My kingdom for a basic forwardline setup

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Our average over the last 3 weeks is 48.33 inside 50s. The league average is 50.6, so we cannot say the last three weeks represents a lack of volume of scoring opportunities. However, we have only kicked 7 goals instead of the average of 12.4. This is partly because we have been kicking badly, but moreso because we are bombing it into congested packs, often in spots where scoring is difficult from, even if the contest isn't completely nullified in the first place (hence lots of behinds).

Why in God's name are we wasting the superb marking/goalkicking talent that is Hogan, and the textbook freak crumber that is Garlett, by bombing it in there to packs of 8-10 players, often way out on the boundary, creating totally useless entries that are easily killed?

Why can't we play a super basic, super traditional forward setup that is designed to give Hogan and Garlett as many prime, uncongested opportunities as possible? Just clear out the 50 and make everyone know that the idea is to find this pair in prime goalkicking position every single time we go inside 50.

- 4 of our 6 forwards are stationed about 65 metres from goal at all times, leaving the 50 totally clear except for:
- Hogan and Garlett, who start way inside the goal square. They stay there at all costs until:
- Any other player has the ball and is ready to kick from 60-65 metres away from the goal line. It doesn't matter how the ball got to that position or who exactly has it, this is what their instructions are.
- When this midfielder/HF is gearing up to kick inside, Hogan bolts straight up the field to the hotspot 25-30 metres from the goal line, Garlett is to be nowhere else but directly front and centre of Hogan.
- Whoever has the ball knows this is exactly where Hogan will be leading and therefore he passes it a distance of 30-40 metres low and hard trying to Hogan on the chest. It doesn't matter if this player is right on the boundary 50 metres out, he centres the kick to that prime position. It doesn't matter if he is under so much pressure that he can't even see the hotspot and needs to snap it checkside out of a pack, he will know exactly where to put it. If somebody else has it at CHB they can kick it 60 if they want and hit Hoges about 40 out. This automatically we move faster because nobody is umming and ahhing trying to workout where to give it, handballing backwards etc just kick it to the hotspot son! All roads lead to the hotspot!
- Every other player is to stay OUT of the 50 while this is going on, don't charge in there dragging your opponent and creating congestion. Just stay out and be ready to rebound it straight back in should Hogan/Garlett be unsucessful and the enemy is rebounding - they will then have their OWN wall of congestion to get through, on our HF line.
-The kick goes to Hulk at the hotspot - As he always does, if he doesn't take the grab he will bring it to ground front and centre where the classy Garlett has a chance to snap one from dead in front 25-30 out. If Hogan does take the grab he of course has a regulation shot at goal.
- If the enemy counters this by 'dropping a man in the hole' in effect, double-teaming Hogan, well that means we have an extra number somewhere around that half-forward line (say, Watts, for example) and we launch plan B. It then becomes his job to be loose and everywhere and utilise the extra man to overlap run etc and create other scoring opportunities apart from the now-nullified Hogan/Garlett pair. This will mean players like Jones and Vince will get chances to get loose and kick from around 45-50, which they have shown they can do. The enemy will then be forced to counter back by manning up that damaging loose half-forward and away we go back to plan A. Why does it seem as though so many people, coaches included, act like a spare man in defense is like the enemy having a 19th man!? Obviously if they take this tactic that means they have left one of ours unguarded, so there should always always always be a counter-attack plan to use this loose man to exploit them right back.

Can you imagine 40 times a game where Hogan gets a 1-on-1 duel 30 metres from goal in front, with Garlett ready to snaffle up every loose ball the contest creates? It only relies on two basic principles - the other 16 players keeping themselves and thir opponent out of our 50 at all costs, and knowing that kicking it to the hotspot is the prime directive always. We know JH and JG are both very adept at their particular jobs. They should kick 10 between them if they have any sort of day at all and if the blokes kicking it to them at least give them some sort of delivery. Absolutely anything is better than the last 3 weeks where we have been getting a return of 1 goal per 7 entries, it's just not working.

Thoughts?

[old dee 23,782]

Good suggestions there C and B but you are doomed to failure.

That is not the way they are instructed to play and it requires a level of skill that is sadly missing from our players up the field.

Perhaps in 2017

[Young Dee 1,303]

Also the opposition will probably throw at least one spare back (if you leave Hogan and garlett down there)

Edited July 27, 2015 by Young Dee

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Also the opposition will probably throw at least one spare back (if you leave Hogan and garlett down there)

I already addressed that

[Young Dee 1,303]

I already addressed that

Sorry - didn't finish reading

[John Crow Batty 8,862]

What is the biggest statement Roos could make? Drop Hogan? It worked against Geelong. Arguably our best forward line performance for years.

Edited July 27, 2015 by america de cali

[M C 221]

I like the idea of the damaging loose half-forward to cover the loose defender situation

I don't think our team would have the vision to see him though - How often do we see a player just bombing it blindly into the 50? They never seem to lower their eyes

[dpositive 1,663]

I prefer my revolutionary Churn

Hogan moves constantly and well, he is the key forward and should be kicking at goal, but he should not have to go to CHB to get a shot at goal

Howe is the flyer and should stay in the goal square or pocket

Dawe moves alternate to Hogan ie at a different angle

None of these three fly against each other

The Churn is created by the circular movement of forwards rotating into the geographical space created from Hogans initial movement. Garlett or alternative small forward can run past the contest being created from the contests coming from the churn

Mids run past the contest from centre to pocket while forward runs past the contest towards the centre.nthe constant movement means opponents are off balance while our forwards are initiating the movement and therefore in control

[Je Roos Salem 661]

What is the biggest statement Roos could make? Drop Hogan? It worked against Geelong. Arguably our best forward line performance for years.

You'd drop Hogan before Dawes? Bottom line is Hogan and Dawes don't work together. Games V Gold Coast and Dogs proved this too

[Adam The God 30,153]

What is the biggest statement Roos could make? Drop Hogan? It worked against Geelong. Arguably our best forward line performance for years.

Yes, we kicked straight, but that day was more about great midfield ball movement. We managed to isolate defenders one on one and that day, we really played for each other.

It's the best I can remember seeing a Melbourne team play. I've watched us for many years and go every week. Perhaps, I've forgotten the Daniher era, but it was toughly contested, we exhibited strong skills, good decision-making and a desire to win at all costs. It was a very focused performance in the wake of the St Kilda 41 second debacle.

If ever we were gonna win our next game though, it'd be this week against Collingwood.

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

Dawes should never pull on the red and blue jumper again.

[Lucifers Hero 39,659]

Dawes should never pull on the red and blue jumper again.

Agree.

I'm still angry with Dawes. He lost the game off his own boot in the 1st quarter!

What might have been if he got just one or two of those 4 bloopers right?

We had to play catch up all day because of him and we never caught up.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Again, I may have mentioned this many times before, but at centre bounces why do the forwards start 30 metres out from goal, why not in the goal square?

In a perfect world, your forwards are taking marks in front of goal about 20-30 metres out on a lead. If there is a quick kick out of a centre clearance and the forwards are already 30 metres out from goal when they set up, when they lead out they will be about 40-50 metres out from goal.

I would love someone to give me a logical explanation as to why this centre bounce formation is better.

Edited July 27, 2015 by Clint Bizkit

[Coq au vin 755]

Dawes should never pull on the red and blue jumper again.

How can he be an AFL player when he can't mark can't kick can't handball?

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Again, I may have mentioned this many times before, but at centre bounces why do the forwards start 30 metres out from goal, why not in the goal square?

In a perfect world, your forwards are taking marks in front of goal about 20-30 metres out on a lead. If there is a quick kick out of a centre clearance and the forwards are already 30 metres out from goal when they set up, when they lead out they will be about 40-50 metres out from goal.

I would love someone to give me a logical explanation as to why this centre bounce formation is better.

You are touching extremely closely on a major element of what I have already suggested. I would also like somebody to explain to me why what we are currently doing is superior to a setup as mooted in the OP.

[old dee 23,782]

How can he be an AFL player when he can't mark can't kick can't handball?

An extremely good question.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

You are touching extremely closely on a major element of what I have already suggested. I would also like somebody to explain to me why what we are currently doing is superior to a setup as mooted in the OP.

I won't lie, I didn't read all of your post.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

I won't lie, I didn't read all of your post.

didn't think so

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

didn't think so

I got the gist of it.

[Dr. Mubutu 831]

Howe is the flyer and should stay in the goal square or pocket

This, I think, is the most important part.

Why do we persist on Howe in the backline, where he's not a defender's bootlace, when he is obviously best used up forward? This was even referenced by Roos after the Geelong game (and yes, I too think it was lip service).

If anyone can provide some sort of insight as to why we keep him in the back half of the field, and not in the forward 50 as an attacking weapon, I'd welcome any explanation.

As to what the coaching staff was thinking not playing McDonald on Reiwoldt on Sunday, the less said the better.

[Dr. Mubutu 831]

You'd drop Hogan before Dawes? Bottom line is Hogan and Dawes don't work together. Games V Gold Coast and Dogs proved this too

Hogan, Dawes and McDonald in the same forward line will give me nightmares for weeks to come.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

If anyone can provide some sort of insight as to why we keep him in the back half of the field, and not in the forward 50 as an attacking weapon, I'd welcome any explanation.

Ala Frawley last year, except swap ends of the ground - Roos knows that Howe is not part of our future. He is letting our forwardline develop without him. He is also trying to build the illusion that Howe is some sort of swingman hence upping his value. We will get an 'overs' return for Howe and hopefully package that with pick 6 or so to get this A+ midfielder Roos is on about.

[Dr. Mubutu 831]

Ala Frawley last year, except swap ends of the ground - Roos knows that Howe is not part of our future. He is letting our forwardline develop without him. He is also trying to build the illusion that Howe is some sort of swingman hence upping his value. We will get an 'overs' return for Howe and hopefully package that with pick 6 or so to get this A+ midfielder Roos is on about.

If any other club's recruiter does that deal, they should be fired immediately (especially considering Academy, F/S and zone selections, pick ~6 will likely be pick ~10).

I, however, will be over the moon.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,708]

Let's get serious here. If you're going to use a quote from Richard III in the subject line, why haven't you gone with the opening line, "Now is the winter of our discontent"? Seems much more appropriate to me.

[Henrietta Lumbago 331]

Lets be honest we dont move the ball forwards or enough with any fluency...watch how Hawthorn move the ball around the ground and forwards with fluency it makes it so much easier for the forwards..it again comes down to the game plan.

Havinf a contest outside our 50 and a mid just throwing the ball on the boot Magnet style is not easy for the forwards...we should have Watts, Howe, Garlett, Hogan and JkH as our forward line .