What is "The Game Plan"?

[cps]

There has been a huge amount of "discussion" on this forum regarding the Saint's "Game Plan".

I'm not clear what this "Plan" actually is. So let's hear it folks - let's hear what this "Game Plan" actually is. And please use evidence (i.e. game stats, etc.) to back up you arguments.

[Mr Magic]

I'd like the answer to teh question as well.

Real facts not conjecture.

All those with inside knowledge - here is your opportunity.

[cps]

C'mon all you experts - the challenge is right in front of you!

So much talk about "The Game Plan" and yet no-one can spell out what it is.

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

Get numbers behind the ball clogging up the opposition forwards space only problem is we don't work hard enough once we get the ball going forward

[Otiman]

Game plan is as follows.

Get Ball
Kick to Opposition
Try to get ball back again

[Iceman234]

Apparently it is NOT what is being delivered at the moment - so look at our tapes and reverse them and put them in perspective, because that is NOT how we are being instructed to play.

So there is a MAJOR communication or execution breakdown between coach and playing group.

I'm no insider but that is what I am led to believe.

[Zippy]

The game plan is fairly simple. I have secured a copy of the instructions to key players, and they're as follows:

The rucks are under clear instructions to hit the ball at random, rather than to advantage. When it gets to ground, the instructions are:

- Luke Ball to stagger around injured.
- Dal Santo to avoid the ball if there's a tagger within three metres
- Hayes to win the ball and not know what to do with it.
- Harvey to wonder if he'll have to play 'till 50 to get a premiership.

In the event that the ball is delivered into the forward line, our instructions are:

- Reiwoldt to ensure he is always close to at least two, preferably three, opposition players.
- Milne to crumb the ball and kick it straight up into the air.
- Koschitske to lead in the wrong direction.
- Schneider to talk about how he'd make all the difference if he wasn't injured.

When they rebound the ball, and deliver it into their forward line, our instructions are:

- Gram to avoid his man as much as possible, so he has as much ability as possible to get easy touches. These touches must consist of a mis-kicked torpedo straight to an opposition player.
- Leigh Fisher to mutter about how he used to be good when he was a back pocket, and ask the coach if he can stop tagging and return to the backline.
- Maguire to fail to spoil, but huff and puff and look really tough.
- Hudghton to heroically stop his man, but be unable to do anything to prevent the rest of their forward line kicking a bag.

PS - Just joking - I'm disappointed with our form, but still optimistic we can turn it around. If we get to 3-6, I'll start to worry.

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

The game plan is fairly simple. I have secured a copy of the instructions to key players, and they're as follows:

The rucks are under clear instructions to hit the ball at random, rather than to advantage. When it gets to ground, the instructions are:

- Luke Ball to stagger around injured.
- Dal Santo to avoid the ball if there's a tagger within three metres
- Hayes to win the ball and not know what to do with it.
- Harvey to wonder if he'll have to play 'till 50 to get a premiership.

In the event that the ball is delivered into the forward line, our instructions are:

- Reiwoldt to ensure he is always close to at least two, preferably three, opposition players.
- Milne to crumb the ball and kick it straight up into the air.
- Koschitske to lead in the wrong direction.
- Schneider to talk about how he'd make all the difference if he wasn't injured.

When they rebound the ball, and deliver it into their forward line, our instructions are:

- Gram to avoid his man as much as possible, so he has as much ability as possible to get easy touches. These touches must consist of a mis-kicked torpedo straight to an opposition player.
- Leigh Fisher to mutter about how he used to be good when he was a back pocket, and ask the coach if he can stop tagging and return to the backline.
- Maguire to fail to spoil, but huff and puff and look really tough.
- Hudghton to heroically stop his man, but be unable to do anything to prevent the rest of their forward line kicking a bag.

PS - Just joking - I'm disappointed with our form, but still optimistic we can turn it around. If we get to 3-6, I'll start to worry.

Careful what u say i believe Grant Thomas reads this forum and u'll find ur assesments will be all over the radio 2morrow morning.

[cps]

Much as I enjoy the humorous replies, does anyone want to have a serious go at describing "The Game Plan"?

Anyone?

[cps]

I came across this in another thread:

Lyon's game plan is basically:

In dispute
*win inside contested ball

With the ball
* maintain possesion

When the opposition takes possesion
* Push back, and NOT allow the opposition a target

Add to that play one spare player back ... which actually works against us because it means the opposition can play 2 on our "go to" forward Riewoldt.

What it should be:

In dispute

*win inside contested ball and feed into runners behind in space OR to players pushing forward with confidence taking the risk we win the ball

With the ball

* play on at all cost and if free look inside or around the corridor first to find a running down or leading up option in space. Dispose by foot to first option unless under pressure in which case dispose by hand to free a runner to then dispose by foot into the corridor or the lead up option.

When the opposition takes possesion (no mark or free)

* Pressure the ball carrier at all cost and run to cover thier 360 degree options within 10 metres for the handball and run hard to cover the options by foot - our forwards to cover the sideways switch and the escape valve backwards to the defenders - then the 25 metres zone has to be covered by our midfielders manning up the runners in the corridor or those streaming from defence (including switch side) and forcing the player with the ball to commit to a 40+ option under pressure. No zoning!

When opposition has mark or free from standing start

* Man up - backwards, sideways for switch, in corridor and ensure there is a player positioned ready to run to a spot 20 to 30 directly over the mark ready for the chop out from the lead up opposition player. Allow the second in line link players on opposite wings (who would be fed by clean opposition possession from the switch or the corridor) some space positioning inside the corridor - ready to take advantage when we regain the ball.

Inside 50:

Two strong leading forwards (Roo and Kossie) to lead into the zone between the 45 degree and 135 degree arc no further than 40 out. Four small forwards (as opposed to forwards acting as taggers) to crumb front and centre - my picks would be Milne, Schneider, Ball and Armitage. Any midfielder (Montagna, Harvey, Dal Santo Birss, Baker, or Gram / Clarke or Fiora from a wing) running into 50 that gains clean possession has to take a shot on goal rather than share the ball.

This is more like it

[matrix]

so basically u just answered your own thread question by going back and reading other threads after you posted.

[saint66au]

With the ball
* maintain possesion

Yeps...sounds about right to me..even if it means going backwards, sideways, handpassing, or just kicking it 20m. Never put faith in your teammate to beat their opponent one-out in a contest.

Rule applies at all times right up until we are 50m from goal....then find Roo at all costs regardless of how many opponents he has. Ignore, repeat ignore gaping open goalsquare and under no circumstances put any faith in your own ability to kick a goal. far better for Roo to have a set shot from 40m out right against the boundary line after having being tunnelled because pass was 4 feet over his head

[Carl Mynott]

so basically u just answered your own thread question by going back and reading other threads after you posted.

must have been the only way he could get the answer he wanted

[cps]

I posted the quote from the other thread in the hope of starting some discussion - not because I think the quote is "the answer". There must be other opinions.

What about some evidence?

[saint patrick]

Man up...Get hold of the pill...kick it straight up the guts to our big forwards who if they don't mark it will spill it to our hungry crumbing small forwards with uncanny goal snapping skills....

On top of that just DO SOMETHING, ....DO!!!...so you can come off the ground and say I shepered,I knocked the ball on,I blocked for a team mate...just DO!!!!IF you want to buy the shoes pay the price laddy...

DO!!!!


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