I have begun to get really frustrated with our tendancy to over commit players to the oppisition ball carrier. I have noticed numerous times in the last few games that several players will go and pressure the oppisition player with the ball, leaving free oppisition players for easy outlets. This wouldn't be so hard to swallow if the free player/s wasn't so often on the attacking side of the contest. I feel we have to get a lot smarter in the way we put pressure on the player with the ball. Yes, we have to force him to dispose of the ball, but we can also create pressure by reducing the options he has.

I would like to see our players think a little bit more before chasing the man with the ball. If a teamate is already heading to the ball carrier, start to limit his options by staying close to his possible outlets.

Is anyone else noticing this? It's really beginning to frustrate me, even more than our poor disposal.

Smartest post ever written on this thing!!!

we are definitely onver committing in the tackle and to easily do opposition teams get around us!

in addition to this a dn on another topic - love to match essendon next friday with excitement

bring in jurrah bennell and Jetta and lets get some pace and magic in the lineup!!!

I have begun to get really frustrated with our tendancy to over commit players to the oppisition ball carrier. I have noticed numerous times in the last few games that several players will go and pressure the oppisition player with the ball, leaving free oppisition players for easy outlets. This wouldn't be so hard to swallow if the free player/s wasn't so often on the attacking side of the contest. I feel we have to get a lot smarter in the way we put pressure on the player with the ball. Yes, we have to force him to dispose of the ball, but we can also create pressure by reducing the options he has.

I would like to see our players think a little bit more before chasing the man with the ball. If a teamate is already heading to the ball carrier, start to limit his options by staying close to his possible outlets.

Is anyone else noticing this? It's really beginning to frustrate me, even more than our poor disposal.

YES YES YES YES!!!!

We also get shrugged off tackles too easily also.

I have begun to get really frustrated with our tendancy to over commit players to the oppisition ball carrier. I have noticed numerous times in the last few games that several players will go and pressure the oppisition player with the ball, leaving free oppisition players for easy outlets.

I would like to see our players think a little bit more before chasing the man with the ball. If a teamate is already heading to the ball carrier, start to limit his options by staying close to his possible outlets.

Is anyone else noticing this? It's really beginning to frustrate me, even more than our poor disposal.

Similar to the Stkilda game plan? put pressure on the ball carrier to force the error. Issue is with a bunch of kids it sometimes does not come off. I would rather see 3 charging in to tackle the ball carrier as opposed to all zoneing/standing back and giving them time to hit up a target and get smashed by 100pts like much of last year. I see this as our biggest improvement on last year - pressure on the opporsition ball carrier.

I do agree with your second point but hopefully this is currently just over eagerness of a young side and over time they will learn better decision making

Similar to the Stkilda game plan? put pressure on the ball carrier to force the error. Issue is with a bunch of kids it sometimes does not come off. I would rather see 3 charging in to tackle the ball carrier as opposed to all zoneing/standing back and giving them time to hit up a target and get smashed by 100pts like much of last year. I see this as our biggest improvement on last year - pressure on the opporsition ball carrier.

I do agree with your second point but hopefully this is currently just over eagerness of a young side and over time they will learn better decision making

The problem is that when 3 players charge in to tackle, we leave at least one oppisiton player nice and open to receive a handpass over the top. That player then has an eternity without any pressure to move the ball forward. Pressure is caused by a player bearing down on you AND a lack of options.

I hope it is a learning thing and our players can develop some more strategic pressure.

I hope it is a learning thing and our players can develop some more strategic pressure.

Thats the key, IMHO zoning off players is rubbish as a general game plan and doesn't work. Pressure the ball carrier, force them to make the mistake without leaving yourself open!

I HATE ZONING with a passion. I think it is stupid, at least with man on man you are accountable for that player. Who is accountable when it's a zone defense?

I would like to see our players think a little bit more before chasing the man with the ball. If a teamate is already heading to the ball carrier, start to limit his options by staying close to his possible outlets.

Is anyone else noticing this? It's really beginning to frustrate me, even more than our poor disposal.

Yes indeed there has been a problem with players leaving their opponent free in the effort to exert extra pressure on the ball carrier. However we have also had many instances of where players have not left their man at the required time to get an easy assist. What it comes down to is the reading of the play, your speed of movement to cover a player in time and also which players are committing to the tackle and where.

Lets look at the midfield:

Yes, I noticed many instances where a Melbourne player left his opponent forward of the ball only to be too late in helping his team mate and see the handball or kick go over his head to his direct opponent. In this case, the player forward of the ball (ie towards the oppositions goals) should not be the extra tackler, they should stick with their player. It should be an extra player from behind the ball who should push forward (ie one of our offensive side players) and assists with the tackle or spill. The reason we need to take this approach is because our current midfield is not very fluent in movement.

Example: Jones is 1on 1 contesting with say Pendelbury for the ball, instead of McDonald leaving Swan (who is forward of the ball) at snails pace to get to the contest he should stay on Swan and instead a half forward moves down to assist Jones. This way we cut off the player's options and also bring another of our own players into the area and if we do lose the ball at least it will not hurt us forward of the play. Once our midfield gains better ground coverage we may not be as exposed but leaving players on their own forward of the ball atm is killing us.

In defence and up forward it is a different situation where we need numbers at the ball to support each other.

Learn to pressure the Ball carrier correctly & that ball will become ours. Sure at present its not always going to come off but we are getting better at it.

I hope Melbourne becomes the Best Tackling side in the AFL, Because that will instill a Winning Culture into our Team.

Good Post-You are right but be patient in my opinion.

I HATE ZONING with a passion. I think it is stupid, at least with man on man you are accountable for that player. Who is accountable when it's a zone defense?

I'm of the belief that we play better football when we go man on man. We don't have the skill to be trying fancy stuff like zoning.

I'm of the belief that we play better football when we go man on man. We don't have the skill to be trying fancy stuff like zoning.

Agreed, but the moving zone is a staple of modern football and we must learn how to deploy it successfully.

Agreed, but the moving zone is a staple of modern football and we must learn how to deploy it successfully.

But there is a difference between Zoning off and operating in a moving zone. One allows you to attack the ball carrier with pressure, the other is to stop options down the ground which IMO does not work as players are good enough to generally find space at hit a target.

So yes we need to deploy a moving zone but attack the ball carrier in the area as opposed to last year where we were zoning off the player many times and waving our arms basket ball style which the majority of the time does nothing!