Jump to content

The Gameplan

Featured Replies

Posted

I thought it might be a good idea to have a dedicated thread for the 2017 Gameplan, but of course it will also be discussed elsewhere.

I really noticed (after the first quarter) the tendency to kick the ball longer sideways to open up the ground and spread the players, creating holes forward of the ball where players would lead into and receive short kicks for mostly uncontested marks. They also worked the angles quite nicely. This type of gameplan works really well with a fit team that spreads well and keeps to their structures. The Saints seemed to be really tired and could not keep up the intensity of the first quarter where they were able to pressure the ball carrier into quick kicks forward to contests rather than keeping the ball in our hands.

Also, it really helps that our midfield is generally able to win the contested ball and clearances count most games. The players seem to set up well for contests so that they are both there in numbers but are also positioned not too close to each other and moving constantly so not many handballs are received flat footed.

The forward line also worked quite well on the weekend, but that might partly be down to the poor defence of the Saints, as at times it seemed there was so much space to lead into and receive crumbs. Although in saying that our defence was also victim to that problem at times too. But perhaps that is a symptom of the way the game is being played at the moment and I also noticed that plenty of other games on the weekend were quite high scoring. I didn't really get to watch the games but it could be that zone defence and quick ball movement from the midfield is catching plenty of teams out.  

 

The biggest difference I think was we lowered our eyes and hit targets in the f50 instead of kicking it to Hogan where ever he was.

We ran forward in waves however a difference to previous games was that when we got to about half forward if there were no options and we ran into a wall instead of bombing away and watching the ball rebound over our heads we turned and retreated backwards with a short kick or long handball to a man standing behind the play to reset before pushing g forward again. Was very noticeable in 2nd and 3rd quarters and we just dominated possession because we wouldn't allow them to touch the footy.

 

Two things for me stood out after quarter time. 

Firstly, the transition from defence into attack and the other way from attack into defence. I  know it is called "run and spread" but we seem to have finally grasped that it requires trust in your teammates to do their job so that the structures remain in place to be effective. We are doing it well and more importantly, doing it fast. the right players are committing to the contest and the others are in place to provide support for any outcome.

Secondly, it looks to me that while we are looking to use the corridor as much as possible we are using a very broad corridor. That may sound strange but we look to be using the lanes inside the wings as part of the corridor and that is allowing a lot of space and running room through the middle when we are on a quick transition.

 

 


we don't second guess anything now, it's all instinct, they don't hesitate they just take the kick into the corridor and it opens the game right up, yes sometimes we stuff up and look silly but it allows us to score around the 120 mark each game and if our defence is good it puts us right in the range to be a finals chance 

Someone mentioned it in another thread and On The Couch highlighted it as well. Goody had 7 players sitting in defence at a centre bounce, then 8 players and then 9 players sitting in our defensive 50 at another centre bounce.

With the 9 all of these Numbers straming fwd, quick long ball into our fwd 50 which Hoges marked over the back uncontested.

Interesting tactic and to see how long it lasts before coaches work it out. 

I thought the comments by Roos on FOX about breaking the lines were fascinating. Rather than kick long to the opposition defensive wall and a 50/50 at best, kick a half or three quarter kick to the hole before the wall, then go over the top and out the back.

 
1 hour ago, Cards13 said:

Someone mentioned it in another thread and On The Couch highlighted it as well. Goody had 7 players sitting in defence at a centre bounce, then 8 players and then 9 players sitting in our defensive 50 at another centre bounce.

With the 9 all of these Numbers straming fwd, quick long ball into our fwd 50 which Hoges marked over the back uncontested.

Interesting tactic and to see how long it lasts before coaches work it out. 

In that 9 defenders situation stk out numbered us 7 to 3 in our forward line. Yet the out number and run from that set up won the ball.... i think it was gawn to brayshsw who handballed to trac on the break who hit hogan with the long entry.

It was very impressive and very hard to pick up on the coverage. But seeing that from king and looking at the replay it was bloody impressive.

It's hard to believe our team is playing smart footy. . I need to check this osnt a dream

 

6 minutes ago, Call Me What You Will said:

I thought the comments by Roos on FOX about breaking the lines were fascinating. Rather than kick long to the opposition defensive wall and a 50/50 at best, kick a half or three quarter kick to the hole before the wall, then go over the top and out the back.

Roos should know - he devised that game plan.  It is exactly what he did when we beat the Hawks last year.  In the press conf after that game he talked about getting the ball in around our 30m from goal arc.  Worked a treat vs the Hawks and in a few games thereafter until the team ran out of puff.  That Hawks game was played in a very similar way to the last 3 qtrs on Saturday.  Same result!


41 minutes ago, Unleash Hell said:

In that 9 defenders situation stk out numbered us 7 to 3 in our forward line. Yet the out number and run from that set up won the ball.... i think it was gawn to brayshsw who handballed to trac on the break who hit hogan with the long entry.

It was very impressive and very hard to pick up on the coverage. But seeing that from king and looking at the replay it was bloody impressive.

It's hard to believe our team is playing smart footy. . I need to check this osnt a dream

What I love so much about the early signs from Goodwin as a coach, even in his second assistant year, is his creativity and willingness to experiment. We had the Diamond Defence last year and now the refined traditional zone defence, coupled with this new Goody Footy 9-man backline. He's cutting edge.

Even more exciting is that this creativity has a view to heavy scoring, 'fearless football', unlike the Roos/Lyon shut it down stoppage game of yesteryear. Lyon is still trying to play a mutated form of it nowadays and it just doesn't stack up to the spread and fast ball movement of 2017 sides.

Cannot wait to see what other tricks Goody Footy has for us in 2017 and beyond. ;) 

Roos went on and on about how we made the ground really “wide” by constantly switching it from one boundary to another. That really mucked up the Saints’ zone, and because their pressure was off in general, we were able to slice through and hit a forward who was outside their zone.

7 hours ago, Unleash Hell said:

In that 9 defenders situation stk out numbered us 7 to 3 in our forward line. Yet the out number and run from that set up won the ball.... i think it was gawn to brayshsw who handballed to trac on the break who hit hogan with the long entry.

It was very impressive and very hard to pick up on the coverage. But seeing that from king and looking at the replay it was bloody impressive.

It's hard to believe our team is playing smart footy. . I need to check this osnt a dream

 

An evolution of Sydney's slingshot footy?

40 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

An evolution of Sydney's slingshot footy?

Quite possibly, i think the swans like geelong are more negative/defensive... but im no expert on structures but i do enjoy observing. 

The structures employed by goody seem to be very aggressive and on Saturday that resulted in 10 to nil centre clearances in a row.

Now you can put a lot of that down to gawn clarry viney etc but the agressiveness of the set ups and execution also saw a 10 goal unanswered demon run.

I haven't seen that from a dees side in a long long time 

Im not one to get over too ahead of myself as its round 1 and we did best gws last year.. but i am genuinely excited about this side and how it's coached. 


16 minutes ago, Unleash Hell said:

Quite possibly, i think the swans like geelong are more negative/defensive... but im no expert on structures but i do enjoy observing. 

The structures employed by goody seem to be very aggressive and on Saturday that resulted in 10 to nil centre clearances in a row.

Now you can put a lot of that down to gawn clarry viney etc but the agressiveness of the set ups and execution also saw a 10 goal unanswered demon run.

I haven't seen that from a dees side in a long long time 

Im not one to get over too ahead of myself as its round 1 and we did best gws last year.. but i am genuinely excited about this side and how it's coached. 

Yeah the Swans work more off a defensive slingshot model where they close down off half back and then rebound catching the opposition off guard as their zone is not set. We just seemed to hammer from half back in an attacking style expecting to win the centre clearance and run forward in waves from there. So it's a similar structure (coming off half back) just ours is more attacking from the outset whereas the Swans defend first then counter attack. Will be interesting to see how it works if we're losing the centre clearances and on the back foot 

4 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Yeah the Swans work more off a defensive slingshot model where they close down off half back and then rebound catching the opposition off guard as their zone is not set. We just seemed to hammer from half back in an attacking style expecting to win the centre clearance and run forward in waves from there. So it's a similar structure (coming off half back) just ours is more attacking from the outset whereas the Swans defend first then counter attack. Will be interesting to see how it works if we're losing the centre clearances and on the back foot 

Will be interesting to see how it stacks up over the season, especially if Maxy is not winning ion the ruck/we are losing the centre clearance.

9 hours ago, Call Me What You Will said:

I thought the comments by Roos on FOX about breaking the lines were fascinating. Rather than kick long to the opposition defensive wall and a 50/50 at best, kick a half or three quarter kick to the hole before the wall, then go over the top and out the back.

Makes good sense

1 hour ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Get out. 

 Nah, it'll take off. You watch David King. ;) #goodyfooty


12 hours ago, Cards13 said:

Someone mentioned it in another thread and On The Couch highlighted it as well. Goody had 7 players sitting in defence at a centre bounce, then 8 players and then 9 players sitting in our defensive 50 at another centre bounce.

With the 9 all of these Numbers straming fwd, quick long ball into our fwd 50 which Hoges marked over the back uncontested.

Interesting tactic and to see how long it lasts before coaches work it out. 

It was good coaching because it was taking advantage of our momemtum. Guarantee it wont happen in most games but it is good to see it happening while we had dominance. In the past we have struggled to score when we have momemtum. This really pushes the idea that when we feel we have control we want to keep piling on the score. We scored 120 points after a 2 goal first quater and after putting the que in the rack 5 mintues into the last where we pocketed 2 more in junk time. that means from qtr time till 4 minutes into the last we scored a massive 90 points (14.6) vs 30 in the rest of the game. Goody's gameplan is all about scoring when we have control and suffocating the opposition when we dont. 

That all being said. Its flirting with danger playing 3-7 in the forwadline because when it comes down to it, at 3-7 it was more about St Kilda's defencive structure falling apart than it was uss playing well. But what it did do is it made defenders panic, watching King's vision showed all the saints defenders panic and run up to help the out number in the middle and hogan just walked out the back. I would expect to see them try this a number of times but im not sold that it would work against the best defences. Saints could have played man on man plus 4 in a zone, Hogan should never have marked that ball uncontested.

4 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Yeah the Swans work more off a defensive slingshot model where they close down off half back and then rebound catching the opposition off guard as their zone is not set. We just seemed to hammer from half back in an attacking style expecting to win the centre clearance and run forward in waves from there. So it's a similar structure (coming off half back) just ours is more attacking from the outset whereas the Swans defend first then counter attack. Will be interesting to see how it works if we're losing the centre clearances and on the back foot 

I think it's a but early to make the comparison at this early stage in the season but maybe the dogs, i tend to lean towards that style and set up? I haven't seen enough to make a proper judgemen, but i agree with your observations.

Tmac and Bernie were excellent on the weekend. I am also very interested to see how the defensive plan develops during the year when the stakes are higher

I want to see this gameplan against a team that can effectively counter it. The Saints folded so badly once we stopped bombing it long it is difficult to see how our players adapt when the pressure is reversed. What we did to the Saints, WCE did to us in the last JLT game. At first we couldn't cope but matched them in the last quarter. Carlton this week probably won't counter it too well, (he says, knowlingly)  but the following week against Geelong will really test it out. 

At the moment, the gameplan does look strong, it just needs to be tested. 

 
2 hours ago, A F said:

 Nah, it'll take off. You watch David King. ;) #goodyfooty

I was looking at your hashtag and it reminded me of goody two shoes.

Maybe we need to send Alan Richardson some #goodytissues


Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Featured Content

  • GAMEDAY: Hawthorn

    It’s game day and the Demons are chasing a fourth straight win as we take on the high flying Hawks at the G. After decades of being tormented by the Hawks the Dees will be keen to extend their 7 year dominance over Hawthorn.

      • Clap
      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 469 replies
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 09

    Round 9 kicks off out west with the Dockers hosting a Collingwood side resting several stars. Fremantle need to make a statement on their home deck after some disappointing form on the road, while the Magpies will be keen to maintain their Top 2 position. Friday night sees a must-win clash between two sides desperate to stay in touch with the eight. St Kilda have shown glimpses while Carlton are clinging to relevance after a flat start to the season. Saturday’s twilight game at Marvel pits the Bombers against a struggling Sydney outfit. Essendon can’t afford another close match against a lower-ranked side, while the Swans risk sliding down the ladder even further. Up in Darwin, the fourth-placed Suns will look to extend their stay in the top four. The Bulldogs have hit their stride with three big wins on the trot and will be very keen to consolidate on their momentum. The always fiery Showdown looms as pivotal for both clubs. Adelaide are eyeing a spot in the Top 4 with a win, while Port Adelaide’s season could slip away if they drop another game and fall further behind the pack. Sunday begins with a yawn fest between Richmond and West Coast. The Tigers need to bank the points to stay clear of the bottom two, while the Eagles are still chasing their first win of the year. The Giants face one of the league’s toughest road trips as they travel to GMHBA Stadium to face the Cats. With GWS at risk of a third straight loss, Geelong will be eager to consolidate their position inside the eight and start their climb up the ladder. The round wraps up with the top-of-the-table Lions heading to Ninja Stadium to take on the second-last Roos. The Lions should easily take care of the struggling Roos who might be powerless against the best in the comp. Who are you tipping and what are the best results for the Demons?

      • Thanks
    • 143 replies
    Demonland
  • PREVIEW: Hawthorn

    Melbourne and Hawthorn who face off against each other this week have more in common than having once almost merged and about to wear a blue jumper with a red v triangle and an embroidered picture of a bird on the front. They also share the MCG as their main home ground, their supporters are associated with the leafy suburbs of Melbourne and in recent times, James Frawley graced the colours of both teams. Even more recently, both have bounced back from disastrous five game losing streaks to start off a season. Of course, the Hawks turned their bounce into a successful leap from the bottom of the ladder into a finals appearance, making it to the semifinals in 2024 and this year, they’re riding high in third place on the AFL table. The Demons are just three games into their 2025 bounce back, and are yet to climb their way out of the bottom four although they are sitting a game and percentage out of the top eight. However, with the current sportsbet odds of $3.90 to win this week’s encounter, it seems a forlorn hope that their upward progression will continue much longer.

      • Thumb Down
      • Clap
      • Thanks
    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PODCAST: Harvey Langford Interview

    On Wednesday I'll be interviewing the Melbourne Football Club's first pick in the 2024 National Draft and pick number 6 overall Harvey Langford. If you have any questions you want asked let me know. I will release the interview on Wednesday afternoon.

      • Clap
      • Love
      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 35 replies
    Demonland
  • REPORT: West Coast

    On a night of counting, Melbourne captain Max Gawn made sure that his contribution counted. He was at his best and superb in the the ruck from the very start of the election night game against the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium, but after watching his dominance of the first quarter and a half of the clash evaporate into nothing as the Eagles booted four goals in the last ten minutes of the opening half, he turned the game on its head, with a ruckman’s masterclass in the second half.  No superlatives would be sufficient to describe the enormity of the skipper’s performance starting with his 47 hit outs, a career-high 35 possessions (22 of them contested), nine clearances, 12 score involvements and, after messing up an attempt or two, finally capping off one of the greatest rucking performances of all time, with a goal of own in the final quarter not long after he delivered a right angled pass into the arms of Daniel Turner who also goaled from a pocket (will we ever know if the pass is what was intended). That was enough to overturn a 12 point deficit after the Eagles scored the first goal of the second half into a 29 point lead at the last break and a winning final quarter (at last) for the Demons who decided not to rest their champion ruckman at the end this time around. 

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: Hawthorn

    The Demons return to the MCG to take on the High Flying Hawks on Saturday Afternoon. Hawthorn will be aiming to consolidate a position in the Top 4 whilst the Dees will be looking to take a scalp and make it four wins in a row. Who comes in and who goes out?

      • Thanks
    • 334 replies
    Demonland