While the optimism here and the parallels with previous years is good to read there are some things we cannot ignore.
The game has changed more this year than it normally does. The game changes a little each year. In some senses the standing the mark rule takes us back to many years ago when players would just stand there and wave their arms about when on the mark. What that misses though is that years ago the game was played differently - more kicking to contests, less of a possession and territory game than it is now. What the morons at the AFL have not taken into account is that the whole running around on the mark is a response to the way the game has developed over the last few decades - the kick into the corridor, the switch to the other side of the ground - these were nowhere near as prevalent back years ago. So, they have changed a rule and now we have 2020s strategies but the player on the mark is stuck with a 1970s response. F***ing stupid.
The game is clearly more open and even if there are strategies developed to counter this, the game has still changed a lot. I am trying to work out if I can sort some analysis of this based on the stats (contested versus uncontested marks, hitouts as an indicator of stoppages, contested versus uncontested possessions, tackles etc). Not sure what I will find but will be interested to see what is going on.
Our game style, specifically the aspect of it which relies on pressure and turnovers, is disadvantaged by the rule changes. That said, I am sure that the coaches at every team were the first to see this. We are early in the year and as Dimma keeps saying, you need to improve every year just to prevent dropping down the ladder. I'm sure they are looking into this and trying to work out ways to prevent the opposition from exploiting the open game against us, and how we can use it to our advantage. We will adapt and it might take a little time. One thing we need to do, although I'm not sure we could do this for the whole season and finals, is to address the centre bounce clearances. We managed to turn this around last year without Soldo so we can do it again - but we also have to determine when we are best to be putting in place the strategies we will need at the pointy end of the year. At this stage we do need to work on nullifying the opposition advantage though.
It is a balancing act for all teams, but for the reigning premiers we are the hunted and need to balance early season effort to win enough games to stay in touch, along with later season effort to have a shot at the big prize.
DS
That sharp summation is gonna make them sob like little kids.
