This season we go back to the full long quarters and also have a reduction from a maximum 90 interchanges to 75. I will be interested to see if there is any innovative thinking in the way that the interchanges are structured to make sure that the midfielders in particular can run out the games.

I have had a look for some stats regarding the number of interchanges that take place during a game in the different areas of the ground, Defence, Midfield and Forward. I cannot find anything that is available.

I hope that we have a properly structured approach to this in the season. Just as we have individual training structures for the players I hope we have a very clear idea of how the players endurance and performance changes during a game so that we can prepare game programs in response.

The midfield will need to have a most rotations I would think with rotations on and off the ground being balanced with moving of players to different areas of the ground “off the ball” for a rest.

I can see the practice of a gaol kicker coming off the ground after kicking a goal dropping off, which, to my mind is a good thing. I have never understood it. I can also see a lot more in game statistics/monitoring relating to endurance of players and ground covered etc.

Anyhow, I put it out there for comment and consideration as I believe it will be an advantage to the team of fitness/coaches that use it best.

I will watch with interest to see if there are any changes/innovations to this aspect of the game.

1 minute ago, CHF said:

I can see the practice of a gaol kicker coming off the ground after kicking a goal dropping off, which, to my mind is a good thing. I have never understood it. I can also see a lot more in game statistics/monitoring relating to endurance of players and ground covered etc.

 

I don't think the goal kicker coming off has ever been a policy, there's just always been times where the guy who kicks the goal is due for his rotation and that will continue. Key forwards have taken less rotations as the years go on, but they are also kicking less goals. A spent half forward should come off, there's really no benefit leaving them on just because they kicked a goal. 

I'm also not sure how much more monitoring the clubs can get, they track each players individual gps data and are pretty hot on who has to come off. 

It's well overdue that some of that data gets published for fans but that's true of a lot of AFL data and so far we haven't seen the AFL show any initiative with that.

6 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

I don't think the goal kicker coming off has ever been a policy, there's just always been times where the guy who kicks the goal is due for his rotation and that will continue. Key forwards have taken less rotations as the years go on, but they are also kicking less goals. A spent half forward should come off, there's really no benefit leaving them on just because they kicked a goal. 

I'm also not sure how much more monitoring the clubs can get, they track each players individual gps data and are pretty hot on who has to come off. 

It's well overdue that some of that data gets published for fans but that's true of a lot of AFL data and so far we haven't seen the AFL show any initiative with that.

It may be just my perception that the goalkicker comes from the ground a majority of times after kicking a goal. I will keep an eye on it.

I am sure that they have access to a load of ingame data on players but it will be interesting to see how the use it given the new circumstances. I know in the pat I have seen that key defenders in particular seem to spend 90%+ time on ground. Forwards not so much.

The biggest changes I think will come at selection where teams last year really pushed towards 7 defenders, 8 mids, 7 forwards.

I think most teams and especially a side like us without a lot of versatile players will keep the 7 defenders rotating through the backline in order to find a cohesive defensive unit.

But the forwards/mids combination might shift even all the way to 10 mids and 5 forwards.

For example in round 1 we might go with Jackson, Tommy Mc, Pickett, Spargo and Fritsch as the primary forwards, and then Gawn, Tracc, Oliver, Harmes, Langdon, Baker, Brayshaw, Jordon, ANB, Jones all rotating through the midfield.

I'd imagine Tracc and Oliver will rest at full forward, possibly Harmes too. Whilst Jordon, ANB and Jones will get called in to the midfield to save bench rotations.

It's why Melksham is such an important player for us really because at least in theory he can play forward, on ball and wing. And hopefully in time guys like Laurie (all 3 spots) and Rosman (forward/wing) might be too.

6 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

The biggest changes I think will come at selection where teams last year really pushed towards 7 defenders, 8 mids, 7 forwards.

I think most teams and especially a side like us without a lot of versatile players will keep the 7 defenders rotating through the backline in order to find a cohesive defensive unit.

But the forwards/mids combination might shift even all the way to 10 mids and 5 forwards.

For example in round 1 we might go with Jackson, Tommy Mc, Pickett, Spargo and Fritsch as the primary forwards, and then Gawn, Tracc, Oliver, Harmes, Langdon, Baker, Brayshaw, Jordon, ANB, Jones all rotating through the midfield.

I'd imagine Tracc and Oliver will rest at full forward, possibly Harmes too. Whilst Jordon, ANB and Jones will get called in to the midfield to save bench rotations.

It's why Melksham is such an important player for us really because at least in theory he can play forward, on ball and wing. And hopefully in time guys like Laurie (all 3 spots) and Rosman (forward/wing) might be too.

Yep. I can see what you are saying. I see that Pickett is playing bursts through the middle against Box Hill this evening and would not be surprised to see Spargo spend a little time on ball as well.

Would like to see a 22 with at least 10 midfield rotations possible and at a pinch 12 possible players to rotate there.

1 minute ago, CHF said:

Yep. I can see what you are saying. I see that Pickett is playing bursts through the middle against Box Hill this evening and would not be surprised to see Spargo spend a little time on ball as well.

Would like to see a 22 with at least 10 midfield rotations possible and at a pinch 12 possible players to rotate there.

Jackson I guess is 11 although I'd imagine he's forward a fair bit in round 1, and I was thinking the midfield stuff for Kozzie was more about fitness and he's too important forward but really we need his burst in the middle too. I'd probably play Chandler as a forward and take out a mid if they are going to use Kozzie on ball just because we skills and pressure forward.

That's really the balance - how to keep enough forward craft in your forward line whilst getting as many midfield rotations as possible.

It could be a major pay-off for a couple of our team's features.

May and Lever being the core of our defence means we have two excellent readers of the play who know when to use their running effectively and efficiently.  Our game style under Goodwin has always accepted significant risk of the rebound coming too fast for mids to run back and clog up and for that reason we accept the need of keeping a couple of defenders closer to their 50.  It means a lot less running up and down over and over.

Our midfield is also, so very clearly, intended to be a deep top-quality rotation.  2020 was cruel to several of our mids who missed out on a lot of time in the middle because there simply wasn't the need to rotate the first choice group out so much. Where trying to find mixed and other roles for Harmes, Brayshaw, and even Jones was a bit of a liability in 2020, this year those additional capable mids will be even more valuable than pre-2020. Remembering that a big part of our successful run in 2018 was build on the fact that opposition midfields and their on-ball groups in particular simply could not keep up with our hammer and anvil squad in there.

Also helps to have the game's fittest ruck out there.

We won't see him to begin the season, but Ben Brown routinely played 95%+ game time and that is a product as much of his wisdom as his fitness.  He knows when to go on a run and when to loiter for a contest.

It is one of those small things that keeps my eyebrow slightly raised, flirting with the possibility this year could feature a major improvement from us.

Fitness and stamina will become more important, hopefully a plus for us.

On the other hand players returning from injury lay offs may not be eased back as previously.  

Might need a run at Casey, which, given the shorter VFL season and multiple byes, will be a challenge. 

Thankfully the interchanges are getting back to decent levels. The 140 changes a game had gotten out of hand. 

60 probably next year, I wonder where they will stop. Perhaps 40.
10 a quarter seems reasonable 

I personally like getting back to the old days. We don’t need blokes sprinting through 3 minutes stints and taking a break. I

I have heard that the goalkicker coming off the ground is a sport science thing. The pressure of lining up for goal, the thrill of kicking the goal, etc. is related to a surge in adrenaline. Increased adrenaline masks feelings of pain associated with injuries. So they bring players off so their adrenaline drops quickly, so that they don't miss muscle tightness, small injuries etc. and aggrevate them.

Edited March 12, 20214 yr by deanox