Re: Congratulations are in order
Is it the rule changes, or is it simply the rise and rise of flooding?
The problem with flooding is that you cannot beat it by playing man on man football. You just end up with a clagged forward line and the flooding team kills you on the rebound because they have an open forward line which their quick players can run into. So both teams flood and you end up with the garbage we saw on Saturday, two teams taking it in turn to muck around with the ball until they turned it over for much of the game.
Most of these changes are trying to combat flooding but only succeed in entrenching it further because it is an easy game to play and covers up most of a team's weaknesses. We have no key forwards, no problem, flood back. We have an ordinary backline, no problem, flood harder. Our players are soft, no problem, flood. Our players try hard but have poor skills, flood. It cures everything, if you have a smart coach.
The contested mark has not disappeared because the rules have been changed; it disappeared because players will not kick to a contest where the marking forward is outnumbered three to one. They will try to finesse it to a dangerous spot instead.
Good tactics but boring as bat doo doo. They days of Robbie Flower and Doug Hawkins thrilling crowds on the wing are over. their modern day counterparts are playing as spare back pocket players at each end of the field.
Is it the rule changes, or is it simply the rise and rise of flooding?
The problem with flooding is that you cannot beat it by playing man on man football. You just end up with a clagged forward line and the flooding team kills you on the rebound because they have an open forward line which their quick players can run into. So both teams flood and you end up with the garbage we saw on Saturday, two teams taking it in turn to muck around with the ball until they turned it over for much of the game.
Most of these changes are trying to combat flooding but only succeed in entrenching it further because it is an easy game to play and covers up most of a team's weaknesses. We have no key forwards, no problem, flood back. We have an ordinary backline, no problem, flood harder. Our players are soft, no problem, flood. Our players try hard but have poor skills, flood. It cures everything, if you have a smart coach.
The contested mark has not disappeared because the rules have been changed; it disappeared because players will not kick to a contest where the marking forward is outnumbered three to one. They will try to finesse it to a dangerous spot instead.
Good tactics but boring as bat doo doo. They days of Robbie Flower and Doug Hawkins thrilling crowds on the wing are over. their modern day counterparts are playing as spare back pocket players at each end of the field.
