In today’s AFL there is every chance you’ve heard the above quote on numerous occasions watching the game from the stands.
However a succession of quick handballs is sometimes the only way to go, dragging an opposition defence out of its structure and creating overlap run.
This was evident early in the third quarter of North Melbourne’s win against Brisbane. A chain of handballs which started 10 metres out from the Lions’ goal almost resulted in a goal at the other end.
It begins with Nick Dal Santo. As he breaks away into space, he notices the Lions with the numbers just outside the 50. However only 10 metres away are three team-mates, all within handballing distance.
Dal Santo dishes to Sam Wright, and it’s here where the overlapping run starts to become evident.
After a brief Wright run towards the 50, Leigh Adams’ opponent is forced to leave his man and approach the ball-carrier. However, that leaves Adams free to receive the simple handball over the top.
After Adams receives the handball and completes the one-two with Wright, note how the space around the outside of the ground continues. All the while North is moving the ball quickly with hands, keeping its opponents moving.
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Levi Greenwood’s hard running is rewarded on the outer side, receiving a handball from Wright who has stayed involved in the play.
Once Greenwood gathers possession, the importance of a handball over a kick comes into play again. Brisbane has numbers inside the defensive 50, however surrounding Greenwood is a three-on-one advantage to North Melbourne.
Taking this into account, he quickly handballs backwards to Sam Gibson.
After Gibson’s subsequent handball to Wright, he is faced with the same dilemma Greenwood had just seconds earlier. But strong running from the number 24 makes the decision easy.
The superb work-rate from Greenwood provides Wright with a simple option, able to split the Brisbane defence with another handball and set up his team-mate for a shot.
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Unfortunately Greenwood ended up missing, perhaps having run out of petrol tickets after running 150 metres in the passage of play.
However in the space of eight handballs, North was able to transfer the ball from one side of the ground to the other. If it elected to kick long the likely result would have been a turnover.
