Jump to content

Mark Basics [edit: resurrected from 2013]

Straight Sets Simon
Straight Sets Simon
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

Posted

I've been banging on this for a while now, but Melbourne continually put themselves under unnecessary pressure when they take marks / receive free kicks by making the same mistakes over and over again.

When Melbourne players take a mark (and there isn't an option to play-on) they often do one of three things:

1) They turn around (facing the backline), slowly jog and then turn back around (to face the forward line). This whole process takes up to three or four seconds which is far too slow, by which time the opposition is able to get back.

2) They immediately run off their line (without even looking straight ahead) which not only means they are now kicking under pressure, they now are running to the side and they can't even see what is down the line or off to the other side. This means they have reduced their options to kick to by 2/3. Not only that, they have eliminated the best option which is to kick straight down the line!

3) They turn around straight away but don't get back far enough behind the man on the mark and either kick into that player or are forced to kick the ball high in the air to clear him.

What they need to do is immediately turn around to face the forward line, meaning they can see all options in all areas in front of them, including the best option down the line. The exception to this if a player who is running by can receive a handpass but both players need to be smart enough to know if he is or isn't clear.

At the same time the player needs to sprint backwards (not walk, jog or run but sprint). This means there is now zero chance of the man on the mark coming into play as the Melbourne player is back far enough clear of him. Funnily enough, this also means the opposition don't have time to get back, as the Melbourne player with the ball can move the ball on quickly as he has moved quickly to be in a position the kick the ball without pressure.

Crazy isn't it?

NB: This thread was resurrected from 2013.

Edited by Rogue
Edited for clarity

  • Quote
    • Like 9
     

    No he kicked it to the man on the mark. A feeble effort from the Captain of the MFC. New coach, new captain, new players, bring on 2014!

  • Quote
    •  

    And my pet hate, passing the ball so damm high waiting for the opposition to run on to it and spoil it instead of getting the player to run onto it, drives me mad.

  • Quote

    Who is Mark Basics? And should we draft him next year??

  • Quote
    • Like 1
      On 27/07/2013 at 06:19, titan_uranus said:

    As I read this, I heard 'Trengove kicks into the man on the mark'.

    Apt.

      On 27/07/2013 at 06:19, titan_uranus said:

    As I read this, I heard 'Trengove kicks into the man on the mark'.

    Apt.

    never an excuse for this really...its just plain DUMB

  • Quote
    •  
      On 03/08/2013 at 04:30, Clint Bizkit said:

    Grimes kicks into the man on the mark which results in a GWS goal.

    Turns a free kick into a kick under pressure.

    again DUMB

  • Quote

    Top observation Mr Bizkit.

    A very specific problem that needs to be ironed out. Disproportionate impact compared to the relatively small amount of regular work needed to build a better habit

  • Quote
    • 3 weeks later...

    • Author

    Two classic examples from the Adelaide game:

    1) Trengove has a free kick after Adelaide kick it out-on-the-full. Trengove doesn't get back behind the mark far enough and turns a free kick into a pressured kick, as a result he is forced to kick it high in the air and the ball is turned over.

    2) Dunn has the ball at fullback, after taking a mark he drifts to his left (instead of going straight back on the line) which means it is now play-on and he is forced to kick on his left foot resulting in a turnover.

    These are what kill me becuase Melbourne players turn free kicks into pressured kicks!

    By simply getting back behind the mark quickly, sufficiently and without playing-on Melbourne players can avoid these situations so easily.

  • Quote
    • Like 2
      On 24/08/2013 at 05:46, Clint Bizkit said:

    Two classic examples from the Adelaide game:

    1) Trengove has a free kick after Adelaide kick it out-on-the-full. Trengove doesn't get back behind the mark far enough and turns a free kick into a pressured kick, as a result he is forced to kick it high in the air and the ball is turned over.

    2) Dunn has the ball at fullback, after taking a mark he drifts to his left (instead of going straight back on the line) which means it is now play-on and he is forced to kick on his left foot resulting in a turnover.

    These are what kill me becuase Melbourne players turn free kicks into pressured kicks!

    By simply getting back behind the mark quickly, sufficiently and without playing-on Melbourne players can avoid these situations so easily.

    Sometimes there is more to it than the distance back the players run (e.g. Dunn's instinct is to kick long and his kicking style results in all his kicks being up and under).

    But your point is definitely a valid one, and is contributing to far too many mistakes.

    One of about 100 things the new coach needs to work on.

  • Quote

    Someone needs to teach Grimes ad Trengove how to play football.

    .........and they are our captains, heaven help us.

  • Quote

    We're just a [censored] football team with bugger all brains... Nothing will change until all the junk is removed!

  • Quote
      On 24/08/2013 at 06:07, DeeZee said:

    Someone needs to teach Grimes ad Trengove how to play football.

    .........and they are our captains, heaven help us.

    Trenners was good today. Get off his case. Becoming very underrated around these parts. Grimes isn't AFL standard though.

  • Quote
    • 9 months later...

    • Author

    Again, today Melbourne players were far too slow to get behind the mark and turaround to look down the ground.

    Too often their first option was to look sidesways without having looked forward at all.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
      On 09/06/2014 at 08:44, Clint Bizkit said:

    Again, today Melbourne players were far too slow to get behind the mark and turaround to look down the ground.

    Too often their first option was to look sidesways without having looked forward at all.

    Gee, Clint are you suggesting that you know more than Roosy? I'm sure he would spot this 'problem' if it was really there.

  • Quote
      On 09/06/2014 at 09:30, Grapeviney said:

    A different kind of mark basic is putting your hands out or up and not waiting for it to hit you on the chest. We were spoiled so many times waiting for the ball today.

    I thought that was what the thread was about. Yes it was poor today and Frawley was the biggest offender, he did it a few times and should know better. Dawes does it too much and Salem got caught out today but he is just learning the caper.

    For senior players in the leadership group it is unforgivable.

    Edited by rjay

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    Watts. Gets the ball. Wanders back 3 steps. Moves two steps to the side. Is called to play on. Now starts looking for targets. So annoying.

    1. Lead

    2. Mark

    3. Play on straight away OR two or three steps off the mark, then spin quickly

    4. Push back further off the mark

    5. Move in the direction you will kick

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Author
      On 09/06/2014 at 08:53, Bobby McKenzie said:

    Gee, Clint are you suggesting that you know more than Roosy? I'm sure he would spot this 'problem' if it was really there.

    What an idiotic comment.

  • Quote
    • Author
      On 09/06/2014 at 09:38, Georgiou R.R. Martin said:

    Watts. Gets the ball. Wanders back 3 steps. Moves two steps to the side. Is called to play on. Now starts looking for targets. So annoying.

    1. Lead

    2. Mark

    3. Play on straight away OR two or three steps off the mark, then spin quickly

    4. Push back further off the mark

    5. Move in the direction you will kick

    I agree, however with point 3 it should be spin around quickly and then run back (backwards).

  • Quote
    •  

    Agree with you 100% Clint. Surely they can run backwards for 5 steps or so, so they can actually look across a 180 degree sweep to make a decision QUICKLY. Having said that, I reckon this slowing down is a team rule - they have done it ad nauseum this year in almost every game. The frustrating thing as a spectator is there are clear and excellent leads being ignored or not seen.

  • Quote

    Matt Jones is one of the biggest offenders, IMO. What he'll do though is run back quite quickly, but he'll be facing the wrong way. By the time he's turned around, the opposition have set up. It's dumb football and it's really something that is drilled into footballers from a very early age. Never run with your back to the play.

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • NON-MFC: Round 05

      Gather Round is here, kicking off with a Thursday night blockbuster as Adelaide faces Geelong. The Crows will be out for redemption after a controversial loss last week. Saturday starts with the Magpies taking on the Swans. Collingwood will be eager to cement their spot in the top eight, while Sydney is hot on their heels. In the Barossa Valley, two rising sides go head-to-head in a fascinating battle to prove they're the real deal. Later, Carlton and West Coast face off at Adelaide Oval, both desperate to notch their first win of the season. The action then shifts to Norwood, where the undefeated Lions will aim to keep their streak alive against the Bulldogs. Sunday’s games begin in the Barossa with Richmond up against Fremantle. In Norwood, the Saints will be looking to take a scalp when they come up against the Giants. The round concludes with a fiery rematch of last year's semi-final, as the Hawks seek revenge for their narrow loss to Port Adelaide. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

      • 10 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Geelong

      There was a time in the second quarter of the game at the Cattery on Friday afternoon when the Casey Demons threatened to take the game apart against the Cats. The Demons had been well on top early but were struggling to convert their ascendancy over the ground until Tom Fullarton’s burst of three goals in the space of eight minutes on the way to a five goal haul and his best game for the club since arriving from Brisbane at the end of 2023. He was leading, marking and otherwise giving his opponents a merry dance as Casey grabbed a three goal lead in the blink of an eye. Fullarton has now kicked ten goals in Casey’s three matches and, with Melbourne’s forward conversion woes, he is definitely in with a chance to get his first game with the club in next week’s Gather Round in Adelaide. Despite the tall forward’s efforts - he finished with 19 disposals and eight marks and had four hit outs as back up to Will Verrall in the second half - it wasn’t enough as Geelong reigned in the lead through persistent attacks and eventually clawed their way to the lead early in the last and held it till they achieved the end aim of victory.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Geelong

      I was disappointed to hear Goody say at his post match presser after the team’s 39 point defeat against Geelong that "we're getting high quality entry, just poor execution" because Melbourne’s problems extend far beyond that after its 0 - 4 start to the 2025 football season. There are clearly problems with poor execution, some of which were evident well before the current season and were in play when the Demons met the Cats in early May last year and beat them in a near top-of-the-table clash that saw both sides sitting comfortably in the top four after round eight. Since that game, the Demons’ performances have been positively Third World with only five wins in 19 games with a no longer majestic midfield and a dysfunctional forward line that has become too easy for opposing coaches to counter. This is an area of their game that is currently being played out as if they were all completely panic-stricken.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Essendon

      Facing the very real and daunting prospect of starting the season with five straight losses, the Demons head to South Australia for the annual Gather Round, where they’ll take on the Bombers in search of their first win of the year. Who comes in, and who comes out?

        • Like
      • 210 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • NON-MFC: Round 04

      Round 4 kicks off with a blockbuster on Thursday night as traditional rivals Collingwood and Carlton clash at the MCG, with the Magpies looking to assert themselves as early-season contenders and the Blues seeking their first win of the season. Saturday opens with Gold Coast hosting Adelaide, a key test for the Suns as they aim to back up their big win last week, while the Crows will be looking to keep their perfect record intact. Reigning wooden spooners Richmond have the daunting task of facing reigning premiers Brisbane at the ‘G and the Lions will be eager to reaffirm their premiership credentials after a patchy start. Saturday night sees North Melbourne take on Sydney at Marvel Stadium, with the Swans looking to build on their first win of the season last week against a rebuilding Roos outfit. Sunday’s action begins with GWS hosting West Coast at ENGIE Stadium, a game that could get ugly very early for the visitors. Port Adelaide vs St Kilda at Adelaide Oval looms as a interesting clash, with both clubs form being very hard to read. The round wraps up with Fremantle taking on the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium in what could be a fierce contest between two sides with top-eight ambitions. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

        • Shocked
        • Like
      • 273 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PODCAST: Geelong

      The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 7th April @ the all new time of 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we dissect another Demons loss at Kardinia Park to the Cats in the Round 04. Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human.

        • Clap
        • Haha
      • 62 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland
    View All