Craig Jennings Analysis of Dees Game Plan

[Little Richard 6,261]

4 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

True.  And it worked because it was unpredictable and rare.

I think May changes it up a bit more than he's given credit for though.

The second kick in he goes straight up the middle to Max and we take possession but lose the ball at half forward, through sloppy hand balling, which then results in the ball coming back for a Richmond goal.

[Master Deebater 490]

I studied TAA with Craig a few years back when he was at Essendope doing OP analysis & strategy.

It was the first I'd heard of it in footy clubs but I guess every team does it.

I was wrapt when he came to the Dees & disappointed when cut.

He's obviously a deep thinker and great student of the game.

[Clintosaurus 7,826]

Didn't Jennings want to have a crack at being a senior coach at a lower level?

[Lord Nev 13,512]

1 minute ago, Hardley Benial said:

I studied TAA with Craig a few years back when he was at Essendope doing OP analysis & strategy.

It was the first I'd heard of it in footy clubs but I guess every team does it.

I was wrapt when he came to the Dees & disappointed when cut.

He's obviously a deep thinker and great student of the game.

He and Rawlings were big losses for us IMO.

 

[Lucifers Hero 39,454]

6 minutes ago, Luther said:

I think May changes it up a bit more than he's given credit for though.

The second kick in he goes straight up the middle to Max and we take possession but lose the ball at half forward, through sloppy hand balling, which then results in the ball coming back for a Richmond goal.

That was my point, most of the time we kick-in to Max.  And it makes May (and others) predictable and therefore easy to counter by competing with Max or pressure on subsequent ball carriers. 

[sue 9,096]

3 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

That was my point, most of the time we kick-in to Max.  And it makes May (and others) predictable and therefore easy to counter by competing with Max or pressure on subsequent ball carriers. 

If the player kicking out could signal to other that he is kicking it down the middle and all the other backs who were trying to make space for a short/medium kick immediately ran to pick up the nearby forwards rather than avoid them, then even if the ball came back in you'd be prepared. Then the odds may favour the kick up the middle being done more often.

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

1 hour ago, BW511 said:

Jennings has just told every club how to beat us and it's unbelievably simple.

The good news is, they already know. So no harm done.

[Nelo 813]

If Craig Jennings is so good why isn’t he at Melbourne anymore, or why isn’t he at another club??

[Adam The God 30,105]

1 hour ago, Lord Travis said:

Interesting to hear a previous coach pointing out these issues and that the club still haven't addressed it years on.

Also interesting that teams actively target Oliver and Petracca as weak links defensively and try to launch offensive attacks through the players they're on. Also suggest Oliver be played more forward for his own development.

Too many players go at the footy, opposition just wait on the outside. If Melbourne do win the ball, they're surrounded and make poor decisions as a result. Coaches do this on loop to nullify the amount of contests we win.

When the opposition get the ball they maintain possession and play keepings off, and we have no way to combat that. 

They're two obvious strategic things that have brought us unstuck for years now. We are outcoached on a weekly basis. Until we change gamestyle, we can give 110% effort as much as we like, but we will not be a competitor.

I agree to an extent but you're contradicting yourself a bit here. You refer to teams exploiting Oliver and Petracca's defensive games and then suggest that the only way to change it it game style. That won't help poor defence in midfield.

[Earl Hood 6,082]

1 hour ago, Swooper1987 said:

Except that Jennings was part of the coaching group last year.  He was also one of the coaches that voted for Oliver to win our B&F when he was accumulating some very average stats. 

And I remember some telling vision in the coach’s box last year when we had one of our few close wins of Goody ruffling Jenning’s hair immediately the siren went. Jennings reaction indicated that he and Goody were at loggerheads over something  and he had just been put back in his place. Was gone at year’s end. 

[Earl Hood 6,082]

2 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

At the 5.00 mark he says the footage Garry Lyon showed on AFL360 On the Couch, is how Saints played for the last 5 years.  Can only be Richo's influence.  Worrying.  

A losing strategy at saints and so far the same for us.

Was not a fan of his appointment.  Less so after hearing that.

That is a real worry and perhaps the reason he was appointed. You interview a guy who is telling you what you already believe and want to hear, he must the best man for the job, right? Better than that McCartney guy who upset some of our senior players with some plain talking about their poor attitude last year. 

[rjay 24,843]

2 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

At the 5.00 mark he says the footage Garry Lyon showed on AFL360 On the Couch, is how Saints played for the last 5 years.  Can only be Richo's influence.  Worrying.  

A losing strategy at saints and so far the same for us.

Was not a fan of his appointment.  Less so after hearing that.

He was having a dig at Richo...

Not sure I would place much on this.

Jennings has a bit of an axe to grind.

I did find parts of the discussion interesting but also take into context the above.

[Lucifers Hero 39,454]

Just now, rjay said:

He was having a dig at Richo...

Not sure I would place much on this.

Jennings has a bit of an axe to grind.

I did find parts of the discussion interesting but also take into context the above.

Maybe so but I have yet to see/hear of a positive Richo influence.  Will be delighted if he turns out to be a good acquisition for us.

[bing181 9,193]

1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

As he was given the flick one can only assume that Goodwin didn't want to hear these messages from Jennings. 

Yes, one could assume that. One could also make any number of other assumptions as to why he was given the flick - including the one that did the rounds at the time, which is far more credible and has nothing to do with what Goodwin did or didn't want to hear.

[3183 Dee 2,841]

19 minutes ago, bing181 said:

Yes, one could assume that. One could also make any number of other assumptions as to why he was given the flick - including the one that did the rounds at the time, which is far more credible and has nothing to do with what Goodwin did or didn't want to hear.

Et alors?

[Grimes Times 1,278]

1 hour ago, Vineytime said:

Some great points from Jennings and well summed up.. I listened with great attention when he was on earlier  

Anyone get a bit of a feel there are a few sour grapes there though from Jennings?

Yes felt the same thing when listening.

[Grimes Times 1,278]

1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

He kicks to Max and it is nearly always to the members side of the ground (or the left when at other grounds).  Very, very predictable.

Haven't seen our kick-in players take a run out of the goal square this year - they may have forgotten the rule changes  allow it. 

 

Edited July 9, 2020 by Grimes Times

[Deeoldfart 8,005]

I thought the interview with someone who should know us as well as anyone, was outstanding.  I'm all in favor of simple solutions.

[Demons11 6,901]

2 hours ago, Lord Travis said:

Interesting to hear a previous coach pointing out these issues and that the club still haven't addressed it years on.

Also interesting that teams actively target Oliver and Petracca as weak links defensively and try to launch offensive attacks through the players they're on. Also suggest Oliver be played more forward for his own development.

Too many players go at the footy, opposition just wait on the outside. If Melbourne do win the ball, they're surrounded and make poor decisions as a result. Coaches do this on loop to nullify the amount of contests we win.

When the opposition get the ball they maintain possession and play keepings off, and we have no way to combat that. 

They're two obvious strategic things that have brought us unstuck for years now. We are outcoached on a weekly basis. Until we change gamestyle, we can give 110% effort as much as we like, but we will not be a competitor.

Was Jennings at Melb last year?

[Demons11 6,901]

1 hour ago, rjay said:

He was having a dig at Richo...

Not sure I would place much on this.

Jennings has a bit of an axe to grind.

I did find parts of the discussion interesting but also take into context the above.

This is what I was thinking.  Sour grapes! 

[tiers 2,829]

Not so sour. The implication is that Goodwon is either too stubborn or too hidebound to accept another opinion. And Jennings should know. Jennings calls him creative at one point but his creativity has not been shown on match day.

His strategy of using Gawn in the backline as a deterrent to other teams to kick to the goal scoring areas as Jennings describes is sensible if not predictable. But it only works if the backup around him is aware of his role and Lever is allowed to play his intercept role.

His other suggestion to play Gawn in the forward line if we are a few goals down is also sensible. Create a mismatch somewhere forcing the opposition to reconstruct their team and game.  However these strategies are too Gawn centric and mismatches should be explored using other players.

Playing Clarrie in the forward line does have merit so  long as he is replaced in the midfeild by a tagger type who can run eg Harmes who filled this role in 2018 with flair and excitement. Let the opposition worry for a change.

Clarrie is the best tackler in the team and if he doesn't win the ball no one else does. Playing as a ball "holder" also has merit because he creates his own mismatch for most defenders - a strong mark , ferocious tackler, speed and strength and a player who has to be taken by defender 1 or 2 thereby freeing up opportunities for others.

One of the weaknesses during Northey's reign was that we tried very hard to match our game to the opposition's game so that we were always chasing. I believe that we should focus only on our game plan and, if it is good enough, let them be forced to chase us. We do have the talent. If only the coaching and game plan could match our talent we should go far.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

[Adam The God 30,105]

2 hours ago, Earl Hood said:

And I remember some telling vision in the coach’s box last year when we had one of our few close wins of Goody ruffling Jenning’s hair immediately the siren went. Jennings reaction indicated that he and Goody were at loggerheads over something  and he had just been put back in his place. Was gone at year’s end. 

That was in 2018. He was gone a year later. Disagreement is perfectly healthy.

[Earl Hood 6,082]

15 minutes ago, A F said:

That was in 2018. He was gone a year later. Disagreement is perfectly healthy.

Oh thought it was last year. I agree disagreement is healthy but that’s my point Jennings was sent packing and then McCartney Who I suspect wasn’t clashing with Goody but upset some players with some home truths. 

[Adam The God 30,105]

46 minutes ago, Earl Hood said:

Oh thought it was last year. I agree disagreement is healthy but that’s my point Jennings was sent packing and then McCartney Who I suspect wasn’t clashing with Goody but upset some players with some home truths. 

Yep, they've definitely backed the coach in, but it's hard to know what went down and whwther it was the right move in the end. Time may tell.