Ryan Buckland (just about the best footy writer going around), has used the term ‘small ball’ to describe the trend towards side filled with medium sized/smaller players and very few talls.
https://www.theroar.com.au/2017/10/11/afls-small-ball-revolution-afl-trade-period-2017/
You know what else? Once confident in their systems, coaches Luke Beveridge and Damien Hardwick went all in on small ball, playing few key position players in their forward half and instead populating the forward 50 with mid-sized and small forwards who could bring the pressure and run the opposition off their feet.
The Bulldogs lost many of their tall forward options throughout the 2016 season, and turned to a cast of flankers and former midfielders to fill the forward half role. Jake Stringer played as a small forward in spite of his size, and Tom Boyd spent time rotating through the ruck.
The Tigers went even further, surrounding key forward Jack Riewoldt with four or five small forwards for the entire second half of the year. He was one out, the only man taller than 190 centimetres who spent time in the forward 50. And Riewoldt rarely left the forward half; 160 of his 305 touches came inside the stripe.
While there are many ways to skin a cat (the Crows still run a very tall structure), and not all ‘small ball’ game plans are the same, I think there is a definite trend towards this team structure. Talls are not totally out, but their key roles are intercept marking in defense, and providing a target up forward. Clunking contested marks is certainly a nice thing, but not if the behemoth clunking them can’t pressure if the ball hits the deck.
As I wandered home from Etihad today I again thought of the ineffectiveness of our forward press. We simply cannot trap the ball in our f50 in the way that other sides seems to make so easy. So I began to think about a ‘small ball’ best 22. The aim of the game is simple, pressure. Mid sized power midfielders rule the roost, medium forwards are generally preferenced over the big dogs, and ruck men had better be damned good or else you’re better off rolling with someone ‘undersized’.
Here’s my take:
B: Saad Hooker McKenna
HB: McGrath Hurley Ambrose
C: Heppell Zaharakis Mutch
HF: Tippa Stewart Fantasia
F: Green Stringer Laverde
FOL: Daniher Smith Parish
Interchange: Langford, Guelfi, Clarke, Zerrett
Thoughts:
- Goddard out - He would have been the perfect player for such a system in his prime, but right now he might as well be 200cm+
- Daniher in the ruck - He’d lose the hit outs but have most giant rucks covered in the clearances. He would have license to fly for marks in defense and on the wing. Would be under instructions to bomb it long to Stringer at every opportunity. Rotates with Stewart.
- Hooker plays the loose man. He guards the corridor. One the keys to beating opposition small ball is to only allow them the flanks.
- Lav/Langford/Guelfi are all prototypical small ball players. Able to mark and be a threat forward but pressure and contribute around the ground.
That’s my ‘small ball’ best 22, what’s yours?
PS: The article is well worth a read.