Man-Down Defense Position by Position

🎥 Man-Down Defense Video Breakdown

In the video that goes with this blog, I walk you through every single position in man-down defense and show you exactly what to do when any attacker has the ball:

👉 Video link: https://youtu.be/v5PklLhhRt0

Why This Version of Man-Down Defense Is a Game Changer

Most teams treat man-down defense as “just survive 20 seconds.” They swim like crazy, chase the ball, and hope the goalie saves them.

This system is different.

Here, you:

• Stay in your position

• Know your exact responsibility

• Jump at the right time, in the right direction

• Take away near side or cross-cage on purpose, not randomly

You’re not just trying to “do something.” You’re doing the right thing for your position, every time the ball moves.

Big Principle: Don’t Leave Your Position

Before we go position-by-position, remember this:

The number one rule in man-down defense: don’t leave your position without a clear reason.

Your job is not:

• To chase the ball

• To try to “put the shot clock down” by attacking the shooter

Your job is:

• To know exactly what part of the cage you are protecting (near side or cross-cage)

• To be ready to jump onto the shooter’s shoulder the moment they receive the ball

• To be connected to the posts when your attacker doesn’t have the ball

You only attack hard if:

1. You’re sure you can stop the shot or pass, and

2. You’re sure you can return to your position immediately afterward

If not, you create a 2-on-1 somewhere else and give them a free goal.

Position-by-Position: What You Do in Man-Down Defense

We’ll go through:

1. Left and Right Wing Defenders

2. Middle Defender

3. Outside (Top) Defenders

4. How all of this applies for younger age groups (U14/U12)

1. Wings in Defense (Left & Right Wing)

You’re guarding the attackers on the left and right wings of the attack. Your job changes depending on whether your attacker has the ball or doesn’t have the ball.

When Your Wing Has the Ball

• You are on them, but you don’t swim all the way out.

• You cover the near side of the cage.

• Your body is between:

  • The shooter and the near-side corner

• Your arm and block are focused on taking away that near-side shot.

You aren’t trying to block everything. Your job is to take away the near side, so the goalie can trust you and focus more on the far side.

When Your Wing Does Not Have the Ball

Now your job changes:

• You should be holding the post (the attacker inside close to you) with your legs and body position.

• Your chest and eyes are facing your attacker (the wing), even while you’re connected to the post.

• The moment your attacker receives the ball, you’re ready to:

  • Explode forward

  • Land straight on their shooting-side shoulder

  • And again, take away the near side

You’re not just randomly sitting on the post. You’re anchored to the post, but your attention is on your attacker, ready to jump forward instantly.

2. Middle Defender (Center of the 5)

The middle defender is the brain of the field players in man-down. Your job is to understand:

• What side the ball is on

• Where the posts are

• Which side of the cage is most dangerous

When Outside Players Have the Ball

When the ball is with the outside players (top or wing):

• You are primarily responsible for cross-cage.

• That means:

  • If the ball is on the left side of the pool, you are helping cover the right side of the cage.

  • If the ball is on the right side, you’re helping cover the left side of the cage.

At the same time:

• You keep one arm on the shoulder of the inside attacker (post or center near you).

• That arm on the shoulder:

  • Helps you hold them in place

  • Gives you pressure to push down and stand up higher in the water

  • Lets you feel any movement so you can react quickly

So, you are:

• Half attached to the inside player

• Half focused on the cross-cage threat

When Both Wings Have the Ball

When the ball is swinging between the two wings:

• You position yourself exactly between both posts.

• You slightly push both posts with your arms while having hips up, just enough to:

  • Stop them from easily getting position

  • Still stay balanced and ready

You are ready to:

• Jump to any sudden inside pass

• Attack the ball if there is a bad pass or a bobbled catch in center water

You are not chasing fakes. You only move when the ball actually travels.

3. Outside (Top) Defenders

These are the defenders closer to the top shooters (point and half positions). Just like wings, your job depends on whether your attacker has the ball or not.

When Your Outside Player Has the Ball

• You’re not hiding in the cage. You are up on them, but under control.

• You cover the near side:

  • Your block and body line take away the near-side portion of the goal.

Again, your job is not to shut down every possible shot yourself. You and the goalie are working together:

• You take near side

• The goalie can focus more on far side / cross-cage

When Your Outside Player Does Not Have the Ball

• You hold the post with your legs facing towards the outside player/shooter:

  • You stay connected to the inside attacker near your side.

• Your chest should be oriented towards the post and legs towards the shooter.

• Your eyes are on the shooter so when they receive the ball, you can:

  👉 Immediately jump into the shot block - don't jump on them unless you are 100% sure you will make a foul or intercept the pass otherwise you will get scored

You’re always in a position where:

• One movement takes you from “helping inside” to “full shot block” in a straight line.

The Key Skill: Jumping Without Overcommitting

In all these positions, there’s one huge skill:

Be able to jump onto the player without fully leaving the cage structure.

What this means:

• You don’t swim all the way to the shooter and leave a huge gap behind you UNLESS YOU KNOW YOU WILL FOUL THEM

• You explode just enough to:

  • Take away near side or cross-cage (whatever your assignment is)

  • Be close enough to block the shooting lane

  • Still be able to recover back into position if they pass

Your “jump” is like a controlled attack:

• Not a full sprint,

• Not a lazy half-move,

• A strong, balanced move into the correct shooting lane.

What You Shouldn’t Try to Do on Man-Down

A big mistake many players make:

They try to attack the ball just to “put the shot clock down.”

That’s the wrong goal.

You don’t win man-down situations by shaving a few seconds off the clock. You win by:

• STAYING in your position and covering your part of the cage

• Forcing the offense into bad angles and late, rushed shots

• Never allowing them to create advantage in traingles

You should only attack the shooter to pressure the shot clock if:

1. You know you can stay in front of them, and

2. You know you can get back into your spot if they pass the ball on.

If you cannot do that, you’re just helping the other team create a better chance.

Younger Age Groups: U14 & U12 (5 Players in the Pool)

In some U14 and U12 formats, teams play with 5 players in the water instead of 6. The exact positions change a little, but the principles stay the same:

• There will still be:

  • Wings

  • A middle defender

  • Outside/top defenders

Even if one position is “missing” compared to full 6-on-5, your responsibilities are the same:

• Wings still:

  • Cover near side when their attacker has the ball

  • Hold the post and face their attacker when they don’t

• Middle still:

  • Covers cross-cage

  • Keeps an arm on the inside player’s shoulder

  • Stays between posts when wings have the ball

• Outside players still:

  • Cover near side when on-ball

  • Hold the posts with their legs when off-ball

  • Stay ready to jump into the shoulder when their attacker receives the ball

For younger players, this system is actually perfect because:

• It’s simple (near side vs cross-cage, on-ball vs off-ball)

• It teaches them discipline and positioning early

• It builds habits that will help them as they move to full-size 6-on-5 later

Put It All Together

If you follow these rules:

• Wings: near side on-ball, hold posts off-ball, face your attacker

• Middle: cross-cage cover, arm on shoulder, between posts when wings have the ball

• Outside: near side on-ball, legs holding posts off-ball, ready to jump to the shoulder

• Everyone: stay in your position, don’t chase just to “do something”

…then your man-down defense will become a real weapon, not just survival.

You’ll force other teams to:

• Take bad shots

• Rush passes

• Panic when their “perfect” 6-on-5 doesn’t look so perfect anymore

Watch the Video and Learn It Visually

In the video breakdown, I show you:

• Exactly where each defender’s body should be

• Where your head and shoulders should face

• How to move when each different attacker gets the ball

• How to apply all of this for different age groups

👉 Watch it here: https://youtu.be/v5PklLhhRt0

Study it, then try it in practice—and you’ll see very quickly why this way of playing man-down defense is a complete game changer.