Analysis Tactics & Strategy

[BlueSuede]

Great thread, folk. I’ve been thinking a lot about what’s been posted so far. I’m in no way feeling conclusive about this, but thought I’d share my musings.

It is hard to separate strategy from the tools you have at your disposal. Successful teams seem to build a strategy around their players, as well as recruit players to fill gaps in their vision. So the way I’d see our list is follows:

Strengths/Weapons

• Inside Mids. Probably goes without saying. A seriously talented group of contested ball players.
• Tall forwards. While we don’t have depth in this area, to have (most likely) two Coleman medalists in one side is a rare feature of a team.
• Defenders. This got attention a few weeks back in the media, but our defensive unit are no push-overs. Like the bowling line up for the Australian cricket team, they often cover up our other fragilities (like conceding heaps of inside 50s). But they are not just dour, but have real capacity for intercept and rebound game as well.

Question Marks

• Small forwards. This is a young group that are still learning their craft. Too early to tell whether they will turn out to be good or not. The first half of the season they looked great; the last 6-8 weeks, not so much. Jury’s out, but there is plenty of talent there.
• Outside mids. I know many would have this in the ‘weaknesses’ but the jury is still out for me. Again, feel many of our options are still perfecting their craft in this position. Time will tell, but I don’t rule out some of the qualities that the group bring (esp. running capacity).

Genuine Weaknesses

• Hybrid mids. I am surprised this doesn’t get brought up more. We talk a lot about our inside strength and our outside weakness, but I think what we genuinely lack are players that play a blend of both. All our players – Walsh probably the exception – seem to be inside or outside. I remember Judd’s stat sheet was often split evenly between contested and uncontested possessions. I know it’s a high bar but I think we miss players that can start in the centre square and be link players in transition.
• Foot skills/Speed/Tackling. This isn’t positional, but rather just things that are lacking in our skills profile.

There have been successful teams that have had similar elements of our list profile that we could look at for inspiration. I’d be thinking of high stoppage sides (think Sydney under Roos), teams with tall forward lines (think Adelaide 2017 or Lions the last few years), and organized team defenses (e.g. Hawthorn 2008 or Magpies 2011).

So what would be our gameplan/strategy for a list with that make up? Unsurprisingly, I think it would look a lot like how we were winning early in the year. I think the strategy would be built around:

• Field position. This might seem to go without saying, but some teams (e.g. Tigers the past few years) have won by turning the ball over and rebounding quickly. I don’t think we can win regularly that way. Our key stats would be things like inside 50 differential, and time in forward half. If we are to get better in 2023, I think a big part will be the development of a really effective forward press (think Magpies circa 2011), with our players working as a unit. It would take time to perfect, so would have to be a big pre-season focus. It may also look ugly (i.e. lots of stoppages), but getting position and keeping it there would be our best chance of winning.
• Intercept game. We have the personnel to pull off a high intercept/rebound game, and could generate a lot of scores from this. But it would rely on pressure up the field. Again, the development of a team system of pressure would be paramount. We’ll have to rely on structure rather than leg speed/chase down tackling. If the backs can count on that, they could be more aggressive in their positioning.
• Run and carry in transition. We don’t have the foot skills for an elite kicking game. But we could potentially use our distance runners to good effect with a high handball game. As above, the goal would be to get it to the front half of the ground, get that field position and then keep it there.

Over the preseason I’d love to see us developing an effective team defence, expand our run and carry transition game, and try to find a hybrid midfield in the draft (along with some of our other positions of need).

 

[katmanblue]

Over preseason I'd like to see us develop half a dozen kick-in plays drilled to run at various times. With players up the ground running some sort of patterns to be open up space.

Too often the mids and wings are very stagnant, meaning the kick to 60m out of boundry side is the only option the defenders have.

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[BlueGum]

Over preseason I'd like to see us develop half a dozen kick-in plays drilled to run at various times. With players up the ground running some sort of patterns to be open up space.

Too often the mids and wings are very stagnant, meaning the kick to 60m out of boundry side is the only option the defenders have.

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The stagnancy has been a problem for a couple of years. It's one of the reasons I love JSOS. He'd often be the only one busting a gut to create an option. Not all bad this year but not consistent efforts being made.

 

[katmanblue]

The stagnancy has been a problem for a couple of years. It's one of the reasons I love JSOS. He'd often be the only one busting a gut to create an option. Not all bad this year but not consistent efforts being made.

The other one is the 20m lead to give an option, then stop and walk back to starting position.

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[Beyond Blue]

Great post as usual.

The loss of Weitering's intercepting, Doc's intercepting, McGovern's intercepting and Young's dip in form has really killed the confidence of the defence too aside from Saad who is just a different beast.

The amount of rushed kicks we're bombing from deep in our own 50 is a huge issue and sides are doing what we did to them in the early part of the season. When we do win it too, we're going inside 50 from too far out. Don't recall early on seeing us kick inside 50 from the centre circle - it was handball until Kennedy/Hewett was 70/60 out and get it deep.

All this panicked play from d50 and unrewarded running forward kills confidence and we end up reverting to kicking it long down the line to half way and hoping Harry marks it - only for another over the top goal when sides quickly switch and rebound.

My instructions to the side would be:
- Play less frantically, both in attack and defence. Doesn't matter if you get caught HTB but don't run too far ahead or get sucked into contests as long as we hold structure we have a strong back 6/7

- Have more than one focus, you can write "PRESSURE" on your wrist tape and chase one guy all day but there's several fundamentals to each role. Small forwards must know when to stay on ground, when to mark or neutralise if there's no tall representation, when to give space to entice a turnover or when to get right in the back of their opponent. Eddie Betts did this perfectly with a healthy dose of insane skill and smarts.

Sadly the biggest hurdle is we're used to losing and in an elite environment there's no space for the level of inconsistency we serve up. There is too much reliance on star players and role players in the side are getting complacent while the stars are experiencing dips in form. Look at the pies and see how a player like McCreery (sp?) goes into every contest, or how Brad Close takes advantage of every moment at the Cats - too often I look at our smalls and bench players and think literally any other AFL player could be in their spot.

It’s all about this for me and has been for quite a few years, when the heat comes any semblance of a game plan goes out the door, we panic, make mistakes and start conceding goals and usually so many that the game gets out of our reach.

In the Geelong game when we kicked a few goals to get in front after a “deer in the headlights” start I thought we might have a coming of age moment but when Geelong dialled it up again we retreated and lost.

Until we address this everything else is largely academic because we aren’t going to get the game played on our terms every week and no tactics can cover catastrophic turnovers Weiters and Saad on the weekend.

 

[forever blue 1]

Body strength is an issue over the board. We were monster's all over the field by a much stronger Brisbane.

What’s the answer ?

 

[Big_Luch]

What’s the answer ?

Whatever it takes.

Jokes aside, it is really odd that we are neither strong or overly aerobic as a playing group. You would think you would be good at one of them (hard to do both)

 

[BigBreakfast]

I feel like more strings will develop over multiple preseasons with Voss. He wanted us contesting, tackling and rebound opportunities. Injuries have cruelled the second half of the season but, that was evident. That’s the one wood and stands up statistically as a successful finals formula.
Build tanks over the next preseason so it is more consistent and sustainable across the list.
Next string is to have the skills by foot to change tempo and maintain possession when circumstances dictate the need. Having the capacity to switch and hit the middle distance kicks into the corridor and go!
I’d like to see us have a 70 launch pad rule. No kicking inside 50 unless you are within 70 metres of the goal square and no hack kicks to bigs. We sort of do this when H, CC or Jack lead up and turn quickly to find the next lead up target into space. Options available in the corridor, both behind and the footy and in front, to keep the zone busy. Multiple leads and options is critical.
Critically, these things take time. I expect to see us hit the refresh button and come back in ‘23 with additional avenues forward off turnover and with controlled possession.

 

[gbatman]

What’s the answer ?

For a lot of them it's a focus of diet and training and natural development with age. There is also a recruiting perspective. Unfortunately it's not all about footy talent anymore and that's why a lot of early draft picks fail. Which some of our early picked midfielders have.

You have to be able to do the defensive stuff such as chase, compete in the contest and run both ways which aren't really things which are focused on in the U18s.

Our recruitment of midfielders has focused on football talent but has neglected the ability to run, the will and desire to compete and put the body on the line and body strength possibly as well to an extent although I feel this can for some of these players be adjusted in the gym and with diet.

You would want to see some of our taller players come back stronger next season. You would hope maturity and the right training will assist with that. Some simply may not have it in their genes.

 

[Arr0w]

I think the tactics and strategy was to strip all facets of the previous gameplan, to a more simplistic, contested, clearance base style. Overall, we have seen a much more competitive squad/s this year

As Voss and the club have eluded, the gamplan (and list) is not the finished product and it certainly needs more layers and gears.

Currently in the 8 and while 1 more win will secure finals, other sides still have to win to displace us

 

[Accidental genius]

I think the tactics and strategy was to strip all facets of the previous gameplan, to a more simplistic, contested, clearance base style. Overall, we have seen a much more competitive squad/s this year

As Voss and the club have eluded, the gamplan (and list) is not the finished product and it certainly needs more layers and gears.

Currently in the 8 and while 1 more win will secure finals, other sides still have to win to displace us

Whilst I agree it still surprises me that our current team which is well balanced in age and experience and talent and they’ve mostly been together for some time now but still we need more than 1 preseason + season to get things right? Also things have progressively got worse...shouldn’t it be getting better?

How difficult is football?

 

[Arr0w]

Whilst I agree it still surprises me that our current team which is well balanced in age and experience and talent and they’ve mostly been together for some time now but still we need more than 1 preseason + season to get things right? Also things have progressively got worse...shouldn’t it be getting better?

How difficult is football?

The group still hasn't hit peak maturity and we are one year in with this current coaching group/gameplan and have notched up an extra 4 wins at this stage. Making it, we would have the least number of 28+ year olds in the 8, that helps to determine we are moving in the right direction

Apart from a handful of sides, many that lack maturity will have inconsistent seasons, where they start or finish poorly. Then you have sides like Port, Dogs, * and GWS that have regressed on last year

 

[jpfalvo]

Looks like Vosswagen does read Bigfooty.

Came out of his centrally heared ivory tower, to Coach from the bench. Good to see.

Changed up the way we played. Used stocker through the middle. Doc as well.

Played through the corridor.
Kept the ball in motion.

Tackle tackle tackle.

Looks like the injury excuse, is not an excuse. Minimum standard set now, on the method and application to game by players and coach

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[jd2010]

Minute to go. Why did we not have more numbers behind the ball?

JSOS, Mcgovern, Young and Newnes were against 4 demons in the goal mouth and their 4 were too good for our 4. If that was 6 v 4 or 6 v 5 we probably get a stoppage and hold on.

 

[Gointocarlton]

Minute to go. Why did we not have more numbers behind the ball?

JSOS, Mcgovern, Young and Newnes were against 4 demons in the goal mouth and their 4 were too good for our 4. If that was 6 v 4 or 6 v 5 we probably get a stoppage and hold on.

Maybe, Melksham to a contested mark in a 4 v 2 (in our favour), it can happen, shouldn't, but it did.

 

[jd2010]

Maybe, Melksham to a contested mark in a 4 v 2 (in our favour), it can happen, shouldn't, but it did.

But in that 4v4 he didn't. Doubt he or anyone does in a 5v4 with mckay down there

 

[BlueTongue]

Without any doubt, our game style has changed across the year, and is a big contributing factor to our current (diminished) output. There's been some chat about it in various threads but I think this is worthy of a discussion on its own...

At the start of the year we were a hard running team characterised by:

• Predominance of play along the tram lines
• Plenty of support behind contests, with forward handball to gain metres. No dump kicking from contest seemed a mantra, if not a team rule
• Forward handball consistently from marks
• Which all in turn created an uncongested forward line when the ball went in there
• Encouraged deeper, and better quality forward 50 entries

Midfielders were kicking plenty of goals, and our small forwards were generally active providing their own contributions working in space. We afforded Cripps the luxury of spending time up forward and he was consistently providing multiple goals.

This was best exhibited in the Melbourne pre-season game and the Sydney H&A game. We scored quickly, we were potent. But we were still prone to opposition run ons, and getting scored against on turnover. So it changed.

From the Collingwood game onwards we have increasingly become a team that:

• Will work the ball to half back, and then bomb up the line to contest
• Rarely play on from a mark
• Rarely forward handball
• Rarely make teams defend us with the full width of the ground (ie. Fast switching), or use the corridor
• Have our small forwards moved so far up the ground to work defensively, that they are rarely a chance at offering potency at goal, and not nearly as much as they should be
• Moves the ball so slowly that we are allowing the opposition to get all their numbers back and clog up our forward line
• Exceedingly poor F50 entries
• Has returned to consistent dump kicking out of contest, instead of outlet handball

We've turned into an ultra defensive, offensive approach (if that makes sense), scared to run risky plays in case we turn it over and handing field position to the opposition. We are so predictable that oppositions know they need to block the corridor, and a kick away from the football on the wing it sits on. It's a game style that is really low on intelligence.

Why is this? Is it a reaction to lost personnel? Is it an overreaction to our defensive weaknesses exhibited early in the year? Perhaps a combination of all the above. However I had hoped that once we got our cattle back, we would be prepared to adjust our game style once more. Saturday night seemed as good an opportunity to revert this, but we failed miserably. I really wanted to see some more variation, a return to our early season method, but to my eye, we didn't even try. Are we now set in this way?

Can it go back? Can it move to a hybrid approach? It may be a bit late in the year to make another shift in game style now. I feel this will take another pre season to correct and get right.

I think as much as anything there an element of Voss realising we dont have the cattle on the wings to reliably play in this fashion. Evidence being the musical chairs being played in these positions. But this current methodology isn't giving us a chance to win games against reasonable opposition either. Damned if you do, damned if you dont.

How do we remedy this going into next year? To take the next step we need an sleight of hand A-Grade wing to add to them. This is key

I don't think it's great that we've gone so far in another direction from how we clearly prepared to approach this year through all of last pre season. It must be confusing for the players right now and I think it's proving such through a lack of coherence and efficiency in ball movement. They've gone into their shells massively

I'm not sure what this means for the rest of the year. I've probably turned fairly bearish since Saturday night. But if we are to be any hope of jagging a win or two from the next 3 games, it must change once more.

^ Absolutely nailed it.

I agree I think the Pies game was the turning point, and I think they play a very similar style to our early season form. The main difference being they are very, very, good at relentless pressure on the ball carrier, and can seemingly maintain it for 4 Qtrs.

Having said that, I think our current strategy is better suited to combatting the Pies, and hope we can bring what we brought against Melbourne, on Sunday.

Somehow I hope we can return to our earlier game plan, but with more of a focus on pressure and tackling when we don’t have the ball. As for the rest, hard to tell since we have gone a large chunk of the season with a lot off injuries.

One thing that REALLY bothers me is our poor forward entries, and return to bombing it to a contest. Also, if we are going to play tempo footy, we are allowing OP defence to flood back, and we need to make sure we have players presenting leads into space, and honouring those leads with low drilled bullet kicks, not big floaters that are easily cut off. Our smalls need to be better at understanding the play too. Crumbing at the front of packs, or getting free out back if we have a run on.

Id like to see Durdin swap positions with Owies and play further up the ground, as he is fast and has better foot skills and ball delivery. Owies is more suited to the set shot.

Hope Vossy gets rid of our thoughtless bombing before Sunday or we are cooked.

 

[BlueTongue]

When you say, "it was never about this year" - is this something the club has said, or just an opinion?

It's approaching the 7 year anniversary since the much vaunted "66 game rebuild" was announced. That's the clubs words - not mine.

We should be expecting something better than just a mid-table finish by this stage. At some point the "it's about next year" narrative has to wear thin.

With reference back to the OP; at the beginning of this year it looked like we had the framework of a game style that could really challenge, and did beat some of the best teams in the league. It needed defensive tinkering, sure, but now we've gone so far away from that style that it's hardly prevalent through our football at all. If this is a personnel and capability problem it's something worth talking about - or we'll be in the same position next year, looking to 2024 with the same comforting narrative.

…Its like you are reading my mind (a scarey place). Always was a fan of Sesame Street (except for pedo Bob).