It dawned on me in another thread that even though I played and coached for over 30 years I actually really dont fully understand some of the fundamentals of today's game. Basically I have no idea what are the specifics and names of the current day roles / positions on the ground.

Obviously Ruck, def wingman etc makes sense but what are the actual names of other roles? I heard power forwards and speed forward used a few weeks back. 

 

I am sure down the ground vision would explain it. Does anyone know where we can get access to that?

If anyone can enlighten me on the roles and names please do.

Positional names have changed over the years.

Back when I first started playing and following footy in the 60s, these were the names used:

B:  Former rover who has lost a yard in pace     Loneliest man in the world   Rock of Gibraltar

H/B:  Enforcer   Key Defender   Jack of all trades

C:  Real goer   Pivot   Racehorse

H/F:  Avenue  to goal   The hardest position   Will o' the wisp

F:  Resting ruckman   Spearhead   Goalsneak

R:  One kick behind the play   Prime mover   Borer into the bottom of the pack

19th:  Utility   20th:  Big-hearted trier

In addition, you had those that didn't make the side but were knocking on the door of selection and were running around in the seconds.  Among these were exciting young prospects, natural left-footers, honest battlers, bean-poles, big occasion players, nippy small blokes and club stalwarts.

 

Then, by the 1980s, the game and the terminology had changed to read like this:

B:  Tagger   Stopper   Sweeper

H/B:  Rebounder   Negator   Springboard

C:  Breakaway   Instigator   Linkman

H/F:  Runner   Tall option   Receiver

F:  Crumber   Converter   Finisher

R:  Tall   On-baller   Small

I/C:  Overlapper   Tag breaker

The backs and half-backs were collectively called "the back half" while the six forwards made up "the forward half".  The centre line players were in "the middle" and its intersection with the "central corridor" (previously the goal-to-goal line) constituted "the workface".

 

These days, I have to admit to having no idea.  Nor,  I suspect, does anybody else.

 

(...and looking like you're itching to get another discombobulator out there, d? Got Neil Crompton's to untangle first though!)

Just replace HFF with Midfielder as nearly every club pushes the HFF into the mids.  Move FP to High forwards.

The back 6 and mids haven't changed that much, how they play is a bit different but the role is similar.

 

7 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

and looking like you're itching to get another discombobulator out there, d?

I've got ten more lined up ready to go Timothy, but have held off due to puzzle overload on the site.  At this stage, I may even wait until the off season when there's not much else happening.

Crompton's poser was never solved and I had to PM him to find the answers!

These days it’s all about how you ‘self identify’.

In a work setting I identify as a ‘mercurial forward’ (which is code for I don’t do the hard stuff, and just hope the ball bounces out the back for me to kick easy goals).

This would explain why I’m on Demonland at 1pm on a Thursday.

Everyone's a midfielder and a defender

The old position names aren't as relevant today.  For example, there's no difference between a rover, ruck-rover and centreman

1 hour ago, Demonstone said:

Positional names have changed over the years.

Back when I first started playing and following footy in the 60s, these were the names used:

B:  Former rover who has lost a yard in pace     Loneliest man in the world   Rock of Gibraltar

H/B:  Enforcer   Key Defender   Jack of all trades

C:  Real goer   Pivot   Racehorse

H/F:  Avenue  to goal   The hardest position   Will o' the wisp

F:  Resting ruckman   Spearhead   Goalsneak

R:  One kick behind the play   Prime mover   Borer into the bottom of the pack

19th:  Utility   20th:  Big-hearted trier

In addition, you had those that didn't make the side but were knocking on the door of selection and were running around in the seconds.  Among these were exciting young prospects, natural left-footers, honest battlers, bean-poles, big occasion players, nippy small blokes and club stalwarts.

 

Then, by the 1980s, the game and the terminology had changed to read like this:

B:  Tagger   Stopper   Sweeper

H/B:  Rebounder   Negator   Springboard

C:  Breakaway   Instigator   Linkman

H/F:  Runner   Tall option   Receiver

F:  Crumber   Converter   Finisher

R:  Tall   On-baller   Small

I/C:  Overlapper   Tag breaker

The backs and half-backs were collectively called "the back half" while the six forwards made up "the forward half".  The centre line players were in "the middle" and its intersection with the "central corridor" (previously the goal-to-goal line) constituted "the workface".

 

These days, I have to admit to having no idea.  Nor,  I suspect, does anybody else.

 

Brilliant!

 

3 hours ago, Wizard of Koz said:

It dawned on me in another thread that even though I played and coached for over 30 years I actually really dont fully understand some of the fundamentals of today's game. Basically I have no idea what are the specifics and names of the current day roles / positions on the ground.

Obviously Ruck, def wingman etc makes sense but what are the actual names of other roles? I heard power forwards and speed forward used a few weeks back. 

 

I am sure down the ground vision would explain it. Does anyone know where we can get access to that?

If anyone can enlighten me on the roles and names please do.

The modern game is pretty simple

We have tall midfielders (Ruckmen) and midfielders (everyone else)

What about the coaches?  Used to be just the the one in Norm's day.......

half back flank was where you hid your worst player except in schoolboy football it was the wing. (You could stand on a wing all day and never see the ball.)

The position that has clearly disappeared is that of the "follower" or ruck rover.

TBH I coudn't tell you who plays centre for MFC these days

The runner

Talls

Smalls

Sweeper

Quarterback role - yuk

Run with

Stopper

Wicketkeeper 

The Irishman

Impact player

28 minutes ago, radar said:

The runner

Talls

Smalls

Sweeper

Quarterback role - yuk

Run with

Stopper

Wicketkeeper 

The Irishman

Impact player

Thanks Radar....I was looking for Run With...as when your champ is out of sorts play him on the opposition s best and he will be where the ball is...unfortunately in front of the opposition goal

30 minutes ago, radar said:

The Irishman

Not sure that was ever a position, radar!

6 hours ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

(...and looking like you're itching to get another discombobulator out there, d? Got Neil Crompton's to untangle first though!)

The original #5 Neil Crompton was a small defender / match winning goal sneak who, it is rumoured, the great late Norm Smith would have dragged for playing too far out of position had he not actually kicked our last grand final winning goal. ?

7 hours ago, Demonstone said:

Positional names have changed over the years.

Back when I first started playing and following footy in the 60s, these were the names used:

B:  Former rover who has lost a yard in pace     Loneliest man in the world   Rock of Gibraltar

H/B:  Enforcer   Key Defender   Jack of all trades

C:  Real goer   Pivot   Racehorse

H/F:  Avenue  to goal   The hardest position   Will o' the wisp

F:  Resting ruckman   Spearhead   Goalsneak

R:  One kick behind the play   Prime mover   Borer into the bottom of the pack

19th:  Utility   20th:  Big-hearted trier

In addition, you had those that didn't make the side but were knocking on the door of selection and were running around in the seconds.  Among these were exciting young prospects, natural left-footers, honest battlers, bean-poles, big occasion players, nippy small blokes and club stalwarts.

 

Then, by the 1980s, the game and the terminology had changed to read like this:

B:  Tagger   Stopper   Sweeper

H/B:  Rebounder   Negator   Springboard

C:  Breakaway   Instigator   Linkman

H/F:  Runner   Tall option   Receiver

F:  Crumber   Converter   Finisher

R:  Tall   On-baller   Small

I/C:  Overlapper   Tag breaker

The backs and half-backs were collectively called "the back half" while the six forwards made up "the forward half".  The centre line players were in "the middle" and its intersection with the "central corridor" (previously the goal-to-goal line) constituted "the workface".

 

These days, I have to admit to having no idea.  Nor,  I suspect, does anybody else.

 

Great response. I agree with that entirely.

So it looks as though the actual roles and the names of those roles are a mystery to us who are probably the most analytical and researched fans of all.

Surely this is the only sport in the world like this. Dr. Drake helped a touch but no names and it was pretty generalised. 

It is odd.

14 hours ago, Wizard of Koz said:

So it looks as though the actual roles and the names of those roles are a mystery to us who are probably the most analytical and researched fans of all.

Surely this is the only sport in the world like this. Dr. Drake helped a touch but no names and it was pretty generalised. 

It is odd.

I think the NBA has moved in a similar way.
Used to have point guard, shooting guard, shooting forward, power forward and center where similar shaped and skilled players filled those roles. 2 tall's for in the paint, 1 medium shooter/defender, 2 smalls - 1 for ball handling and one for shooting.

Nowadays teams play tall and small. In the USA Vs Australia game Devin Booker a point guard was playing technically as a power forward. You cant call him a power forward.

The ball handler has changed too since Lebron/Kobe took over from point guards, so its more here is our 5 individually skilled players playing a role on the court versus your 5 players. They rotate highly through only 7-8 players. 
Like Ben Simmons at the 76ers, hes built like a power forward but plays point guard. 

So I see a similarity with AFL where its more heres our 18 players with jobs and roles against your team and game plan, therefore each teams positions and labels would have some crossover but be unique to the team. 
 

Why is there a high half forward but never a low half forward?

How is a lead up forward different to a leading forward?

Why is a ruck-rover neither a ruckman or a rover?

Intercept defender? Ground ball getter midfielder? Lock in forward? Clearance specialist? Could be anyone.

It seems to me that there is a competition between expert commentators (so-called) to come up with new names that reflect the roles that players fill as well as the positions and that, whereas in the past a position came with an image that tended to define the player who filled that position, today with interchange and zone defence and chaos attacks the old rules no longer apply.

For those who can remember, what would Alf Brown have done? He used to write a match analysis in Friday's Herald (afternoon paper) based on fixed position one-on-ones eg half forward on half back.

At least the footy can still be great to watch especially if the sound is on mute and teams play in the corridor and stay away from down the line.

18 hours ago, george_on_the_outer said:

What about the coaches?  Used to be just the the one in Norm's day.......

Those were the days that we really appreciated the one umpire - with fewer mistakes, less 'showmanship', comparatively less preference for a blessed few sides and more accountable post decision-making. Footy was IMO a better, more involving game to appreciate, as well. Plus, the Dees were a top side.

 

2 hours ago, tiers said:

 

At least the footy can still be great to watch especially if the sound is on mute

If you watch on Kayo, you can stream approx 20-30 seconds behind live and it will line up with your preferred radio commentary team (SEN MMM 3AW)

On 8/5/2021 at 12:28 PM, Demonstone said:

Positional names have changed over the years.

Back when I first started playing and following footy in the 60s, these were the names used:

B:  Former rover who has lost a yard in pace     Loneliest man in the world   Rock of Gibraltar

H/B:  Enforcer   Key Defender   Jack of all trades

C:  Real goer   Pivot   Racehorse

H/F:  Avenue  to goal   The hardest position   Will o' the wisp

F:  Resting ruckman   Spearhead   Goalsneak

R:  One kick behind the play   Prime mover   Borer into the bottom of the pack

19th:  Utility   20th:  Big-hearted trier

In addition, you had those that didn't make the side but were knocking on the door of selection and were running around in the seconds.  Among these were exciting young prospects, natural left-footers, honest battlers, bean-poles, big occasion players, nippy small blokes and club stalwarts.

 

Then, by the 1980s, the game and the terminology had changed to read like this:

B:  Tagger   Stopper   Sweeper

H/B:  Rebounder   Negator   Springboard

C:  Breakaway   Instigator   Linkman

H/F:  Runner   Tall option   Receiver

F:  Crumber   Converter   Finisher

R:  Tall   On-baller   Small

I/C:  Overlapper   Tag breaker

The backs and half-backs were collectively called "the back half" while the six forwards made up "the forward half".  The centre line players were in "the middle" and its intersection with the "central corridor" (previously the goal-to-goal line) constituted "the workface".

 

These days, I have to admit to having no idea.  Nor,  I suspect, does anybody else.

 

Explains why I spent 90% of my game time at ADFA as a “former rover who has lost a yard in pace” to a “big hearted tryer” either or, I still held up the bar quite well after the game 🤣🤣🤣

19 hours ago, Demonstone said:

Not sure that was ever a position, radar!

We had a guy called radar, but it was more to do with the size of his ears…