forward set up

[bigcarl]

our forward structure still needs a bit of work, though it was good to have the option of swinging gwilt in there as another marking target.

but still too many wasted entries into 50 i thought.

until the last quarter, sluggish movement of the ball around the ground was a culprit and we still tended to look for riewoldt too often (particularly as he was being quite well held).

we need to get better at converting opportunities into goals.

it is one of the things that sets teams like geelong apart.

watching a replay of them the other night and i noticed how direct they are.

no going out to the flanks and pockets. they're always looking to put the pill back into the centre corridor.

everywhere on the ground, not just the forward line.

it must be one of their main team directives.

this, of course, is the shortest, quickest and most direct route to goal and, importantly, means that their leading forwards have much easier set shots.

maybe going direct like that comes with confidence, but sometimes it's hard to separate cause and effect.

the other thing about the forward line is we need to somehow create space for roo and kosi to lead into. they should also be looking to make some themselves by leading into empty space.

[danners]

yes im sick of seeing us either run down the wing and kick to the pockets or run down the middle and still find a way to end up having a shot from an impossible angle

[Bernard Shakey]

Forward setup?

Bang it long to Roo with 3 opponents is all we do.

[bigcarl]

Forward setup? Bang it long to Roo with 3 opponents is all we do.

it's never a percentage play, is it.

[degruch]

Another specialist leading forward (other than Roo) would be nice...we've only got Roo up there, plus crumbers (Milne, Schnieder), and Kosi to smash into everyone. It'd be good to have someone like Charlie, Allen, Ferg or even G to present, in addition to Roo, or allowing him to push up the ground occasionally to get the ball. When he does, it'd be nice to have him passing to a real leading forward.

[perfectionist]

G - stick him in and see what happens.

[degruch]

G - stick him in and see what happens.

He got a towelling against 'em last time, eventaully benched. However, our passing to him was diabolical and I reckon he was a scapegoat for our poor form at the time...would love to see him smashing the Pies, but probably not the best match to make a comeback in, I guess.

[bigcarl]

Another specialist leading forward (other than Roo) would be nice...we've only got Roo up there, plus crumbers (Milne, Schnieder), and Kosi to smash into everyone. It'd be good to have someone like Charlie, Allen, Ferg or even G to present, in addition to Roo, or allowing him to push up the ground occasionally to get the ball. When he does, it'd be nice to have him passing to a real leading forward.

agree. i think that was what they had in mind for gwilt.

i don't see why he (or someone like him), kosi and roo cannot operate in the same forward line at the same time.

people will tell you that it makes the forward line too top heavy, but we haven't had a problem this season with playing five "talls" ... s. fisher, hudghton, goddard, blake and gilbert ... in the same backline.

the danger, of course, is that your forward line becomes too crowded.

what you want is the extra options while still giving roo and the other leading forward ... be it gehrig, gwilt, gilbert, allen, bj, ferguson etc ... space to run into.

[saintsRrising]

The biggest problem with our forward set -up is the normally always shocking delivering.

For example early in the game last week both Ball and Schneider miskicking it to no one!!!



Now yes things like Kosi and Roo running to the same spot sometimes does not help etc etc..


But our No 1 problem is our poor kicking/delivery....which is also why so many of our players miss gettable shots on goal when running in.

[QuestionOfAccuracy]

But ou No 1 problem is our porr kicking/delivery.

I agree. There were some terrible attempts at passes into our fwd line especially in the first half. And sometimes this occurred when the midfielders weren't even under much pressure.

Also what frustrated me was on a couple of occasions Dal was running into fwd 50 not under pressure and chose not to go for goal but go to the top of the square. I think Lenny may have been guilty of the same offence once during the game also. I don't mind if they do it if someone is on a clear lead but the midfielders should back themselves when they are running clear at 50m or less.

[bigcarl]

Also what frustrated me was on a couple of occasions Dal was running into fwd 50 not under pressure and chose not to go for goal but go to the top of the square. I think Lenny may have been guilty of the same offence once during the game also. I don't mind if they do it if someone is on a clear lead but the midfielders should back themselves when they are running clear at 50m or less.

dal just popped it up high in the air and roo and kosi spoiled one another. predictable and frustrating.

would have been a lot better off taking the shot himself. there's little that lifts us more than one of those long goals by dal.

[GRAMophone]

I think that's why the running goals of Gwilt and Fiora were so welcome last Sunday - it's something we don't see enough of. Actually Lenny, Joey and Bally have missed so many running goals lately it was sensational to see a few go through.

[True Blue Sainter]

Forward set up should be:

Riewoldt: Roam wherever he sees fit. Plays up the ground when we need a target coming out of defence and the midfield is struggling, or stays closer to goal if we are on top.

Kossie: Stick close to goal. Use his contested marking ability to its full potential by having him pull down most of his marks within 50m of goal, unless we need him as a follower.

Milne: At Kossie's feet.

Schneider: Play as a genuine HFF. Has the license to push deep and get the ball on the wings, but when the ball is up forward, we need him up there as a crumbing option.

Gwilt: On the basis of last week's performance, I would like to see Jimmy be given a go as a mobile, 3rd tall option up forward.

Fizz: Play the opposite flank to Schneider. Rotate with someone like Eddy/Armo/Birss through the midfield and off the bench.

[Otiman]

Our gameplan (and yes, it is a gameplan), involves getting the ball into our forward 50, to a 50/50 or better contest, and either a) taking a mark and kicking for goal, or b) locking it in the forward line, increasing the pressure on the opposition, and snagging a goal from a pack/contest/ball up/throw in situation.

Very sydney-esque, in fact is probably the main thing Ross Lyon has brought over from his Sydney playbook.

[rexy]

Forward structure has actually suffered since Allan went out, not that he got his hands on it a lot but maybe he was leading to the right spots to open up the forward line for the others?

Gherig must be given another opportunity if fit enough. McEvoy or Allan could also be given another go? Gwilt could be perservered with for another week or two?

Greatest strength is becoming our most worrying area IMO.

[nathan000]

Gherig must be given another opportunity if fit enough.

Why? Give him a go in the two's and make him perform first. It's the most crucial part of the season and we can't afford for him to come back and play a s*** game. He must prove at Casey that he is fully fit and motivated before given a chance in the team IMO.

[Pilgram]

all he needs to do is prove that he can catch. i dont want him outside the goalsquare and i dont want him on the lead. i want him in the box knocking blokes out of the way and taking contested marks on the goal line, getting on the end of assists.

[nathan000]

Leave that to Kosi. MUST be given a game in the two's to see where he is at, to big of a risk first up in the firsts IMO.

[Pilgram]

perhaps.
i still think he has a role to play.
the role is the big oldschool strongman in the box.

kosi can play full and straight and rooey can play half.
the twin crumbers in milney and schneids full
our flankers at half -- BOOM!
our mids murdering at per usual, mate, i have it all sorted and do you know the best part - so does Mr September AKA The Rain Man AKA Rossatron.
the best part is that Rossatron wont play G without the role.

[bigcarl]

MUST be given a game in the two's to see where he is at, to big of a risk first up in the firsts IMO.

agree.

but if he shows some form at casey, he ought to be shown the same consideration as anyone else.

let's face it. no-one has really stepped in the fill the hole left by fraser, certainly not in terms of goals on the board (which is what i want from a forward).

he's not the player he was but let's not forget he led our goal-kicking in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, won the coleman medal twice and kicked 100 in a season.

so he knows how to nail them.

[WayneJudson42]

Interesting on Sunday was some of Port's players who bombed goals from 50m. This is something we miss. When a team like Port floods, we get into trouble.

[Pilgram]

i think he has a presence on the goal line that allows kosi to play outside the square and gives rooer the opportunity to play on the arc.

[bigcarl]

Interesting on Sunday was some of Port's players who bombed goals from 50m. This is something we miss. When a team like Port floods, we get into trouble.

that's where fiora and gwilt could come in handy, i guess. also dal santo, if he can be encouraged to have a ping rather than pop it up to the front of the square

[lefty]

Forward setup?

Bang it long to Roo with 3 opponents is all we do.

We definately need to fix up our gamestyle/forward line structure.

All this flooding/pushing up the ground stuffs it all up when you go forward. Problem is when we go forward its usually along side the boundary line, and its always to Roo 3v1, which if he got injured, forget st.kilda.

Cant believe Ross hasnt done anything about it, nor made the kicks into the forward line in the middle arch, nor the boundary line and pockets.

[stkfc1]

With Fiora and Gwilt both able to kick fifty plus Roo and Kosi taking the big ones( Fizz can fly too) and milne and schnides crumbing and jones adding defensive pressure it's not a bad forward set up. Gwilt looks like he can take a contested mark as well!