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Demons Need to Find a Few Tricks Up Their Sleeves

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in Melbourne Demons

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Coincidentally, I'm about to complete the research stage for a book gathering the insights of 2,500 years of strategic writing and sifting it for useful principles for Australian Football.

So, if they do decide to get some book learn'n done, I'm available.

Nope, I'm not even kidding.

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    1 minute ago, Little Goffy said:

    Coincidentally, I'm about to complete the research stage for a book gathering the insights of 2,500 years of strategic writing and sifting it for useful principles for Australian Football.

    So, if they do decide to get some book learn'n done, I'm available.

    Nope, I'm not even kidding.

    Goodwin would just read the same page over and over 

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    1 minute ago, adonski said:

    Goodwin would just read the same page over and over 

    Well, based on this article maybe he would read the first quarter of each page really, really well, and then just skim the rest.

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    Needs some thought

    We are playing a tweaked 2017 gameplan made to look good by some very good defenders

    Not sure where we go from here

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    19 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

    Needs some thought

    We are playing a tweaked 2017 gameplan made to look good by some very good defenders

    Not sure where we go from here

    Our tall forward problems have been well documented.  Hopefully JVR with Macca & Petty can provide some solutions here in 2023.  Problem is will Goodwin get a little imaginative and play Petty forward?

    Aside from that, we need to get some serious run/finishing skills off HB & through the middle into this club.

    Yes we have Lingers on one wing but his finish coming inside is questionable.

    Hunt off HB if he is still with us but the run we sometimes used to gain here appears to have vanished somewhat to accomodate required roles where im not sure he has that freedom under Goodwin.

    There's no run from anyone else really.  Used to be a tad from Rivers in 2021 but he's regressed in general. We rely on kick / marking our way up the field and / or if those outlets are blocked, long down the line.  And down the line only works if you are taking a few contested marks and/or winning the ground ball or stoppages more often than not.  It's a gruelling way to play the game the more often you default to it, especially for the Mids.

    Alot of the time oppos are also playing a plus one in defence so when our mids do win it & look towards or inside 50 they often only see the extra numbers for the oppo.  Thats where they need to switch or short pass it, but we arent great with passing so what happens?  Often what happens is we turn it back over to the oppo and the ball comes straight back, catching our defenders out.  The better teams exploit this more often.  Knowing the above, our lessor light kicks (like Maxy)"then go into their shell and start kicking to the flanks/pockets!  

    The switch play or 45s off HB are also restricted as we really only have three players that are capable right now.  That's May, Bowey & Salem.  Unfortunately Bowey didn't play at the back end of the season.  Salem had no run and no dare this season with most of his kicks just dump kicks to players lateral or within about 20 - 25 meters ie; no penetration.  And May probably tried too hard to switch/kick inside at times to make up for the lack of it going beyond his limitations and missing targets / hitting the oppo too often.

    Even if those three do happen to hit up a target we're still pretty much stiffled and stuck in the back half for too long as there's not alot of speed / trust in this list.  Very few players roll out and play on taking their opponent and the game on.  Most just get behind the mark and take their kick and/or pass laterally or down the line.

    The Pies are a great exponent of run off HB / through the middle and taking the game on.  As much as i can't stand them they're probably the best at this aspect of the game in the AFL right now and extremely hard to counter.

    They trust, so they often roll and take the game on creating ovelap.  Many others around them running in support as they move the ball quickly up the field.  I think we also did a fair bit of this to great effect in 2021.  Unfortunately not so well this season.

    Speed of transition along with clean clever ball use & execution (under various levels of pressure) is critical in maxing out forward opportunities in the AFL.  Hopefully we can find that speed and cleaness once again in 2023.

    Need to fix the lack of pressure inside our 50 as well.  Severe drop off from 2021 this season.

    Edited by Demon Dynasty

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