HAVE THE CATS SHIFTED TACTICS ALREADY?Foxsports
7 May 2021While Geelong’s recent game plan has been put under the microscope, Leigh Montagna and David King believed there had already been a shift from Scott during 2021.
“I think there’s still this misconception that Geelong are playing the way they played in 2020. Certainly in the first couple of weeks they were, but in the last month they have certainly changed their style,” Montagna explained on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“They are evolving as a football team and are much more aggressive. They are now the No.1 handball team in the competition, they are flicking the ball around much more, they are kicking the ball longer and taking the game on. Play on percentage they’d gone from 13th to 5th, they move the ball quicker and they are looking to use the corridor more.
“They are playing more aggressive. It was the case against the Eagles and the first half against the Swans.
“Over the course of the season, Geelong are the No.1 team from moving the ball from the defensive mid zone to inside 50. It is a much more intent to go quicker, they are looking to get the ball moving much more than they have in previous year.
“When they are getting to that launch pad between 50 and 70 metres, they are attacking the top of the square and prepared to kick the ball longer.
“Their ability to flick it around. We know it troubles Richmond, Melbourne did it. They’re evolving, not playing the slow and kick game.”
King outlined how Geelong had won all the crucial statistics during recent battles against Richmond, but simply couldn’t get it inside 50 and threaten by kicking a winning score.
“They lose six games a year and two to Richmond. Does Chris Scott change the way he plays to beat one team? Because you are going to run into them in finals,” King said.
“Richmond have won six of the last seven, in those games they (Geelong) won six clearance battles by an average of +6, so they get the game going their way.
“They smash them at contested possession, + 17, they smash them in terms of controlling the game +35 disposals in those seven games. Yet they have lost the inside battle in six of the last seven battles.
“So they get a heap of ball and they play their way and it doesn’t score and doesn’t go inside 50. And then in a ten minute window, the Tigers go bang, bang, bang and land three blows and the game is over. So change is required.”
King pinpointed one change on the field which saw Geelong guarding the corridor heavily, making teams kick long to a contest.
“I think they’ve made changes to beat Richmond. You don’t just make offensive changes, you give up something to get something,” he said.
“Without the ball… we’ve seen the role with Gryan Miers. He’s on the wind just in front of the logo, that’s a strange position, we don’t see players there. They want to force the opposition down the line.
“On the weekend this is going to be the ball that decides the match, the long ball. They were poor at this last week against Sydney and got easy opportunities out the back. They’ve been fantastic at denying opportunity.
“That’s the game this week. They’ve been waiting for this. I think they’ve embraced imperfection and taken precious out of it, they use to be really low turnover.
“In a lot of ways Geelong games were boring to watch because there wouldn’t be contest, now it lives in contest. That’s the difference. They’ve got more corridor available, it’s trending a little to how Richmond play.
“This year they are the No.1 team at winning the ball back close to their goal.”
“I think they are realising you need to take territory and play imperfect football,” Montagna added.
“We saw in that Grand Final, as soon as you miss a kick, Richmond swarm and kick a goal. They’re saying now, take territory and let’s move the game on quicker.
“They are a great contest side.”
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