Long Read: 4 minutes on attacking structures
There has been a bit of chat about how flat our attack is. While I agree that it doesn’t look pretty, I expect it is the foundation of what Benji is trying to build. While we aren’t there yet, I think I can see where he is headed with it
Playing a “Flat 4” is all about short passing options, quick ball movement, direct running and engaging defenders in tight spaces. It is about everyone pushing up to create and exploit opportunities. It works well against a compressed defence, so a quick PTB is a key enabler. You can expect to see teams really try to slow down our PTB speed as we develop this style of attack.
The biggest weakness of this type of attack is that it can be shut down by a rushing defence. While this is a weakness, it also provides attacking opportunities for guys like Luai and Galvin who tend to play what they see. If opportunities present, they can potentially pick the rushing defence apart.
Yesterday we saw, in the last ten minutes of the first half and for a lot of the second, what unstructured attacking players can achieve when working within a framework. Players always pushing up, running holes and trying to make an opportunity from nothing.
I know Sam F and the Baby Giraffe are looking lazy in attack– but I don’t think they are. It is hard to see on the TV, but I am pretty sure that they are running the lines that allow our unstructured players to compete. What I mean is they, and others, are providing the structure that allows a “Flat 4” attack to work.
They may only be getting the ball once or twice but that is based on the selection made by their halves partner. Their job is to run lines at spaces, and always be pushing up on the play. If the space that they are running at is filled because it draws someone across, they have created an opportunity for exploitation elsewhere. If the defence then starts to lay off them, they have also created an opportunity. They will get more ball as they, and the system, mature together.
This type of attack takes time to bed in and even more time to perfect, but can look like poetry in motion when it all comes together and everyone is pushing up. Skelton’s try off the kick is an example of it; not a great one but we are developing. AD’s kick for the Galvin try, while coming from broken play, is an example of what can happen with structure; ie everyone is pushing up on the inside even though they were in no position to support directly.
This is the type of play we see from several teams in the red zone. However, for the most part, in the middle third of the field we are used to seeing players standing deep behind the ball, players in motion, and lots of block plays to try and create opportunity. When executed well it is very effective, but it gives the defence time to slide off and nullify the attack. Most defensive structures are designed around handling this type of attack.
Our attack appears to be what Benji wants to develop as our key point of difference. Anyone else hear “Tigers DNA”?
It is early days, and it looks clunky, as players are adapting to it – plenty of players in the right place but at the wrong time and guys, like Sam F, not getting into the game in attack. Frustrating to watch; but I for one am very keen to see where this goes in a few weeks. This is a much more complex attacking structure to get right and will take time to develop properly. I expect we will see someone youthful overplay his hand again as we develop, but that in itself won’t be a bad thing – we appear to be a learning side.
If we get it right we will trouble plenty of teams. If we don’t, it is going to look like we have no idea what we are doing and we will look impotent in attack. We tried to play this style of footy with Brooks as a half – remember the hospital and no look passes with poor kick choices and sets that just fizzled out? Round peg/square hole.
I think Romey and Galvin are square pegs – this could become exciting!
