One thing is assured; there is no one correct way to find the recipe for success in defeating an opposition.
History of Scouting
It is uncertain when opposition analysis began, but experienced football judges believe that it may have predated the depression of the 1930’s where VFL clubs who were in close proximity to each other around suburban Melbourne had a strong distaste for their neighbouring suburbs’ teams.
Reference was made to this distaste and spying in the Frank Hardy book “Power Without Glory”. This book mentions the VFL scene at the time and gleaning information on opposition teams for SP bookies. This information was often relayed to the club or clubs. In terms of specifics, it is hard to find information earlier than this period.
Stories around scouting
To take a lighter look at this, in my 12 years involved in AFL football I have witnessed many incidents and stories involving scouts, the lengths they will go to obtain information and, in some cases, the reaction of club coaches.
Story 1:
There was a closed session at a private school prior to a night grand final. The opposition team sent their scout to look at the closed session. He parked side-on to the ground. Three people from the club taking part in training decided they would park their cars to obscure and block his view. One car drove and parked behind him and the other two on either side. This blocked him in, obscured his view and at the same time left him outraged.
Story 2:
Prior to a final a club had a closed session at the MCG. The other club sent two of their development coaches. As it was closed, there was no public access to the ground so they paid their $8 and joined the guided tour of the MCG with video camera in hand. When the tour came to the MCC members’ area, they hid and videoed the session. Their team won the final by less than 2 goals
Story 3:
There was a closed session at an old suburban ground but the scout was unsure of the starting time. Having grown up in the area, he knew an indoor pool overlooked the ground. So he decided the longest swim in history would occur while he waited to see the opposition come out. After an hour in the pool the players came out. As he sat behind the fogged up glass watching the team, the drills and noting who was available, he was busted with a tap on the glass by an opposition coach who thought a scout may be behind the glass.
Story 4:
A scout flew to Perth to watch a closed session at 3.00pm, prior to the opposition flying to Melbourne. He arrived at 11.00am and proceeded to hide in a corporate box at the oval and wait. He laid down so one could see him. His club back in Melbourne are having their match committee that night at 8.00pm and need the information on the training session to select the team for game the next night. He watched the session while lying down and looking through a crack in the corporate box. He discovered that two players were not training. He did a good job to get this information. His flight was at 9.00pm so he waited for the 8.00pm match committee back home and he called the coach on his mobile. A disgruntled coach answered and after some expletives, the scout realised the coach had been in bed and his 8.00pm call to Melbourne from Perth was actually 11.00pm in Melbourne. He had done a great job but forgotten about the time difference between Melbourne and Perth.
I could go with stories, but it illustrates the territory and lengths we will all go to get an advantage.
Statistical Analysis
Some clubs or coaches may rely heavily on statistics of key indicators to determine their own success on a quarter, match and seasonal analysis.
This can be formulated in various ways depending on the game style and coaching style of the senior coach and his staff.
From an opposition viewpoint, a number of clubs may use a similar process to deduce the success and failure of their upcoming opposition in order to enhance these weaknesses or reduce their strengths.
The various statistical data gathered can be a very good guide to working towards a process of defeating an opponent.
For example, Champion data information points out that low average points per game and a healthy ladder percentage are more reliable indicators of premiership success than games won.
While this example may be simplistic, an opponent would look at the 2004 premier Port Adelaide and work on an attacking brand of play that would put its defence under pressure or try to isolate and spread their defence to ensure players were placed in unfamiliar situations.
In a similar way, in 2004 Port Adelaide and Brisbane, the two Grand Final teams, had the best percentage rate in scoring goals from stop plays. An opposition analysis may use this key indicator to ensure set ups, tags and your own attacks from these plays will minimise this effectiveness.
There are many more statistics that could be analysed and dissected to provide players with a discernable difference and method to combat their play.
However, while no one method is conclusive to combat an opponent, I would make one strong recommendation: Without reinforced game-style practice and drilling, outlining and relying on statistical advantages or deficiencies, raw data of an opposition team will not succeed in the longer run without the correct on field coaching and training practices.
Various methods
So the various methods all clubs use to obtain information vary in how they watch, scout and present to their match committee and players the information that they believe will assist them to win.
Some of the following points illustrate the methods clubs employ.
• 1 game out - some clubs really concentrate on the week before, as they believe coaches and teams are creatures of habit. Nowadays this method could only be used in conjunction with a number of other methods.
• 3-4 games out - a number of clubs would still follow this approach where they follow a club from three to four games out, through a network of scouts, and aim to find patterns in their play and style.
• Majority of games - some clubs may use this approach where they will have a vast network of scouts throughout Australia and aim to follow most games each week. The advantage of this is that teams may play at different venues, with different styles against different teams and this may not be apparent by watching three to four games in advance.
• Full time scouts - some clubs have full time employed scouts who will watch opposition training and matches as designated by the match committee.
• Documentation - this may be a strong emphasis of some clubs by providing lengthy summaries to the match committee and in some cases the playing group. One club who finished in the Top 8 last year provided a 41 page document to the players and coaching staff
• Tactical walk throughs and closed sessions - some clubs may use their knowledge of the opposition to do walk throughs about the style of the opposition and how to combat their play. This may be done in or outdoors in a simulated environment.
• Photos - some clubs use digitally enhanced photos of opposition set plays and set ups to illustrate and educate how a team will play.
• Training sessions, concentrating on a week of training of the opposition and what drills they perform as well as who is available - some clubs believe that training does not form a major part of opposition analysis.
There is no one correct way to successfully plan, coach against and scout an opposition. However one thing is clear, player buy in, practising of training drills and good football education play an important role in complementing any of the work performed by scouts.
This article was written by Matthew as part of the requirements for AFL Level 3 Coach Accreditation.
