Tactical Angles

[Guest]

A few posts have been critical of Symonds, Pearce and others for running across field. Given that we we ran the ball crossfield off inside passes pretty much EVERY time we got into an attacking position, it's hard imagine this wasn't part of the game plan. Consider the lead up to most of our tries.
Try 1: Ball is spread right, before Maubs runs it all the way infield. We then go left. Then Kennedy angles off Pearce back across to the right. Riddell held up from dummy-half. Bomb left and Anasta scores.
Try 2: Play before the Mini try, SKD runs across field from Anasta inside ball. (Burgess re-busted his shoulder trying to tackle him on this play.)
Try 3: Spread left, then Symonds runs infield off Anasta inside ball. JWH then runs angle off Pearce inside ball. Spread left again and Anasta grubber gives us another set of six off which we score.
Try 4: Mini makes a long crossfield run to the left off a Pearce inside ball and gives it inside to Symonds who runs all the way back to the right, before Pearce straightens and gives another inside ball to Symonds who runs further across field. Friend's pass from dummy-half finds FPN storming over with an angled run across the ruck.
Matchwinner: Symonds scores with an angled run off FPN, who had carried the ball across field to the left.

[Spanner in the works]

I don't care if we run across field occasionally, but I care when we do it often, especially when in 5 tackles we have made less than 10 metres. Sometimes you need to straighten the attack.

[Guest]

I don't care if we run across field occasionally, but I care when we do it often, especially when in 5 tackles we have made less than 10 metres. Sometimes you need to straighten the attack.

I just watched the replay and could find little evidence of it when we were trying to make yards off our line or in the middle of the field. It was obviously a tactic to run them around when we were up their end. It could hardly have been more effective given that it led to five tries.

[Guest]

It was definitely a plan to expose their lack of mobility in the forwards, thats what Anasta said on the footy show this morning. I thought it worked very well.

I like how Anasta talked about the tactic and then added that Smith has different tactics every week.

For me Smith has always been the best tactical/technical coach in the league.

[Spanner in the works]

I just watched the replay and could find little evidence of it when we were trying to make yards off our line or in the middle of the field. It was obviously a tactic to run them around when we were up their end. It could hardly have been more effective given that it led to five tries.

As I said, I don't care if we do it occasionally, I care if we aren't going anywhere and/or doing it often.

[elo]

It also centralises the play the ball and opens up both sides of the field in the following play, which means fast shifts (which we are very good at) are more effective and we can put up bombs easier to either side of the field too.

It's an excellent tactic against bigger packs like your Souths, Panthers, Raiders etc.

[Guest]

For me Smith has always been the best tactical/technical coach in the league.

Agree 100%. I do believe that past criticisms of him for micro-management and OCD tendencies had a basis in truth, but I think he has realised this over the years and adjusted. His strength has never been his player management skills, or inspirational speeches or being the kind of "life coach" that a Bennett is. However, he has learned from his vast years of experience and I think we now have him at a time when he has improved in all these areas.

Smith IS renowned for teaching players how best to prepare mentally and physically for a game, and imho there has been no better coach in the modern era when it comes to the tactical and technical side of the game; the structuring of a football club; training set-ups; innovation; and the honing of the skills of individual players, especially the young emerging talent.

[Guest]

I just watched the replay and could find little evidence of it when we were trying to make yards off our line or in the middle of the field. It was obviously a tactic to run them around when we were up their end. It could hardly have been more effective given that it led to five tries.

Totally agree mate. Symonds was very effective running those angles. He created space almost everytime he did it.

[Guest]

A few posts have been critical of Symonds, Pearce and others for running across field. Given that we we ran the ball crossfield off inside passes pretty much EVERY time we got into an attacking position, it's hard imagine this wasn't part of the game plan. Consider the lead up to most of our tries.
Try 1: Ball is spread right, before Maubs runs it all the way infield. We then go left. Then Kennedy angles off Pearce back across to the right. Riddell held up from dummy-half. Bomb left and Anasta scores.
Try 2: Play before the Mini try, SKD runs across field from Anasta inside ball. (Burgess re-busted his shoulder trying to tackle him on this play.)
Try 3: Spread left, then Symonds runs infield off Anasta inside ball. JWH then runs angle off Pearce inside ball. Spread left again and Anasta grubber gives us another set of six off which we score.
Try 4: Mini makes a long crossfield run to the left off a Pearce inside ball and gives it inside to Symonds who runs all the way back to the right, before Pearce straightens and gives another inside ball to Symonds who runs further across field. Friend's pass from dummy-half finds FPN storming over with an angled run across the ruck.
Matchwinner: Symonds scores with an angled run off FPN, who had carried the ball across field to the left.

as explained on the Footy Show yesterday

[Guest]

as explained on the Footy Show yesterday

Thanks for clearing that up.

[BUDDY]

Whoever is worried about us running across the field will be even more worried when Todd comes back into the team. We scored some great tries when he ran accross the field last year. The 100M effort against Manly and the one where he turned Idris around come to mind. We do it a lot but I think overall we do it well. I do wish that SKD and Mini wouldn't do it so much.

[Guest]

as explained on the Footy Show yesterday

Well, sorry if you wasted precious time having to read my post. I didn't watch the Footy Show, and obviously quite a few other forum members didn't either considering what was being discussed in other threads.

[Guest]

Well, sorry if you wasted precious time having to read my post. I didn't watch the Footy Show, and obviously quite a few other forum members didn't either considering what was being discussed in other threads.

Mate don't even bother with that oxygen thief. I heard he is actually Kelly at at the Tele.

[Guest]

Whoever is worried about us running across the field will be even more worried when Todd comes back into the team. We scored some great tries when he ran accross the field last year. The 100M effort against Manly and the one where he turned Idris around come to mind.

Good point. Carney also did it a lot when we thrashed a depleted Storm and he was playing halfback. He carved them up with it in fact. And from memory he was drifting crossfield against the Broncos, when FPN ran off him to make a midfield break that led to one of our tries of the year.

I do wish that SKD and Mini wouldn't do it so much.

It rarely comes off for Mini. SKD it's hit or miss like a lot of what he does. It actually led to some matchwinning stuff a couple of times last year.



The thing that was different on Friday night from the regular stuff we see from the halves and the likes of Mini and SKD, or the wingers centering play after we field a kick down in one of our corners, was the constant running back infield by the likes of Symonds, Maubs and FPN. We would spread one way, run it right across the face of the goal, spread the other and do the reverse. I don't think we'll be seeing that every game. But great to see we can execute it so effectively when it's part of the plan.