Select Team Defense: Near Man
Near Man: Level of Play
•Level of Play (Near Man)
“Near man” is a base defense for all Trilogy
select-teams. The defense is an “adjacent”
based sliding defense, and should be run
anytime the offense DOES NOT have a player
positioned on the crease.
Near Man: Set-up
•Set-up (Near Man)
If the offense does not have a player on the
crease, the defense cannot run its regular
“Crash” package and must, therefore, slide
form the adjacent player. In “Near-man,” all of
the slides will come form the player closest to
the ball. This defense requires players stay
“tight” and making “stretching out” or putting
pressure on the ball difficult as this will
increase the length of slides…
Near Man: Set-up Continued
•Set-up (Near Man Continued)
In “Near Man” the slide will come from the
player towards whom the offender is dodging.
The second slide comes from the next
adjacent player and the third slide comes
from the defensive player adjacent to the
second slide and so on. All defense players
are considered to be “on a string”, meaning
that when the slide-man “goes”, everyone
else must respond accordingly.
D2
D3
D1
M2
M1
M3
Near Man: Set Up (Midfield Dodge)
Near Man: Execution
•Execution (On a Midfield Dodge)
If a midfielder dodges from up-top, the onball defender (M1), should take away the
middle of the field, forcing their man “down
the alley”. Forcing them down the side
decreases their shooting angle and will force
a long-pole to slide instead of another short
stick. After the slide occurs, the next adjacent
defenseman should slide across the crease to
cover for D1’s man…
Near Man: Execution Continued
•Execution (On a Midfield Dodge)
The farthest defenseman (D3) wants to cover
for the second slide by getting to the crease
so he can help where it is necessary. The offball midfielders (M2 and M3) want to stay on
the same level as the ball and get down the
backside. If the ball-carrier rolls away from
pressure and throws to one of their men,
then M2 and M3 can recover back up-top.
D2
D1
D3
M2
M1
M3
Near Man: Set Up (Midfield Dodge)
Once he’s slid, the slider
wants to remain on the
double-team. If recovery
is necessary, the previous
on-ball defender wants to
recover to the crease and
find another mark.
Near Man: Set Up (Midfield Dodge)
Near Man: Execution On an Attack Dodge
•Execution (On an Attack Dodge)
If an attackman dodges from behind, the onball defenseman wants to deny the GLE and
force an inside roll so the backside
defenseman can perform a “COMA” (COMe
Across) slide. The COMA slide comes from the
adjacent defenseman on the opposite side of
the crease. When this slide occurs it is
essential that the top midfielder get down the
backside and cover the vacated attackman…
Near Man: Execution On an Attack Dodge Continued
•Execution (On an Attack Dodge)
The remaining midfielders M2 and M3 want
to get to the middle of the field so they are in
a position to help. The adjacent defenseman
can provide initial support by faking a slide
(FIZZ) to thwart the dodge. This defensemen
must not get out of position or lose sight of
his attackman or else he’ll be vulnerable to a
back-door cut. ** If the defender gets beaten
topside, then the first slide comes from the
ball-defenseman. The second slide comes
from the midfielder.
D2
D1
D3
M2
M3
M1
Near Man: Set Up (Attack Dodge)
After he slides, the slider
will stay on the doubleteam. If recovery is
necessary, the previous
on-ball defender will
recover to the crease and
find a new mark.
Near Man: Set Up (Attack Dodge)
Near Man: Final Thoughts
• Near Man: Final Thoughts
Near Man is an important defense to know
and understand in the event that a team does
not have an offensive player on the crease.
The keys to this defense remain the same 1)
on ball player MUST keep dodgers down the
sides (if dodging from the midfield) or
“under” (when dodging from the attack 2) the
defense must communicate all slides and all
second slides, and 3) all slides should be
made with the body and not with a swinging
stick.