Excellent point IMHO, PJ!PJ wrote:In terms of development...
3/ Holmes
Progressing well and is the personality profile to improve if given game time. Should have taken 2 relatively easy marks yesterday one in the forward line and one in the defensive goal square but didn't seem to have the confidence/awareness or understanding of instruction to take his chances just yet...
posting.php?mode=quote&f=1&p=1531637&si ... #pr1531637
Just what are Jason's instructions?
I ask, coz he seems to concentrate solely on making sure he gets to every ruck contest around the ground.
This is at the expense of presenting himself as a target.
I saw it in the VFL final for Sandy at Victoria Park, and saw it again about half way into the third quarter on Saturday. Tommy Curren had the ball from a mark, wide/just forward of the wing. Jason was running towards our forward line... not to contest a possible pack mark at CHF, as he wouldn't have made it, but (seemingly) to be in the vicinity so he would be able to make it to any ensuing stoppage ruck contest.
Freeze the replay at 17:49 when Tommy marks it, then freeze again at 17:54 when his pass is punched clear of Longer... and have a look at where Jason is. He was in a prime and dangerous position... and all on his own(!) All he had to do was stop, turn around and call for the footy.
http://www.saints.com.au/video/2015-03- ... -saints-q3
What's the problem with that...?
The problem I reckon is... we had the ball wide on the wing, Jason was running through the middle of the ground, just just forward of centre. What's also wrong with that is that because Jason didn't present, Tom C kicked down the line to Longer, whose opponent was close enough to spoil the ball over the line.
I've just spotted another one... a bit less blatant, but all the same...
also in the 3rd Qtr (16:34) as Sam F takes his free for out on the full. No one is marking Jason, but he's (seemingly) purely concentrating on getting to our half forward line... but again, not in time for a marking contest.
This is why I'm wondering what Jason's instructions are(?) Are they to learn to 'read the play' to the extent that allows him to always be able to make it to a ruck contest? Has he been given any licence to run off and present himself as an option?
I'm a big fan of Jason's. I reckon he's already a very good AFL standard tap ruckman. The next step for him is to present himself as an option around the ground, and so, really give his opposing ruckmen something to think about. So, I'm just wondering what his instructions are in this area of the game?
Thoughts Saintsationalists... especially from those of you who've seen Jason play far more than I have.
tony, if you're reading this, I'd love to hear your opinion.
PS: Apologies for starting a fourth Jason Holmes thread, but I'm really interested to hear people's thoughts, and didn't want this post getting lost in the ruck. (Ha ha. )