Search the Community

I have been meaning to start a thread, not about the state of footy media and the coverage of the game (though this issue is related to my focus) but about the tactical evolution of the game. There was an excellent article discussed on Demonland a few weeks back arguing essentially that 'AFL football's problem is not the football itself, but the way it is filmed and broadcast' it argues there was a widening gap of 'understanding between those intimately involved in the game at club level — the coaches, assistants and analysts who have access to every available piece of footage filmed on game day — and the average fan and even journalists, who, if they're not sitting in the stands, are entirely reliant on what's shown by the Seven Network and Fox Sports.' The author, Russel Jackson 'asked AFL coaches and team analysts a simple question: would they be able to understand a game of modern AFL football from the television broadcast alone?', with the answer being a firm no, with hose asked painting 'a picture of AFL broadcasting as something closer to a coaching fraternity in-joke' The focus of this article is about television coverage but it touches on an issue that frustrates me no end - the almost complete lack of decent analysis of the game across all forms of media. For me, the way game is covered live but also discussed on radio and TV, feeds the narrative that the game needs to get back to the golden game of themid 90s football with it high scores and glorified one on one battles. It is no coincidence that it was this point in time where the completed the transition to a fully professional, elite sport. This narrative is the driver of all the ridiculous rule changes the AFL has made in the last 5 years as it seeks to legislate the game back in time. And of course those changes simply don't work and all have any number of unintended consequences. But he game is not going back. I reckon footy is fantastic now. Of course it is different now than it was in the 80s and 90s, but that is as it is. It is a game that it is constantly evolving and changing. The following factors all combine to create the perfect environment for constant evolution, even revolution: the AFL has only been fully professional end elite for 30 years, the size of they playing field, the number of players involved (ie 22 a side), the 360 degree nature of the game, the rules the athletic profile the game demands the combination of distance players cover and the fact the game is so physical For me the tactical evolution of the game is what i love most about the game. So in this thread i am hoping to create a space where Demonlanders can help fill the analytical void and post, discuss, argue all things games plans, tactics, strategies, zones, structures, where the game is heading and analysis. There have been some fantastic posts about tactics etc on different threads in the last few weeks., with some fantastic insights from posters such as A F, Engorged Onion, Pollyanna, Axis of Bob, George on the Outer, Big Red Fire Engine, Lucifer's Hero, Damo, Whispering jack and many others. A really good example was the recent discussion about an excellent article Engorged Onion posted about the tactical evolution in the EPL (i had planned to contribute to that discussion, but thought i'd kick this thread off with post about it as i totally agree with EOs suggestion it is very relevant for goodwin's game plan and in fact the game more broadly). Often those posts don't neatly fit into the threads they are posted in because they are bit tangential. I hope this thread can be a home or such posts. I would love to hear from people like Dazzler and others with recent experience of playing senior football, or who are involved in coaching, junior footy or club footy. For the thread to stay on the main board it has to stay current and topical so footy nerds out there in Demonland please post any relevant comment, thought, link to interesting article or vision etc etc and help create a space to reflect on the tactical evolution of the game and build the collective understanding of our great game.

Goody has sent the players away for a 4 day break before they regroup at the club on Monday. After a few 6 day breaks and the 4 day break, it is probably a good time for them to freshen up. Goody said they might watch a ‘bit of footy’ over that time. Without kicking off a massive player bashing session, I am interested if that’s what a few of these guys need - a bit of time away and self reflection? Perhaps now the bath water has been drained and we are staring at the dregs of what should have been, a little time away to ‘freshen up’ might be time for them to get their heads back in the game. I would seriously be hoping the coaching staff take the time to take stock and reset. If J Lewis was speaking from the club approved position (to change the gameplan a bit), then they have very little time to work out what they want to change, and get the systems ready to train next week. Some of the players need to take a fairly solid look at their performances over this time and make some hard decisions about what they do from here.