Casboult to CHB

[Thryleon]

In modern AFL this is an archaic losing strategy, the problem is that by the time you've built the list to suit "the plan" every opposition club knows what you are doing.

It's almost the exact opposite of what the Bulldogs did, they made rapid changes and reaped benefits, Nthmond could also be described as making radical changes. But I concede their strategies are unlikely to deliver long term repeatable results because the idea of a long term "plan" is obsolete!

Being a follower, like copying the tactics of last years premiers, is almost certainly also a losing plan as it's like being 2nd in line!

Yet in sport all the world over, tactics and systems evolve and change with one constant irrespective of the code.

They all end up resembling each other in one way or another, with minor changes.

The idea that new tactics are "invented" is a complete load of bollocks, and there simply are not too many alternatives to play that sport.


Without going into too much detail on any one game plan.  What worked yesterday could very well work again tomorrow, because in 5 years time the players who know how to negate will similarly have forgotten all about it, and because the rule changes will mandate different approaches (i.e. a back 7 will be negated by going into starting positions, but that doesnt mean it cannot still work).

Successful clubs have to be ahead of the game and that means constant change.  It also means that there will be seasons when the gameplan and/or list doesn’t quite work out.  It’s a high risk/high reward strategy but the successful clubs are better at managing the risk.

I think that the Bulldogs lack of success after their premiership was not a hangover but a failure to improve on their gameplan and list.

Sometimes being ahead of the game, is simply a matter of knowing what comes next to negate the current tactics, and you might need to go back in time to discover what comes next.  Remember everything old becomes new again, because tactics are required to shift in game.