bornadog
01-04-2014, 09:01 AM
http://images.theage.com.au/2014/03/31/5309531/1396226509020.jpg-620x349.jpg
The Swans won the 2005 premiership despite being criticised early in the year by AFL chief Andrew Demetriou for playing "ugly" football Photo: Joe Armao
North Melbourne coach Brad Scott last night defended the style of play used by his Kangaroos side in yesterday's victory against the Western Bulldogs, and in doing so precipitated an intriguing debate about whether coaches have a responsibility to ensure that football is attractive to watch.
North kicked away late to overcome the Bulldogs by 29 points at Etihad Stadium, but it was a tedious first half which saw both sides muster only two goals that led to Scott being questioned about the means used to grab the four premiership points.
"I don't think the first half is going to make any highlight reels, but we've played games in the last few years where we've kicked over 120 points and looked fantastic, and lost. This feeling feels a lot better, I can guarantee you," Scott said.
http://images.theage.com.au/2014/03/31/5309570/1396226509295.jpg-620x349.jpg
Winning feeling: Kangaroos coach Brad Scott. Photo: Sebastian Costanzo
"Unlike some commentators I actually do care what the game looks like in the longer term, but as a a side, we needed to grind it out."
Scott did not believe the football played thus far in 2014 should be a cause for concern, despite only two teams posting triple-figure tallies across the weekend.
"I think that was an anomaly the first half, I think the footy I've watched so far in the first two rounds has been really entertaining, I think that footy's evolving, it's changing, sides are trying to retain possession but very quickly other teams will adjust and work out ways to prevent that, so the game's in really good hands," Scott said.
Scott's comments were particularly pertinent in light of the widespread media analysis of disappointing crowd numbers during 2014's first two rounds.
The AFL put out a press release late last night in which the league stated that it was "pleased" with the early-season crowds, but admitted that it had forecast 12,000 more fans overall across round two. The shortfall was attributed to underwhelming attendances at both the Richmond vs Carlton and Sydney vs Collingwood matches, although the crowd of only 44,163 at Etihad Stadium for the Essendon vs Hawthorn game also raised eyebrows.
Speaking this morning on SEN, former Western Bulldogs and Richmond coach Terry Wallace argued that a coach's role was primarily to win, and that they could not be held responsible if the football played was not enticing to fans.
"[Coaches] are there to put bread on the table, this is their job and I don't think you can expect a situation where they have to control the game as well," Wallace said.
"I think it's the board and the management of football clubs that should be directing the coach if they're not comfortable with the style of play that a team's playing."
Wallace cited an example from his own time at the Tigers when his side infamously overcame top-of-the-ladder Adelaide utilising a high possession chipping style of play.
"We lost a game by 117 points to Sydney at Etihad Stadium, the week later we played Adelaide who were top. We turned it around and we basically played keepings-off for the game and beat Adelaide," he said.
"Kevin Sheedy called it 'basketball crap' at the time, I walked away from the game just being comfortable with the fact that we got a victory against the odds, not worrying about the aesthetics."
Read more:h (http://http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/do-afl-coaches-have-a-responsibility-to-ensure-the-game-is-attractive-to-watch-20140331-zqowc.html#ixzz2xa2OqYdY)ere
The Swans won the 2005 premiership despite being criticised early in the year by AFL chief Andrew Demetriou for playing "ugly" football Photo: Joe Armao
North Melbourne coach Brad Scott last night defended the style of play used by his Kangaroos side in yesterday's victory against the Western Bulldogs, and in doing so precipitated an intriguing debate about whether coaches have a responsibility to ensure that football is attractive to watch.
North kicked away late to overcome the Bulldogs by 29 points at Etihad Stadium, but it was a tedious first half which saw both sides muster only two goals that led to Scott being questioned about the means used to grab the four premiership points.
"I don't think the first half is going to make any highlight reels, but we've played games in the last few years where we've kicked over 120 points and looked fantastic, and lost. This feeling feels a lot better, I can guarantee you," Scott said.
http://images.theage.com.au/2014/03/31/5309570/1396226509295.jpg-620x349.jpg
Winning feeling: Kangaroos coach Brad Scott. Photo: Sebastian Costanzo
"Unlike some commentators I actually do care what the game looks like in the longer term, but as a a side, we needed to grind it out."
Scott did not believe the football played thus far in 2014 should be a cause for concern, despite only two teams posting triple-figure tallies across the weekend.
"I think that was an anomaly the first half, I think the footy I've watched so far in the first two rounds has been really entertaining, I think that footy's evolving, it's changing, sides are trying to retain possession but very quickly other teams will adjust and work out ways to prevent that, so the game's in really good hands," Scott said.
Scott's comments were particularly pertinent in light of the widespread media analysis of disappointing crowd numbers during 2014's first two rounds.
The AFL put out a press release late last night in which the league stated that it was "pleased" with the early-season crowds, but admitted that it had forecast 12,000 more fans overall across round two. The shortfall was attributed to underwhelming attendances at both the Richmond vs Carlton and Sydney vs Collingwood matches, although the crowd of only 44,163 at Etihad Stadium for the Essendon vs Hawthorn game also raised eyebrows.
Speaking this morning on SEN, former Western Bulldogs and Richmond coach Terry Wallace argued that a coach's role was primarily to win, and that they could not be held responsible if the football played was not enticing to fans.
"[Coaches] are there to put bread on the table, this is their job and I don't think you can expect a situation where they have to control the game as well," Wallace said.
"I think it's the board and the management of football clubs that should be directing the coach if they're not comfortable with the style of play that a team's playing."
Wallace cited an example from his own time at the Tigers when his side infamously overcame top-of-the-ladder Adelaide utilising a high possession chipping style of play.
"We lost a game by 117 points to Sydney at Etihad Stadium, the week later we played Adelaide who were top. We turned it around and we basically played keepings-off for the game and beat Adelaide," he said.
"Kevin Sheedy called it 'basketball crap' at the time, I walked away from the game just being comfortable with the fact that we got a victory against the odds, not worrying about the aesthetics."
Read more:h (http://http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/do-afl-coaches-have-a-responsibility-to-ensure-the-game-is-attractive-to-watch-20140331-zqowc.html#ixzz2xa2OqYdY)ere