Defence First

[Whispering_Jack 27,971]

I don't have a link to the article but Nathan Burke has written a piece in this week's Inside Football entitled "Why I have no faith in defence first" (@ p8)

He opens with, "Paul Roos is spinning the season as a step forward because of a small improvement in percentage. I'm not convinced".

Burke is critical of the concept of teaching how defend before learning to attack and adds that he has "absolutely no doubt that coaches can reinforce how to defend and attack at the same time".

While he does make some good points, Burke is overlooking the fact that the process is one of stages and we're still in the first stage of a process that will necessarily take time.

The club has been a long way behind most of the rest of the competition in terms of both defensive skills and talent so that it is unreasonable to expect it to get every aspect right in a single season, particularly after two prongs of the club's three main key forward set up (Clark and Hogan) failed to play a single game and Dawes' start to the season was also delayed by injury.

Like many supporters, I was also disappointed that we didn't move into a more attacking mode in the last two months of the season but I recognise that our capacity to do so was limited.

Let's see what happens with another pre season and another recruiting campaign which will no doubt produce a list of players better equipped to combine attack with defence before completely running down what Roosy's trying to do to resurrect the club.

[pantaloons 2,018]

That may explain in some small part why he never won a premiership. He may want to go through the history books and have a look at the defences of championship teams across a range of sports.

[Bitter but optimistic 21,246]

There is no doubt, however, that the team with the biggest score always wins.

[DeeSpencer 23,126]

I'm disappointed we had games where we couldn't move the ball or score at all. Those games are a waste. But so are games where you lose by 100 no matter what you score.

Against a lot of opponents (in the 4 wins and several close losses) we moved the ball and scored. If we do that and score 60 or 100 I don't mind. Whatever gets the wins.

I guess my main point is you can't be afraid to take the game on and even if you are sacrificing your scoring power by focusing on defensive structures there has to be attacking in games.

No doubt forwards who win one on ones and get to the right spots will help as well. Next year will be a big test.

[Redleg 37,578]

There is no doubt, however, that the team with the biggest score always wins.

Ever played golf?

[DeeSpencer 23,126]

That may explain in some small part why he never won a premiership. He may want to go through the history books and have a look at the defences of championship teams across a range of sports.

But soccer and AFL are probably the two sports where defense and attack are influenced by game style so much.

You can extrapolate to baseball and cricket type sports in the way batters bat or the strength of a team. Basketball can be affected by game style a bit but mostly it's personnel. As long as teams force it in to a series of somewhat unrelated half court sets then you aren't sacrificing one for the other in terms of style so much.

I do have confidence in the Ross Lyon game style for winning finals and grand finals I think he's been beaten by better sides. Whether that extremely defensive style is a way to develop a young side is a different question. I'm not sure it's been tried too many times before Roos giving it a go now.

[Bitter but optimistic 21,246]

Ever played golf?

Don't ever raise that subject to me again Red.

[Tim 2,791]

a small improvement in percentage.

No, Nathan. 54% vs 68%.

And 100% more wins.

I'm not throwing my hat in the air, but don't just bulltish us.

[Redleg 37,578]

Don't ever raise that subject to me again Red.

Don't they play it in sh-tsville?

[Bitter but optimistic 21,246]

Don't they play it in sh-tsville?

Let it go [censored] you!!

[CHAMP 347]

Ever played golf?

Match Play/ Stableford/ Par/ 4BBB etc

[Dwight Schrute 16,751]

i disagree entirely, i think we are trying to attack but the skill errors and the fact three of our four best forwards have hardly played there or not at all makes it hard to score

we went into the season thinking our forward line would have Howe, Watts, Hogan, Clark and Dawes in it, that hasn't panned out but if it had and we improved our defence this much i think we would be on 8 wins and this would be an obvious success

we can defend well now, next we learn to move the ball and Hogan will help a lot will our issues up forward.

throw Hogan and Clark into our side and we wouldn't have lost to Stkilda, Port, the doggies, the suns, Brisbane at least, that's 7 extra wins, and the extra confidence we would have had might have meant more.

[Bitter but optimistic 21,246]

Match Play/ Stableford/ Par/ 4BBB etc

All of them and they [censored] me over. Worst game of all time.

[Moonshadow 16,168]

Ever played golf?

BBO may not play much golf, but rumour has it he's a big swinger...

[WhyAlwaysMe 237]

Ever played golf?

thats not a sport

[Bitter but optimistic 21,246]

BBO may not play much golf, but rumour has it he's a big swinger...

For a notoriously boring and unfunny poster Moon - that's funny , almost funny , not bad . Nah usual shite!

[Dockett 32 1,213]

Depends which way you look at it. Could be seen as some sort of punishment at times.

[Je Roos Salem 661]

I'm a bit split. Melbourne V Brisbane was a real worry. Our lack of effort offensively in the final quarter was appalling, once we were a goal or two down no one went forward with any urgency. It was a problem in most games where we were close, although our final play against Essendon was the exception to this

[Moonshadow 16,168]

Ever played golf?

I've heard BBO is more of your Nude Twister kind of guy Red, with baby oil splashed around liberally.

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

Get ball kick ball hit target ....... GOAL

Don't get ball. Tackle player who has ball get ball.......Defence.

Footy isn't real hard.

[Mad_Melbourne 872]

I read the article, really made me think about whether we were doing the wrong thing. But then I thought about the concept of being in games for longer, keeping opposition points down and ultimately as our team develops if we can limit our score against it means our score for doesn't have to be as high to win and it worked several times this year.

Ultimately we lack someone who we can back into take big pack marks, gawn and hogan could develop into this and Mitch Clark was this, so ultimately we has a forward line that consisted of hit up targets and that doesn't help.

[monoccular 16,065]

There is no doubt, however, that the team with the biggest score always wins.

or, the team who keeps their opponents to a lower score than themselves

[poita 3,573]

I haven't read the article, but poorly skilled players such as those on our list shouldn't be attempting to play defensive, high possession football. All you are doing is increasing the likelihood of a turnover happening in a dangerous part of the ground. We should be taking the game on and ensuring that, if a turnover happens, it at least happens 50+ metres further down the ground. We have a tall forward line, so I see no reason why we shouldnt give them an opportunity to compete one-on-one against their direct opponent, rather than holding the ball up and eventually kicking to a one-on-three contest.

[Demanding Success 298]

When you read these articles it has to be noted who is writing it and their credentials. Burke was a pretty good player but he coached who. If he was so good at coaching I don't think he would be writing [censored] articles in a paper hardly anyone reads. This is not a shot at you wj by the way. It really annoys me the ex-players slagging off coaches they have never had anything to do with. There are too many like him at the minute. The ex-bomber full forward is another. I have had a bit to do with him in my time and dumbarse comes to mind.

[ManDee 7,077]

There is no doubt, however, that the team with the biggest score always wins.

But the team with the lower score loses!