I reckon that we need to use our hands more when we have the ball , watching the other teams spread when they have it they find more gaps.
we were doing it in some games which we found more gaps. More of that 'more tries'
I agree. We need better ball movement and changes of direction. One out running is not going to work especially when our pack is quite lightweight in comparison to other packs. Instead, we need to play an uptempo style which troubles bigger teams and tires them out early. This allows us to dictate the match and makes the opposition play how we want the game to be played. We need to play a style where we can utilise our skill rather than trying to play like the opposition. We also need specific gameplans which can target the oppositions weaknesses.
The perfect example is the Melbourne match, where right from the onset we moved the ball around and limited the involvement of their big forwards. Melbourne's greatest strength is their forward pack and their control of the ruck. The best way to limit that is to eliminate that aspect of the game altogether.
By spreading the ball with long passes, what you're effectively doing is stretching their defence, which is otherwise very compressed. By stretching the defence, your not allowing them to get 3 or 4 players in the tackle, and as a result they're now having to make one on one tackles, far more often than they ever would. This doesn't let them wrestle and slow down the play the ball, and it can allow us to win the ruck as well as generate a quick play the ball. This creates a staggered defensive line and its when then the likes of Hunt and Milford can really shine and can play what's in front of them with changes of direction, speed and footwork around the ruck.
Melbourne are a team who like to be in control, but it also means they panic when the match doesn't pan out the way they would of liked. When they're faced with unstructured play, their defence don't know how to react. Gaps start opening and soon enough their defence breaks down and it forces them into playing a way which is outside of their comfort zone. They aren't good at chasing points, and when they're forced to play catch up footy, they really struggle. They start to force passes which they otherwise wouldn't, their defence stops communicating, they struggle to react to what's happening in front of them, their gameplan goes out the window and soon enough they self implode.
If you try to beat Melbourne at their own game, which surprisingly many teams still foolishly try, then your going to have a tough night. This sort of style isn't exclusive to Melbourne, since a lot of teams have copied Melbourne and have become so structured these days, especially in their defence. If your able to unsettle those structures, you're going to go a long way towards winning the game.
I wish we went into more games with a tactical gameplan designed specifically for the team we're playing, which ultimately aims to break down specific aspects in the oppositions style of play.
