Basic game management can start this early too. How important fatigue in the opposition is, the long kicking game and how to minimise pressure on your team is all teachable at this point. When to get the ball and how you want your shapes outside you should be taught, replicating what happens in that second drill. Gettng to the defender who represents the closest one in the second drill may take some learning.
The Halfback Conundrum
- Thread starter HarVeeGee13
- Start date
As the player gets older, stronger and used to the drill of two v three, the drill can evolve in to a third defender and a "centre" to support the ball player. The playmaker can learn how to handle their sweep player being jammed from the outside.
From a game management point of view getting them to realise that the defender coming from the inside is the important one from the point of view of the playmaker getting to their point on the ground or not. When not looking to ball play, working this player over is so important to them. Fatigue them by making them tackle. Keep forwards taking hit ups at them, turn your edge back at them or take a run at them yourself. It doesn't have to be successful right now, but it will be so important for later.
Start looking at attacking kicks and options for where you are on the field also.
From a game management point of view getting them to realise that the defender coming from the inside is the important one from the point of view of the playmaker getting to their point on the ground or not. When not looking to ball play, working this player over is so important to them. Fatigue them by making them tackle. Keep forwards taking hit ups at them, turn your edge back at them or take a run at them yourself. It doesn't have to be successful right now, but it will be so important for later.
Start looking at attacking kicks and options for where you are on the field also.
The last part is learning the the little touches from a quality players maker that can manipulate a defence. Then getting the player to talk through game plans, talk through scenarios and how they are going to communicate the players around them about what they need in different circumstances. Their academy coach should be at all games and video of them specifically should be made. Show them what happens when they start moving laterally and how it takes space off their players. Show them how a fresh defender on their inside takes time off them to make a decision.
Then it is coaches trusting this long process and giving a young player the time to own a team. I think that last part is missing big time at the moment too. Thanks for hearing me out. Anything else an academy player needs to look at?
Then it is coaches trusting this long process and giving a young player the time to own a team. I think that last part is missing big time at the moment too. Thanks for hearing me out. Anything else an academy player needs to look at?
Ummm...no
Lefty
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
That is surprising, you have an in depth knowledge of the game.
I'm a massive sports nut, I love looking at how champion sides are put together under different league set ups around the world (transfer fees, drafts, salary caps etc). I've long looked at why playmakers don't come through in league so much anymore. But, just a fan.
KPGreatness
Todd Bates
If nothing has changed I believe the Cows don’t actually have a say in it at all, he is in the final year of his deal and that means we can go to him right now, and it doesn’t mean squat what the Cows want.
I don't think League does a good job of developing playmakers overall. They are supposed to develop at the same rate as forwards or outside backs, yet have much more complex roles. Coaches are pretty gun shy about young halves. They try to strip back their responsibility rather then trusting them and living with some mistakes. Then they come to an early conclusion that they aren't good enough. Someone mentioned Terry Jenner before, he is quoted as saying under age captains don't allow leg spinners to develop because they can lack control and can get hit around a bit. Stick with them and they can be match winners. I see playmakers in League a bit the same.
If a player came out of an academy where the 3 or 4 defender drill is second nature and they have done a lot of work on game management rather than running the same skills drills the props and centres are, you could be a lot more confident in their abilities.
If a player came out of an academy where the 3 or 4 defender drill is second nature and they have done a lot of work on game management rather than running the same skills drills the props and centres are, you could be a lot more confident in their abilities.
Frank McWilliams
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Well done and said Owey, enjoyed the read, all sounded very professional
Defence wins games
Todd Bates
With Andrew and Matthew Johns as the mentors would be worth every cent invested.
Not needed dude, we don’t get personal on here.
Defence wins games
Todd Bates
BUT, they must be good defenders and that was an area where Joey was on his own.
They must be able to read the play a number of plays before it happens, another Joey hallmark.
They must be able to organise the players around them to be in positions where the defensive weaknesses have been identified. Joey’s bread and butter stuff.
Frank McWilliams
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Comparing any player with Joey, especially a half back, is totally unfair, we won’t get another like him and setting him as the standard will only continue our disappointment
KPGreatness
Todd Bates
Completely agree, comparing any one donning the 7 to Joey is a kill shot to anyone at the Knights, we will never get another Joey and it’s time we realistically moved away from that.
And when they don’t perform like a immortal they get hounded and lose confidence im so sick of comparisons to legends to be honest it just makes the need to perform so much higher and the risk that much greater that a debutant doesn’t need and makes them instantly go in their shell. There’s having an elite mentality and knowing your limit.
I actually don’t think Joey is a good halves coach at all because he had completely natural vision that’s extremely rare and you can’t really coach. Same reason KP would make a terrible fullback coach, you can’t coach natural agility.
Someone like Cooper Cronk is a great halves coach. Excellent game manager who developed his skills without natural vision or physical abilities. As a more realistic option the suggestion of Mullo is a good one. He’s just signed to play and coach with Macquarie I think.
KPGreatness
Todd Bates
I get where you are coming from and I agree about Joey but Armstrong and Sharpe have openly talked about how KP has been helping them behind the scene, you’re correct you can’t coach natural ability but everything else is coachable and sounds like KP does help when he can with Sharpe now
frankLauda
Matthew Gidley
I also think Kirk Gidley would be great in the role. Him and Mullo.
For sure, those things are important. Defence to me is outside the realm of the academy, something to work on with the rest of the team.
Reading the play is one thing. Thurston, Cronk talk about setting things up so it looks like you expect too. And surely one thing a young player can learn is to identify mismatches and keep going back there regularly. I've seen our players burn their opposite for pace or overcome them with strength early in a game, then never getting another chance.