I believe what I see, not what I hear....

[BigMart]

Ross and Roo can spruke as much as they like.....about the Game Plan/style of play....but the PROOF is in the pudding....

We have gone fron the most attractive team in the AFL, which was billed big friday night games, season openers and huge crowds.....to the most hideous team to watch in recent history (at least sydney won)....

and to blame the team skills/not following instructions is surely a joke.....

either they
* Cannot implement the system due to it being flawed
* They cannot comminicate the GP well (what is instructed vs what is understood)
* The players players do not like the GP...and struggle to stick to it...

To blame skill level is a JOKE....
Just like any other team St.K...is AFL standard with respect to skill level.....even better than most, which gives the team this 'great list tag'
Harvey, Ball, Dal Santo, Hayes, Milne, Riewoldt, X.Clarke, Milne, Sam Fisher, Goddard, Kosi etc...are all well skilled players in their area of strength....so blaming player skill level that is a cop out and incorrect.....
Maybe if the side was injury riddled like the 2005/6 teams then maybe....

Saying we are lucky to have one shut down player assigned each week is a straight out LIE!!!!

L.Fisher, J.Blake, S.Dempster, C.Jones, S.Birss, S.Baker......have been given assignments in every game they have played.....or do they just happen to line up against the oppositions most dangerous players and follow them for the entire game......give us a break Ross...supporters are not all DUMB...

The lies from Moorabbin in early 2007, with L.Ball being named in R2 after a concussion...he was excluded from the 22, and missed the next 3...supporters were also decieved about the fitness of A.Hamill, M.Gardner, X.Clarke, L.Ball and more recently Gardner again and Adam Schnieder....

Ross Lyon can be taken with a grain of salt with nearly everything he says in the media....half the time dismissive, the other half he is defensive, all of the time he is covering up obvious obsevations made.....

Come on Ross......give some people credit and admit the sh*t this side has dished up (possibly a better list and less injuries than 05/06) is due to an outdated, inept, boring, negative and frustrating game plans ever implemented....

and it is underpinned by the following philosophies....
In dispute
*win inside contested ball

With the ball
* maintain possesion

When the opposition takes possesion
* Push back, and NOT allow the opposition a target......rather than take a risk and pressure the ball carrier to create a turn over...

Problem is, when we turn over, we do not damage on the rebound.....as our fwds are well outnumbered

[brown-coat]

Come on Ross!

End the stagnation!

Long bombs up the guts!

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

I BELIEVE THE SAINTS ARE COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GrumpyOne]

I BELIEVE THE SAINTS ARE COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or just breathing heavily.

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

I BELIEVE THE SAINTS ARE COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or just breathing heavily.

A little bit from section a and a little bit from section b

[BackFromUSA]

Marto

Spot on.

Lyon's game plan is basically:

In dispute
*win inside contested ball

With the ball
* maintain possesion

When the opposition takes possesion
* Push back, and NOT allow the opposition a target

Add to that play one spare player back ... which actually works against us because it means the opposition can play 2 on our "go to" forward Riewoldt.

What it should be:

In dispute

*win inside contested ball and feed into runners behind in space OR to players pushing forward with confidence taking the risk we win the ball

With the ball

* play on at all cost and if free look inside or around the corridor first to find a running down or leading up option in space. Dispose by foot to first option unless under pressure in which case dispose by hand to free a runner to then dispose by foot into the corridor or the lead up option.

When the opposition takes possesion (no mark or free)

* Pressure the ball carrier at all cost and run to cover thier 360 degree options within 10 metres for the handball and run hard to cover the options by foot - our forwards to cover the sideways switch and the escape valve backwards to the defenders - then the 25 metres zone has to be covered by our midfielders manning up the runners in the corridor or those streaming from defence (including switch side) and forcing the player with the ball to commit to a 40+ option under pressure. No zoning!

When opposition has mark or free from standing start

* Man up - backwards, sideways for switch, in corridor and ensure there is a player positioned ready to run to a spot 20 to 30 directly over the mark ready for the chop out from the lead up opposition player. Allow the second in line link players on opposite wings (who would be fed by clean opposition possession from the switch or the corridor) some space positioning inside the corridor - ready to take advantage when we regain the ball.

Inside 50:

Two strong leading forwards (Roo and Kossie) to lead into the zone between the 45 degree and 135 degree arc no further than 40 out. Four small forwards (as opposed to forwards acting as taggers) to crumb front and centre - my picks would be Milne, Schneider, Ball and Armitage. Any midfielder (Montagna, Harvey, Dal Santo Birss, Baker, or Gram / Clarke or Fiora from a wing) running into 50 that gains clean possession has to take a shot on goal rather than share the ball.

But then again - Ross Lyon is paid half a million or so more than me for this!