ST KILDA v PORT ADELAIDE CENTER BOUNCE BATTLE GAME ANALYSIS (FREE)

 

A bit of different tact today looking exclusively at the center bounce battle in the St Kilda/Port Adelaide game.

Over the season the Matlida Scholz leads the league in total hit outs with 321 and is only behind by .1 in hit outs per game.

Port as a team is 4th in total clearances and 6th for average clearances per game.

Couple this with being 18th for uncontested possession, 18th for handballs and 13th for marks even with a very heavy kick bias, and it's clear the Power generate most of their scores from stoppage and clearance situations which lends itself to having such a dominance in hit outs.

The Saints on the other hand don't register until player 26 in hit outs, are 18th as a team and 16th for clearances so the Poser had a clear statistical advantage in this area going into the game.

If you've seen my videos throughout this AFLW season I have put a little focus on the Power at center bounce and have found the following trends:

• Most, if not all, center bounce taps are going to Abbey Dowrick whose 3rd in total clearances and 4th for center bounce clearances
• They have 2 go-to plays at center bounce being the big tap forward of the center circle or the back tap to a wrap around exit on the fat side of the center circle

Here's what those 2 center bounce plays look like:

Let's see what went down in this game off the back of what we now know.

The very first center bounce is usually a feeling out process so you for soemth9ing pretty safe and the set up dictates that as well.

Here the Power have a player set up as defensive sweeper and as the Saints have done the same thing, then both are very much on their own and Scholz with her major advantage opts to not tap to Dowrick, a rarity, and instead goes to Moloney but the Saints will live with that as it's a) Not to Dowrick and b) Not out the front of the stoppage

After a goal from center bounce clearance the Power are off and running and as the previous tap went to Moloney, who's now in a different position, the Saints are forced to pay her more attention than normal as she might be the go-to player again.

This keeps the St Kilda sweeper between her and Dowrick, but there's just enough space for a forward tap and clearance, albeit not a clean one initially. 

Another goal from center bounce for the Power and they go right back to the forward tap, with the Power player positioning right back off the contest to open up more space right in that forward tap zone area.

The Saints still seem to be scouting the back wrap move from Dowrick and is still giving her goal-side which is a gimme now with that Port player so far back off the contest and it's a simple push off and run.

At quarter time the Power led center bounce clearance 4-0 and had already generated 3 of their 4 scores from that source so the Saints need to do something and it's not miraculously winning hit outs which they lost 17-43 on the day, so it'll have to come from positioning.

A couple of moves from the Saints here:

1. Put your best mid (Smith) in the most dangerous spot (the forward tap spot)
2. Take goal side away from Dowrick

The Saints do both here and get a clean center clearance of their own.

The Power aren't using the back wrap that they use a lor of here making the tap zone predictable for the Saints (forward) and now the Saints can start taking advantage of it so straight out of half time Smith pushes Dowrick in and under the forward tap then uses her speed to get back to the ball.

The Saints are making a run after the fast start by the Power and Port add Hampson to the center bounce mix and give het the back wrap play - a first I've seen this yr for her - but the Saints have this scouted as well and Lmabert pushes her in and under the tap but Port still manage to win the clearance.

The lone advantage the Saints had at center clearance, and probably in most games, is when both back-up rucks go in there as Wardlaw has played a fair bit of ruck over her 8yr career which is usually resigned to a forward punch but the Saints could easily make this a temporary strength of theirs as she does win most of these taps convincingly.

Now we have Smith on the most dangerous Power mid (Dowrick) and in the most dangerous space (forward tap zone) and she plays it almost perfectly as she pushes Dowrick in and under the ball again, uses her speed to get back to the ball again, but can't quite break free.

The Saints really need another in and under mid so they could take Dowrick's body and then Smith could use her speed to be more offensive.

In the end the Saints couldn't hold on to this one but did make great in-game alterations that stopped the game getting out of control like it was earlier - something we saw zero of when Del Santo was still in charge - and after the 4-0 center clearance start in the 1st quarter, it went 6-5 Port's way after that which is far more manageable.

AFLW ROUND 11 GAME ANALYSIS PART 3/3

 

Team-by-team:

Kangaroos - a +10 for inside 50's gave the Roos field position dominance in this one that was just enough to overcome being down at half and 3 quarter time  

Crows - gave it to the Roos at contest but beaten by 38 in uncontested possession is the fine line in wet conditions 

Hawks - went scoreless in the 4th and were very lucky with some umpiring decision in the Essendon forward 50 but served to win this game

Bombers - put up a whopping 124 tackles in this game more than twice their season average (61.5) but ball movement and finishing (-13 for inside 50's) just stopped themselves short of a major upset

Blues - were outplayed in this one in my opinion but were far more efficient when they went forward and still managed to play a dry game style in very non-dry conditions  

Giants - went +8 for clearances and +2 for inside 50's but then would let the blues go to end to end and score

Today we look at:

• Gold Coast Going Back into Pressure
• Richmond Going Too Fast
• Suns Defensive Formation
• Tigers Going Back into Pressure
• Richmond Defense Too Loose
• Gold Coast at Center Bounce Clearance
• GWS Collapsing In at Contest
• Giants Defense
• Carlton Holding Space at Contest 

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AFLW GAME ANALYSIS ROUND 11 PART 2/3

 

Team-by-Team:

Suns - for the 5th best defense they sure are leaky as a team unit which comes from the mids possible getting too offensive all at the same time and they're winning games almost purely on offense but it's a great difference compared to teams trying to keep scores low deliberately to stay competitive

Tigers - were very plucky in this one and had great periods of forward half dominance but just couldn't finish with a score when they did and not a great time for Wolmarans to go goalless

Bulldogs - as great as the Dogs have looked this season they are still in the 2nd tier of teams and missed Fitzgerald A LOT as they just could not move the ball or maintain possession resulting inn just 21 inside 50's which doesn't give you enough chances to score, nor win, and will need to find a rebounding kicker if they're any chance against the Cats

Demons - the complete opposite for the Dees who went +42 for disposals, +54 uncontested possession, +18 for inside 50's, +6% time in possession and +21 in marks in a resounding win

Swans - a mature win to run away with this one with Eagles' season on the line and keeping them scoreless in the last quarter and once again dominated the tackle count going +30  

Eagles - were never really in the running this season and have actually lost to the Giants, Crows and Power which is not really top 8 team material and need an injection of fluid offense for 2027 

Over 2 videos, today we look at:

• Saints Not Driving Out of Contest
• St Kilda Outnumber Advantage Fail
• Saints Going Inside Forward 50 x 2
• St Kilda Giving the Extra Handball
• Saints Not Reaching On-Field Standards
• Dalgleish Small Forward Craft
• Sydney Forward 50 Stoppage Goal

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AFLW ROUND 11 GAME ANALYSIS PART 1/3

 

A round of rainy games for the most part in AFLW this week which can end up with some differing scorelines to the norm.

Everyone won who should have, but in far closer games then most would have predicted.

Power - didn't dominate in the usual area's they do but were willing to maintain possession a lot more than normal with 299 possessions v 271 previous season high v season average of 235, 169 kicks v 154 season average, 133 handballs v 113 previous season high v season average of 82 and equal season high for time in possession at 45% v a season average of just under 40% 

Magpies - as alluded into the video, they put their time and resources into stoppage which worked well for them (+3 hit outs, +9 in clearance, -5 in contested possession and +2 in tackles) but as soon as the bubble was broken by the Power it was all over but had a crack against all odds, that being their actual club.

Saints - was always going to struggle to score with Warlaw out of the team and looked OK early but scored q1 goal after quarter time ending up with just 8 scoring shots and 3 goals from 34 inside 50's v 20 scoring shots and 11 goals from 40 for the Lions

Lions - apart from the scoring difference just noted, they didn't really dominate in any other stat over the course of the game but the difference in game style was clearly evident watching

Cats - aren't scoring at quite the clip they were but defending well which they'll need to as scoring potentially dries up even more come finals time and after a run of games facing 7 teams out of the top 8 from 9 matches, face a real test against the Dogs Friday night

Dockers - are 7th for toral disposals, 6th for uncontested possession, 5th for clearances, 2nd for marks but then 12th for inside 50's, 12th for shots on goals and 10th for total points so they're in very good shape except for that connection piece from forward of center to goals

Today we look at:

• Port at Center Bounce Clearance 
• Collingwood in Possession
• Pies at Center Bounce Clearance
• Collingwood Defenders Unorganised
• Port Adeliade on Kick Out
• Pies Going Inside Forward 50
• Freo No Forward Press Defense

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COACHING MODERN FOOTBALL CHAPTER 19 - LENGTH SPACE

 

Back in round 2 of the 2026 season I came across a new-ish tactic being used by the Swans more so than anyone else but it is also an extension of what the Lions have been doing for a year or 2 now.

Here’s what I posted back in March this year on “the most important space in football today”:

“…AFL in 2026 has come with a bunch of rule changes but also with a shift in how teams are moving the ball on offense.

Yes, the stand rule allows for play tempo to be maintained but teams are already on the run anyway, they're now just more confident continuing to go fast and to not hold the ball up.

The biggest change for mine has been the use of handball through the center of the ground that some teams were doing previously (GWS/Hawks especially with their high half forwards), but it is wide-spread now and in a variety of ways.

Last week I highlighted how Sydney were using space through the center of the ground and I doubled-down on watching for it this round and it was pretty clear at times.

Like most tactics/strategies, once you see it you can’t stop seeing it!

The Swans tended to open this space up to run and handball through the middle of the ground, the Lions have more of a kicking focus and Gold Coast were doing it early in the season for kick or handball when they were up and going early in the season.

Other teams represented in the following clips are Geelong and Port Adelaide.

I’ll run through how different teams use this from different parts of the ground starting from kick out and finishing with from the mid 50.

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AFLW ROUND 10 GAME ANALYSIS PART 3/3

 

Team-by-team:

Giants - a top 3 win in their history or least the last 5 years and managed 20 scores from just 32 inside 50's, showing rare connection at that end of the ground by moving the quicker than Wales could get back and become an intercept marker from the ruck position

Hawks - I'm backing up the topsy-turvy season call from last week and actually puts them in a tough spot going into 2027 because you're good enough (beat North Melbourne) but the gap between your best and worse is way too wide for a finals team, let alone contender (lost to GWS) so what level of change do you make?

Bombers - came out with positive play with relatively aggressive offense and excellent defensive pressure but they just don't have the experience and quality to hold that from quarter-to-quarter. let alone against the best team ever and weren't blown away in any stat either except for uncontested possession (-40) where scoring dries up when you can't maintain possession

Kangaroos - actually had to work for this one which isn't a bad thing for them as they don't have the hardest run home (Adelaide/Richmond) and straighter kicking could emphasised this win more

Dockers - were challenged by the Saints but having, knowing and playing your brand v a team that doesn't have an ounce of one gets you over the line in these types of games

Saints - led for just the 2nd time at 3/4 time for 2026 (last week the 1st) so there is progress in how long they can compete for but couldn't hold it but they leave too much potential offense on the table with their lack of creative offense 

Today we look at:

• Gay Forward Press Defense
• Essendon Defending in D50
• North Melbourne Transitioning from Center Bounce Clearance
• Freo Forward 50 Stoppage Goal
• Saints Cutting Length
• St Kilda Missed Handball
• Saints Corridor Fail

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AFLW ROUND 10 GAME ANALYSIS PART 2/3

 

Team-by team:

Lions - some definite game play alterations in this one (+24 handballs, +21 disposals, -7 contested possession, +29 uncontested possession, +7 marks all v season average), albeit too late to save the season

Power - 1st in hit outs and 4th in clearances but blast kick out of there repeatedly + last for uncontested possession + last for handballs and thus last for disposal efficiency = 3rd worst offense down from 4th best last year

Eagles - the real battle is at the Eagles doorstep and that is of long-term development where I'm not sure of any player who has markedly improved from last season to this season, and with a young list this off/pre-season is paramount

Cats - if they kicked 18.8 they would have kicked a record score and that was really the only blemish in this game where they went +115 in disposals, +82 in handballs, +18 inside 50's, +15% disposal efficiency, +6 clearance, +15 contested possession, +113 uncontested possession, +20% time in possession, +30 marks, +13 marks inside forward 50 and even won the tackle count by 10! 

Magpies - don't have the depth to cover injuries but worse than that a severe lack of leadership from the top down in regards to the women's program doesn't even give them a chance and with Schleicher gone what keeps Centra there after next season?  

Swans - forwards got right on top with 3 players kicking 3 goals and another kicking 2 from 13 marks inside forward 50 (+7 on season average) and +5 scoring shots on the season as well

Today we look at:

• Power at Center Bounce
• Implications of Kicking Behind the Receiver
• Geelong at Center Bounce
• West Coast in Transition
• Sydney Going Inside 50
• Collingwood Ball Watching
• GWS Handball Receive
• Implications of Not Continuing the Handball Chain
• Kick of the Year

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