Is Willo Being Tagged Out of Games?

[TheHood]

Since his stunning return from injury this season, Willo seems to have been "sat on" by opposition teams.

Seems a good tagger is being assigned to him every week and we're getting very little out of him.

Although Willo isn't too old to potentially turn a game on its head, is Willo a bit old in the legs to shake a tag like he used to?

Can the Roos coaching staff do anything about it?

Any thoughts?

[Jeffers1984]

Re: Is Willo Being Tagged Out of Games?

Originally posted by TheHood
Since his stunning return from injury this season, Willo seems to have been "sat on" by opposition teams.

Seems a good tagger is being assigned to him every week and we're getting very little out of him.

Although Willo isn't too old to potentially turn a game on its head, is Willo a bit old in the legs to shake a tag like he used to?

Can the Roos coaching staff do anything about it?

Any thoughts?

Recruit Brodie Holland to king hit Willo's tagger?

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Use Brisbane's solution to the Crouch/Ackermanis tussle!
About time Ball & Jolly applied some blocks.

[EMJ]

I tend to think different players of the Swans pop up each week with the best game, thankfully we share it around a bit and don't have to rely on one player

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by Ruckman
Use Brisbane's solution to the Crouch/Ackermanis tussle!

Have him slip past a teammate and accept a quick pass for a soft kick that they would take anyway?!? It's not about individual stats. I don't think Willo is 100% fit, so if he's drawing a tagger, then it's good for the team anyway

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by Sanecow
Have him slip past a teammate and accept a quick pass for a soft kick that they would take anyway?!? It's not about individual stats.

Hah we do look at things differently. You thought about the accumulation of cheap stats which is a valid point.
Whereas the possesion to me is incidental, all I was interested in was an opportunity to set up an free shot (sorry slip of the tonge "legal bump") on the tagger who is forced to follow his man right into a nicely pre-set shoulder.
Different perspectives.

[Sanecow]

Ah gotcha! You know, that was an aspect I hadn't considered. It would possibly rattle a thin skinned or younger tagger to get a bit of treatment themselves, yes, I agree. I can't see it working on someone like Kirk or Crouch (I didn't think it did, but I am biased in the Crouch / Aker duels) though.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by Sanecow
Ah gotcha!

Last time I thinks Acker got the better of Crouch (he got some soft possesions but also 2 goals & 4 tackles) because of the chumbawamba factor, because although "I get knocked down, But I get up again, You're never going to keep me down" after a while they do take longer to get up.

PS I like your new atavar

[ScottH]

Originally posted by Ruckman
Last time I thinks Acker got the better of Crouch (he got some soft possesions but also 2 goals & 4 tackles) because of the chumbawamba factor, because although "I get knocked down, But I get up again, You're never going to keep me down" after a while they do take longer to get up.

Crouch was also still recovering from a nasty shoulder injury. So this week should be slightly different , I hope.

[giant]

Interesting thoughts on Willo. he has clearly been quieter in recent weeks but as others have noted others have stood up, prob coz he has taken a tag.

However, there is the option of using him more in the forward line - Willo did use to score a lot of goals, admittedly mostly on the run, but he could be damaging up there.

[NMWBloods]

This is where shepherding would come in handy. I think we need to set up Willo more as a handball-receive player running outside the packs or from marks/frees. Timely shepherds are needed to free him up into space. Although his kicking has been pretty mixed, he's smart and has shown ability to kick to position well in the past. We should make the most of that. Having him work hard getting rid of a tag and burrowing into a pack is not something that will extend his playing career. Brisbane seems to be trying something similar with Voss.

[DST]

I don't think Willo is being tagged out of the game any more than some of the other better ball players in the comp.

At 30+ it's maybe time for him to move into a permanent half forward or half back role and try and free him up a bit from copping the oppositions best tagger in the middle every week.

Can see Willo getting another 2 or 3 years out of himself playing as a sweeper off half back or kicking a couple from the half forward line, much like Buckley will be doing from now on in.

DST

[dimelb]

I agree - and i think he hasn't come back this time as spry as he used to be. His kicking has been off, sometimes badly astray. I'm sure he can do better and when he clicks he will still be a potent force.

[stellation]

Willo definitely looks a lot slower since coming back, doesn't really have that great pace to get an extra step on his opponent so he get can a clean kick away.
I think the idea of him spending more time as a receiver and actually getting some help at stoppages. I'd like to see Willo and Davis both playing that role.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by stellation
I'd like to see Willo and Davis both playing that role.

Exactly. We seem to be obsessed by wanting players who can throw themselves into the bottom of packs. We also need outside players who don't do that. Willo and Davis are two of our more skilled players in the team and we should exploit that.