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Neelds defensive game plan

Barney Rubble
in Melbourne Demons

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IMO I don't think Neeld's game is Defensive more that our players lacked the ability and fitness to bring defensive pressure to bare on opposition players. This past year has been about fitness and the structures and ability to shutdown oppositions. Once this is achieved the Attacking structures need to be developed to put scoreboard pressure on. That is why having a couple of options up forward next season was important for us to draft. More so IMO then midfielders.

Bingo. We are experts at bleeding goals when things are going against us, and I have no doubt this was one area Neeld wanted to address immediately.

The around the boundary line play I have no doubt was to try and create as many stoppages as possible, therefore wasting as much time as possible, which limits the oppositions scoring time. The teams that are good or better can change their structures to catch us out on this, and they did. The poorer teams couldn't, hence some close results.

Step one for Neeld was to teach players how to forget about the ball and just focus solely on stopping their opponent getting it. Step two will be about stopping their opponent but building their possession tally (increase fitness = better run and spread).

I'm probably like most, I demand improvement in 2013. I want to be able to sit and enjoy watching a full game. I haven't had that since Sydney in 2010. Even our wins over GC/GWS haven't been flattering. There were quarters this year where I was satisifed with what I saw - I remember some moments where the pressure we put on the opposition was just fierce, to the point where the perceived pressure was just as intense. This needs to be more evident in 2013, but it's season 2014 that I'm really looking forward to. Is Neeld capable? At this stage he hasn't given me any reason to say either yes or no, but alas, while he is coach I will trust, just like I do with any of our coaches.

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    Yawn....... wowee I am sure that has never happened in footy ever

    UH, I'm impressed. You appear to have understood what ADC wrote which is completely unintelligible to me. Mind you, when I do understand what ADC has written I find it's drivel virtually impossible to agree with whatever is being suggested.

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