While I did not get to a high level of playing football I remember how easy it was as a kid were you “get the ball, kick it to your team mate and they or you kicks a goal”. The deep and meaning tactis were along the lines of:
- You kick more goals than the other team and you win the game.
- If they drop a loss player back, you do not kick to him.
However in watching today’s game I get the feeling that the AFL is now too complicated. I guess its easy to play when you have a freak like Gary Ablett, Wayne Carey and Buddy Franklin to kick to.
“He’s one of a kind,” Sewell told Hawthorn’s website.
“All you can do at times is be in awe of him. You just kick it in his area and something is going to happen.”
Today’s complicated tactics
However these freaks only come around one every 10 years and not every team has one, so how can we uncomplicate this once simple and enjoyable sport?
Loose men in defense
Teams love dropping players back and several players have made a living and become famous by being the key man in defense. Wirrapanda helped win the 2006 Grand Final when playing loose across Barry Hall. Basett and Geelongs captain Tom Harley are today’s best but this does not develop the player and actually makes him useless when he has to play on someone, just ask Cameron Cloke…
Why kick when we can handball
The handball was first used as an attacking weapon in the famous grand final when Ron Barassi told his Carlton players to handball at all costs. West Coast in the mid 00′s however brought it to a new level which saw them handball more than kick the ball. Geelong have taken this to a new level with well over 400 possessions a game.
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