Man on the Mark

[TAGHLAO]

Can anyone tell me why when the opposition has a mark/freekick and is called to play on, our man on the mark continues to stand still instead of moving up and pressuring the kicker.

Now I know we don't want them to over commit and let the opposition player get around us, but surely, advancing and cutting down his space, thus making the kick higher and less accurate is better than giving him time and space to spot up a kick.

Port advanced on us all night and just about every time when turned it over.

When we talk about our lack of tackles inside 50, the answer is simple, we just don't put enough pressure on opposition backman. Charles Manson would spot up a target running out of our fwd line.

[savatage]

Why do we do most of the stupid things we do? We just aren't switched on & disciplined enough as a team. We must have the lowest IQ out of all the AFL teams because no matter how many times we've been spanked in certain areas - they never learn.

Dumb Saints!

[Statsman]

Our first thought is to back pedal and defend, not step forward and attack. Simple as that!

[Enrico_Misso]

The theory is that if you run at him he might easily sell the dummy and step around you, giving him space to run into and drive it deep.

Standing on the mark forces him to take the kick from where he is.
It also gives your team-mates more time to get into defensive position.
It is this coralling (is that how you spell it?) theory ?
You trap your opponent within a certain space and deny them the chance to break out.


But the counter theory is, if you run straight at them, yes they might side-step you and set something up.
But they might also just panick a bit under pressure.
And a turnover with their defence wide open might just lead to an easy goal for us.

It's defensive v attacking mentality.
And obviously the instruction comes from the coach.

[Statsman]

We defend first, attack second. That mind set has killed our initiative, flair and passion. We're on the back foot all game and it shows in so many ways.

[saintDal]

Our first thought is to back pedal and defend, not step forward and attack. Simple as that!

I haven't seen this game but I have noticed that when an opposition player takes a mark sometimes everybody runs into defence leaving no one standing the mark allowing the player to play on and run forward unopposed.

Two examples which resulted in direct goals. Steve Johnson marked on the 50. Saints players near him ran back and he just ran in and kicked a goal. Last year Fletcher was able to bomb a goal when he marked and the same thing happened.

[TAGHLAO]

The theory is that if you run at him he might easily sell the dummy and step around you, giving him space to run into and drive it deep.

Standing on the mark forces him to take the kick from where he is.
It also gives your team-mates more time to get into defensive position.
It is this coralling (is that how you spell it?) theory ?
You trap your opponent within a certain space and deny them the chance to break out.


But the counter theory is, if you run straight at them, yes they might side-step you and set something up.
But they might also just panick a bit under pressure.
And a turnover with their defence wide open might just lead to an easy goal for us.

It's defensive v attacking mentality.
And obviously the instruction comes from the coach.

I'm not asking them to run full speed at them and over commit, just advance slowly and cut down their space and time. They don't have to apply a tackle, just a bit of indirect pressure. I am well aware of the coralling method, but your not coralling when your 20 metres away, your spectating.