TRANSFORMING CONE DRILLS TO LIVE TRAINING ACTIVITIES

A lot of coaches are still stuck in the traditional methods of running training which means a lot of cone-to-cone stuff which is a massive misrepresentation of what the demands of a game are but it's always a case of teaching how you were taught.

I'm here to right that and have been for some time so here's another way to start your move from cone-to cone drills to  live training activities without having to do an immediate 360 flip on how you train your players and creating a huge sense of being overwhelmed and then simply resorting back to your traditional, but out-dated, ways.

What I'm presenting below is a step-by-step progression of transforming a traditional cone drill to a live training activity and if you'd like me to transform other drills you run regularly, then have a crack at developing your own progressing to transforming to a live training activity, send it to me and we can work through it together.

The cone drill we'll start with is something I ran yesterday at the school I'm doing some academy coaching at and what I've simply titled Wide Switch to Inboard Kick. Another coach actually thought to run it and had a far better name for it than mine!

LAYER 1 - Normal Cone Drill

Simples - 1 kicks to 2 kicks to 3 and so on. Red is player movement. Ball is ball movement. No decision making, no pressure, no constraints - just technique rehearsal - limited game learning - that is all.

LAYER 2...

For full access to this training activity, register for a level 3 membership from https://aussierulestraining.com/membership-account/membership-levels/.

MY TOP 5 REQUIREMENTS OF LOCAL/AMATEUR WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

 

For season 2025, I''ll be taking the reigns of Head Coach for the Senior Women at Reservoir Football Club, a team being re-booted after falling away during Covid, as many teams did.

Avid reader's of this blog are well aware of the game analysis I do for each and every round of AFLW that looks at different clips of how specific game moments were carried and how they could have been carried out differently to greater advantage then they were.

Some might suggest most of that is high level coaching material but this new position has forced me to go back to the basics of what will most likely need teaching and constant reinforcement on basic elements of football for the players we are able to recruit.

Here are 5 basics that I will be constantly be working on with my playing group once we start training in a couple of weeks, 4 technical and 1 tactical.

#1...

For full access to this a training/coaching article, register for a level 1 membership from https://aussierulestraining.com/membership-account/membership-levels/. 

AFLW FINALS WEEK 3 GAME ANALYSIS

Both of my Grand Finals predicted teams made it through over the weekend in similar ways but in very different games.

North Melbourne put the foot down from the very onset with 4 goals in a blink of an eye where the Lions had to wait until the 3rd quarter before they were able to do the same.

It sets us it up for an all-timer of an AFLW Grand Final!

From both preliminary finals we look at:

• North Melbourne selfless teamwork inside forward 50
• North Melbourne's defensive plan v Port's territory-based offensive 
• North creating length on offense
• Adelaide showing layers of forward press defense
• The mechanics of the defensive wing run

For full access to this game analysis post, register for a level 1 membership from https://aussierulestraining.com/membership-account/membership-levels/.

COACHING MODERN FOOTBALL CHAPTER 17: MICRO GAME MOMENTS

                                                     

The last chapter covers a variety of micro game moments that didn't really fit a chapter of their own but are still critical in attending to the details of coaching modern football.

The micro game moments covered are:

• Team Pressure
• Inside Forward 50 Kick
• Full Leads
• Stay in the Play
• Space Manipulation
•  Adapatability

This follows the previous 16 chapters:

#1 - Forward Press Defense

#2 - Lane Running

#3 - Midfielder Running Patterns

#4 - 666 Connection

#5 - Exploiting the Stand Rule

#6 - Team Formations

#7 - Creating/Utilising Length

#8 - Center Bounce Clearance

#9 - Forward Play

#10 - Wing Play

#11 - Playing Between the Lines

#12 - Kick Out Strategies

#13 - Creating/Utilising Outnumber Advantages

#14 - Manufacturing Corridor

#15 - Overlap

#16 - Ruck Runs

It is now available from the register page as a stand alone product which when purchased is then emailed to you in a PDF, meaning you don't have to be a member to gain access.

If you're a local/amateur football coach then you're well aware that apart from your assistant coaches, there is distinct lack of readily available resources form where you can learn about different concepts used in football.

All coaches watch and read about footy and the different tactics and strategies that are used by are left wondering what is it exactly and how can I teach my players to do that?

That exact question is what I set out to answer in this mammoth series.

This week I'll release the remaining 4 chapters that I have currently completed so all 17 will be available at the time you need them - right at the start of pre-season training.

Make 2025 the season you positively turn your coaching practices upside down and re-energise your passion for teaching, coaching and leading your players.

COACHING MODERN FOOTBALL CHAPTER 16: RUCK RUNS

                                                

If you've watched any of my game analysis videos then you'll know that I love a ruck that is proactive in becoming involved in more interactions then stoppages.  

Having another bog body around the ground is always handy and if you opposition ruck is happy playing the traditional ruck role as described above, then it's a very easy way to create outnumber advantages all game long.

This follows the previous 15 chapters:

#1 - Forward Press Defense

#2 - Lane Running

#3 - Midfielder Running Patterns

#4 - 666 Connection

#5 - Exploiting the Stand Rule

#6 - Team Formations

#7 - Creating/Utilising Length

#8 - Center Bounce Clearance

#9 - Forward Play

#10 - Wing Play

#11 - Playing Between the Lines

#12 - Kick Out Strategies

#13 - Creating/Utilising Outnumber Advantages

#14 - Manufacturing Corridor

#15 - Overlap

It is now available from the register page as a stand alone product which when purchased is then emailed to you in a PDF, meaning you don't have to be a member to gain access.

If you're a local/amateur football coach then you're well aware that apart from your assistant coaches, there is distinct lack of readily available resources form where you can learn about different concepts used in football.

All coaches watch and read about footy and the different tactics and strategies that are used by are left wondering what is it exactly and how can I teach my players to do that?

That exact question is what I set out to answer in this mammoth series.

This week I'll release the remaining 4 chapters that I have currently completed so all 17 will be available at the time you need them - right at the start of pre-season training.

Make 2025 the season you positively turn your coaching practices upside down and re-energise your passion for teaching, coaching and leading your players.

AFLW FINALS WEEK 2 GAME ANALYSIS

A close one and a not-so-close one in week 2, with Port Adelaide coming back from the highest 3/4 time margin in AFLW history of 22pts to get the win and go through to the prelim.

Unfortunately it doesn't get easier for them going up against unbeaten North Melbourne but they've already exceeded expectations  by a week or 2 so they have nothing to lose and that makes for a tough opposition if your North Melbourne.

This week we look at:

• Fremantle defenders relaxing their focus of attention
• Fremantle not capitalising on an excellent phase of transition offense play 
• Fremantle defender with the perfect opportunity to use press forward defense, but doesn't
• Excellent Adelaide center bounce clearance
• Hawthorn creating and utilising the outnumber advantage

For full access to this game analysis, register for a level 1 membership from https://aussierulestraining.com/membership-account/membership-levels/.

COACHING MODERN FOOTBALL CHAPTER 15: OVERLAP

 

The best way to play fast footy is not to get it and simply kick it forward at all costs, it's to get overlap.

The ability for individual players, and teams, to create this overlap means the ball is constantly in motion and the opposition will not be able to cover all of your offensive bases as you've given them no time to reorganise in the first place.

A scrambling defense is a vulnerable defense!

This follows the previous 14 chapters:

#1 - Forward Press Defense

#2 - Lane Running

#3 - Midfielder Running Patterns

#4 - 666 Connection

#5 - Exploiting the Stand Rule

#6 - Team Formations

#7 - Creating/Utilising Length

#8 - Center Bounce Clearance

#9 - Forward Play

#10 - Wing Play

#11 - Playing Between the Lines

#12 - Kick Out Strategies

#13 - Creating/Utilising Outnumber Advantages

#14 - Manufacturing Corridor

It is now available from the register page as a stand alone product which when purchased is then emailed to you in a PDF, meaning you don't have to be a member to gain access.

If you're a local/amateur football coach then you're well aware that apart from your assistant coaches, there is distinct lack of readily available resources form where you can learn about different concepts used in football.

All coaches watch and read about footy and the different tactics and strategies that are used by are left wondering what is it exactly and how can I teach my players to do that?

That exact question is what I set out to answer in this mammoth series.

This week I'll release the remaining 4 chapters that I have currently completed so all 17 will be available at the time you need them - right at the start of pre-season training.

Make 2025 the season you positively turn your coaching practices upside down and re-energise your passion for teaching, coaching and leading your players.

COACHING MODERN FOOTBALL CHAPTER 14: MANUFACTURING CORRIDOR

 

Moving the ball through corridor is the the quickest way to goal but it also comes with the most risk.

Teams often set up defensively to cut off the corridor but it's all about how attacking you want to be.

Teams like Sydney and Collingwood attack the corridor with reckless-abandon and never shy away from doing it, as is their mindset around corridor play on offense.

This chapter will show you various ways teams manufacture corridor meaning they can still get advantages through the corridor out of seemingly thin air, whether it is covered or not by the opposition.

Like I said, corridor is a mentality!

This follows the previous 13 chapters:

#1 - Forward Press Defense

#2 - Lane Running

#3 - Midfielder Running Patterns

#4 - 666 Connection

#5 - Exploiting the Stand Rule

#6 - Team Formations

#7 - Creating/Utilising Length

#8 - Center Bounce Clearance

#9 - Forward Play

#10 - Wing Play

#11 - Playing Between the Lines

#12 - Kick Out Strategies

#13 - Creating/Utilising Outnumber Advantages

It is now available from the register page as a stand alone product which when purchased is then emailed to you in a PDF, meaning you don't have to be a member to gain access.

If you're a local/amateur football coach then you're well aware that apart from your assistant coaches, there is distinct lack of readily available resources form where you can learn about different concepts used in football.

All coaches watch and read about footy and the different tactics and strategies that are used by are left wondering what is it exactly and how can I teach my players to do that?

That exact question is what I set out to answer in this mammoth series.

This week I'll release the remaining 4 chapters that I have currently completed so all 17 will be available at the time you need them - right at the start of pre-season training.

Make 2025 the season you positively turn your coaching practices upside down and re-energise your passion for teaching, coaching and leading your players.

COACHING MODERN FOOTBALL CHAPTER 13: CREATING/UTILISING OUTNUMBER ADVANTAGES

 

Playing with outnumber advantages is the foundational element of any team sport, including Aussie Rules.

We have a huge emphasise on creating free players in open space which is bloody hard with 36 players on the ground, but there is very little training to create outnumber advantages, have the team collectively identify them and then to actually utilise them to your team's benefit - and that's a huge mistake.

Only training to get players into free space means they usually need to disconnect from the play to do so and if they then don't receive the ball, they out of position to continue in the play or to defend on turnover.

It can have a pay off for you but there is also an equal pay off against you but there are better ways to go about as we'll see in this chapter.

After reading this chapter you'll have a couple of frameworks you can use to create and utilise outnumber advantage to greatly helping coaching this to your playing group.

This follows the previous 12 chapters:

#1 - Forward Press Defense

#2 - Lane Running

#3 - Midfielder Running Patterns

#4 - 666 Connection

#5 - Exploiting the Stand Rule

#6 - Team Formations

#7 - Creating/Utilising Length

#8 - Center Bounce Clearance

#9 - Forward Play

#10 - Wing Play

#11 - Playing Between the Lines

#12 - Kick Out Strategies

It is now available from the register page as a stand alone product which when purchased is then emailed to you in a PDF, meaning you don't have to be a member to gain access.

If you're a local/amateur football coach then you're well aware that apart from your assistant coaches, there is distinct lack of readily available resources form where you can learn about different concepts used in football.

All coaches watch and read about footy and the different tactics and strategies that are used by are left wondering what is it exactly and how can I teach my players to do that?

That exact question is what I set out to answer in this mammoth series.

Next week I'll release the remaining 4 chapters that I have currently completed so 17 will be available at the time you need them - right at the start of pre-season training.

Make 2025 the season you positively turn your coaching practices upside down and re-energise your passion for teaching, coaching and leading your players.

COACHING MODERN FOOTBALL CHAPTER 12: KICK OUT STRATEGIES

 

The following stats come from this post.

Port Adelaide topped the scoring from kick outs in 2024 at 6.3pts per game with a single game high of 26pts.

Geelong topped scoring from their defensive 50 at 20.1pts per game with GWS getting the single game high of 50pts.

 Geelong also topped scoring from defensive center at 20.9pts per game and St Kilda reached the single game high total of 51pts.

From cneter bounce Geelong wins again at 14.4pt/game and the single game high of 45 from Collingwood.

Forward center scores were highest by the Hawks at 31.1pts/game with Sydney getting the single game high total here of 31pts.

The Western Bulldogs were the best for scoring from inside forward 50 at 23.5pts per game with a single game high of 55pts!  

Apart from the obvious that it's easier to score from your forward half then anywhere else on the ground, from the stats you can se that if you can get your defensive half ball movement on song, then you can still rack up solid scores from there on a semi-regular basis when you compared the single game high scores from each category.

This chapter will focus on kick out strategies but the process of them can still be used for general play ball movement within, and out of, your defensive half.

This follows the previous 11 chapters:

#1 - Forward Press Defense

#2 - Lane Running

#3 - Midfielder Running Patterns

#4 - 666 Connection

#5 - Exploiting the Stand Rule

#6 - Team Formations

#7 - Creating/Utilising Length

#8 - Center Bounce Clearance

#9 - Forward Play

#10 - Wing Play

#11 - Playing Between the Lines

It is now available from the register page as a stand alone product which when purchased is then emailed to you in a PDF, meaning you don't have to be a member to gain access.

If you're a local/amateur football coach then you're well aware that apart from your assistant coaches, there is distinct lack of readily available resources form where you can learn about different concepts used in football.

All coaches watch and read about footy and the different tactics and strategies that are used by are left wondering what is it exactly and how can I teach my players to do that?

That exact question is what I set out to answer in this mammoth series.

I'm planning on adjusting my release schedule and up it to 3 chapters a week for the next couple of weeks to get them all out in time for pre-season 2025 for local/amateur coaches.

1 - I want space the release time of each chapter enough to give you time read, digest and then get a handle on each chapter before the next one comes out to ease the mental load compared to receiving all of these chapters at once and then wondering where do I start? 

and;

2 - I also want to make all, or most, chapters available for all coaches before pre-season for 2025 commences so you can factor these new concepts into your plans for next season.

Make 2025 the season you positively turn your coaching practices upside down and re-energise your passion for teaching, coaching and leading your players.

AFLW WEEK 1 FINALS GAME ANALYSIS

                                 

An excellent 1st up week of AFLW finals over the weekend with all games being competitive, and so they should be at this time of the year.

It's a lot easier watching 4 games v 9 anyway that's for sure!

Today we look at:

• North Melbourne stoppage formation located on one of the outer sides of the corridor
• North Melbourne going inside forward 50
• Adelaide kick out
• Essendon at center bounce clearance
• Fremantle going to ground on their own
• Essendon not trapping the ball
• Hawthorn getting length then using run from behind options through corridor

For full access to this game analysis post, register for a level 1 membership at https://aussierulestraining.com/membership-account/membership-levels/.

COACHING MODERN FOOTBALL CHAPTER 11: PLAYING BETWEEN THE LINES

 

If opting for a possession game during your game play, then you need to use short to medium passes.

This goes against the usual territory tactic used by most local/amateur football teams but you can use this to your own great advantage.

Playing between the lines refers to playing to open teammates positioned between the lines of the opposition's defense.

Short pass-by-short pass will not gain a tonne of territory, but if you perform these passes with relative quickness and precision, then you can break the first 2 - 3 lines of the opposition defense WHILE gaining territory which can give you far improved field position and a chance to get the ball deep inside your forward 50.

The process is that each short pass before going inside forward 50 drags an opposition player up to man the mark, opening the space they just occupied, and someone can move into it to receive.

Lateral kicks don't do this as you don't gain territory nor do you drag a defender up and out of formation, a defender from the same line simply slides across and you've moved the ball, but not the defense.

At some point the defense will then need to decide to continue to push up and man the mark or hang back, at which point you've now got multiple options to play to. 

This follows the previous 10 chapters:

#1 - Forward Press Defense

#2 - Lane Running

#3 - Midfielder Running Patterns

#4 - 666 Connection

#5 - Exploiting the Stand Rule

#6 - Team Formations

#7 - Creating/Utilising Length

#8 - Center Bounce Clearance

#9 - Forward Play

#10 - Wing Play

It is now available from the register page as a stand alone product which when purchased is then emailed to you in a PDF, meaning you don't have to be a member to gain access.

If you're a local/amateur football coach then you're well aware that apart from your assistant coaches, there is distinct lack of readily available resources form where you can learn about different concepts used in football.

All coaches watch and read about footy and the different tactics and strategies that are used by are left wondering what is it exactly and how can I teach my players to do that?

That exact question is what I set out to answer in this mammoth series.

I'm planning on adjusting my release schedule and up it to 3 chapters a week for the next couple of weeks to get them all out in time for pre-season 2025 for local/amateur coaches.

1 - I want space the release time of each chapter enough to give you time read, digest and then get a handle on each chapter before the next one comes out to ease the mental load compared to receiving all of these chapters at once and then wondering where do I start? 

and;

2 - I also want to make all, or most, chapters available for all coaches before pre-season for 2025 commences so you can factor these new concepts into your plans for next season.

Make 2025 the season you positively turn your coaching practices upside down and re-energise your passion for teaching, coaching and leading your players.

COACHING MODERN FOOTBALL CHAPTER 10: WING PLAY

 

The wing position is the most structure-based position in the ground in today's football and has those players performing many different roles in any 1 game.

It requires great player flexibility,adaptability and game intelligence of knowing what role to play,when, and how, with a huge reliance on them from everyone else on the team to be successful.

It's not just a case of putting your greyhound on the wing and letting them run all day anymore, although if your winger has those physical qualities as well then that's a huge bonus, but between 2 fast wingers, the most intelligent one will win out every time.

This follows the previous 9 chapters:

#1 - Forward Press Defense

#2 - Lane Running

#3 - Midfielder Running Patterns

#4 - 666 Connection

#5 - Exploiting the Stand Rule

#6 - Team Formations

#7 - Creating/Utilising Length

#8 - Center Bounce Clearance

#9 - Forward Play

It is now available from the register page as a stand alone product which when purchased is then emailed to you in a PDF, meaning you don't have to be a member to gain access.

If you're a local/amateur football coach then you're well aware that apart from your assistant coaches, there is distinct lack of readily available resources form where you can learn about different concepts used in football.

All coaches watch and read about footy and the different tactics and strategies that are used by are left wondering what is it exactly and how can I teach my players to do that?

That exact question is what I set out to answer in this mammoth series.

I'm planning on adjusting my release schedule and up it to 3 chapters a week for the next couple of weeks to get them all out in time for pre-season 2025 for local/amateur coaches.

1 - I want space the release time of each chapter enough to give you time read, digest and then get a handle on each chapter before the next one comes out to ease the mental load compared to receiving all of these chapters at once and then wondering where do I start? 

and;

2 - I also want to make all, or most, chapters available for all coaches before pre-season for 2025 commences so you can factor these new concepts into your plans for next season.

Make 2025 the season you positively turn your coaching practices upside down and re-energise your passion for teaching, coaching and leading your players.

AFLW ROUND 10 GAME ANALYSIS PART 3/3

3rd and final part of game analysis for AFLW round 10 where we look at:

• Sydney forwards working together to confuse the defenders
• Sydney kicking to the side of the congestion
• North kicking inside 50 to options coming from behind them 
• Carlton not defending inside or outside
• Hawthorn create a +1 and gets the Tigers defender caught between them
• Poor Hawthorn play on handball
• Richmond forward press defense

For full access to this game analysis post, register for a level 1 membership from https://aussierulestraining.com/membership-account/membership-levels/.

AFLW ROUND 10 GAME ANALYSIS PART 2/3

                               

Today we have part 2 of 3 from round 10 where we look at:

• Carlton forwards too deep to contest aerially
• North Melbourne forwards coming at to meet the ball aerially
• Sydney not getting as many numbers in front of the ball as the defense
• Adelaide not manning the mark and Geelong falling for it
• Geelong defender rolling back to the goal square and not looking for any opposition to pick up in defensive 50
• Bulldogs getting the outnumber and overlap to open space in front of goal

For full access to this game analysis post, register for a level 1 membership from https://aussierulestraining.com/membership-account/membership-levels/.

AFLW ROUND 10 GAME ANALYSIS PART 1/3

                             

The final home and away round is done and dusted for the AFLW and I'm sticking with North Melbourne to finally break through for their 1st premiership win by the end of the finals.

This week we have 19 clips over 3 videos which again, is more than usual but that's also more learning so the more the better!

Today's video groups a lot of forward press defense plays from the weekend then the other 2 days are a mash up of the rest.

Today we have:

• Gold Coast not using forward press defense at all
• Gold Coast not using it again but this time it results in a goal
• Carlton trying to use it but has the timing all out of whack for it to be effective
• Gold Coast deciding to use it and dramatically altering the shot on goal because of it
• Geelong also altering the kick on goal from using it
• Geelong knowing it has to happen and finally it does to cause a stoppage on a fast play going inside forward 50

For full access to this game analysis post, register for a level 1 membership from https://aussierulestraining.com/membership-account/membership-levels/.

COACHING MODERN FOOTBALL CHAPTER 9: FORWARD PLAY

                                                    

You've got to score to win and after all the good work from your defense and midfield, then it's in the forwards hands to finish off all the good work done up the ground.

In terms of training at local/amateur level there's a fair bit of focus put on zone defenses and stoppage formations but the forward is usually left to its own devices, relying more on the individual talent you have there more than anything else.

Increasing the forward craft of your players is essential in being effective when going inside your forward 50 and a dangerous forward lines puts a heap of pressure on the entire opposition team as they need to stay at home and defend making it hard for them to get overlap and outnumber advantages through the middle of the ground.

If you can finish great passages of play through the defensive and middle 50m areas then it's great team lifter and confidence booster but is highly deflating when it comes back out as quick as it went in.

This follows the previous 8 chapters:

#1 - Forward Press Defense

#2 - Lane Running

#3 - Midfielder Running Patterns

#4 - 666 Connection

#5 - Exploiting the Stand Rule

#6 - Team Formations

#7 - Creating/Utilising Length

#8 - Center Bounce Clearance

It is now available from the register page as a stand alone product which when purchased is then emailed to you in a PDF, meaning you don't have to be a member to gain access.

If you're a local/amateur football coach then you're well aware that apart from your assistant coaches, there is distinct lack of readily available resources form where you can learn about different concepts used in football.

All coaches watch and read about footy and the different tactics and strategies that are used by are left wondering what is it exactly and how can I teach my players to do that?

That exact question is what I set out to answer in this mammoth series.

My plan going forward is to release a different chapter every Monday and Friday for 2 reasons:

1 - I want space the release time of each chapter enough to give you time read, digest and then get a handle on each chapter before the next one comes out to ease the mental load compared to receiving all of these chapters at once and then wondering where do I start? 

and;

2 - I also want to make all, or most, chapters available for all coaches before pre-season for 2025 commences so you can factor these new concepts into your plans for next season.

Make 2025 the season you positively turn your coaching practices upside down and re-energise your passion for teaching, coaching and leading your players.