07-04-2017, 08:03 AM
(07-03-2017, 10:54 AM)PaulP link Wrote:For those so interested, try doing a google search for whether offense or defense wins you games. I did precisely that, and whilst I found nothing related to AFL, I found a few for other sports, and there does not appear to be any statistics to back up the theory that defense wins you games. The fact is (surprise) that both are needed and teams that are considered offensive are equally successful as those considered defensive.
About a month ago there was a bloke interviewed on triple m. I forget his name unfortunately, but he just finished writing a book on that very subject - "What makes teams great?"
He went through 100+ years of history across multiple sports from all over the globe. Usually teams who had sustained success in some form.
I forget how many different examples he used, but he had the 4-peat pies from the 30's as the only AFL team.
Anywho, his research concluded that....
- it was not about the team who had the best offense.
- it was not about the team who had the best defense.
- it was not about the team who had the best player.
However, it was all about the team who had the best leaders.
All throughout history, the teams that had the best leaders at the club, were able to rise up against better attack/defense/individuals to be the best.
IMO, focusing on defense first is partly a psychological ploy employed by the coaches that gets everyone on the same page. Not everyone on a team can attack, but everyone on a team can defend. It's a pack mentality, 'one-in all-in', type stuff. Play for eachother, give effort.
A leader brings people together...and that is an example of it.
So 'defense first' doesn't mean defense is more important than attack, but its a stepping stone to success IMO.