Skills As a forward pocket/half forward........

[Deledio2Conca]

..............what should I do if my opponent runs off me when they have the ball?

I know the obvious answer is to chase them, but I've always thought that that's letting the defender dictate terms.

What do others have to say about this? Should I follow my opponent? Follow him only some way? Or not worry to much about him?

Thoughts would be greatly appreciated

 

[onefordafuture]

you should always follow him otherwise he will get easy possies and you will look pretty bad.
if he takes you all the way up the ground you gotta be ready to brake when the ball gets turned over and you then do the samething to him run back to goal as quick as you can to create an option

 

[Big Kitty]

Follow him unless you can see the ball will be turned over and then he will be caught out.

 

[Deledio2Conca]

OK Well I had a feeling that those answers would be the case, and thats what I usually do anyway, but are there some good ways to go about it?

Something I've done in the past is if my man is about to run off, I'll place myself in front of him and try running in front of him or putting some body on him to wear him down.

I figure that if I annoy him enough by doing this he will stop trying it.

 

[betterthanu]

Punch him in the guts everytime he does it.

 

[IbbosBFF]

You better chase me otherwise ima have a day out on you.

 

[scotty4]

i think it comes down to your aerobic capacity. i usually play half forward, and i know i can chase my man as far as he wants to go, because i can push back hard and make an option when my team gets back into attack. if you do not chase him at all however, he may become a link man in the opposition backline, and then he will be running away from you more and more often.

 

[Xx_Toomey_xX]

When they have the ball and hes running off you keep with him and make sure he doesnt get the ball its simple.

A cool trick i do when im playing is when we have the ball ill sprint and call for it and if my team mates is not giving it to me coz my mans to close i just immediatley stop so he either runs into you pushing you in the back giving you a free or stops behid you thinking you have stopped leading then start off again and you will get a good 5-10m head start which he will never catch up on

 

[Dean3]

How about you ask your coach what he/she wants you to do in that situation?

 

[Deledio2Conca]

How about you ask your coach what he/she wants you to do in that situation?

Righto mate was just after some discussion. That's some high horse you have there.

 

[chaddles]

On most instances, you should be playing in front of your man as a forward when you have the ball. As soon as the ball is turned over you should have a defensive mindset, know exactly where your opponent is and be prepared to block his run or at the least be a few metres infront of him.

I remember a couple of years ago I was playing on a running HBFlanker and he shredded me in the first 15 minutes kicking 2 goals because I lost him when the ball got turned over, and realised he was a good 20-30 metres ahead sprinting into the forward line and getting a grab.

Reading the play is another important attribute as a flanker, you can exploit your mans willingness to run forward if you have a good team play. If you think the ball could be turned over, you can double back towards your own goal and call a team mate to watch him if he isn't an immediate chance to get the possy and in case the turnover doesn't eventuate. Can be risky, but it has worked quite a bit for myself. This isn't something you can do all the time and if you get the ball in the clear a couple of times he will tend to stay at home and mind you more carefully.

 

[aza03]

If you think you can stay with him, try to stay with him. Otherwise he will become part of a chain into their forward and he will catch you out. If his disposal by foot is good, then he will kill your team if he is allowed to run loose up the wing and into the forward line.

But be prepared to run off him, and beat him back to the forward line if there is a turnover.

If you can't stay with him, just physically pressure him throughout the game. Like if the ball is up the other end, just keep bumping him and elbowing him in the ribs. Eventually he will get sore and pissed off, and won't be as focussed on the game and running off you.

If you don't whether you can stay with him, there's only one way to find out...

If you find out he has absolutely shocking disposal or is just hopeless in general, don't bother following him cos if he gets the ball, he may cause a turnover, and you will be on your own in the forward 50.

I'm sorry if not much of this makes sense cos i don't play your position (i play wing)

 

[SteeleBeams]

Follow him up the ground, but as soon as there is a turnover, you have to be accountable, and quickly get back into position, puting yourself into a useful position, and a potential target for you players running the ball up.

Frustrate the shit out of your opponent when the ball is up the other end, do anything to get his mind off the game, elbow him in the ribs, hip and shoulder him, step on his toes, kick his heel, act weird. Do all sorts of things to make him un-focused.

 

[Special Agent Utah]

A cool trick i do when im playing is when we have the ball ill sprint and call for it and if my team mates is not giving it to me coz my mans to close i just immediatley stop so he either runs into you pushing you in the back giving you a free or stops behid you thinking you have stopped leading then start off again and you will get a good 5-10m head start which he will never catch up on

Unless you are the FF the only thing this is doing is clogging up space which affects the players behind you.

Lead out, then turn around and work back in, sacrifice your game for the team. You dont need to always get the football.

 

[Special Agent Utah]

Frustrate the shit out of your opponent when the ball is up the other end, do anything to get his mind off the game, elbow him in the ribs, hip and shoulder him, step on his toes, kick his heel, act weird. Do all sorts of things to make him un-focused.

Waste of time and energy. You are the forward, there is no need to do any of this stuff.

Work hard both ways. If he is really hurting you when they have the ball then you are not being accountable enough, He will inevitably give you 20-30 metres on the way back and that is when you will hurt him. Unforgiveable not to follow,he will nearly always make you and your team pay.

 

[Big Kitty]

Unless you are the FF the only thing this is doing is clogging up space which affects the players behind you.

Lead out, then turn around and work back in, sacrifice your game for the team. You dont need to always get the football.

Not always, from the FP i think its a waste but when in the backline run off as much as you can and if they follow you they are caught out and if not you get the pill

 

[getthefooty]

Righto mate was just after some discussion. That's some high horse you have there.

What? It's perfectly good advice. Different teams have different game plans which call for actions specific to the plan implemented. One coach may have a very attacking game plan, which would call for you to zone off and cash in when the turnover occurs, another may be more defensive and not want you to let him get more than an inch away from you.

 

[Bingo23]

Plenty of options:

You can drag him back deeper to the goal square limiting his opportunities to run off because he will want to stay closer to you. If he tries to run off still you move laterally to create space between yourself and him so he looks back and realises you are on the opposite side of the ground.

When the ball is going their way you should try to get 10-15 min ahead and zone off. Try to keep in front of him and let him take you has far as he wants. Be prepared to break hard the other way for you to play your role as a small forward. This works good for the front and square crumb because you will be hitting the pack at full pace.

If you play as a lead up small forward you will be better to stay in position and let your team mates ahead know that he is coming through and they should follow him and cover for you.

Base your game on the pressure you can apply defensively tackle, harrass, smother etc. If you do all of those things well you will keep your spot.

 

[Special Agent Utah]

If you play as a lead up small forward you will be better to stay in position and let your team mates ahead know that he is coming through and they should follow him and cover for you.

Then what happens to their opponents? It has a snowball effect, no matter how you look at it if you stay in your position the opposition has a free man in their attacking half of the ground which is simply not acceptable. Yes it may work if they turn the footy over, but if they do not then you will be made to hurt significantly on the scoreboard time and time again.

 

[Bingo23]

Then what happens to their opponents? It has a snowball effect, no matter how you look at it if you stay in your position the opposition has a free man in their attacking half of the ground which is simply not acceptable. Yes it may work if they turn the footy over, but if they do not then you will be made to hurt significantly on the scoreboard time and time again.

That maybe the case but every match situation is different and I don't think we would have enough time here to discuss all of them. There will be times he will have to push up the ground to create a two-on-one himself. But there is a point where he has to say I'm not going to go any further or go again because I have to get back to play my role. It all depends on him reading the play and saying to himself I have to get back to help out up forward because that's my role for the team. If he (FP/HFF) was just running around following his opponent (BP/HBF) all day and worrying about him would you say that he was doing his job ? If I was playing HBF and I was able to push up the ground and have my opponent follow me I would just do it all ****ing day. He is not going to hurt you and you a dictating. But if I pushed up and it was turned over and my bloke was sitting inside 50 and kicking goals where would I end up ? On the bench no doubt.

His coach would be best to guide him on the role he was to play. Horses for courses.

 

[cogs24]

I had a situation like this on the weekend. I was playing forward pocket and it was my first game for a new club. My man ran up to around half forward, I followed him to about the wing then the runner told me to push back to the goal square and not worry about him.

 

[Go Gully]

I had a situation like this on the weekend. I was playing forward pocket and it was my first game for a new club. My man ran up to around half forward, I followed him to about the wing then the runner told me to push back to the goal square and not worry about him.

Did you get a goal kicked on you?

The way i see it you must follow him up.. If you sit back and let him stay free getting free possessions around the midfield with no pressure on he'll hit a forward every time.

 

[Deledio2Conca]

Thanks for the responses guys! More than what I could have hoped for.

What I've been doing is obviously following my man, but as he tries to run off, I try to give him the shits by bumping him, scragging him, running in front of him, whatever I can do to hopefully prevent him from running off in the future.

I just need to get to more contests and then I'll be right.

In that regard, I seem to be getting caught out and can never seem to hit the pack at the right time to get front and center. Does anyone have any tricks of the trade for me here?

 

[Bingo23]

I had a situation like this on the weekend. I was playing forward pocket and it was my first game for a new club. My man ran up to around half forward, I followed him to about the wing then the runner told me to push back to the goal square and not worry about him.

Did you get a goal kicked on you?

The way i see it you must follow him up.. If you sit back and let him stay free getting free possessions around the midfield with no pressure on he'll hit a forward every time.

Thanks for the responses guys! More than what I could have hoped for.

What I've been doing is obviously following my man, but as he tries to run off, I try to give him the shits by bumping him, scragging him, running in front of him, whatever I can do to hopefully prevent him from running off in the future.

I just need to get to more contests and then I'll be right.

In that regard, I seem to be getting caught out and can never seem to hit the pack at the right time to get front and center. Does anyone have any tricks of the trade for me here?

Perfect example of why it is important to hold your ground sometimes and not follow him up too far. If your role is to stay back and crumb that's what you have to concentrate on.

As for getting to more contests and front and centres and hitting the pack at the right time it is practice, practice and more practice. Ask your coach to incorporate some drills into helping you do this. Learn to "tread water" on your approach so you hit the front at the right time. Don't run around the contest. You want to be getting there with some pace up but not flat out. Allow yourself the ability to deviate off your line if you have to depending on where the ball is spilling.

You don't have to only do crumbing drills to help you however. Just running through to the cones quickly and not bludging after you have completed your kick or handball helps you as well.

 

[Deledio2Conca]

Perfect example of why it is important to hold your ground sometimes and not follow him up too far. If your role is to stay back and crumb that's what you have to concentrate on.

As for getting to more contests and front and centres and hitting the pack at the right time it is practice, practice and more practice. Ask your coach to incorporate some drills into helping you do this. Learn to "tread water" on your approach so you hit the front at the right time. Don't run around the contest. You want to be getting there with some pace up but not flat out. Allow yourself the ability to deviate off your line if you have to depending on where the ball is spilling.

You don't have to only do crumbing drills to help you however. Just running through to the cones quickly and not bludging after you have completed your kick or handball helps you as well.

Thanks for that mate

Was thinking of drills I could do myself if I find spare time, like perhaps skying the ball from about 50m, then charging forward while its still in the air, and then trying to read the bounce after that.