06-04-2018, 11:00 PM
(06-04-2018, 11:19 AM)IvanAwfulbigone link Wrote:Maybe, just MAYBE, the strategy of stemming the flow of heavy losses by shoring up our defence was the wrong horse to back. I mean, on the surface it seemed logical. If I was on the interview panel and the prospective coach pitched a game plan based on sound defence after which the focus would shift to forward structure and scoring, I probably would have bought it.
However ... WHAT IF some maverick, crazy-son-of-a-b*tch waltzed in there and said, "Pfft, don't care how many points the opposition scores. Recruit me 4 or 5 natural born forwards, help me build a decent midfield, then let the other clubs try and catch us."
Much easier to play back than forward which is why I put the emphasis on natural born.
Unfortunately, we'll never know. The horse has already bolt(on)ed.
It's the way finals are played these days. All of Richmond's finals were low scoring affairs for a long time until Richmond's pressure broke them. The QF was 3 goal all against Geelong late in the 3rd qtr. Geelong have more gone done that path this year. More defensive, lower scoring but the opposition not scoring much. It's what wins finals these days as the pressure and congestion in finals goes up about 5 notches these days. It's one game we do play well and revel in even with our skinny bodies. Even though we lose we often make life very tough for good opposition when we play that brand. We'll play it very well in September when our bodies become bigger and stronger.
The play the attacking way you talk about gets you obliterated in finals as you won't be allowed to play that way.