Has been a concern of mine for a while but I thought last night really brought out the issue again so would like to bring up the issue and hear opinions.
I understand in the game that is played today, that its all about creating the free player. This often leads someone defending to have to make a decision about whether to attack the man with the ball and force them to dispose, or to zone off a little trying to cover the way to a free player but giving the ball holder ample time to sum up their options.
What I saw last night seemed way overdone on the Tigers behalf and often gave the skillful Melbourne team plenty of time to make judgement and deliver. Probably the worst case of zoning to the absolute nth degree last night was when Ward for Melbourne picked up the ball in the defensive 50, took 5 bounces, touched the ball on the ground just outside 50 and drilled it front and centre straight to a player no more than 40 metres out. Watching that piece I saw 3 Richmond players on that side iin front of his path run back up to 100 metres trying to cover there own man and not one had the initiative to move to the player to at least force them use the ball (and potentially turnover it over). Richo finally turned around when he was in the back 40metre mark to eventually force Ward to kick the ball, but all too late. This wasnt the only example, just the most obvious. There seems to be a tendency to expect players from behind the holder of the ball to make the yards to apply pressure.
I was always taught to pressure the man with the ball and force them to make a decision with as little time as possible. Obviously there are times when zoning off should be used, but I just feel that there is too much latitude in the current game. It sometimes frustrate me immensely to see a player zone off for way too long, giving the opposition player time to sum up his options and wait for the right opportunity to come forward.
Am I being over-sensitive to this trend?
I understand in the game that is played today, that its all about creating the free player. This often leads someone defending to have to make a decision about whether to attack the man with the ball and force them to dispose, or to zone off a little trying to cover the way to a free player but giving the ball holder ample time to sum up their options.
What I saw last night seemed way overdone on the Tigers behalf and often gave the skillful Melbourne team plenty of time to make judgement and deliver. Probably the worst case of zoning to the absolute nth degree last night was when Ward for Melbourne picked up the ball in the defensive 50, took 5 bounces, touched the ball on the ground just outside 50 and drilled it front and centre straight to a player no more than 40 metres out. Watching that piece I saw 3 Richmond players on that side iin front of his path run back up to 100 metres trying to cover there own man and not one had the initiative to move to the player to at least force them use the ball (and potentially turnover it over). Richo finally turned around when he was in the back 40metre mark to eventually force Ward to kick the ball, but all too late. This wasnt the only example, just the most obvious. There seems to be a tendency to expect players from behind the holder of the ball to make the yards to apply pressure.
I was always taught to pressure the man with the ball and force them to make a decision with as little time as possible. Obviously there are times when zoning off should be used, but I just feel that there is too much latitude in the current game. It sometimes frustrate me immensely to see a player zone off for way too long, giving the opposition player time to sum up his options and wait for the right opportunity to come forward.
Am I being over-sensitive to this trend?
