Players who have an ability to be able to break tackles either by brute strength or the good old dont argue as well as the ability to avoid tackles like the quick side step or bualk or the good old selling candy to a baby are imo worth their wait in gold, on the flip side of that players that can't break tackles or an inability to avoid tackels and getting caught with the ball imo are a liability . Breaking tackles often leads to goals, getting caught with ball leads to turnover that leads to goals against. 

I believe we need to take this into  account when we recruit and draft players .

On the weekend Although the tackle stats were even, to my eye we were smashed in this area. They broke  tackles we didn't, they stuck tackles we didn't. We lacked awareness and was often caught with the pill .

Thoughts ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think the lack of awareness was particularly visible at times. Very clearly several players having to re-learn their habits when it comes to propping up and taking their time on the mark vs getting things moving right away.

Fast movement in dangerous areas might be the new priority, but it is a high risk act even for the best and different players will adapt at different speeds to learning when to go and when to hold for a moment.

For a lot of the game against North it looked like their whole squad had been practicing side-steps and evasive turns all pre-season. We were clearly wrong-footed many, many times, which turned what should have been coralling or pressure acts by us into breakaways by them.

The dashing mistakes I can live with as part of a transitioning game style, and I certainly want the likes of Windsor, Lindsay and Tholstrup 'growing up' in an environment where having to make that judgement call is an expectation.

The missteps defensively trouble me a lot more because that isn't a new skill or behaviour. It also effectively invalidates a forward press effort in much the same way that poor spacing would invalidate the 'cluster' or zone strategies, and it results in an absolute ton of unrewarded running for the whole team.

lack of awareness comes down to talk.

that tom mcdonald one was simply a lack of talk. 

no talk is a symptom of a wider problem in that if youre not prepared to talk to the ball carrier youre probably in your shell in survival mode.....ie look after myself and not the team. which i think is pretty obvious given the way we played on sunday. why were we in survival mode and not looking after the ball carrier? nfi. 

24 minutes ago, biggestred said:

lack of awareness comes down to talk.

that tom mcdonald one was simply a lack of talk. 

no talk is a symptom of a wider problem in that if youre not prepared to talk to the ball carrier youre probably in your shell in survival mode.....ie look after myself and not the team. which i think is pretty obvious given the way we played on sunday. why were we in survival mode and not looking after the ball carrier? nfi. 

A veteran player just loping along aimlessly in the backline isn’t talk. AFL stadiums are loud, it’s mostly shambolic decision making and lack of cohesion. New game plan and new players are a factor, as is talk. but we have to be more predictable to the other players to get flow in the ball movement. 

A big problem with our team is our best and most experienced players all love being the heroes. 

As for tackling, it looked from the beginning that North had fresh legs and were comfortable in the surface. 

We looked heavy legged and without any confidence in the Marvel sand pit. Too many players without the power in the legs to finish tackles.

Isn't Jack's brother Max Viney supposed to be helping the Demons players with their tackling techniques?

I suggest the Demons players need extra sessions.

2 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

As for tackling, it looked from the beginning that North had fresh legs and were comfortable in the surface. 

We looked heavy legged and without any confidence in the Marvel sand pit. Too many players without the power in the legs to finish tackles.

This.

We looked spent after slogging it out in the wet against a top four side. Not sticking tackles, couldn't create space, all kicks and handballs were short/at team mates feet.

Yes its an excuse but shouldn't be this early in the season which is the concern. Did they muck up recovery during the week? Perhaps

I'm expecting a very different Melbourne this weekend in terms of intensity and ability to compete. Against North we had no hope.

Edited March 25, 2025Mar 25 by Young Blood