Season Preview: Eight Reasons Why The Bulldogs Can Get Excited in 2019

[mjp]

...many teams seem set to play two rucks with one who can spend time forward. Melbourne just nabbed Pruess to partner Gawn, Port grabbed Lycett to partner Ryder, etc.

This is just copy cat footy. West Coast win with 2x rucks, now everyone wants 2x rucks.

Running players win games...Lycett is useful as he gets the ball. Preuss is not 'cos he doesn't.

There isn't really a congestion rule yet...and the bail-out kick from full-back (which needs ruck targets) is no longer as useful as the goal-square has become an irrelevance...

[The Adelaide Connection]

This is just copy cat footy. West Coast win with 2x rucks, now everyone wants 2x rucks.

Running players win games...Lycett is useful as he gets the ball. Preuss is not 'cos he doesn't.

There isn't really a congestion rule yet...and the bail-out kick from full-back (which needs ruck targets) is no longer as useful as the goal-square has become an irrelevance...

I think you will still need the ruck targets, they will just be 10-15 metres further back. They don’t have to do the kick it to themselves thing now, but the reality is there will still be a man on the mark so, more often than not, is there going to be that much of a differential in metres gained from kick-ins?

[mjp]

Well...we've been practicing this rule.

With no goal-square as soon as the goal crosses the line you can basically pick up the spare footy and go...the man on the mark (who has to be 5m back) is just not in play.

This is a BIG change to the game - I know it seems trivial when you read about it, in practice it makes a big difference to the speed a ball leaves the zone. The 'down the line' player will be needed for kicks and free kicks from the pockets (or the goal-square of course) but this is usually a simple numbers battle around the bail-out kick and all the team with the ball is 'really' expecting is a boundary throw in 60m from goal (aka get it the hell out of here, reset and live to fight another day).

[Twodogs]

Well...we've been practicing this rule.

With no goal-square as soon as the goal crosses the line you can basically pick up the spare footy and go...the man on the mark (who has to be 5m back) is just not in play.

This is a BIG change to the game - I know it seems trivial when you read about it, in practice it makes a big difference to the speed a ball leaves the zone. The 'down the line' player will be needed for kicks and free kicks from the pockets (or the goal-square of course) but this is usually a simple numbers battle around the bail-out kick and all the team with the ball is 'really' expecting is a boundary throw in 60m from goal (aka get it the hell out of here, reset and live to fight another day).

What's a 'down the line' player? A tall forward we can use as bail out option?

[EasternWest]

What's a 'down the line' player? A tall forward we can use as bail out option?

It's your Brian Lake, Shane Mumford, Jack Watts kinda guy.

There's only three of them in the entire league.

[Axe Man]

It's your Brian Lake, Shane Mumford, Jack Watts kinda guy.

There's only three of them in the entire league.

Don't forget Jake Carlisle.

[EasternWest]

Don't forget Jake Carlisle.

How could I forget Jakey?

Four then.

[mjp]

What's a 'down the line' player? A tall forward we can use as bail out option?

It's usually a ruckman or tall forward who has pushed down to provide a contest for that 'long, down the line' kick out of defence that players do when they:

a/. Don't have the skill/game-sense/balls to hit a short target in space.
b/. Have been pinned in the defensive zone for a while and just kick it as far and wide as they can to make it someone elses problem.
c/. Have been delayed by the umpires and literally all attacking options have been taken away.

[Twodogs]

It's usually a ruckman or tall forward who has pushed down to provide a contest for that 'long, down the line' kick out of defence that players do when they:

a/. Don't have the skill/game-sense/balls to hit a short target in space.
b/. Have been pinned in the defensive zone for a while and just kick it as far and wide as they can to make it someone elses problem.
c/. Have been delayed by the umpires and literally all attacking options have been taken away.

Thanks Mike.

[mjp]

Thanks Mike.

Should have added d/.:

Are a Matthew Suckling type who wants to show off how far he can kick the ball even though it doesn't really help the team all that much.

(Though to be fair, I thought he was a good player for us in 2018).