WB Game Day V Geelong R14 2021

[Grantysghost]

Isn’t that essentially how Melbourne beat us?

Pretty much. I think the distinction the author makes (on advice from a mystery oppo coach - might be a dentist?) is that they use the narrow boundary as an extra man almost, which means they don't need to push up defenders.

[comrade]

These are nice ideas but if they worked consistently then everyone would do them.

Basically, the key to beating Geelong at Geelong is playing out of your skin.

[jeemak]

I think on the narrow ground their mids can clog the middle without their wings needing to be as wide. So their half backs don't have to push up as much, they own the corridor using their mids/wings.
(I've put no thought into this but I'm running with it).

Possibly. Visiting sides seem to kick it OOB when going longer down the line as well.

I'm probably sounding like a broken record, but the short diagonal inboard and wide is your friend on these sorts of grounds. WCE used to take a lot of shorter and wider kicks at Subi than opposition teams would think they likely would, putting chains of possession together and taking a lot of ground quickly. They still use the style of play at Docklands to solid effect.

[Grantysghost]

Firstly, thanks for posting and don’t take anything I’m about to say as an attack on you. But;

I’ve really got a problem with this sort of analysis. “Owning the corridor” and “avoiding intercept markers” are fine and logical ideas on paper, but are terribly difficult to actually execute/succeed with.

Say we do attack the corridor against Geelong. Say we turn it over in doing so, which is likely considering we’ve been forced wide in the first place. Does the resulting opportunity that Geelong will have to attack our biggest weakness (one on one defending inside 50) and play to their biggest strength actually put us in a better position that going wide and likely maintaining possession or forcing a stoppage? I’m not convinced.

Also re avoiding intercept markers - this is HARD for a number of reasons. The intercepters are positioned in the space that is also most likely to lead to scores if we split the contest, as opposed to “lowering the eyes” and hitting a lead on a shallow entry, where the margin for error is so high and even if everything works it only leads to a 3/10 or so shot at goal. Hitting leading players under AFL-level pressure is an elite skill and it can’t be expected of players with every entry. Not to mention the consequence of messing these kicks up is just as bad and if not worse than having an intercept mark taken 15m out from goal.

These are nice ideas but if they worked consistently then everyone would do them.

Firstly : How dare you.

Secondly : Good points for sure, and I think that's the game right there. Do you second guess yourself and change it up for the ground, or do you play your style and back yourself to do what you do best.

They've won 80 percent there over the last 15 years (something like that) so it's pretty strong evidence you might need to change it up; however, you dig a little more deeply and 1.) Geelong have had one of the greatest sides ever and 2.) it's skewed by the opposition. They rarely play the best sides down there.

I'd love to see us attack the corridor and risk the loss to get the win but as you point out, it's a low percentage play and likely to expose our weakness. Be interesting to see what we do. I really don't want to see Gardner or Cordy kick it out on the full too many times that's for sure.

There's almost a world game parallel here, albeit a different scenario.
I'm a Newcastle fan, so we struggle against the big boys. Do you play a back 5, park the bus and hope to sneak one on the counter? Or do you play the way you do against middling sides and risk the 6-0. (it's usually 6-0 either way). It's obviously not a talent driver in this instance but a venue but I can see the similarity in strategic decisions around game plan considering the prior loss percentage involved.

Good discussion.

My feel is we play our way to begin with and go from there, it's worked well so far.

[Grantysghost]

Possibly. Visiting sides seem to kick it OOB when going longer down the line as well.

I'm probably sounding like a broken record, but the short diagonal inboard and wide is your friend on these sorts of grounds. WCE used to take a lot of shorter and wider kicks at Subi than opposition teams would think they likely would, putting chains of possession together and taking a lot of ground quickly. They still use the style of play at Docklands to solid effect.

From what I saw of the Pies yesterday they did something similar.

[bornadog]

My feel is we play our way to begin with and go from there, it's worked well so far.

I agree we play our style of play and let them come after us. We had a good glimpse last year how we could play against them, but after the first quarter, we couldn't sustain it. (6.3 to 0.3 in first quarter and lost by 11)

We rarely use the corridor coming out of our backline, so I agree we need to be really careful using those narrow wings. We must not turn the ball over, or it is game. We need English lurking down the wings to take the long kick if that is what we choose to do.

[jeemak]

I agree we play our style of play and let them come after us. We had a good glimpse last year how we could play against them, but after the first quarter, we couldn't sustain it. (6.3 to 0.3 in first quarter and lost by 11)

We rarely use the corridor coming out of our backline, so I agree we need to be really careful using those narrow wings. We must not turn the ball over, or it is game. We need English lurking down the wings to take the long kick if that is what we choose to do.

You raise a good point. Have we ever played them in Geelong with two tall forwards in form and a forward/ ruck in form all playing together in the one team? We have a different set up at present and need to make the most of it when transitioning along the wings.

[Grantysghost]

You raise a good point. Have we ever played them in Geelong with two tall forwards in form and a forward/ ruck in form all playing together in the one team? We have a different set up at present and need to make the most of it when transitioning along the wings.

Ahem...Daniel Bandy and Kingsley Hunter.

[Sedat]

I agree we play our style of play and let them come after us. We had a good glimpse last year how we could play against them, but after the first quarter, we couldn't sustain it. (6.3 to 0.3 in first quarter and lost by 11).

From memory in-game injuries cost us dearly last year and we simply ran out of legs. Not dissimilar to what happened in Geelong in late 2016 when Libba and Macrae both went down early.

In the match last year at Metricon, we delivered quickly into F50 and also hit up the short sharp options to take their interceptors out of the equation. Long bombs to Snake never works against the Cats intercept defenders, who are stingy at the best of times and can also read the ball well in flight.

[Axe Man]

Ahem...Daniel Bandy and Kingsley Hunter.

Don't forget Nathan Saunders to compete the trio (it's easy to do).

[Grantysghost]

Don't forget Nathan Saunders to compete the trio (it's easy to do).

[bornadog]

First one - we smashed the Pies, second one, what we will do to Cats

[comrade]

The last time Essendon played Geelong in Geelong, Dustin Fletcher was their youngest player.

[EasternWest]

First one - we smashed the Pies, second one, what we will do to Cats

Difference is there's no ball in the second one, which tells me the wrestler knows how to handball.

[bornadog]

Difference is there's no ball in the second one, which tells me the wrestler knows how to handball.

haha