CHANGING THE GAME

SWITCH IT UP: Alan Richardson believes teams will be keen to switch the ball from half-back more often. The Swans won the 2012 premiership with their pressure and run, but will that game style stand up in 2013 as teams search for new tactics and strategies to gain a winning edge? NICK BOWEN

he AFL competition is “Last year, teams trying to get through the teams have guarded the boundary line in constantly evolving. A press would block the man on the mark, so recent seasons. game-plan that delivers a their player with the ball could try to get as “Given the success of teams like Collingwood premiership one season is as much territory as he could and at least get in moving the ball around the boundary line dated as Billy Ray Cyrus’ Achy the ball to half-way,” Richardson said. in recent seasons, more teams have moved to T Breaky Heart by the time the “And I’m sure that will still play guard this area of the ground,” Teague said. next season kicks o?. a pretty significant part for many teams, “So you might see teams, especially early in During the o?-season, opposition coaches but on the back of early observations, it looks the year, prepared to take the risk and move pick the premier’s game style apart, looking like teams are looking to switch the ball first inside and go through the corridor. for weaknesses they can prey on and and, if they can’t get through, then they’ll “Doing that is obviously high-risk, improvements they can make. resort to that option of blocking the man high-reward, so clubs can score quickly doing The more lateral-minded coaches try on the mark. it, but if they turn the ball over in the corridor to take the game in new directions, such “The density created from good zones they can be heavily punished too. as Hawthorn coach did means that you’re very unlikely to be able to “Teams might be prepared to try it early with his rolling zones in 2008. maintain possession on a consistent basis, and see how well it works.” So what tactical changes can we expect so by switching to the fatter side you can Teague and Richardson agreed defensive this season? stretch the zone, make them (the opposition) zones meant teams had been more prepared One thing that seems certain is coaches work and potentially get the ball out that to kick the ball long into the forward 50 in will have spent countless pre-season hours side of the ground.” recent seasons. searching for the most eMcient way through, West Coast assistant coach David Teague said teams did this partly because around or over opposition defensive zones. Teague said teams might be more once they got the ball deep inside their Port Adelaide coaching and strategy prepared to risk moving the ball through forward line, they were well placed to lock director Alan Richardson told the AFL Record the corridor this year, considering the way it in there. teams might try to counteract zones by switching the ball from half-back more often YOU MIGHT SEE TEAMS, ESPECIALLY EARLY IN THE than in previous seasons. ‘ Richardson said during this year’s NAB Cup, YEAR, PREPARED TO TAKE THE RISK AND MOVE several teams’ first option when pinned down INSIDE AND GO THROUGH THE CORRIDOR by opposition zones at half-back had been to ’ switch the ball. DAVID TEAGUE

4 ⁄⁄ COACHING EDGE / JULY 2013 “With the forward press mentality of “They had some really tall players but talking to their players and you can see by teams, they know the easiest place to press is still had the ability to get that pressure the positions and the of positions once you get it deep in your forward line, the on; ‘LRT’ (Roberts-Thomson) and Goodes in that players are playing in any one game narrowest part of the ground,” Teague said. particular are very mobile,” Teague said. that they’re going to need to be versatile,” “So, if you can get it in there quickly and if “So, I think each club will look at their list Richardson said. you can get players in there who can put that and see what best suits them. “Last year, you saw key midfielders like Josh pressure on, the quick forwards, they give the “No doubt they’ll want the tall targets Kennedy and Jobe Watson playing out of the rest of the team time to get down and get that if it’s a pressurised game and you’ve got goalsquare at times, as opposed to having forward press going.” to kick to a contest. them come o? the ground. Richardson said teams such as the Sydney “But you want the ability that once it hits “And that was when we had unlimited Swans and St Kilda had started to do this with the ground, you can keep it in there as long rotations. In the NAB Cup games that had caps forward lines built around three or four quick as possible.” on rotations, you certainly saw players stay on small forwards. As for defensive strategies teams might the ground and change positions. “They (the Swans) used those really good, employ this season, Richardson said few “Even in the home and away season – hard runners to play that up-and-back, teams had played a seventh defender or especially next season when the interchange up-and-back type of footy,” he said. loose man in defence last season, but he cap comes in – you’re not going to “That way they were able to clog up the had noticed several teams employing it be able to play extended time opposition and then make it a foot race, in the NAB Cup. in the midfield. obviously with guys like Lewis Jetta going “But that doesn’t back the other way. LAST YEAR, YOU SAW mean you’ll come o? the “We played St Kilda in round one of the NAB ‘ ground. Most often these Cup and the speed they have in the front half KEY MIDFIELDERS midfielders will have to with players like Ahmed Saad was a real concern LIKE JOSH KENNEDY go forward.” for us, and I think it will be for many teams. “They get the ball over the back and let the This article appeared AND JOBE WATSON in the round one little blokes run on to it.” PLAYING OUT OF edition of the Richardson said teams might look to counter AFL Record . this tactic by stationing a “wicketkeeper” deep in THE GOALSQUARE defensive 50 to guard open space. AT TIMES, AS North senior assistant coach Darren Crocker said more teams had been OPPOSED TO prepared recently to kick long to tall targets HAVING THEM and get numbers to the fall of the ball. Teague, Richardson and Crocker agreed COME OFF teams would have to strike a forward line THE GROUND balance between having marking targets ’ they could kick to under pressure and players ALAN RICHARDSON capable of applying pressure when the ball hit the ground. “Initially that player is West Coast regularly fielded one of the there to support the tallest forward lines in the competition last defence, but they very year, playing two of Jack Darling, Quinten quickly get involved Lynch and Josh Kennedy, alongside a resting in o?ence when the ruckman, or . opportunity presents,” The Eagles had considerable success with Richardson said. the tall structure, as did North Melbourne in Crocker said teams the second half of the season with an attack might decide to play a loose centred around key forwards Drew Petrie, man in defence late in games when fatigue Lachlan Hansen and Robbie Tarrant. meant they struggled to maintain their But Teague said teams looking to go tall defensive set-ups. in attack had to have players capable of “That way, if the opposition does get through VERSATILE: applying defensive pressure as well. your set-ups up the ground, you’ve got that Jobe Watson spare defender out the back as a last line of can push Teague cited the Swans as an example, forward and saying they had often stacked their forward defence who can come up and defend,” he said. play out of the goalsquare. line last year with Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Richardson said teams would also ask their Adam Goodes, Sam Reid and one of their players to be more versatile this season, with ruckmen, Mike Pyke or Shane Mumford, a view to resting less often on the interchange but were still one of the competition’s best bench and more often in a di?erent position. exponents of forward pressure. “In terms of rotations, teams are definitely