Whats our game plan?

Commentators were saying yesterday that it is part of our game plan to kick it down the line and move forward along the boundary line. According to them its part of our team defense. We don’t seem to be suited to it and were constantly outmarked in boundary line contests yesterday. Do Richmond or any other top sides play this way? Discuss.

we are following mick malthouses kick it long down the line to a contest from 10 years ago. that’s my take

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I don’t think anyone has any idea what our gameplan is.

I don’t think that sort of ball movement is the plan though. I think that’s what happens when a side which is completely shot goes into its shell against against a side in good form.

Everyone goes into self preservation mode and doesn’t want to be the one who gives away a goal from a ■■■■■■ turnover. The back to back Hurley and zerk turnovers were the prime example of this. Both had the opportunity to play on immediately by hand. Both went back behind the mark. Both farked it up from there because their options got closed down.

Go Back and look at the Freo game and the preseason games. Hell, even the second quarter against gws. I’m pretty sure that’s what we actually want to do.

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There’s a game plan?

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image

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Worsfold was asked last week “What’s our brand?”

And he replied saying- “offence and defence” LOL

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The reason for playing this way is to supposedly limit the damage in the event of a turnover. The fact that we are worried about that more so than moving the ball in a manner that would allow us to score goals, which last time I looked was the object of the game, is concerning. There are several layers to this. First, kicking long down the line only works if you’re kicking to big marking targets. We aren’t doing that. McKernan and Stewart are not those types of players, and you often see them being outpointed in these contests. We aren’t just not taking marks, the opposition are intercepting, and then starting their own attacks where they actually take risks and create their own scoring chains. Secondly, playing like this is supposed to allow our defence to get set behind the ball, again it’s a damage limitation thing where we are able to thwart any rebound and get repeat entires. We are one of the worst teams in the AFL for Coast-to-Coast scores against.

There comes a point where you nearly have to throw the shackles off. We have to be nearing that point because I can’t see any chance of success by the way we are playing right now.

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So basically, playing with a losing mindset, because there is no way you’ll get more than a handful of wins a season by taking no risks with an undefined, defensive style of play.

They’ve cut off their nose to spite the face, taking away all the attacking weapons to try to stop the opposition.

Tbh, I didn’t even think our defence was our greatest issue over the past 5 years, more so the work rate of midfielders and the lack of cohesion with the forwards.

Anyway. I think I’ll just enjoy my day now.

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rutten has legit stifled the only thing we were good at

we are more boring and negative than any ross lyon/Sydney team to have ever existed

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Its telling a bunch of grapes how to grow into potatoes.

Exactly right. This is a game plan designed for a C grade team taking on a top 8 side. It is to limit the damage.
The coaches aren’t stupid enough to think we were going to win (what on earth would that say about St.Kilda? If the Saints lost to us, they might as well pack it in for the year). This way we kept it semi respectable instead of a 100 point blowout.

Daisy mentioned during the call that clubs choose to move the ball carefully out of defence at times to help the team defence setup behind them. She was explaining why we were doing what we were doing at the time. Rest of the commentary team kind of just moved on. Shocked I guess that some actual insight was offered during a call.

This isn’t “our gameplan”. We obviously weren’t doing it effectively yesterday.

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Remember in 2018 when we changed plan mid season to get a few extra wins? Maybe if we’d done the hard yards then we’d be winning a few more games now.

We need to stick to a plan for once.

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How to NOT develop your players and their skills 101 - have a defensive mindset and game plan.

I actually enjoyed that insight too. She was explaining how theres then supposed to be a quick handball off before going inside 50 or something like that. And BT said we fart around with the ball lol

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because we were buggered and lacked run we couldn’t run it, which was game plan with fast handball early in the year.

because our skill level isn’t great can’t always kick to advantage

doesn’t help our mids are small and can’t take a grab though the middle of the ground.

because our forwards can’t take a contested mark we aim it up the boundry line where they can knock it over and have a throw in.

Given we won clearances not terrible strategy. but looked best when run through the middle.

Also say saints had a loose back, but also positioned / manned up well through the ground and we didn’t have many easy release kicks.

They worked harder offensively and defensively than us.

we look better when move the ball fast and better chance to score, but we rarely did this. And if you stuff up get killed on the turnover.

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She’s becoming one of the most insightful commentators, clearly spends a lot of time behind the scenes trying to understand what clubs are doing. Hodge is pretty good as well.

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She’s the best to listen too. Far better than any of the other special commentators.

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What gets me is that we set up so poorly for it. Our talls are out of position for it and we seem to be outnumbered in the pack so we lose the contest. And importantly and frustratingly the opposition onballers typically better set up a lot better around the pack in front and on the outside ready to move the ball out.

It always the same predictable play. Why not get the expected talls to run to another spot to drag their talls away while getting another target or two setup to provide other options and therefore change the play? It needs our players to work together, run hard to create space and to execute good skills.

This kick down the line feels like a completely defensive ploy that says we are bereft of ideas and this is all we have. Surely something better is coming. As you say, we need to back ourselves. What happened to our run and dash out of defence? Has taking Conor out of defence hurt us that much?

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