Forwardline much better, Backline terrible

[fingers]

I must say this thread has been one of the most football focused and interesting for a while. Good work Saintsational.

[rodgerfox]

No I don't. Of course it helps but the ball will always move through the air faster than anyone can run. Fast ball movement doesn't have to be reliant on leg speed.

Bingo.

[bigcarl]

i am pretty sure when they kick it to Kosi they think he is going to mark it.

not on yesterday's evidence you would have to admit.

I didnt say he would mark it but players dont move it quicker or slower just because either BJ or Kosi are there. If i was a player in the midfield and I saw both BJ and Kosi up forward i would go to the big man more often.

i'd go to the guy who i think can get it and kick a goal and it is not kosi. it is a simple matter of footy smarts.

[plugger66]

No I don't. Of course it helps but the ball will always move through the air faster than anyone can run. Fast ball movement doesn't have to be reliant on leg speed.

Bingo.

Yes and your point of Bingo is?

[rodgerfox]

i am pretty sure when they kick it to Kosi they think he is going to mark it.

not on yesterday's evidence you would have to admit.

I didnt say he would mark it but players dont move it quicker or slower just because either BJ or Kosi are there. If i was a player in the midfield and I saw both BJ and Kosi up forward i would go to the big man more often.

i'd go to the guy who i think can get it and kick a goal and it is not kosi.

I'd go to the guy who appears to be in the best position when I look up with the ball.

[SainterK]

i am pretty sure when they kick it to Kosi they think he is going to mark it.

not on yesterday's evidence you would have to admit.

I didnt say he would mark it but players dont move it quicker or slower just because either BJ or Kosi are there. If i was a player in the midfield and I saw both BJ and Kosi up forward i would go to the big man more often.

i'd go to the guy who i think can get it and kick a goal and it is not kosi.

I'd go to the guy who appears to be in the best position when I look up with the ball.

And hopefully you would have the ability to multi task and make that decision while you are still on the move...

[samoht]

... but the ball will always move through the air faster than anyone can run. Fast ball movement doesn't have to be reliant on leg speed.

No use if the fast ball movement goes to an opponent though,

The ball isn't going to be passed accurately to a team mate if you get caught or harassed by faster opponents and you have limited space and time to operate.

In order to get to the loose ball and then break away to give yourself time and space to handball or kick accurately or deliver straight down the guts and set up a team mate you need leg speed - or in the rare instant have tree trunk legs and super strong hips.

But you still need speed to get to the ball first.

[rodgerfox]

And hopefully you would have the ability to multi task and make that decision while you are still on the move...

Decent junior footballers have the ability to do this.

[Saintsfan]

I thought Kosi looked in good touch yesterdat. He was getting the ball more than enough and was looking good in the air minus the few buggered-up marks. He will get better and surely his confidence is a little higher today.

[samoht]

I thought Kosi looked in good touch yesterdat. He was getting the ball more than enough and was looking good in the air minus the few buggered-up marks. He will get better and surely his confidence is a little higher today.

I thought Kosi did okay too.

If you look at the crude number of inside 50's - without judging the relative quality of our slow forays into the Forward 50's vs Essendon's quick sharp movement - then our entire forward line stunk !

[bigcarl]

I thought Kosi looked in good touch yesterdat. He was getting the ball more than enough and was looking good in the air minus the few buggered-up marks. He will get better and surely his confidence is a little higher today.

i love kosi as a player, but face facts. we went to him many times for the grand return of 1.1.

he isn't a good enough forward to build an attack around. nor is fisher (imo). kosi's a useful no. 2 forward or second ruck. fisher is a good hbf or hff.

[iwantmeseats]

I thought Kosi looked in good touch yesterdat. He was getting the ball more than enough and was looking good in the air minus the few buggered-up marks. He will get better and surely his confidence is a little higher today.

Kosi has mental problems, nothing else causes someone who is not injured to be repeatedly flat footed.

[fingers]

... but the ball will always move through the air faster than anyone can run. Fast ball movement doesn't have to be reliant on leg speed.

No use if the fast ball movement goes to an opponent though,

The ball isn't going to be passed accurately to a team mate if you get caught or harassed by faster opponents and you have limited space and time to operate.

In order to get to the loose ball and then break away to give yourself time and space to handball or kick accurately or deliver straight down the guts and set up a team mate you need leg speed - or in the rare instant have tree trunk legs and super strong hips.

But you still need speed to get to the ball first.

I don't think our issue last night was not getting enough of the ball was it?

[busso mick]

If you look at the crude number of inside 50's - without judging the relative quality of our slow forays into the Forward 50's vs Essendon's quick sharp movement - then our entire forward line stunk !

Currently we are ranked 12th for Inside 50's with 48 which is 14 behind the leader Collingwood on 62. Essendon are 6th with 52.

If it isn't getting down within range then we aren't going to score. That suggests our transition from midfield to attack is a problem and we are too indirect as we are ranked 3rd in disposals. We are drilled to hang on to it till the "perfect" option presents itself. Without Roo being that link we are floundering.

I would like to see us go more direct to a contest as we seem to be able to get our hands on it enough. Funnily enough this is what we do when the opposition gets ahead of us and the game is up for grabs in the last quarter. Maybe we could try this approach early on in the game, get it in quick and then its an even money contest. At the moment we are like Geoff Boycott and Chris Tavare grinding out a 40 run partnership in singles between lunch and tea and the crowd has lost interest.

It's time to be brave and not just try to negate the opposition. It's a taxing way to play and at the moment it is leaving us impotent going forward.

[samoht]

I don't think our issue last night was not getting enough of the ball was it?

Exactly my point ..

The point is ..
It only takes 1 possession theoretically to run and carry the ball all the way to goal and kick a goal .. and the fewer the possessions - suggests the higher your pace and run and carry ability.
So possessions per goal is a great stat...

The fact that it takes us more fiddling around - passing backwards and forwards and sideways per goal .. suggests lack of necessary leg speed and decisive ball movement and run and carry on our part... so quantity vs quality... and quality and better more direct ball use won out at the end yesterday and last week.

Our possessions/goal rate was unacceptably high even with Roo playing.

I wish we didn't have to work as hard as we need to per goal - it must be taxing - and I can understand why we were desperate enough for someone like Lovett .

[Waltzing St Kilda]

An awful lot of common sense in this thread. Unfortunately I think the coaching staff gets particularly defensive about unsolicited advice. Which is to say, the more we advise (assuming anyone is taking notice), the less likely it is to happen.

And that's like not seeing the forest for the trees.

[bigcarl]

An awful lot of common sense in this thread. Unfortunately I think the coaching staff gets particularly defensive about unsolicited advice. Which is to say, the more we advise (assuming anyone is taking notice), the less likely it is to happen.

in which case i'll shut up for a while.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

An awful lot of common sense in this thread. Unfortunately I think the coaching staff gets particularly defensive about unsolicited advice. Which is to say, the more we advise (assuming anyone is taking notice), the less likely it is to happen.

And that's like not seeing the forest for the trees.

No arguments here.

[SainterK]

An awful lot of common sense in this thread. Unfortunately I think the coaching staff gets particularly defensive about unsolicited advice. Which is to say, the more we advise (assuming anyone is taking notice), the less likely it is to happen.

And that's like not seeing the forest for the trees.

I think it's fair to say that they're not, and I'd be worried if they were.

However I am probably one of the only few left that thinks that Ross backing his players (on the whole) is the correct decision.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

An awful lot of common sense in this thread. Unfortunately I think the coaching staff gets particularly defensive about unsolicited advice. Which is to say, the more we advise (assuming anyone is taking notice), the less likely it is to happen.

And that's like not seeing the forest for the trees.

I think it's fair to say that they're not, and I'd be worried if they were.

However I am probably one of the only few left that thinks that Ross backing his players (on the whole) is the correct decision.

You have nothing to worry about. Why limit yourself to where you get your ideas from? A good idea is a good idea, wherever it comes from, is it not?