Around where I was sitting, people were getting a bit restless in the third quarter and one man yelled out that ‘we don’t like it’. I found it hard to watch at times, and it was a bit frustrating when players had the opportunity to attack but chose to go defensive.
I suppose thought that, if there’s a method to the madness and supporters understand what that madness is, then it’s easier to accept. What makes a negative game style particularly frustrating is when you don’t understand why it’s being employed, which is when it can give the impression that the coach has no answers. So when you see that sort of thing you can think it’s just a reactionary thing by the coach/coaching staff and therefore the players aren’t learning or getting anything out of the style they’re being asked to play.
Geelong supporters could be a bit confused at the moment. Up until a few weeks ago, Mark Thompson seemed proud of the fact that his team played an attractive brand of footy. Then out of the blue they go into this ultra defensive mode. What’s that all about? Wouldn’t fill their supporters with too much confidence to think all their previous plans have suddenly gone out the window. Makes the coach/team seem like they’re not sure where they’re going or what they’re doing.
I guess the way any game style is conveyed to those watching depends on the individual. Having weighed up lots of views and opinions, including my own, on the subject, the key thing for me, to this stage, doesn’t seem to be whether it’s an attacking or defensive style of footy – although something in between would be good – what matters most is whether the players get something out of whatever style they’re playing.
If the development of players and the team is what’s important to people then, effectively, what does it matter how attacking or defensive the game style they are watching is, as long as players are learning from it and it’s being carried out in a way that says this is a united and committed team? For Richmond supporters, the Adelaide game, however ugly to others, would seem attractive to them; maybe for those reasons. Obviously that game can be improved on, but it’s a start, and it showed that if a group of players truly embrace a game style, like the Richmond players seemed to on Saturday, then impossible is nothing. And footy can only be truly ugly when it’s played with little or no passion, spirit or commitment.
