Taken from a eels fan page off Facebook. Posted by Eric Grothe.
A response to a fan’s “Stay on your wing” criticism to Mika Sivo.
“Stay on your wing” truly is often and usually a non-educated supporter’s take on edge defence. Unfortunately so many footy fans go straight to that when they’re frustrated. Believe me. I know 😂
If there are even just one pair of hips turning in opposed to staying square (facing opposition tryline), even if those turn hips are 4 or 5 defenders inside of the winger, very quickly the rest of the line has to compensate/adjust, leaving the winger in a 2 on 1 situation or sometimes worse.
The reason a winger then chooses to “go in” is usually because if he “stayed on his wing” then the attacking ballplayer simply hits his centre who is also unmarked.
If a winger comes in it’s also often because it’s more of a challenge for the ballplayer to pass long rather than short, so wingers often come in and hope that their inside defenders and fullback peel around the back of them and cover the long pass. Obviously it depends on where you are on the field at the time.
Either way, if you really love footy and you’re someone who has to say something to or criticise a player after their game, just make
sure you never say “Stay on you wing” in front of too many people because without realising it, that player and those standing nearby who do know a bit more about the technical side of it all will immediately chuck you in the “punish” (dumb & loud) category and nothing you ever say about footy from that point onwards will ever hold any weight.
If it was as simple as “staying on your wing”, wingers would always stay on their wing. Derrrrr.
Not to say wingers don’t ever get it wrong 🙋🏻♂️, just saying they often get the blame and often wrongly for the tiny mistakes (like in-turned hips) made by inside defenders.
Another thing. Sitting in the crowd or at home watching on the tv and looking down upon the field gives a supporter a birds-eye view. Completely different to being on the field at eye level in regards to speed of the game and decision making. Our video sessions were only the birds-eye camera angle so we could see it like a game of chess and not at eye level where there is little time to think/react.
When watching from birds-eye view, it’s easy to see what a team should be doing 2-3 plays in advance because you can see the entire field from where you watch. You can see shapes, numbers and the momentum of an attack from an easier perspective. When on the field at eye level, things are so fast and split-second decisions are made on a whim and a prayer.
Basically I never made a mistake… it was everyone else’s fault 😂
Nah but seriously… “Stay on your wing” as a criticism loses all respect, certainly from players and staff, but also from the smarter supporters standing nearby.
Up the Eels 2024 🏆
Replies
Exactly
Is this cos his son was the worst offender ? And should have had it tattooed on his arm 🤔
Do we know which "Eric" it is???
If its senior then I am not arguing against one of the top 3 wingers of all time!...... in saying that of course, he wasn't the smartest, just the best! LOL
Junior
Why doesn't Sivo stay on his damn wing. Eric Grothe was extremely fast and Sivo is a lot slower. I'd even suggest Grothe was stronger and tougher. So Grothe was more likely to close the gap and defend the line much better than Sivo. The game is a lot different than the 80's
Because that's the Brad bush coach system to rush up . It's a flawed system especially close to our try line where there's no time for the cover defence to cover.
Fox stats showed that we were the worst goal line defensive team in the comp. Surely we should have sacked our defence coach Antonelli?? Surely
Cumberland Eel, I thought you were an old guy with some semblance of knowledge......so Grothe was "more likely to close the gap" ...... mate Eric Grothe Senior picked up Brett Kenny when Kenny intercepted 25 metres out from the line, gave Kenny 5 metres start and picked him up in 10..... Brett Kenny tells that story.....Eric Grothe would still be the best winger in the world if he was playing today......he played most of his career on one leg and was still the fastest guy in the game. There is a lot different in todays game than in the 80's, one thing you can be sure of, it would not have stopped the GURU
Agree 100%
Yer, except It's also basically every coaches from under 13'd up defensive system too. If you're outnumbered inside your 10 /15 you can sit back passively or slide. Like guru said you have to make the half throw a long ball and give your cover time to get there or put pressure on the out the back ball runner to rush their pass , get shut down or fumble. Online defence 101
*can't sit back passively
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