Going to ground

[Dry Rot]

How come our players lose their footing so often contesting the ball?

[southerncross]

It's a fundamental flaw. You are taught at a very young age to stay in the contest rather than over committing and going to the ground. Not sure if it was more noticeable today than other days but typically I notice it's more the athlete than the pure footballer that goes to the ground more frequently.

[dog town]

Only 3 times you should go to ground.

1- To stop the opposition running away with the ball. Cross and West do this well and often get in first and get a free for it.

2- If your at full forward and diving for a mark. Should never dive for a mark around the ground.

3- To stop a ball going through for a goal.

I do agree Rot that our players do go to ground a little to often. Easy thing to do when you feel under pressure. We probably need to protect the area around the ball a little better to give our guys more time.

[Dry Rot]

A related point perhaps re tough bodies: despite the stats and the efforts of Cooney and Cross, I'm still not impresed with our tackling.

We seem to get to the ball carrier but all too often they burst out of our tackles or spin away - saw far too many ineffective tackles today IMO.

[Go_Dogs]

I thought our tackling today wasn't too bad. We kept reasonable pressure up the majority of the day, which was good by our previous standards this year.

It's a hard one, if you keep your feet you risk someone else diving on the ball and recieving a free for having their head over the ball, but if you dive in, you have to quickly knock it out, also if someone does dive in to the ball, they are more likely to get a free for in the back.

A lot of points going both ways, but you have to choose your time. Keep your feet when you have to, mainly when your the only player from our team in the contest area. When we have a few numbers around the ball, I don't mind a player diving in and feeding it out.

Basically, it comes back to decision making. Today our guys got it wrong a few times, but it wasn't as bad as I've seen it at times during the year.

[bornadog]

A related point perhaps re tough bodies: despite the stats and the efforts of Cooney and Cross, I'm still not impresed with our tackling.

We seem to get to the ball carrier but all too often they burst out of our tackles or spin away - saw far too many ineffective tackles today IMO.

DT, I agree that Cooney needs to hold on to tackles. He gets to the man but they seem to shrugg him off too easily. I think its the way he grabs his man, if you look at Wests tackles, he really puts a grip on the player, but too often Cooney's tackles are ineffective.

It was great to see Hahn back, he knows how to lay a tackle.

[Mantis]

How come our players lose their footing so often contesting the ball?

Cross goes to ground alot in the contest, I think this has alot to do with his lack of pace which he tries to hide especially when he is chasing a loose ball. He tries to gather possession on the ground and then feed out a handball as I think he believes if he keeps his feet and gathers the ball he doesn't have the acceleration to break away.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I only saw the second half but thought it was one of our best tackling and head over the ball games for the year

We tackled well in patches against Geelong, but I thought it was an encouraging performance yesterday

[Dry Rot]

Disagree re tackling - too many tackles were broken.

[LostDoggy]

Sometimes when you don't want the ball, its easy to go to ground and use it as an excuse. Not saying this was the main problem yesterday but I'm sure a few of ours and others clubs players do this.

[GVGjr]

I only saw the second half but thought it was one of our best tackling and head over the ball games for the year

We tackled well in patches against Geelong, but I thought it was an encouraging performance yesterday

I tend to agree that it was a good effort in that regard. Tackles wilkl be broken and that is the nature of a fast moving game but the right ethic was there. We need a similar type effort each week though.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Sometimes when you don't want the ball, its easy to go to ground and use it as an excuse. Not saying this was the main problem yesterday but I'm sure a few of ours and others clubs players do this.

I don't think you can acuse Cross of not wanting the ball.

[LostDoggy]

I don't think you can acuse Cross of not wanting the ball.
:)
Why do you think I was refering it to Cross?
I'm talking about 50/50 contests, not your Crossy dive over the ball contest.