AFL CRAFT TIPS

 

I post a couple of these a year that compile whole watching and reading AFL content on TV/socials which have been referenced and the others are mostly me jotting stuff down in my phone.

Hopefully you can use at least 1 of these 13 AFL craft tips this coming weekend. 

TALL FORWARDS - JOHN LONGMIRE

• Competing/getting the ball to ground is most important thing...it’s not about how many contested marks you take but how many times the opposition take them on you where you don’t even get the opportunity to get inside and score from an inside forward 50 entry

STOPPAGE - PATRICK CRIPPS

• Create space between you and the drop zone...hold the opposition out, allow the tap to happen and then push off late towards the ball...you can also hold/wait for the ball to bounce/push and then go to the ball

SWITCH PLAY - FIRST CRACK

• Try to catch a lazy midfielder not pushing across hard enough then go in board to the space/player they haven’t filled

GEELONG WING - FIRST CRACK

• Ollie Dempsey starts on the wing but then at a mid 50 stoppage a half forward comes up (Shaun Mannagh) to take his man...even if Geelong lose the clearance they are covered with their defensive spare + the half forward covering the opposition wing...if Geelong can win the ball back quickly then Dempsey leaks out towards goal on his own

SPARE DEFENDER - FIRST CRACK

• Having one means someone from the stoppage can leak out goal side even if the opposition win the clearance as there’s still defensive cover

CYCLE DEFENSE - ADAM SIMPSON

• Skinny side defenders press up to the ball instead of hanging back on defense...fat side defenders then slide in behind from the fat side to cover in behind/goals side

COLINGWOOD - FIRST CRACK

• Opt for slow/wide on offense so they can organise defensively behind the ball and play a forward half game and/or free up Darcy Moore as the spare...are the best at holding shape around the ball and refuse to compromise even if they concede contested possession inside so they can apply frantic pressure when they do lose the contest and counter punch on live turnover’s and then once they win territory they don’t give it back...they kick down the line more than anyone but they also score next after a kick the line more than anyone

DEFENSE

• Defend with a corridor-bias with only anchors moving out to contest so the opposition have to go around you and then when you regain possession you can go directly through corridor as your floaters are already/always there

TEAM DEFENSE 

• With not many left footers in our competition, can we set up defensively to force them left by not overcommitting and letting them slip back inside by coraling them to the boundary so they can only kick straight down the boundary at best on their opposite foot/banana kick and we can set up defensively in front of them and intercept  

OPPOSITION DOMINANT MIDFIEDER

• At stoppage set up 2 of our mids in a row but they are still playing 1v1 with their direct opponent...the player sequence will be us, oppo dominant mid/us to create a potential 2v1 advantage where the ball is going to go and force another of their mids to beat us

LAST TOUCHED/OUT ON THE FULL 

• you need someone on the 45 and then a half back/mid coming through as a lateral kick but on the move so we can go immediately inboard...we can kick to the 45 and then get a handball off to the lateral option, or just go directly to the lateral option to run and carry but that 45 option can trail back to goals as well and be used as a forward handball option 

CORRIDOR 

• When we go corridor aggressively to a wing/half forward then have the half backs come up to surround the contest of it hits the deck 

BREAKING TACKLES

• If you gather and someone is trying to tackle you face on then tuck ball into your armpit, turn and push off with 1 arm and they’ll have nothing left to grab