ROK's long kicking an asset

[Snowy]

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,16375730%255E19773,00.html

[ScottH]

Re: ROK's long kicking an asset

Originally posted by Snowy
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/foo...E19773,00.html

O'Keefe, keeps pumping it long

That should help his BOTY prospects.

Good article.

In Rounds 1-10, the Swans were 15th overall for long kicks, averaging 62 a game. In Rounds 11-21, they're No. 1 with an average of 77.

I would like to see that average for the last month.

ROK, Dempster, Davis and Vogels have all been pumping it long lately. Makes a big difference to the team.

[stellation]

An interesting article, thanks for pointing it out. We in Sydney can get a bit starved of some of the more interesting stats that seem to pop up more in the print media in Melbourne... who would have thought that someone could be jealous over not having access to a fish and chip wrapper like the hun!

I wonder how many of Ryan's long kicks are him pinging away at goals.

[NMWBloods]

And there hasn't been a change in game plan...?

[floppinab]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
And there hasn't been a change in game plan...?

That's one thing I guess we'll never know. Keep in mind that just because we have a game plan does not mean it is carried out perfectly or even well on the field. Players are out of form and start taking easy options, rather than sticking to the plan. Then of course it turns around, players in form with confidence start kicking long and backing team mates in contests. Doesn't mean the plan has changed, only now it is more effectively been carried out.

Or even better the "plan" was indeed to play it tight and short earlier on in the season and then break it open later on in the leadup to the finals....... far fetched???? Who knows.

[Xie Shan]

I think the over-use of the ball that we were seeing earlier on looked like it was a symptom of lack of confidence (for whatever reason) - agree it probably was a form/confidence issue.

The forwards still are prepared to lead wide, I notice - but the ball is moving into the forward line much more quickly.

At least that article does explain why the Channel 9 commentators were talking about our long kicking.

So they're averaging 15 more long kicks a game since Round 11, and this has been enough to move them from 15th to 1st? Just shows how these ranking stats can be a bit misleading when there really is not much difference between last and first. 15 kicks in a game doesn't seem like a lot when teams average about 150-200 per game.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by sydfan83
So they're averaging 15 more long kicks a game since Round 11, and this has been enough to move them from 15th to 1st? Just shows how these ranking stats can be a bit misleading when there really is not much difference between last and first. 15 kicks in a game doesn't seem like a lot when teams average about 150-200 per game.

When you only average 68 long kicks per game, 15 is a pretty big difference.

[Go Swannies]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
When you only average 68 long kicks per game, 15 is a pretty big difference.

So all the other teams average between 68 and 83 long kicks a game? (If 83 long kicks has moved us to 1st.)

[giant]

What's interesting about this is that we are seeing more and more analysis of the Swan's game plan. Recognition that we are a serious contender and that people perhaps still don't quite understand how we've managed to turn it around?

[Go Swannies]

Originally posted by giant
What's interesting about this is that we are seeing more and more analysis of the Swan's game plan. Recognition that we are a serious contender and that people perhaps still don't quite understand how we've managed to turn it around?

Do you mean generally or on RWO??

Personally, I put it down to omens!

[giant]

Originally posted by Go Swannies
Do you mean generally or on RWO??

Personally, I put it down to omens!

Generally. I know all us footy geniuses worked out what was going on a long time ago.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Go Swannies
So all the other teams average between 68 and 83 long kicks a game? (If 83 long kicks has moved us to 1st.)

Over the course of the season, 16th has 65 long kicks and 1st has 80 long kicks.

For the season we have 68, split into 62 for the first half of the season and 77 for the second half.

[Go Swannies]

Thanks

[SimonH]

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In the past 11 rounds, O'Keefe has unleashed more kicks beyond 40m than any other player.

After the first 10 weeks as part of the stuttering Swans, O'Keefe was ranked a lowly 112th on the long-kick ladder.
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The author has certainly nailed one thing-- O'Keefe is crucial to Sydney's gameplan. No disrespect to MO'L and Davis (both of whom are geniuses on their day), but if I was an opposition coach I would put my 2nd best defender (Craig Bolton equivalent) on ROK. Stop ROK leading and taking marks, and you drastically limit Sydney's supply of quick ball to one-out contests within 40 metres of goal.
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In Rounds 1-10, the Swans were 15th overall for long kicks, averaging 62 a game. In Rounds 11-21, they're No. 1 with an average of 77.
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Clearly not a change in game-plan (that I can see) in that we're still not bombing it long to contests as a matter of course. Instead, we're simply playing better which means that we're on the bolt more and able to kick long to players in space or on the lead (rather than chipping sideways to static targets).

15 more a game means 4 more a quarter; or to put it another way, we're now kicking 5 long kicks per 5 minutes of game time, as opposed to 4 previously. That's not a fundamental change in style-- that's the gameplan working better, meaning we're able to pump the ball forward quickly more often.
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Hall has been the obvious hero. He ranks second in the AFL for marks inside 50 with 84.

So much for the criticism of Hall leading too far up the ground to get his kicks.
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Where Hall takes his marks is obviously an effect, not a cause, of how well we're playing. He's a consummate team man who leads where he has to, to provide the ball-player with an option. ROK's excellent form, and usual job of marking on the lead in the 60-90 metre arc from goal, has given Hall the luxury of playing back.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by SimonH
The author has certainly nailed one thing-- O'Keefe is crucial to Sydney's gameplan. No disrespect to MO'L and Davis (both of whom are geniuses on their day), but if I was an opposition coach I would put my 2nd best defender (Craig Bolton equivalent) on ROK. Stop ROK leading and taking marks, and you drastically limit Sydney's supply of quick ball to one-out contests within 40 metres of goal.

He is one of our leading players for I50s and that is certainly an area we can't afford to drop away in.