POINT KICK-INS

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,799]

Weren't they shocking yesterday?

I was sitting near the coach's box, and trying to signal to them to watch what North did (both in kicking in and zoning to defend ours), AND TO COPY IT!

I knew it was a futile exercise on my part, but it's what I'd like them to do. Whatever tactic DB thinks we're using for kick-ins, it ISN'T WORKING!!! North have it down pat . They'd be a good side to copy.

If we'd done it half as well as they did, we'd have nearly beaten them.

Do other Demonlanders think I'm foolishly obsessed by this part of our tactics?

Do they think we do it satisfactorily? Perhaps they think it doesn't matter.

[beelzebub 23,377]

Do other Demonlanders think I'm foolishly obsessed by this part of our tactics?

Do they think we do it satisfactorily? Perhaps they think it doesn't matter.

JJC Im totallywith you inthis matter. Point Kickins is something we have totally not mastered !! We are invariably so inept with this that we put undue pressue back on ourselves. Instead of starting a forward thrust ..we're still protecting the goal mouth. Who ever is in charge of this aspect...well either go learn better methods..or simply just GO !! <_<

[Demon Disciple 12,139]

We zoned in defence and the roos just kicked in between our players. A 2 year old side could get out of our forward line.

[John Dee 445]

Chris Johnson and Paul Wheatley should be the only ones allowed to kick in. All players should be instructed to perform a flying tackle on any others who try to take one.

[Rampaging Demons 1]

i think that our kick in stats are okay but just going from memory!!

[H_T 3,047]

Chris Johnson and Paul Wheatley should be the only ones allowed to kick in. All players should be instructed to perform a flying tackle on any others who try to take one.

That would be quite interesting, and the quickest way to find yourself out the door no doubt!

[Rogue 585]

We zoned in defence and the roos just kicked in between our players. A 2 year old side could get out of our forward line.

I agree.

It's fine to have a zone defence, but when there's a guy 10 metres away, surely you can show some initiative and man up the guy who's near your zone, instead of guarding empty space.

[Beamer 1]

Leave it to CJ, Wheatley and Whelan.

CJ can hit targets and Wheatley can go long. Topic covered.

[titan_uranus 25,020]

Leave it to CJ, Wheatley and Whelan.

CJ can hit targets and Wheatley can go long. Topic covered.

Nah mate, there are plenty more problems.

1) Sure, Wheatley can kick long, but that's useless if there aren't any long options or decent marking players there.

2) Sure, CJ can hit targets, but he needs a decent target to kick to. And if that's someone on the boundary line, 20m away, what then does that player do?

3) It's not just us taking kicks, but the way we defend when we kick a behind. We let the ball out way too easily. Either work on a proper zone or a proper manning-up method, because most of the time North (and every other team we've played this year) gets the ball out of defense far too easily.

[Tony Tea 2,809]

Dreadful Melbourne kick-outs is traditional. Remember the good old days: Febey to Hopgood by the point post, to Seacamp in the other pocket, back to Kowal in the square. Gold.

I can't ever remember us being consistently good at it.

[JACKATTACK 17]

we have been better from the start of the year... which isn't really all that difficult i suppose

[Kiss of Death 755]

I was waiting for POINT KICK INS - the resurrection thread, thanks for not letting me down

[Forest Demon 4,681]

We are truly [censored] at kick ins, both taking them and kicking them

Costs us at least 2-3 goals a game IMO

[Chook 15,013]

Totally agree with everything said. Except for one thing. We've got to give Buckley the ball at every kick-in, on the condition that he only ever plays on.

[The Backyard Charizard 1,202]

I really think that for the remainder of this season, point kick-ins will be the last thing on DB's mind..... We have a full pre-season to master this.... We only have a few more games to master the draft

(very tongue-in-cheek)

[deestroy08 0]

Weren't they shocking yesterday!!!

I was sitting near the coach's box, and trying to signal to them to watch what North did(both in kicking in , and zoning to defend ours), AND TO COPY IT!

That's hysterical! I've always wanted to do that.. run past the coaches box holding up a sign with my own little coaching tactic like "TELL BUCKLEY TO STOP PLAYING ON" or "PLAY BELL IN THE MIDFIELD" but I guess they know what they want to do and what they want the players to do..

With regards to point kick-ins, I only trust Wheels and Wheatley with the task at the moment. I can't even remember if Rivers is any good at them?

[Bobby McKenzie 2,385]

We are truly [censored] at kick ins, both taking them and kicking them

Costs us at least 2-3 goals a game IMO

Just wondering if the North Melb player was his required distance from the kick off line when Buckley was nabbed? Won't alter the score though. Anyone see it on video?

[John Dee 445]

Just wondering if the North Melb player was his required distance from the kick off line when Buckley was nabbed? Won't alter the score though. Anyone see it on video?

Difficult to tell; Hale had to be 10M? from the top of the square when Buckley kicked it to himself. As the poor attemnpt at evasion was a metre or two outside the square, I think he was probably the required distance.

[H_T 3,047]

Just wondering if the North Melb player was his required distance from the kick off line when Buckley was nabbed? Won't alter the score though. Anyone see it on video?

It did look as though Hale shut Buckley down very quick for a big man, suggesting the umpire may have been lenient on whether Hale was or wasn't at the required distance.

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,799]

Did anyone read about the Hawthorn 15 man cluster in the "Age"? Apparently they force sides to play down the boundary lines, and have a team strategy to quickly clog up the other flank if the opposition try to "switch".

A tactic that I suggested 2 years ago on this forum is being used, I noticed, by Footscray and North. (I'm not for a minute suggesting that I was the source, but at the time, I was hoping Riley might read it, since I know he read "Demonland".)

This is the pre-planned "one-two" kick off and return to the close pocket. i.e. when there's few options upfield, the kicker-in does a quick short one to the pocket, expecting it back straight away, by when options may have opened up down-field(e.g. the"cluster" becomes unsure of which side to clutter up.) If there's no option.....do it again! Another advantage is that the time allowed "starts again". So a second(or third) opportunity to find a gap in the "zone" opens up.

Needless to say, the kick to the pocket must be to a totally unguarded player(often this option is conceded by the opposition). The over-riding rule..."NEVER KICK SHORT TO A 50:50", must of course, be observed.

I presume that's an over-riding rule, but often I feel our players are less inclined to kick LONG to a 50:50, than to kick short to it.

What is the down-side to this kicking-in maxim?........."when no good option exists, KICK LONG AND WIDE."

Do Demonlanders think this is an obvious rule? Do we use it?

[John Dee 445]

What is the down-side to this kicking-in maxim?........."when no good option exists, KICK LONG AND WIDE."

Do Demonlanders think this is an obvious rule? Do we use it?

I noticed that CJ did this a few times last week A couple of times it was to Sylvia who had the back position and the best opportunity to mark. As Sylvia was having a dog of a day. he didn't mark it, but he did at least contest and brought the ball to ground. The next stoppage was then outside of our defensive 50; not a bad result.

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,799]

see next post

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,799]

(another go, hopefully with less typos)

I can see there's no interest in this topic from most Demonlanders. Fair enough, I've noticed that before .

The trouble is, I don't think the footy Dept change it,or take it seriously , either, since we never seem to improve, in what I regard as a vital keystone of Australian football strategy. If a side can't get this strategy right, what hope have they got in more complicated tactics in general play?

[Roost It 1,434]

Kowal

And to think Wirrapunda was ours if we let Kowal go, anyway after 12 years I should probably move on. But.......

[H_T 3,047]

I was sitting near the coach's box, and trying to signal to them to watch what North did (both in kicking in and zoning to defend ours), AND TO COPY IT!

I knew it was a futile exercise on my part, but it's what I'd like them to do. Whatever tactic DB thinks we're using for kick-ins, it ISN'T WORKING!!! North have it down pat . They'd be a good side to copy.

Do other Demonlanders think I'm foolishly obsessed by this part of our tactics?

Do they think we do it satisfactorily? Perhaps they think it doesn't matter.

JJC, I'm with you on this. We (Dees), don't do it satisfactorily, practise makes perfect. And it does matter, its critical, if we can't get that right it will hurt on the scoreboard.. Tactically it is high priority.