This is a question that has vexed me over the years, even through the halcyon, premiership-winning years.
Sure, we've belted some sides. But we are not Geelong from the late 80s, early 90s, routinely burying teams on the scoreboard.
Yes, the final winning margins of dozens of games 2017-2022 have been convincing, but as we all know they rarely come without being challenged or a hairy moment or two.
Why is this?
Why does a top team, a premiership-winning team, a team who knows how to get the job done, so often let the opposition back into the contest?
Why does Damien Hardwick talk so lovingly about turning games into 'arm wrestles'? And 'always being in the game'?
To be honest, it does my head in. 2022 has shown this pattern in its starkest form. Skip out to a strong lead then *smile* it away.
I don't have any definitive answers as to why this keeps happening. I thought I'd ask PRE, which harbors students of the game much sharper than I.
My theory? The turnover blueprint is great when the opposition is in *normal* transition mode. That is, the way they normally move the ball, they way they train and set up. We allow first use, preferably degraded, from stoppage and sweat on longish kicks to a favorable outnumber.
All well and good.
But when the oppo "raises the fight" due to scoreboard pressure, they grow more daring. More play-ons, more risk-taking. Importantly, the biggest A-grade mids all in stoppage to generate ball going their way.
I don't think our turnover game is particularly good at stopping kamikaze ball movement. For starters, our midfield has never been particularly big or adept at crushing teams at stoppage.
Further to this, I think our coaching staff are steadfastly resistant to making wholesale changes to our structure to adjust, as that removes our main avenue of scoring.
I believe this is a dilemma that has plagued us even through the good years. The answer? No *smile*' idea.
But it does my head in.
Sure, we've belted some sides. But we are not Geelong from the late 80s, early 90s, routinely burying teams on the scoreboard.
Yes, the final winning margins of dozens of games 2017-2022 have been convincing, but as we all know they rarely come without being challenged or a hairy moment or two.
Why is this?
Why does a top team, a premiership-winning team, a team who knows how to get the job done, so often let the opposition back into the contest?
Why does Damien Hardwick talk so lovingly about turning games into 'arm wrestles'? And 'always being in the game'?
To be honest, it does my head in. 2022 has shown this pattern in its starkest form. Skip out to a strong lead then *smile* it away.
I don't have any definitive answers as to why this keeps happening. I thought I'd ask PRE, which harbors students of the game much sharper than I.
My theory? The turnover blueprint is great when the opposition is in *normal* transition mode. That is, the way they normally move the ball, they way they train and set up. We allow first use, preferably degraded, from stoppage and sweat on longish kicks to a favorable outnumber.
All well and good.
But when the oppo "raises the fight" due to scoreboard pressure, they grow more daring. More play-ons, more risk-taking. Importantly, the biggest A-grade mids all in stoppage to generate ball going their way.
I don't think our turnover game is particularly good at stopping kamikaze ball movement. For starters, our midfield has never been particularly big or adept at crushing teams at stoppage.
Further to this, I think our coaching staff are steadfastly resistant to making wholesale changes to our structure to adjust, as that removes our main avenue of scoring.
I believe this is a dilemma that has plagued us even through the good years. The answer? No *smile*' idea.
But it does my head in.
