Vertical Pull Plays

The following pull plays allow us to generate “good” deep throwing opportunities, by isolating a player in space with a cut starting significantly shallower than the throwers range. Pull plays can be an effective way to counter poaching/bracketing. As well as capitalising on defenses that aggresively prioritise stopping under cuts.

An important aspect for all pull plays is recognising when the play has not worked and transitioning into a normal offence.

Zipper

Zipper should only be ran when the disc is in the centre of the pitch. If the defence arrives before the disc can be centered off the pull, then a reset should be ran before initiating the zipper. This pull play is particularly effective off of a bricked pull. An example of variance 1 can be found here.

In each variation the dump should set up on the breakside behind the gainline.

Variation 1 – Front of Stack Zipper

• 2nd in stack initiates the zipper by cutting under onto the open side.
• Players 3rd, 4th and 5th in the stack use this cue to also cut.
• 4th also cuts under onto the openside
• 3rd and 5th cut under onto the breakside.
• The front of stack then cuts straight deep to receive a deep pass.

The players furthest downfield should get ahead of the disc after the deep shot, providing options for a conituation. If the continuation is not on then we reset the disc and transition back into a vertical stack.

Varitation 2 – 2nd in Stack Zipper

Variation 2 works in the same way as variation 1 but now the front of stack initates the zipper by cutting horizontally onto the openside. With the 3rd, 4th and 5th in the stack cutting under onto the same sides as variation 1.

The 2nd in the stack then takes a few hard steps directly towards the disc before turning and running straight deep.

The Continuation is the same as variation 1.

Continuation if Zipper breaksdown

If the zipper does not work, due to good defence or a downfield poach:

• The handler should use a fake to indicate that they are looking off the deep shot.
• The player who cut onto the openside from the front or 2nd in stack cuts horizontally across onto the breakside.
• As this is happening the two cutters on the breakside should cut into the middle of the pitch
• The deepest of the two is the continuation after the breakshot

The offence should then look to continue the flow up the breakside. If the flow stagnates then the players should return into the vertical structure.

1-2-3-1

The aim of 1-2-3-1 is to strike deep from the handler space.

• The player who catches the pull (Player 1) centers the disc to the other handler (Player 2). They then start to cut deep staying in a wide position.
• The front of stack cuts horizontally onto the side the pull was caught.
• The 2nd in the stack (Player 3) then cuts under onto the opposite side to receive the disc.
• Player 3 then looks to throw to Player 1 deep.

If at any point the play breaks down the disc is reset and we play out of the vert.