Footy: It’s going to get ugly

[one-eyed]

Paul Roos reckons teams using the cluster zone against each other will make footy very ugly. Our game against Freo was an example of what's to come.

It’s going to get ugly
West Australian
21st February 2009, 11:15 WST

The premiership coach famously accused by AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou of turning football ugly in 2005 has warned of a new threat to the game’s aesthetics in 2009.

Paul Roos, who took Sydney to their drought-breaking flag after Demetriou claimed his team played unattractive and ugly football, said the defensive zone which underpinned Hawthorn’s premiership last season was likely to have an even more decisive impact on the game this year.

Most clubs are expected to weave parts, if not all, of the Hawthorn defensive structure into their strategies this season and Roos said its effect was already showing worrying signs.

The first half of last week’s clash between Fremantle and Richmond was described by Tigers legend Kevin Bartlett as unwatchable and Roos said two teams using the tactic against each other could cause mayhem.

“It will be interesting to see,” Roos said ahead of the NAB Cup clash with Port Adelaide at Manuka Oval in Canberra tomorrow.

“If you were just an enthusiast in footy and you’re really interested in game styles rather than just the game itself, it will be an interesting first five or six weeks to see what teams do what. I’ll be interested to see as well.

“I think there’s a bit of the unknown for the first time in a while, going into the season not knowing how many teams are going to do the rolling zone. We haven’t seen two teams with a rolling zone play against each other.

“If one team does it, it can get a little bit ugly. I remember the couple of games when Hawthorn started it and they got criticised, but we did, too, in 2005.

“One of the unknowns is no-one really knows what two rolling zones look like playing against each other. Based on the pre-season comp, you’d think it was going to happen.”

But despite several playing personnel changes for Sydney this season, Roos denied he had dramatically changed their game style and claimed efficiency would be the biggest key against opposing defensive tactics.

“We’ve just tweaked it a bit,” he said. “I think it’s now about ball use and decision-making more so than ever. Just to not turn the footy over.

“I think all teams will work on getting through the rolling zone, but more particularly just making sure that players are well-drilled and talented and can kick it.

“That’s just the common theme. You can talk about game plans all you like, but if you can’t execute the skill, it’s pretty bloody hard.”

North Melbourne are understood to be one team which will embrace parts of Hawthorn’s zone, but coach Dean Laidley claimed teams would be foolish to stamp the zone as the reigning premiers’ only strength.

“I think if the teams just purely concentrate on that ... Hawthorn were a hell of a lot better than just their zone,” Laidley said.

“People, media, other clubs, I’m not too sure whether they’re focused purely on that, but there’s lots of other areas where they were the best in the competition by double anyone else.”

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