Receivers

[treespirit]

There was one thing that really struck me last night. At every congested bounce, if the Swans got it out it was often a quick kick to no-one in particular, but if the dees got it out it was a quick handball to a waiting, UNMARKED player who could then run off and set up a play.

We could really have used a Buckley last night - a receiver who knows how to kick to a leading forward, with the skill to match.

[Barry Schneider]

Re: Receivers

Originally posted by treespirit
There was one thing that really struck me last night. At every congested bounce, if the Swans got it out it was often a quick kick to no-one in particular, but if the dees got it out it was a quick handball to a waiting, UNMARKED player who could then run off and set up a play.

We could really have used a Buckley last night - a receiver who knows how to kick to a leading forward, with the skill to match.

At the start of the year that was the role I was hoping Schneider and Kennelly would play.

[swan_song]

no Cressa

[Nico]

I picked that up also. Melbourne had a player that dropped of the pack about 20 metres, whereas their opponents got sucked into the pack situation and didn't have a clue where their Melbourne opponent was. Often our handpass out of a pack was picked off by a Melbourne player because they knew where to stand.

Coaching problem or dumb footballers unable to grasp a basic of the game?

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by Nico
Coaching problem or dumb footballers unable to grasp a basic of the game?

No Williams or Maxfield for a start. And our midfield coach is not up to the Malaxos standard for attacking midfield footy.

You might also notice that our midfield almost always lines up on the defensive side of a stoppage. Fine if you are going to use the empty space to run into going forward, but it falls apart if you cant get the ball to begin with, or the "empty space" has a couple of unmarked opponents in it

[stellation]

Davis was standing in that exact "5-10 metres off the back of the pack" position (between the pack and the opposition goals) for nearly every stoppage around the ground whilst he was not on the bench/at FF. He would have been out of camera shot and none of the inside midfielders were good enough to get the ball out to him, (McVeigh may have been able to thread the needle once). I sat there amazed at the excellent position he was making, I had noticed it in Rd4 and they had been able to get the ball to him and he gave great drive from the midfield....

the best play of the night for me was the transition from (I think) a stoppage in our D50 of McVeigh -handball-> Davis -> long kick -> Tadhg -> long kick -> Mickey.

Of course Mickey passed to Barry who missed the goal, and Tadhg blew the mark that Davis gifted him with perfect disposal... but it was nice to see it actually come off for quick transition.

[stellation]

Originally posted by Schneiderman

You might also notice that our midfield almost always lines up on the defensive side of a stoppage. Fine if you are going to use the empty space to run into going forward, but it falls apart if you cant get the ball to begin with, or the "empty space" has a couple of unmarked opponents in it

I've always thought that you need to have someone on the defensive side of a stoppage though, it was almost midfield 101 when I was playing because at least then someone in the pack can hit you running with a handball in front of you to then look to a leading player. Not a set play for stoppages so much as a set position.

[Snowy]

Actually Stellation one of the problems is that the opposition's midfield strength is superior. It doesn't matter how good position some of the Swan's loose men make, the ball doesn't come out. That's also why the opposition midfielders can often afford to be unaccountable.

[ScottH]

Re: Receivers

Originally posted by treespirit
There was one thing that really struck me last night. At every congested bounce, if the Swans got it out it was often a quick kick to no-one in particular, but if the dees got it out it was a quick handball to a waiting, UNMARKED player who could then run off and set up a play.

We could really have used a Buckley last night - a receiver who knows how to kick to a leading forward, with the skill to match.

Happened once when
Schneider goaled.

[stellation]

Originally posted by Snowy
Actually Stellation one of the problems is that the opposition's midfield strength is superior. It doesn't matter how good position some of the Swan's loose men make, the ball doesn't come out. That's also why the opposition midfielders can often afford to be unaccountable.

Yep, that's right. I said "none of the inside midfielders were good enough to get the ball out to him".

I wonder how much Sam Mitchell would cost?

[Wil]

Originally posted by stellation
Davis was standing in that exact "5-10 metres off the back of the pack" position (between the pack and the opposition goals) for nearly every stoppage around the ground whilst he was not on the bench/at FF. He would have been out of camera shot and none of the inside midfielders were good enough to get the ball out to him, (McVeigh may have been able to thread the needle once). I sat there amazed at the excellent position he was making, I had noticed it in Rd4 and they had been able to get the ball to him and he gave great drive from the midfield....

You are a genius! Want a job coaching an AFL team, goes by the name of "Swans"?

The problem is with J.Bolt, Kirk and Ablett being around the ruck is they are not going to get a ball to the open man. As someone else said - they did it once when Schneider goaled. Get Spriggs in there, he seems to have clean hands and can handball it quickly and he also has the ability to run clean of a pack (though who knows where his kick may end up). Then if you have a Davis, McVeigh or Schneider waiting just out of the ruck pack for the ball the magic will just happen...

[stellation]

Spriggs does seem to actually have clean hands and be able to get it out. I have had about enough of guys in the pack handballing to other guys in the pack.

[Nico]

Originally posted by Schneiderman
No Williams or Maxfield for a start. And our midfield coach is not up to the Malaxos standard for attacking midfield footy.

You might also notice that our midfield almost always lines up on the defensive side of a stoppage. Fine if you are going to use the empty space to run into going forward, but it falls apart if you cant get the ball to begin with, or the "empty space" has a couple of unmarked opponents in it

Have noticed that and they appear to stand behind opponents at centre bounces.

[Nico]

If you watch our players when the ball is on the ground with a milling pack, they mostly do not try to to get it out but feign the action of trying to get it out by just tapping it a bit without grabbing hold.

They are hoping that it will end up as a stoppage. Hence they overcome the new rule and can keep to the stoppage game plan.

So they are not looking for people off the pack, unless they have possession and are forced to handball off, usually without purpose. That's one reason why Davis was not getting it. Most times of course this ruse fails and on Sat. Melbourne took it away from too many on the ground contests.

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by Nico
If you watch our players when the ball is on the ground with a milling pack, they mostly do not try to to get it out but feign the action of trying to get it out by just tapping it a bit without grabbing hold.

They are hoping that it will end up as a stoppage. Hence they overcome the new rule and can keep to the stoppage game plan.

So they are not looking for people off the pack, unless they have possession and are forced to handball off, usually without purpose. That's one reason why Davis was not getting it. Most times of course this ruse fails and on Sat. Melbourne took it away from too many on the ground contests.

Damn we need Kelly back.