So, the first question that we actually going to answer,
there's two separate questions that came in and,
but they kind of relate to the same thing.
So, Caroline just just said,
fantastic tips on the ride-off.
For the placement in the field,
I find it frustrating sometimes to do that,
only to be advised by team members to get back behind
my team players,
to back them up.
So, the same,
similar question came in from Anthony,
who asked when playing number one position and when my team
is attacking,
what would be the create position to adopt,
if you don't get balls sent to you?
Would it be wise to still keep going forward for all
chukkas, if for the first three chukkas,
no balls have been sent your way,
while up ahead of the pack?
What does a wisdom play demand in such a situation?
Over to you Gav.
Yeah, I think,
you know,
the first question to be honest talks,
I would imagine.
And it's a supposition here from what's being said.
Is, you've been told to get behind to back up.
Okay. So,
are you playing at a really,
sort of,
in a really low level game.
Where nobody is hitting a distribution shot,
that nobody can hit the ball an appreciable distance.
Because if that's the case,
you know,
then. The problem with that polo though,
and we've had,
I have it here on a weekly basis at the academy.
And everybody wants to rush on top of the ball because
nobody's hitting it,
nobody's actually passing the ball.
So, to get,
to be able to play,
you've got to kind of get in there.
And what happens is it becomes this little porridge in the
middle of the field and that area that I'm talking about,
ahead of the line.
So, the line of the ball and the ball,
that area hit is a big red no-go zone for me.
And what we find here is when we stop the guys
going into that area,
then play opens up.
Because otherwise you hit this 10 meter ball and somebody jumps
in front of you,
or everybody dives on top of the ball,
and the polo never gets going and can't get going.
So, the question of 'get behind and back me up',
if you,
way ahead and you can't get that pass.
Okay. And nobody's ever going to hit the ball that far,
then. And also just in that respect,
you might be playing on a really bouncy field.
Okay? Where at any speed you lose the ball.
Then it's worth creating this sort of sausage machine,
you know,
where you are on the front and you know you can't
get a pass.
Circle back and come in behind,
fine, because you've done the work.
You've beaten the man in front.
And you know you're not going to get a pass,
you know you can't get a pass.
Don't stay in that area because it's just impossible to play
there. Then feed in behind and find another man there and
beat them.
And as long as the umpire is clearing the space away
from the front of the ball,
where the ball is going,
and that area ahead,
as I'm talking about,
that red zone.
The play tends to carry on.
And if you're playing on a really bad field,
often running into goal,
don't stay ahead.
And even on a good field,
if your team's attacking,
don't stay in the goal mouth.
You're just one more obstacle that your guys got to try
and hit the ball through the goal,
and you standing there protecting the goal.
So, when you get into the goal mouth,
feedback and get in behind.
Because then it gives the guys that are attacking the confidence
actually to run at goal,
because they're behind the ball,
going at the ball,
to go and try and score it.
They're not waiting for it.
And you are feeding back.
So, the guys that are feeding back,
they get a defensive role.
If the ball is hit as a backhand,
and if it's missed you feed in behind,
and you keep the attack going.
So, for those two,
both those questions,
that's how I would see it.
You know,
if you,
again, I hate this polo where everybody's kind of 'dinking' around
with the ball.
And nobody ever thinks about anything except run with the ball.
They never get into space,
slow down,
hit a pass.
So, Anthony,
you know,
if you sitting out there waiting for a ball,
waiting for a ball and that never comes.
Then feedback in behind,
get active in the game.
Because if the guys are going to run in and miss
the ball.
And often you find yourself in a defensive role doing that,
where the backhand's hit,
and you then add value to your team because you're going
back to collect the ball.
There's no point in staying up in front and you never
get a pass,
okay. So,
it depends a lot on the polo you're playing in,
the polo,
the players you're playing with,
how well they hit the ball.
Do they pass it?
As to how you set yourself up on the field.
You know,
if the ball never comes to you,
there's no point.
But if the ball is coming,
we've got another question later about how to actually make use
of that.
So, I'll leave the answer to that part of this question,
to when we answer that.
So, yeah,
Rob, I think that just about,
does that.