Centre clearances

[Nico]

Why is it that the only player who seems to clear the ball by foot from a centre bounce is Kirk. Most of the time not that flash but at least he gets it away. We got trounced at the start of the last Q and most of the time we got the tap.

It appears to me the opposition almost concedes the tap but set up to take it away. Our blokes are constantly way off the contest when the opposition is right at the rucks feet.

It seesm to happen every week and rarely do we get the quick rush to an open forward line, when we do the oppostion backs are under the pump.

Anyone got any stats on our goals from centre breaks.

[Mr_Juicy]

I've got a good answer to this, but my beer goggles are starting to get a bit blurry. We aren't set up to read the tap well. We need a rotation systme of blocking opponents to the fall of the ball and having one/two ball getters streaming through the lines for a quick kick or dish out to Davo (yes he should be on a wing). My theory goes something along those lines. We just don't have that set up. we are content to lay the tackle and wait for the ball to pop out. The amount of rotational blocking that the eagles do in their ruck divisions is phenomenal. Take a look at the way they block for each other in ruck contests.

[smasher]

I don't like our midfield.They seem to come in and out of the play,not often enough and are slow.Kirk is probably our best but he played a more defensive role last night.

[Claret]

You guys are tough markers.

Prior to this week we were 2nd in hitouts and 3rd in clearances.

[Claret]

I don't like our midfield.

Most people agree that midfielders have the biggest influence on the result of a game of footy. Have we not participated in the last 2 Grand Finals and are we not lining up for another tilt this year?

The rest of the side must be out and out superstars to carry this poor excuse for a midfield year after year.

[Nico]

You guys are tough markers.

Prior to this week we were 2nd in hitouts and 3rd in clearances.

Talking here about centre clearances not clearances around the ground. Our centre clearances at centre bounces are not quick and clean very often. It has been like this for a long time, but if we got that right I reckon we might find another 3-4 goals per game.

[liz]

I thought the team was very effective at centre clearances last night against a team that has been dominating its opposition in this area over its recent resurgence.

The only time it really broke down was at the start of the final term when we let them get three easy ones in a hurry - and kick three goals in a hurry. Suspect they thought that with their lead and fourth quarter record they were already monties to win, and weren't concentrating properly.