Why are we losing the contested ball?

[Moods]

Not sure if this has been discussed anywhere on here, but I noticed last week we lost the contested ball badly, and from the stats that were put up at the end of each 1/4 it looked like we were getting SMASHED in contested ball. On the flip side we out tackled the hawks 2:1. Is that b/c we couldn't win the ball so we had to keep tackling?

A trademark of our game last year was fwd pressure, tackling and winning contested ball. Fwd pressure is still reasonable but not up to last years standards, tackling is still good, but contested ball is going backwards lately? I would have thought with ruckmen not being the hawks strong suit, that we would have a definite advantage in this area, and in my opinion both our rucks did quite well. I know Joey and Dal injuring themselves caused them to have limited impact, but are we really THAT dependent on them to win us the ball.

Considering how easily they won clearances at stoppages in particular, this is one area of our game we have to address urgently I reckon if we are to be a show in September. To get within a couple of goals of the hawks let alone scratch out a draw was a great effort under those circumstances.

Blokes like mini who is in the team for this very reason have to do better. Gilbert is also usually very good at winning contested ball (particularly in marking situations)

Can anyone else think of reasons as to why this crucial stat has been dropping off lately?

[FQF]

We lost a very good contested ball winner last year, and his replacement - despite being impressive when played - has spent most of the season in the VFL or injured...

[rodgerfox]

The same reason Collingwood have improved their contested ball.

[plugger66]

The same reason Collingwood have improved their contested ball.

Not sure it is that simple. Ball missed about 6 games last year and our contested ball didnt drop.

[noob]

noticed the last couple of games that collingwood and hawthorn have jumped us on the first 10 minutes of each quarter (except for the first) seem to let those teams kick the first or 2 goals of each quarter playing catch up.

[saintsRrising]

We lost a very good contested ball winner last year, and his replacement - despite being impressive when played - has spent most of the season in the VFL or injured...

I would have thought that Peake has been his replacement in most games this year.

I think Lyon was always looking for more run in the midfield this year which is why he targetted Lovett and Peake.

[bigcarl]

We lost a very good contested ball winner last year, and his replacement - despite being impressive when played - has spent most of the season in the VFL or injured...

I'd be adding Steven to the midfield rotation immediately. He's going to be a gun.

Also, don't underestimate the injury to Dal Santo on Friday night. He appeared to be deliberately targeted by Hawthorn.

[plugger66]

We lost a very good contested ball winner last year, and his replacement - despite being impressive when played - has spent most of the season in the VFL or injured...

I'd be adding Steven to the midfield rotation immediately. He's going to be a gun.

Also, don't underestimate the injury to Dal Santo on Friday night. He appeared to be deliberately targeted by Hawthorn.

If we add Steven to the midfield rotation I think he will be buggered by the time of the finals. Leave him till the finals and only if we really need him then.

[FQF]

I don't think Ross planned on compromising our grunt for leg speed.
Therefore the recruitment of Peake and Lovett wasn't to compensate for Ball. I reckon he just banked on Armo stepping up to the plate.

True about Dal Santo, his in and under work, especially getting the clearances, is very underrated. His injury - and the constant bleeding - would have hurt the whole team's clearance work.

CJ is also very good at getting the quick kick out of the pack. A valuable attribute...

[stinger]

Not sure if this has been discussed anywhere on here, but I noticed last week we lost the contested ball badly, and from the stats that were put up at the end of each 1/4 it looked like we were getting SMASHED in contested ball. On the flip side we out tackled the hawks 2:1. Is that b/c we couldn't win the ball so we had to keep tackling?

A trademark of our game last year was fwd pressure, tackling and winning contested ball. Fwd pressure is still reasonable but not up to last years standards, tackling is still good, but contested ball is going backwards lately? I would have thought with ruckmen not being the hawks strong suit, that we would have a definite advantage in this area, and in my opinion both our rucks did quite well. I know Joey and Dal injuring themselves caused them to have limited impact, but are we really THAT dependent on them to win us the ball.

Considering how easily they won clearances at stoppages in particular, this is one area of our game we have to address urgently I reckon if we are to be a show in September. To get within a couple of goals of the hawks let alone scratch out a draw was a great effort under those circumstances.

Blokes like mini who is in the team for this very reason have to do better. Gilbert is also usually very good at winning contested ball (particularly in marking situations)

Can anyone else think of reasons as to why this crucial stat has been dropping off lately?

because eddy is out of the side as is geary...ammo is injured and ball is now playing for the filth......who's contested ball has gone through the roof......well...you asked.....

[bigcarl]

We lost a very good contested ball winner last year, and his replacement - despite being impressive when played - has spent most of the season in the VFL or injured...

I'd be adding Steven to the midfield rotation immediately. He's going to be a gun.

Also, don't underestimate the injury to Dal Santo on Friday night. He appeared to be deliberately targeted by Hawthorn.

If we add Steven to the midfield rotation I think he will be buggered by the time of the finals. Leave him till the finals and only if we really need him then.

I dunno mate, got a feeling about this kid. I think he can win hard balls.

[Mr Magic]

We lost a very good contested ball winner last year, and his replacement - despite being impressive when played - has spent most of the season in the VFL or injured...

I'd be adding Steven to the midfield rotation immediately. He's going to be a gun.

Also, don't underestimate the injury to Dal Santo on Friday night. He appeared to be deliberately targeted by Hawthorn.

Surely not?
That would be unmanly of them, wouldn't it?


And they're not that type of football club.
They're genteel.
Really responsible citizens.
The Family Club.

Never forget that their President stated he would sack any Hawthorn player who had a 'positive drug test, so we know they are all clean skins because they're all still there.

[bigcarl]

We lost a very good contested ball winner last year, and his replacement - despite being impressive when played - has spent most of the season in the VFL or injured...

I'd be adding Steven to the midfield rotation immediately. He's going to be a gun.

Also, don't underestimate the injury to Dal Santo on Friday night. He appeared to be deliberately targeted by Hawthorn.

Surely not?
That would be unmanly of them, wouldn't it?


And they're not that type of football club.
They're genteel.
Really responsible citizens.
The Family Club.

Never forget that their President stated he would sack any Hawthorn player who had a 'positive drug test, so we know they are all clean skins because
they're all still there.

[Legendary]

Lenny mentioned it after the game, said it was something they were keen to address and would keep working on.

[SaintSimmo]

jack steven should be our finals secret weapon.
play him in the forward line for the rest of the year come finals time unleash the beast!!

[FQF]

Lenny mentioned it after the game, said it was something they were keen to address and would keep working on.

Actions not words...

Other than Lenny though, we don't really have any stand out brilliant in and under players. Dal and Goddard are good. CJ can do his bit. Joey is serviceable.

We don't have a Bolton and Kirk. Or a Selwood and Chapman and even Bartell. Or a Ball and Obree.

Maybe I'm being too harsh, but my general feeling is that we are just one quality mid down at the moment.

It's not that we lost Ball - I don't think that was the problem - the problem is that we have not adequately replaced him. Either with a like for like or an upgrade.

I wonder how Jimmy would go with short burts in the middle...?

[bigcarl]

I wonder how Jimmy would go with short burts in the middle...?

Not a bad thought. Maybe even Raph if he can regain some match fitness. But I reckon Steven is worth a go there.

[plugger66]

I wonder how Jimmy would go with short burts in the middle...?

Not a bad thought. Maybe even Raph if he can regain some match fitness. But I reckon Steven is worth a go there.

Sorry but Jimmy and Raph arent midfielders. Jack will be but I doubt much if at all this season.

[FQF]

I wonder how Jimmy would go with short burts in the middle...?

Not a bad thought. Maybe even Raph if he can regain some match fitness. But I reckon Steven is worth a go there.

Sorry but Jimmy and Raph arent midfielders. Jack will be but I doubt much if at all this season.

Jimmy could be anything. He has the body strength and disposal to do it... perhaps he just needs to experience.

He wouldn't be the tallest midfielder going round. And we can see from his work in the backline that his hustle and bustle approach in accurately clearing the ball from down back that he has what it takes under pressure.

I don't mean a fulltime midfielder. But Pavlich goes into the middle for short and very successful bursts. So does Goodes.

Not that Jimmy is of that quality (yet) but it shows that bigger bodied players can make an impact.

[sunsaint]

We lost a very good contested ball winner last year, and his replacement - despite being impressive when played - has spent most of the season in the VFL or injured...

I would have thought that Peake has been his replacement in most games this year.

I think Lyon was always looking for more run in the midfield this year which is why he targetted Lovett and Peake.

disagree with the anti-ball sentiment, but agree with the change in direction this year, whether it is planned or otherwise.
And also disagree that Lyon intended Lovett and Peake to replace Ball in the middle they were always going to be outside players.

There has been a noticeable drop in contested ball, and Im surprised there has not been more discussion about it. Last year we had a good combo of Gardiner and King, this year we have only the 1 primary ruckman carrying the load to hit the ball to advantage. Then getting the ball now all rests on Hayes and Jones in the middle.
And this is where I get confused, we have a game plan that plays for stoppages, the very stat that we seem to be getting worse at playing.

[bigcarl]

I wonder how Jimmy would go with short burts in the middle...?

Not a bad thought. Maybe even Raph if he can regain some match fitness. But I reckon Steven is worth a go there.

Sorry but Jimmy and Raph arent midfielders. Jack will be but I doubt much if at all this season.

There you go, pigeon-holing players again. No lateral thought at all. We were smashed at the clearances and need someone in there to win the hard ball and give Lenny a hand.

[plugger66]

I wonder how Jimmy would go with short burts in the middle...?

Not a bad thought. Maybe even Raph if he can regain some match fitness. But I reckon Steven is worth a go there.

Sorry but Jimmy and Raph arent midfielders. Jack will be but I doubt much if at all this season.

Jimmy could be anything. He has the body strength and disposal to do it... perhaps he just needs to experience.

He wouldn't be the tallest midfielder going round. And we can see from his work in the backline that his hustle and bustle approach in accurately clearing the ball from down back that he has what it takes under pressure.

I don't mean a fulltime midfielder. But Pavlich goes into the middle for short and very successful bursts. So does Goodes.

Not that Jimmy is of that quality (yet) but it shows that bigger bodied players can make an impact.

He isnt Pavlich. He is a 3rd back or forward. Not fast enough with hands or feet or good enough below his knees to be a mid. Body has nohing to do with it.

[mbogo]

I know it is unfashionable and unpalatable and that we could not afford to keep Luke Ball (well that is what I am saying to opposition supporters) but it is pretty apparent that he has gone well at Collingwood - their supporters are raving about his hard-ball gets and that he fact that he has released players like Didak and Swan for the cleaner off the ball work. Two of his best games were also against us!
Makes me sick when this is compounded by our failure to replace his in and under stuff. Somehow we need to fix this come finals time. Maybe Goddard is the answer when we get Gram back to fitness and maybe Raph and Bakes back so he is not needed up back so much.

[SainterK]

I am not too fussed, we seem to have gears this year....and certainly seem capable of winning enough of it when the game is up for grabs (I have erased last week from my memory)

Our approach to September seems very Geelong like this year.

[Moods]

I am not too fussed, we seem to have gears this year....and certainly seem capable of winning enough of it when the game is up for grabs (I have erased last week from my memory)

Our approach to September seems very Geelong like this year.

What gear were we in on Friday night SainterK? I kept thinking that we were about to break away but we just couldn't get hands on the ball at the clearances.

Having said that, the hawks are a quality outfit with some fair in and under types. We need to aim to break even with them.