Squawk wrote:Will be interested to hear Red and Black's comments on this statement from Warren Partland in his match report on AdelaideNow:
"As the second quarter lengthened, ugly football became a constant with the Bloods pushing numbers back in defence."
There were a few times when West won the ball in their defensive side of the centre square, with not a single player in front of them! On another occasion, Norwood held the ball and kicked back and forth across the ground just outside their forward fifty for a number of minutes, as West had every player behind the ball!
The game started out very free flowing and attacking but it seemed like Collins decided to change game plan when the bloods fell 4 goals behind in the second quarter, as if he thought Norwood had momentum rather than rhythm. But on the whole, Westies really seemed to struggle to break the Norwood 'press' tonight. It was the first time this season that Norwood didn't look like they were playing "Round 1" footy for much of the game - even vs Sturt and North they had moments where they looked rusty.
There were plenty of high flies at the ball tonight and a couple of decent aerial grabs to boot. The umpiring was pretty poor with some mystifying decisions for and against both teams.
Decent crowd - anyone know the official figure? Looked like 3,500-4,000+
Fair question, squawk. Firstly, I totally agree that there were several times where West were totally behind the ball. Where we differ is that I believe this is an indication of how a team is playing, rather than an instruction from the coach to play that way. Last night West were terrible all night, Norwood were always well on top. West looked flat and always second to the ball and when that happens, sides tend to push back in defence under weight of possession.
CK is correct in what he says, but he’ll also agree that there have been recent West v Norwood games where Norwood have done exactly the same, even to the extent that I have pointed it out to him at the time. I have also pointed the same out to Big Phil at the recent West v Centrals game when Centrals were struggling. I’m sure he would confirm that.
IMO, Norwood’s game plan is to often start with 2 men behind the ball. That’s a defensive style if ever there was one, but they do it well and have the mid-field players to often turn it into effective attack. When it isn't, they don’t score much and look very defensive. I doubt that Nathan Bassett tells them to ‘go defensive’ if they’re being beaten, it’s just the way the game goes on the night.
Last night, in fact, I would say that Norwood played an extra man in defence and West had an extra man in attack at the centre bounces. That’s not defensive by West. Did any Norwood fan see that, because it happened. What also happened was that Norwood won the clearances, were first to the ball, dominated possession to the tune of 100 or so more than West, were better organized and I struggled to find any ‘best’ players for West. The game was played in Norwood’s half and the way modern football is played, that’s where all the players will be.
As for Warren Partland, I like his articles and he’s been covering football for a long time (cue Pseudo) and I agree with nearly all of what he’s written, except for the sudden ‘instruction’ to go defensive in the second quarter. I’m sure this didn’t happen and I felt that Norwood controlled the game almost from the first bounce and I agree with Warren that West struggled to break the Norwood ‘press’.
I think West felt the loss of their best defender and best forward and also never looked like winning against a well-drilled Norwood side who were miles better on the night against a West team who had their first really bad performance for the year.
Well played by Norwood, far too good on the night.
