Dr. Gonzo

I wonder whether coaches are getting much of a chance to go and watch opposition teams play live this year. As in the OP one of the premises of the thread is that you can't really understand the modern game just from watching on TV. If coaches are being prohibited from watching their opposition live this year it may provide an opportunity for some teams/tactics/structures to slip under the radar.

This is something that did my head in for years. You'd watch Melbourne forwards just standing around stagnant I assume because they either didn't have the inclination or tank to work hard or, more likely, they were only thinking about how THEY could win the ball - if there was no clear path ahead of them to lead into they wouldn't bother because their teammate was not going to kick it to them amongst multiple opposition players. What I wanted to see was forwards and mids leading up to their kicking teammate particularly when they knew they WOULDN'T win the ball in order to create space behind them for their teammates to work in. It requires a high level of workrate, I guess it's the attacking version of "running both ways".

It's interesting, while forward half turnovers can be great as it keeps the ball in your half and hopefully catches defenses off guard allowing you to easily pick off through the zone it also means your forward line is extremely crowded generally with anywhere between 28-36 players in there. This makes it exceptionally difficult to score especially for teams like us who are not highly skilled. Back half turnovers allow you to spread the opposition defence before slingshotting as well as catching them off guard running forward meaning you can generally get over the zone quicker and have greater space in your forward line.

Yeah this is exactly what I was going to say. Being good at scoring in different situations shows that the overall gameplan in all three phases (defensive structure/pressure, ball movement and stoppages) holds up against different opposition. This is generally due to a well drilled team who also has key players with individual brilliance.

Love the enthusiasm binman but I reckon you're overestimating our ability based on 3 games against mediocre opposition. The potential is certainly there for this team to explode but until they do it against the better sides and do it consistently I think it's incorrect to compare us favourably to the Tigers who have won 2 of 3 and are challenging for a 3rd in 4.

Great thread thanks to all the contributors and all the links to read/watch Just picking up on this part of the discussion and a post prior to this that mentioned clubs do not have plan B's and players train all off season practising to implement their game plan. If a coach does start throwing things around when the team is losing and changing the message about how the team is to play it would send a message to the players that the ciach has lost belief that the system they have been drilled with is strong enough to overcome. Either the system is strong enough and the players just need to implement it better or the players are good enough but the system can't beat the opposition. It may result in a one off win if the players play with a bit more freedom and flair but it is likely to be a dead cat bounce similar to when a coach is sacked. Footy has changed since the 80s/early 90s when Sheedy could swing the magnets around and rely on individual skill and brilliance to win a game. Players are so well drilled now and so well structured and coached in their own groups (mids, fwds, backs) I think it would be difficult to really make too many changes in game without completely disrupting the balance of the team.

Preuss - 2nd (if we're lucky) or 3rd rounder No one is giving you anything for ANB, Smith or Hunt, maybe a 4th rounder for ANB if you're lucky

Past: Lyon, Jakovich, Schwarz and the Wiz Jeff Farmer Current: PETRACCAAAAAAA followed by the WEEEEEED, Viney and May

Classic, you would have been just above me - I would have been in the Richmond members area on ground level in the blue seats if memory serves!

Yep me too, helps with getting through the game quicker as well as the benefit of watching uninterrupted after the kids have gone to bed. Skip through goals and quarter time/half time and the game goes really quick. Just have to avoid the msgs on the phone in case the extended family is watching and decides to give away the result in a group chat.

I didn't go to this game at Windy Hill, strange because I used to go every week back then as a kid. I have a feeling we had been on a losing streak getting spanked by the Kangas a week or two before so my old man must have thought bugger it. Instead I was at the G watching the Tigers get killed by the Hawks with my cousin and uncle who barrack for Richmond. My uncle was pointing out how bad Melbourne were going all day until the last when I started to see the A vs B or G vs H or whatever on the scoreboard start ticking over in the last quarter. Still have the replay on VHS which I watched many times over the years as a kid but now with the wonders of YouTube the whole game is up as per the OP.

Brtlett was the one who gave the spray not Pert. Was good to see him there tho I agree, was sitting on the bench during the game as well, nice to see him get a win against his old mob.

If we ditch Jones while holding on to the Wagners and Smith this club is stuffed I want to see him get to 300 hopefully it's this year

https://youtu.be/dIDKUDeR1VM

"Darren Bennet uses Van Der Haar like a stepladder"

Id like to see that as a percentage. Most of our earlier games were lower scoring and hence fewer centre bounces

I reckon it was pretty rough to call them out of bounds too. They both looked in or borderline at best.

Not on recent performances. They got belted by WCE, lost to Freo and snuck home against Sydney and Adelaide. I'm please with the win and the demolition job but I still think we need to prove it against the best. I think we should've beaten Geelong, Richmond and Brisbane. But we didn't and we need to take that opportunity the next time it presents itself. The Saints game will be interesting because they have a gamestyle that really troubles us so I will be fascinated to see how we perform against them.

Who?

The "game in hand" is a fallacy now that 6 other teams have also had a bye. Need to bring back the match ratio column in the ladder circa 1993

Or go bum over breast when the chair went out from under him Apparently bum over breast is the demonland filters acceptable version of arz over teat

Pay this man whatever he wants, we must keep him

Some like Eddie are so one eyed about their club and they play into it. Others like Garry go the other way and are overly critical so as not to appear biased. I don't think that is reflective of his true feelings about the team/club but it is frustrating as it plays into the stereotype about the club (soft underbelly, pushovers etc) Also he's probably been burnt putting his neck out for the club before so would be very cautious about how much praise he dishes out. I hate it but I get it.

If he keeps it up when he had the opportunity he'll be a good pickup for someone next year and might net us something decent in return. He deserves to be playing seniors and is now 3rd in line at the Demons.