I have noticed two things about our playing style this year that differs from last year.
The first is our ability to apply pressure to the opposition from any where on the ground. Port have a reputation as a freewheeling, hardrunning team, but last night we swamped them with our relentless pressure. The days of the opposition strolling down the half back line accumulating Dream Team points with our players standing off them and letting them set up their next attack is over. To keep Port to one goal in a half on their own dung heap is unbelievable.
The next area in which we have changed is when the game is congested. I can't believe how effective we are with our quick hands, maintaining possesion with precise handball till an escape route is available. This relies on having numbers at the contest to provide support. Clint Jones has excelled in this area so far this year. When we don't have possession our intent to harrass, chase and tackle has usually resulted in a neutral ball situation or a turnover. Rightly so Ross Lyon has used Geelong as the benchmark in this aspect of the game, and if we can maintain this standard and work rate then this year we are capable of matching it with the best of previous years.
Are there other areas that stand out where we have changed for the better since last year?
(PS - Cheers to the diggers of yesteryear, including my Grandfather who died at El Alamein in WWII)
Two things about the Saints in 2009
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busso mick
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Totally agree BM.
The old coralling (spelling?) theory was to just try and buy time and hold the opposition up till they got to your defensive wall.
So we would stand off opponents and force them to chip wide or backwards till they got up to our wall.
Frustrating to watch.
Essentially under that plan, once your opponents got possession you might as well just call a time out and resume with them taking a free kick 70m out just outside our defensive wall - because that is where the ball will end up after numerous "Bowden" possessions.
Our new style is to run at the man and harass them, whilst still setting up a wall down back.
And surprise surprise, under that physical and mental pressure they often make mistakes and we get either a neutral ball-up situation or get clean possession in our half with an open forward line.
Great shift of focus from Ross.
The old coralling (spelling?) theory was to just try and buy time and hold the opposition up till they got to your defensive wall.
So we would stand off opponents and force them to chip wide or backwards till they got up to our wall.
Frustrating to watch.
Essentially under that plan, once your opponents got possession you might as well just call a time out and resume with them taking a free kick 70m out just outside our defensive wall - because that is where the ball will end up after numerous "Bowden" possessions.
Our new style is to run at the man and harass them, whilst still setting up a wall down back.
And surprise surprise, under that physical and mental pressure they often make mistakes and we get either a neutral ball-up situation or get clean possession in our half with an open forward line.
Great shift of focus from Ross.
The rest of Australia can wander mask-free, socialise, eat out, no curfews, no zoning, no police rings of steel, no illogical inconsistent rules.
They can even WATCH LIVE FOOTY!
They can even WATCH LIVE FOOTY!