Leigh Fisher and overall team footspeed

Mr X from the West · Mon 10 Mar 2008 11:45am

Firstly, I'm rapt we won the NAB Cup and the cash that goes with it. I'm alos rapt with the fact that when we had to stand up in the last quarter, Ball, Harvs, Gram, Milne and even Fiora stepped up to the mark.

HOWEVER, I also saw some disturbing signs on Saturday night.

As was the case last year, there is a notieceable lack of footspeed in our team. This means that the opposition is able to "lead up" too easily and move the ball down field. It also means when we kick the ball it is often to contests because the receiver is not able to break away from his marker. I was hoping for improvements in this area this year but apart from CJ I don't know where it is going to coming from.

Leigh Fisher's lack of footspeed is a particular worry. He gets caught and/or run down too many times...I question whether he commands a spot in our best 22 at the minute.

B W and R all over · Mon 10 Mar 2008 11:57am

Just remember it was 36 degrees and everyone was noticably slower.
Even Joey was moving like Jobe Watson at a few stages.

St Chris · Post: # 529934Post **St Chris** » Mon 10 Mar 2008 1:11pm

This has been an issue for a while, but I think the way the coaches are trying to address it is through smarter running, not necessarily faster running.

Take Lenny for example, he's never been overly quick, but it's not as obvious as a Leigh Fisher because he's rarely caught out of position.

On the other hand, Raph clarke can really motor, but gets caught a lot and looks slow because of bad positioning and poor decision making.

If Leigh Fisher can continue to develop smarter running skills, then his lack of pace will be less of an issue.

iwantmeseats · Mon 10 Mar 2008 1:14pm

Lenny is a ball carrier and is good in traffic, so gets away with a slight lack of speed. Characteristics L Fischer might need to take his game to the next level?

magnifisaint · Mon 10 Mar 2008 1:20pm

Get off the guys back. The team doing the chasing always looks slow. L Fisher has very sure hands and is good in close. Can't believe the scrutiny he gets

yipper · Post: # 529966Post **yipper** » Mon 10 Mar 2008 2:46pm

Essendon are quick this year are they not?? Well, funny how they couldn't shake us off all game. We have improved our leg-speed with the influx of our newer younger players. We also have Ball and Hayes moving freely this year. But we are also running smarter and harder at the end of games through much improved fitness. Our tackling is also superb thus far,which helps to contain fleet-footed opponents.

Mr X from the West · Mon 10 Mar 2008 2:48pm

yipper wrote:Essendon are quick this year are they not?? Well, funny how they couldn't shake us off all game. We have improved our leg-speed with the influx of our newer younger players. We also have Ball and Hayes moving freely this year. But we are also running smarter and harder at the end of games through much improved fitness. Our tackling is also superb thus far,which helps to contain fleet-footed opponents.

You can't tackle them if you can't catch them!

Ignore the problem at our peril.

saintsRrising · Mon 10 Mar 2008 2:50pm

The issue of legspeed.....and team balance is one factor in both Fiora's and Jone's favour....and may help one or both of them to grab a spot in the 22 for Round 1.

Solar · Post: # 529973Post **Solar** » Mon 10 Mar 2008 3:00pm

I would think that geelong last year were not any more faster then we were but they moved the ball quicker... chasing bums makes anyone look slow

btw not many backs would have stopped some of those leads.

Mr X from the West · Mon 10 Mar 2008 4:34pm

Solar wrote:I would think that geelong last year were not any more faster then we were but they moved the ball quicker... chasing bums makes anyone look slow

btw not many backs would have stopped some of those leads.

Geelong are a s*** load faster than us.

Solar · Post: # 530012Post **Solar** » Mon 10 Mar 2008 4:37pm

Mr X from the West wrote:
Solar wrote:I would think that geelong last year were not any more faster then we were but they moved the ball quicker... chasing bums makes anyone look slow

btw not many backs would have stopped some of those leads.
Geelong are a s*** load faster than us.

who? we have our outside runners and so do they. Bartel v hayes, dal v corey?? ablett is not slow...

but its more their football movement that killed everyone last year

CeilidhSaint · Mon 10 Mar 2008 5:14pm

Quick ball movement is far more important than leg speed - lots of players get caught and you can't always cut off good leads that hit players on the chest - the best defenders are right on their hammer even when the opposition is hit lace out - you will note that Max even when beaten one on one on lead always was within arm distance.
Don't panic!
Other teams will kick goals, we just need to kick more and surely with a mid field like we have now and a forward line of G, 23, 12, 44, 13, 3, 28 we should do damn well.

cwrcyn · Post: # 530066Post **cwrcyn** » Mon 10 Mar 2008 6:42pm

You only need three or four speedsters in the team to break the lines.

Look at Geelong. Their midield has Bartel, Corey, Ling and co. who have never been seen as super-quick.

They are no quicker than the Saints, and they had a super season in 2007

True, you need some speed in your team, but just how many quick players required is debatabl.

As for Leigh Fisher, I think he's an automatic selection - tough, disiplined, and makes good decisions. I just can't understand those who rate him so poorly.

Have a look at the first 14 games last season and see for yourself just how good he was.

maverick · Post: # 530077Post **maverick** » Mon 10 Mar 2008 7:07pm

cwrcyn wrote:You only need three or four speedsters in the team to break the lines.

Look at Geelong. Their midield has Bartel, Corey, Ling and co. who have never been seen as super-quick.

They are no quicker than the Saints, and they had a super season in 2007

True, you need some speed in your team, but just how many quick players required is debatabl.

As for Leigh Fisher, I think he's an automatic selection - tough, disiplined, and makes good decisions. I just can't understand those who rate him so poorly.

Have a look at the first 14 games last season and see for yourself just how good he was.

His kicking to position is not good enough in my book.
Look at the tape sometime in the third a pass straight over Roo's head, just should not have missed.
Fixes this part of his game, becomes an automatic selection for mine.

snoopygirl · Post: # 530094Post **snoopygirl** » Mon 10 Mar 2008 7:39pm

I noticed with Essendons "quickness" last week that sometimes they were too quick for the next link in the chain & ended up turning it over. Would much rather have safe hands, good vision & accuracy than foot speed.

Armoooo · Post: # 530128Post **Armoooo** » Mon 10 Mar 2008 8:25pm

Geelong aren't that quick, West Coast weren't that fast, Sydney weren't, Port weren't and Brisbane weren't...
It's not about how fast you are it's about how well you use the ball and find space....

Post: # 530165Post **n1ck** » Mon 10 Mar 2008 9:05pm

magnifisaint wrote:Get off the guys back. The team doing the chasing always looks slow. L Fisher has very sure hands and is good in close. Can't believe the scrutiny he gets

Very well said!