Helping out Your Mates

[drdrake 3,062]

Over the past few seasons the focus has been on contested footy and tackling, thats fine and extremely important but we don't do is help out our team mates. We don't create space by blocking and protecting, we don't apply any blocks on tags, we don't protect the man going for a mark. I went to Subiaco and what the Eagles did was work hard off the ball to do those things I just mentioned. Everytime we kicked to a contest one an Eagle player would put work to take the Melbourne player out of the contest leaving his opponent to take an easy mark, it as just a simple bump that put us off balance. At stoppages the Eagles protected areas created space which resulted in effective clearances. We win the tap and it was either sharked by the Eagles or we got caught for a seondary bounce.

Look at the amount of times we get first hands on the footy at stopages but can't break free, this means that players are more concerned about spreading rather than help to create space for the person with the footy.

[Demon Dynasty 16,368]

Over the past few seasons the focus has been on contested footy and tackling, thats fine and extremely important but we don't do is help out our team mates. We don't create space by blocking and protecting, we don't apply any blocks on tags, we don't protect the man going for a mark. I went to Subiaco and what the Eagles did was work hard off the ball to do those things I just mentioned. Everytime we kicked to a contest one an Eagle player would put work to take the Melbourne player out of the contest leaving his opponent to take an easy mark, it as just a simple bump that put us off balance. At stoppages the Eagles protected areas created space which resulted in effective clearances. We win the tap and it was either sharked by the Eagles or we got caught for a seondary bounce.

Look at the amount of times we get first hands on the footy at stopages but can't break free, this means that players are more concerned about spreading rather than help to create space for the person with the footy.

No arguments from me on this one. The little things and the one percenters can make a big impact to the end result for sure. Unfortunately, we are way down versus the top 5 over almost any meaningful comparative period in the last 4 years on these stats (not telling anyone anything new here i know). As Acka Dacka sings, "it's a long way to the top if u wanna get outta this hole!" And boy, have we got a long way to go before we even resemble a fair dinkum truly competitive (and feared) footy team.

What does our FD (or any FD) do with all these KPI's re: team selection anyway? Each player set certain minimum KPI(s) levels for certain criteria that's expected depending on their position/role over a rolling period of say 3 to 5 games at a stretch? If they aren't met, you look to replace with alternatives from affiliate VFL, in our case Casey? No need to answer guys! I don't profess to be an expert in the nitty gritty of day to day professional football operations. I can't help but wonder tho lol. Regardless, there's gotta be a quantitative and qualitative processes by which they determine the ins and outs. But that's a whole topic away for me (ok maybe 50 topics and a years apprenticeship with the Mick before i'd even start to get it lol)

Although according to more learned peeps than me, we don't have too many "walk-up" alternatives at Casey right now with the exception of Petterd and Bater (oh...lets not forget the big FEV! Hmmm ) . I'm referring to plow and one other SEN commentator who apparently watched Casey's game against Frankston yesterday. And no, i aint saying Plow and SEN commentators are the only source we should take notice of re: Casey alternatives/potentials. Nor do i think any potential/existing footballer should be judged on 1 game alone B)