Are the footballs different this season?

[Izzy Forreal]

The number of penalties that have been awarded from "out on the full" kick offs is far higher than previous seasons. Has the compound used to make Steeden footballs been changed?

With so many kick offs out on the full it may be worthwhile for our guys to practice a kick chase on kick offs that are a bit shorter and a bit higher and have a contest of posession. It would be a lot better than going for distance and copping a penalty.

 

[UmoGus]

People are getting stronger

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

Too many peptides in the off-season...

 

[Klem Bupa-Berg]

Steeden will argue they are the same. Just like the Pink Steeden footballs.

 

[Chris Harding]

Atmospheric conditions. The ball travels further in warm air.

 

[Nano]

Could be that the balls are different, the weather (wind or pressure changes) or just players getting back into footy full time since coming back from the off season.

 

['G']

Global warming

 

[Dognacious]

I blame Julia Gillard.

 

[Stanna man]

No balls are the same except for the ones that KK uses,
apparently if he finds touch more than 10 meters it deflates,,

and if he finds open field then it explodes hence he has to find fullbacks on their chest!!!!

 

[Bob dog]

Why don't they try short kick offs at the start of a game instead of the end of game? No one would expect it.

 

[rainman]

The dry weather has shrunk the grounds, just like the foundations on my house

 

[OTTO]

Ive been putting it down to players having the shits after conceeding a try, then ripping into the ball.

 

[Izzy Forreal]

I blame Julia Gillard.

Oh... I didn't think she had balls... or did anything with them. :yo:

 

[bulldogs_fan_69]

Why don't they try short kick offs at the start of a game instead of the end of game? No one would expect it.

yeah like when we tried it last season against melbourne in mackay.. that worked really well

 

[Dognacious]

Oh... I didn't think she had balls... or did anything with them. :yo:

nah but the hot air she spews all the time make the balls go further. She is also responsible for global warming.

 

[Lov_Dog]

Why don't they try short kick offs at the start of a game instead of the end of game? No one would expect it.

Wondering the same thing...start of game !!

 

[Dex]

I've often wondered why not do a chip and chase on the first play from kick off

 

[Stanna man]

I've often wondered why not do a chip and chase on the first play from kick off

Brcause des would hook you off before you even got a chance to say sorry on the field .

 

[Allan]

Wondering the same thing...start of game !!

Professional football, like any professional sport is about percentage plays. A long kick downfield at the start of play is a good percentage play. Worst case the other side will advance 60-70 metres but with the 6 tackle rule will have to roll the dice themselves at the end of 5 tackles. Best case they do something dumb and give away a penalty in their own half.

Percentage plays are what the Storm do so well and what makes them so boring and infuriating. A chip and chase is also not a percentage play unless you have a genius at it like Steve Mortimer (that's how long ago someone could be relied on to use this tactic). With an oval ball you never really know where it will bounce with a looping short kick. With a grubber kick it is still chancy but you have some momentum behind it to steer it.

If you watch the Storm every play, and I mean every play, they take a step forward when they rise to play the ball. Every play after a tackle they stand in front of the tackled player on the spot. Not only does it gain them metres it also impacts the defence.

What has happened with the long kicks out on the full on kick off is that players are taught better kicking technique and sometimes they don't realise their own power.

 

[Klem Bupa-Berg]

Agree, we need to increase our percentage play more but not losing our style.