Three Modes

[Portmanteau]

Last week in the media Ken was saying that we had 'three modes of ball movement' during a game, presumably based on situation and position on the field. For our enhanced enjoyment of the game, I'm wondering if we can put our heads together and identify what these modes are?

All I can come up with is:

1. Quick, decisive movement through the corridor

2. Ignore first gives and attempt to outfox the opposition by appearing to miss targets by a wide margin

3. Chad Wingard

Evidently our 2015 gameplan decision making flowchart states: "Should Gary Lyon consume a giant bag of satchels? If yes, adopt mode 2."

Over to you, BigFooty's best and brightest.

Macca19 TeeKray Hellgood
FishingRick04
tribey Janus El_Scorcho Jonts Doctor Feel Dylan8

 

[Vic_Vinegar]

Pittard Mode - run fast without looking. Look. Try to dodge two or three players. Give the appearance you will achieve this then inexplicably turn into trouble/drop football/somehow nutmeg himself/tear jumper/fall over. This will lead to the following outcome - goal to opponent.

Genius.

 

[Macca19]

Pittard Mode - run fast without looking. Look. Try to dodge two or three players. Give the appearance you will achieve this then inexplicably turn into trouble/drop football/somehow nutmeg himself/tear jumper/fall over. This will lead to the following outcome - goal to opponent.

Genius.

I believe this is under Mode 3; section 2.a; subsection 4.iii, just after 'O'Shank' and before 'Brad's Blind Spot'

 

[FishingRick04]

I like your mode 1 adn 3 I can identify that.

We also have a different mode two, the closed switch, where we switch the play even though our outlet options are already covered, so then we try the crab switch back, for then the sudden activation of impossible madness through the middle run by Jasper resulting in bigfooty meltdown and fishingrick joy.

 

[Janus]

This is what I've observed this year.

The first mode is our regular, play on at all costs mode. Through the corridor, fast free flowing football. Geelong circa 2007/2008 style.

The second mode is a Collingwood 2010 mantra of playing down the wings if the corridor is congested and relying on a supposed superiority in ruck/midfield to win the contest at ball ups and throw ins. Unfortunately for us we don't have the contested marking power to make this effective at the moment, nor do we have the grunt in the midfield at stoppages to ensure we win more clearances than we lose. Hopefully playing Ah Chee with Wines helps that more.

The third mode is a more considered, possession based game when teams flood back. Since this is pretty much the polar opposite of a, it looks the worst because we're not very good at it.

That's why Pittard looks so frazzled during a game - the defenders need to decide in a split second whether option a, b or c is the correct choice. Choose a and turn the ball over, you have problems. Choose b and don't win the resultant clearance, you have problems. Choose c and don't press the advantage, having to rely on precision kicks you don't do, you have problems.

This is why getting a power forward like Dixon is so important - both b and c are slower, methodical and the forwards can't rely on separation to create space like they do with style a. A Schulz style forward is forced to lead to dead pockets and take lunging marks with the other two styles - Dixon or even Butcher allows the midfield to hit the top of the square and create a "chaos ball" that our existing setup doesn't favour. We tried playing Ryder as that target, but he's not really a pack crasher and so can be nullified with a decent opponent.

 

[FishingRick04]

Why so serious Anus?

 

[chiwigi]

I like your mode 1 adn 3 I can identify that.

We also have a different mode two, the closed switch, where we switch the play even though our outlet options are already covered, so then we try the crab switch back, for then the sudden activation of impossible madness through the middle run by Jasper resulting in bigfooty meltdown and fishingrick joy.

The meltdown is only because he has left the ball behind.

 

[Steve Dore]

.....
3. Chad Wingard

......

aka "God Mode"

 

[Portmanteau]

Why so serious Anus?

While the OP was dressed up as a joke, I actually am very interested in trying to work this out and I think Janus had made a very good attempt at it.

I wonder if there are any signals that are used or events (eg 2 opp goals in a row) that determine which mode we go into.

 

[Macca19]

Anus delivers.

I cant really add much more to Janus. I think he's summed it up pretty well.

1) Out number the opposition in their forward line to provide a slingshot of direct running, quick handballs/short kicks, overlap and get it into an open forward line as quick as possible

2) Play down the wings, switching if need be, relying on accurate kicking (lol), before kicking to the pocket

3) "Tempo" football. Short possession football, relying on accurate kicking (lol), slowly making our way up field before kicking to the pocket.

 

[Doctor Feel]

The overarching methodology that encapsulates all three modes draws on the well known (but not well recieved) "chocoball" publication.

 

[FishingRick04]

Anus delivers.

I cant really add much more to Janus. I think he's summed it up pretty well.

1) Out number the opposition in their forward line to provide a slingshot of direct running, quick handballs/short kicks, overlap and get it into an open forward line as quick as possible

2) Play down the wings, switching if need be, relying on accurate kicking (lol), before kicking to the pocket

3) "Tempo" football. Short possession football, relying on accurate kicking (lol), slowly making our way up field before kicking to the pocket.

2) Play down the wings, switching if need be, relying on accurate kicking (lol), before kicking to the pocket

This is the one we do poorly. We just kick it 80's style long down the line to congested numbers, normally kicking too long for the spare defender to mark.

The better teams go down the line for safety however, they will short kick the ball down the line (generally), this is one mode so to speak where I believe we can really improve our structure, our creating space ability has been deficient this year.

 

[edgie]

Are we forgetting 3a) Get the ball to Robbie Gray, and activating the time dilation device so he can dance around 5 opponents with ease?

 

[Doctor Feel]

One thing is for sure. All three modes require strict adherance to not using the corridor, ever

 

[Andre]

All three modes would benefit from our skills improving. It's the one area that hasn't gotten much, if any, better under Ken. Fitter - yes, greater desire - yes, weeded out a lot of the dead wood - yes, better game plan - yes (even with B and C works in progress they beat the Choco/Primus triple back switch with pike chip ball). Skills - still a stinking pile of poo.

I don't expect us to turn in the Hawks overnight, but improved disposal, especially kicking disposal efficiency would rocket us up the ladder. Plans A, B and C would all benefit massively if our players could do the fundamentals to the level you'd expect the cream of the young players, who've then had full time coaches to work on said skills, to be able to do.

 

[TeeKray]

Janus summed it all up nicely.

Mode 2 is actually nothing more than ...



The first flaw to this was pointed out by Janus and that is our lack of strong key position players to force that contest and then our lack of superiority around the stoppages to take advantage of the stoppage if we actually are able to force it.

The second flaw though is really obvious when you look at the behind the goal vision that Primus is showing. We have 18 players on the field. The field is large. Yes, the numbers are concentrated wide and down the line - by our choice! Nothing is stopping us from moving players forward, back or to the side. Half could move to the other wing to open up space or they could push right back toward goal to open up space or they could flood back. I guarantee you most of their opponents will follow them. The reason teams play this way is simply risk mimimisation. Coaches want stoppages and numbers around the ball so they can control the outcome with less risk and more predictability.

For most of the past two years we've been able to use mode 1 often enough. Attack through the corridor, take the game on, get the ball inside 50 quickly. This year, teams have set out to defend us much better and we've gone to water. We've stopped running hard and taken the easy way out with mode 2. Ken talks about brave football. Reverting to mode 2 because mode 1 looks too risky is the opposite of brave football.

Jasper Pittard cops a lot of criticism on this site but he's the king of mode 1 and we never look better than when he takes the game on out of the back half and sets up an inside 50 as a result.

 

[Stryke]

1 ) 'God' Mode

2 ) 'Work out how good the opposition is and play a little bit below their level' Mode

3 ) 'Lose to Carlton/Brisbane' Mode aka Throwing Cushions Mode

 

[LFC2010]

aka "God Mode"

I like that, Wingod - god mode

 

[Schulzenfest]

4th mode - Give ball to Brendan Ah Chee and wait for him to immediately handball the ball to the Port player closest to goal like a cheat code in a video game.

 

[Janus]

4th mode - Give ball to Brendan Ah Chee and wait for him to immediately handball the ball to the Port player closest to goal like a cheat code in a video game.

Also known as The B.Ah Chee Mode. The signal for which is this:

 

[Dylan8]

4th mode - Give ball to Brendan Ah Chee and wait for him to immediately handball the ball to the Port player closest to goal like a cheat code in a video game.

It's only in beta testing right now but we're seeing incredible results.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

When I heard Ken say that my first thought was basically helter skelter, medium and slow and there are always slight variations on this. Janus fleshed them out nicely.

 

[Malibu#27]

4th mode - Give ball to Brendan Ah Chee and wait for him to immediately handball the ball to the Port player closest to goal like a cheat code in a video game.

They invented a new name for an AhChee handball, its now called a kick.


I don't mind Janus' explanation, it fits with what I'm seeing.

There's the other side of the equation to consider though too... how we handle it when we don;t have the ball. It feels like we overcommit forward a fair bit, given the number of times I've seen opposition get the ball over the back of us.

 

[JimmyWhitesmith]

I want "Full Retro" mode, so that Butch can reincarnate some of Tim Evans performances from the 80's.

"AhChee Express handball" mode. When the opposition scores a point, don't worry about the kick in. Arch can just handball it to Schulz on the lead at the other end of the ground.

It also says that you shouldn't rush into "Advanced"mode before you are ready...
But that's just my Quad copter instruction manual, and I'm not sure if Ken has referenced this when selecting the team this year.

... I think Butch is ready.

 

[Portmanteau]

Could recent 'questionable' or 'confusing' selection moves be explained by players unable to transition adequately through these modes?