1-2-1 after four rounds.
not ideal, especially in a short season.
we are fundamentally at a disadvantage with the shorter quarters. going back through the majority of our wins 2017-19, they were grinders. rarely emphatic in terms of belting. more comfortable wins that were modest but somehow inevitable.
moreover, changes to personnel has taken away from our identity.
who are we in 2020? Ellis is gone, Rioli and several others are out of form. our core runners look well below their best, and that’s a critical failure.
finally, if our core runners fail to work both ways, our forwards are left to look mighty silly. Jack, in particular, looks jaded. Slow. It’s about time we used him differently. But more on that in a second.
2020 will slide away from us very, very quickly if we don’t do something significant to wrest back momentum. If I was Damien Hardwick, I’d consider a change in tactics. If I was Dimma, I’d look at those short quarters, and the way others have been winning, and look to play classic footy. Centre clearances and stoppages, control the air ball both ways.
what does this mean personnel wise?
two rucks and the gruntiest midfield roster we can muster.
Nank and Soldo fighting like dogs to give us first use.
Cotchin, Martin, Prestia, Ross, Graham, Higgins, Edwards.
constantly put pressure on the oppo miss through first use. This is a complete turnaround to how we normally roll out.
the turnover game as we know it is dead, at least in 2020.
key priority now should be first use. Failing that, we should be looking to stop wasting resources in winning the ball back through frenetic grind.
we should win it back in defence, through aerial superiority. Grub, astbury, vlastuin and the rucks.
Midfield wise, get in tight specialists and stop sweating on the spread. Get the *smile* thing first and send it long if space is denied.
I would play lynch and CCJ/Balta along with Caddy and Riewoldt as flankers. Send it in quick and long to the hot spot to exploit 6-6-6 and pile on scoreboard pressure.
can you imagine how jack might appreciate being played as third tall?
Nank/Soldo can drift back as required or provide wing options. Our strongest wins last season came when they were performing these roles.
importantly, I don’t think our grinding game, founded as it is on endurance, pressure and meticulous preparation is gonna cut it in this chaotic, disjointed season. What you appear to need this season is strong ballistic footy from the outset. That’s never really been our go 2017-19.
I also think the players would appreciate a change of direction. A freshener. They’ve worked so hard that I reckon they deserve a change-up. Doesn’t need to be forever. Every year brings a new campaign, a new challenge to overcome.
In many ways footy in 2020 is like playing in a telephone box. Congestion wise and also with the shorter quarters.
play the talls. Give away the expansive grind that will not work in 2020.
surprise the oppo like we did in 2017.
except this time we have a premiership roster to work with.
