Another Hall Mark Moment

[The Boot]

As a rank amateur, I have got to say this.

I've been casting my mind back to the days of Plugger at FF ... and ... well he used to burst out on the lead, see. With some FB a cigarette paper distance behind him.

Then as he approached the incoming sherrn, he'd slow the pace a touch .. almost propping a tad. The closely tagging opponent would virtually run into the back of him, as Pluggsy would put the foot back on the accelerator - to be gifted the chest mark. Time and again.

Now ... can someone please tell me how Mal Michael was able to fist the ball clear so many times?

Why is Baz not employing some mechanism/strategy, to conteract Michael's well rehearsed technique (a cunning fullback - NOTE the repeat last night on Baz of his Richo episode last week, by backing into the forward whose eyes are on the ball).

[ugg]

Perhaps because he was playing in front a lot of the time. Perhaps because he had help from 1 or 2 of his teammates blocking Hall's space.

[BBBBH]

mal micheal is a gun FB. hall just got beaten by a better opponent on the day, it happens.

[liz]

Plugger was quicker over the first few metres, though Hall could probably beat him over 20 or so metres.

Plugger was also a much better mark than Hall.

Hall has attributes that Plugger didn't have but its unfair to judge him against one of the best lead and markers of recent history.

[NMWBloods]

Barry Hall marks like a seal. Always has done, always will do. Just about the worst marking technique I have ever seen of a key forward. Because he can't mark effectively in front of his face, and really can't mark overhead virtually at all, a decent defender can come over the top. That is Michael's strength.

Hall can take some overhead marks, but relies on brute strength to grab the ball like a vice. Most of his marks are chest marks, often leading. In the past he also took a lot of marks pushing off, but he can't do that any longer.

[hammo]

You only had to watch the Dogs-Blues game today to see how the interpretation of the new rule is different from game to game. In one Blues goal, Fev sheparded a ball through with a big shove to a Dogs player identical to Hall's in the 3rd quarter yesterday.

[ScottH]

I was thiniking that yesterday. Stack on another 10Kilos and bulldoze his way around the F50.

I think the other big issue for Baz is the delivery. A lot of the ball coming in made it too easy for Michael to get a fist in. When the ball comes in low and flat into space where he can run directly onto it and mark it on his chest, no FB can stop those.

[liz]

I was thiniking that yesterday. Stack on another 10Kilos and bulldoze his way around the F50.

I think the other big issue for Baz is the delivery. A lot of the ball coming in made it too easy for Michael to get a fist in. When the ball comes in low and flat into space where he can run directly onto it and mark it on his chest, no FB can stop those.

There has to be space for him to run onto it for that to happen. The midfield can't deliver low and flat when there are 10 Bombers (or Eagles, Saints, Roos or Crows) standing between them and Hall.

And you can't blame him for not bothering crashing packs because invariably a player will go down and the umpires will assume it was Hall's fault. He got a free against him in the Port game when he took a mark in a pack of 4 players because Wakelin fell to ground. The TV clearly showed that the second Port player had collided with Wakelin and taken him out. The umpire could not have seen Hall touch Wakelin in the back. Because he didn't. He must have just assumed it.

I know Hall has never been the best mark going around but he's never struggled as much as he has this year and I can't help but think that the inconsistent treatment he's getting must have him second guessing everything.

[Vivien]

You only had to watch the Dogs-Blues game today to see how the interpretation of the new rule is different from game to game. In one Blues goal, Fev sheparded a ball through with a big shove to a Dogs player identical to Hall's in the 3rd quarter yesterday.

Yeah, I saw the incident and was thinking the exact same thing. Only difference was the defender didn't fall over like Mal did.