st.byron wrote:BAM! (shhhh) wrote:Personally, I think when your forward structure demands 2x Nick Reiwoldt to work, you've got to revisit your forward structure. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Brisbane plays a very similar style to us, but makes much much much better use of their forwards, regardless of who they are (and I'm not even beginning to try and compare Kosi to Bradshaw).
Fair call Bam with regard to last week's game specifically and agree that our forward structure still looks way too Roo dimensional. Hard to know where the solution lies isn't it? How is it that Brisbane makes better use of their forwards if the quality of Brown and Bradshaw isn't really the issue?
I'm cheating a little, as I've seen Brisbane live a bit too often thinks to my partner's evil ways (Lions fan). Which has on the upside afforded me the chance to watch the way they deal with 2 big forwards so much better than us. Please note, I'm not saying what they do would work for us, or that we should do what they do... but that they create situations better where it's hard to cover 2 forwards.
First off, if watching Brisbane (on TV or live) watch how often Brown or Bradshaw pick up disposal behind centre... almost never. They do not go there. Brisbane floods the cr4p out of their defensive line, but never, ever, ever those 2. They'll move Brown up to the wing in extreme situations, but normally if he ends up there, it's on the lead. 16 man zone is tops. If you see that zone, expect to see a kick to Brown (who works his butt off. The number of his marks that come on 2nd or 3rd leads is incredible. Especially when you learn he's not fully fit as today).
Second, their priority during breakout plays is to be able to go over the top of a zone. They've got their leading players, they've got their running players, and then they've got outlet marking players. I'd about given up on Brennan, he fills that role for them. Mitch clark has been pretty good at it, and Charman has been doing that for a while for them.
Third, I believe Brisbane has more set plays coming out of defense than we do.
Sum is that they much much much more regularly have someone looking into a forward line who 2 key elements haven't already run a marathon in creating the situation (well, Brown often does, but he's as freaky and freakier than Riewoldt). Bradshaw's a leader more than a wrestler, but a good wrestler too (better than Kosi at both), but trade the two, and Bradshaw would look hopeless, and Kosi would look good.
In comparison, we have our forward running all the way to HBF. We almost never see King used around the ground, and our kicking outlets have little plan to them. We get stuck out on the wings against rolling zones all the time and make life hard for ourselves.
The biggest difference is that when you watch them set up, they try not to assume that Brown is best at the end of a 10k run, or that Bradshaw has Brown's tank. Other teams react to them... or pay the price.
