponents flood back.  So the strategy behind the uncontested back half possession game is  to pull the opponents  back out of the forward line and get them to make a mistake and open up a gap on a wing or up the guts .  But of course the alternative is the very fast counterattack ,  which assumes that you have players in the forward line who can win 1/1 .  So when EFC lost its good forwards it tried the uncontested possession game,  the backline switch and all those slow movements that really "telegraph themselves " to the opposition.    But as with some seemingly good theories, it didnt work,  because  they still didnt have forwards who could win 1/1 when the ball finally got in there.

 

Adding just one dominant forward into the attack changes everything because it attracts 2 or even 3 opposition defenders,  big packs develop and small forwards can have scoreboard impact.  We saw this against the Dogs.

 

To be honest the possession style game didnt work, and it was boring.    I like it direct and while there may be more turnovers,  its a lot more exciting and there are more scoring opportunities.   Effective disposal is still important .

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It is amazing to think that only a couple of years ago we were probably one of the worst in the league.  We seemed to continually butcher the ball, particularly out of defence. How things have changed.

 

I've thought this to myself many times this year. The personnel are largely the same but the skill execution is soooo much better than it used to be, even under pressure.

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It is amazing to think that only a couple of years ago we were probably one of the worst in the league. We seemed to continually butcher the ball, particularly out of defence. How things have changed.


I've thought this to myself many times this year. The personnel are largely the same but the skill execution is soooo much better than it used to be, even under pressure.
The depth through the list is more a point of difference than the starting 22 - compare the disposal of Aylett/Gleeson/Ashby/Kav to guys like NLM/Lonergan/Welsh. Much worse disposal and more to the point slow decision makers & movers of the ball.