GAME INTELLIGENCE CHALLENGE

 

• Test and Enhance Your Knowledge of the Game
• Get Help with Identifying Patterns of Play
• Learn at the Edges of your Current Ability to Stretch, but not Overwhelm
• Expand Your Search and Exploration Area
• No Right or Wrong Answers
• Suitable for Coaches and Players of All Levels

Welcome to the Aussie Rules Training Game Intelligence Challenge.

“You cannot teach skills without knowledge...skills are an accumulation of knowledge” - Daisy Christodoulou (Director of Education, No More Marking)

What this challenge will focus on is the building your game intelligence through improving your knowledge-of-the game which is the ability to identify patterns of play before, and while, they are occurring, as well as being aware of what you’re affordances (opportunities for action) are, in a given situation.

“Self-regulating players can think for themselves and can solve game situations through their communication with the game environment and their decision-making as well how they interact with the game” – David Garcia, Coach Educator

By developing your knowledge-of-the-game you can dramatically improve your knowledge-in-the-game, which means a decrease in your decision making time, giving you more time to physically act, resulting in you being involved in more game interactions, and then having more impact when you’re in them.

“Understand how small events can have significant consequences and amplify the chaos on and off the field” – Fergus Connolly, Elite Performance Coach

There are 3 levels to the Game Intelligence Challenge with each level fielding question/scenarios relating to the backline, wing/ruck positions, the midfield, the forward line and around the ground interactions.

Today I will start posting questions from level 1 of which there are 24!

I have my own answers to each question but there are no right or wrong answers – your answers will be based off what YOU see in front of you, what YOU have been exposed to in your playing/coaching experiences and the playing/coaching philosophy YOU have towards footy right now.

“Your real job as a coach is to create more leaders, not more followers”

There will be answers you have that I don’t have and vice-versa, and that’s what a growth mindset is all about – being open to new knowledge that might go against what you currently believe, but being open to differing opinions and beliefs.

As a way to scaffold the content, a proven way to effectively deliver learning material, the challenge will be delivered 1 level at a time.

There is no “marking” of anything, making this a safe zone for thoughts and exploration, especially if some of this is new to you. You’ll give me your answer and then I’ll provide feedback based on that, with the aim to guide you towards a potentially more effective solution if I have one!

Above all this is aimed at being a challenging, but fun, activity which is where we can enter a flow state, which is the optimal state for higher level learning.

 

LEVEL 1 – BACK LINE 

L1-1: As a defender, how can you position yourself against your opposition forward and why?

L1-2: You're working the ball out of defence in open play, what's your #1 goal?

 

LEVEL 1 – WING

L1-3: Explain what the skinny wing is and what are their roles?

L1-4: Explain what the fat wing is and what are their roles?

 

LEVEL 1 – RUCK

L1-5: What is the most important role of the ruck player?

L1-6: What could the ruck player be doing when not in the immediate play?

 

LEVEL 1 – MIDFIELD

L1-7: What are some team-based offensive tactics you can use at a stoppage?

L1-8: What are some team-based defensive tactics you can use at a stoppage?

L1-9: How can you individually create an advantage at stoppage?

L1-10: How can your team collectively create an advantage at stoppage?

L1-11: What are the sweeper’s biggest roles/responsibilities? 

 

LEVEL 1 – FORWARD LINE

L1-12: What can forwards do individually when not in the immediate play?

L1-13: What can forwards do collectively when not in the immediate play?

L1-14: How could connection have been better between the Collingwood ball carrier and the players ahead of them here?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_54aQfoq80&feature=youtu.be

 

Send your answers to aussierulestraining@gmail.com or DM if you're on X or Facebook.