Attacking Roosters Red Zone

[Technical Coach]

There are openings up the middle of the Roosters defence for flat straight runners after wide spreads on either side. I would spread the ball with our standard pet plays but make sure the ball DOES NOT reach the wingers as this will create a slow play the ball and usually a settle to get back in field.

Spread the ball to the opposite side once again not reaching the winger around 8m infield then set up a flood of flat options through the middle on the next play.

What the Roosters do real well is flood the ball playing areas with good defensive numbers and it is hard to straighten through or get around on the edges. They tend to overslide in ample numbers when stretched leaving openings up the middle where most teams don't naturally direct plays anyway.(working the percentages of where most teams attack)

SBW defends a little too wide on the opposite side of a spread and there are gaps on his inside shoulder, but i must stress we need to flood the area with more than just one hard straight running option. (26:33 in first Semi) I would hide an extra runner coming from the short side to hit the inside shoulder gap, keep an outside option to hold SBW wide and have a flat running forward targeting around the posts to hold the slide coming back over again.

We attacked Jennings but Lyon was running a sliding out run too often or hanging back too deep not sure what line to run or when, we need Symonds to hole hit in this area to straighten up our outside runners off the back of quick play the balls.

Could not get a good view watching on TV but it "appeared" Mini defends real shallow at times and an early kick is possible but it was hard to tell need an aerial view. I would even direct some shallow kicks just before the tryline in more central areas for Stewart after spreads.

 

[ManlyArmy]

We MUST score first, no doubt about it! A couple of times this year, the Roosters have been behind and lost because they have gotten frustated.

 

[manlyfan76]

I'd like to see Gift drift into the middle or even left side once or twice to confuse the roosters right edge, maybe a hip ball back on the inside to choc or horro or a kick through the line for Foz/Skivvy.

 

[The Wheel]

It was interesting watching them yesterday at Brookie running their plays, I think TC is the money.

 

[The Who]

I hope Tooves has read this.

 

[Technical Coach]

I would prefer the Roosters to read it adjust their defence accordingly allowing Manly to play their natural attacking game on each side, we don't really attack well up the middle with few variations and when we do it is not set up well looks forced, rushed and more a last resort option.

G.Rose can be used flat off Ballin also like the game at the SFS but once again it needs to be set up so he gets between defenders or isolates a smaller defender and cutting back into the defensive grain. Too often we force this type of play into a compact defensive line with no chance of barging over and zero thought behind the play.

 

[manlyfan76]

I would prefer the Roosters to read it adjust their defence accordingly allowing Manly to play their natural attacking game on each side, we don't really attack well up the middle with few variations and when we do it is not set up well looks forced, rushed and more a last resort option.

G.Rose can be used flat off Ballin also like the game at the SFS but once again it needs to be set up so he gets between defenders or isolates a smaller defender and cutting back into the defensive grain. Too often we force this type of play into a compact defensive line with no chance of barging over and zero thought behind the play.

If Gower plays I hope he doesn't over play his hand, his off loads are great but the last thing we need is a run away try to the Roosters.
Big George has bombed a few tries this year off short balls. I hope he can grasp his opportunities today when they present themselves in the middle third.

 

[Eagles2nv]

Im hoping with snake back there will be a few more options on the right hand side.

Hiku was good to us, but unfortunately didnt create the overlaps that snake does. I think we should play to the inexperience of the roosters wingers.

 

[jbb/james]

There are openings up the middle of the Roosters defence for flat straight runners after wide spreads on either side. I would spread the ball with our standard pet plays but make sure the ball DOES NOT reach the wingers as this will create a slow play the ball and usually a settle to get back in field.

Spread the ball to the opposite side once again not reaching the winger around 8m infield then set up a flood of flat options through the middle on the next play.

What the Roosters do real well is flood the ball playing areas with good defensive numbers and it is hard to straighten through or get around on the edges. They tend to overslide in ample numbers when stretched leaving openings up the middle where most teams don't naturally direct plays anyway.(working the percentages of where most teams attack)

SBW defends a little too wide on the opposite side of a spread and there are gaps on his inside shoulder, but i must stress we need to flood the area with more than just one hard straight running option. (26:33 in first Semi) I would hide an extra runner coming from the short side to hit the inside shoulder gap, keep an outside option to hold SBW wide and have a flat running forward targeting around the posts to hold the slide coming back over again.

We attacked Jennings but Lyon was running a sliding out run too often or hanging back too deep not sure what line to run or when, we need Symonds to hole hit in this area to straighten up our outside runners off the back of quick play the balls.

Could not get a good view watching on TV but it "appeared" Mini defends real shallow at times and an early kick is possible but it was hard to tell need an aerial view. I would even direct some shallow kicks just before the tryline in more central areas for Stewart after spreads.

I like reading the observation regarding the set up of the play rather than the play itself. When you state the example is that your only data sample to establish a pattern by. I am not saying you are wrong but there are way to many variables to confirm the data as reliable. The problem with taking micro sections from a game , rather that a feel of the game can distort reality and can at times place focus on the end result rather than the real undoing of a defence . Good footballers will find a way when the team is on the ropes. Game plans devised on individual moments or even a few pose more issues than answers

Who was defending inside williams at the time
How many games had they played together side by side at the time
Had either player played 69 minutes or just come back on as a replacement
Was either player injured on the night
Did either have an illness through the week
Had either player had many more efforts on the night

Im not saying it wont work, especially if its against all teams over a number of years, but devising a game plan for the big show based on some random moments is not for me

Im not saying you havnt spotted something, but it takes more than a few freeze frames to convince me its the way to unlock the roosters, and that manly should shy away from what they have been training for all year

But if it works ill pay it

 

[manlyfan76]

On review I'll settle for all long range try's as long as we win.

 

[Technical Coach]

I have not followed every game of the Roosters but have noticed going back a month or so they are more stretched through the middle at certain times and it can be taken advantage of in several ways.

To be honest we don't have the straight hard running power forwards through the middle to take advantage of such situations but we have to develop more variation through the middle to hold in more defensive numbers. By keeping the inside defenders honest it may offer more opportunities out wide as a side effect.

You say good footballers will find a way well in three games this season our "Good Footballers" have not found many try scoring opportunities. Yes Brett's presence will help but he has to do more than just chime into the backline off our structured plays, it will be the unstructured like the try against Souths where i see Brett being a danger.

In our last game against the Roosters Manly dominated field position in part due to Hiku's strong kick returns getting us on the front foot Hiku was attacking the ball and eating up the metres ,winning the tackle at times not being turned over as much and setting up a quicker than usual play the ball.

It's not about shying away from what Manly have been training for over the last year/years it is just adding variety or another option.

Yes your comments in relation to minutes played, injury, illness, efforts made and who was defending on his inside are all contributing factors in relation to defensive errors and positioning but some of those are out of your control.

We need to create a conducive attacking environment that is less flooded with defenders by moving defenders around be it going wide then coming through the middle, going through the middle then hitting out wide not just play in auto backline mode hoping our structures will create openings without any lead up work several plays before.

I'm not even suggesting SBW positioning is a weakness in relation to him(he is mobile and sharp and can back his abilities to close up the gap but wherever there is an opening and you flood runners in that area other defenders get sucked in.

This is not a game plan or shying away from what Manly have trained for over the last year/years in attack just adding another option idea to focus on if all else fails.

 

[manlyfan76]

Good point about "when all else fails" too many times this year we have not had plans b through d. Imagine if we still had Joe Richie and King in the rotation to punch forward. I can't wait to see how the guys attack the rorters defensive and what the brains trust have come up with.

 

[Technical Coach]

Look easily fixed play me at half i will step back against the defensive grain straighten up attacking Jake Friend double pump on my outside shoulder to hold SBW wide and have a trailing Snake run from my inside hip to my outside hip with a beautifully timed held up short ball.