This forward line rubbish

[Embers]

It seems like everyone here has been listening to Robert Walls way too much. People see it as a huge problem, last year it was our defence that was the problem...

The fact of the matter is our forward line was ranked 3rd over the whole season. It kicked a record score against Port Adelaide and it broke all types of records for goal contributors. Personally I couldnt give a rats arse if Glass was our leading goal scorer as long as the goals are coming, it doesnt matter where they are from. Our two KPP forwards have a total of 20 games experience in the forward line. Hansen played 22 games yet beat Scarlett Leppitsch Cornes hands down too the point where they were moved off him. Show me any other 22 game player that did that..... whilst having OP

He is a gun.

Lynch trained all year to be a CHB and 2 weeks before the season started he was told he had to play FF cos there was literally no one else left. He still kicked 30 odd goals and wud of been more but he had to cover for Hansen at CHF when he went down, for a first year FF 30 odd goals is actually reasonable. Franklin kicked 21 and Hawks creamed themselves bout that....He played most of the year with a groin injury too, not much fun that is. Also remember for 5 weeks our entire forward line bar Lynch was injured (Hansen Embley Sampi Matera Gardiner + many more)

We have Brad Smith returning next year, he may not of played a AFL game but when Glass and Hunter say he is the strongest player we have and the smartest forward we have played on, you cant help but take notice. He kicks with 80+% accuracy if he gets 3 shots at goal per game he will kick 50+ per goals, hardly a tall ask there. These are the two that no more about our forward line and any other forwards then anyone and if they say Smith is these things Im gonna believe them. When Judd Cox Woosha all back him in the way they have then I am gonna believe them Seeing him training the other day I cant see which defender has the pace + strength to go with him. Gaspar returning who is the best contested mark we have, a fit Gardy (that kicked 4 goals in 10 mins v St Kilda remember), we drafted McKinley, best AA Full forward, took 6 contested marks per 10 and is AFL ready year 1 according to Wiseby. Embley released forward more with a more fit Kerr for 2006, I really dont see the problem.

With flooding the most important thing will be a tough ruck duo, With Gardy Cox and Seaby possible in one team as long as we get it in our forward line these guys will ram it down our throats time after time and kick goal after goal.

Matera is gone yes, but he was gone all year pretty much, he played 4 good games for us. McKinley is a ready made replacement, Waters is a ready made replacement, he may off been our leading goalkicker for a long time but a small forward pocket is very easy to replace. No doubt if Waters played 22 games he wud kick more then 35 goals next year.

Thats enough of my rant. Dont get sucked in guys, things arnt as bad as they seem, our forward line was one goal away from being great...

[Lynch drops a mark]

add into that a new forward line coach (Suma) and the added experience of another season and some added fitness. The big one is injuries

the amount of our key forwards that were injured for decent parts of the season; Smith, Matera, Gardiner, Sampi, Embley, waters, Hanson, Gaspar

If we can have a team with mostly injury free seasons (like the Swans and Crows did) then I'm sure we will be able to challenge ofr the flag again

[Gunnar Longshanks]

What is this thread actually about?

It's clear that we have, on paper, a forward line capable of kicking a winning score.

What remains to be seen is whether, as a group, they are capable of playing with the kind of system that will perform under the pressure of finals.

Listing players who you expect to play forward this year doesn't answer that question.

This is an old conversation, and it's nothing more than hot air. Only time will tell.

[jorel6669]

We're only as good as our last game, and we only kicked 7 goals in that game. Of course people are going to remember those most recent performances.

On the flip side, I see no-one criticising Sydney's forward line for only kicking 8 goals, with the argument being that is their "game plan" and they "would've have kicked a lot more if O'Loughlin kicked straighter".

I reckon we should stop worrying about opposition trollers, and let them all have egg on their face when they get proven wrong in 2006. GO EAGLES!

[Locky]

We're only as good as our last game, and we only kicked 7 goals in that game. Of course people are going to remember those most recent performances.

On the flip side, I see no-one criticising Sydney's forward line for only kicking 8 goals, with the argument being that is their "game plan" and they "would've have kicked a lot more if O'Loughlin kicked straighter".

I reckon we should stop worrying about opposition trollers, and let them all have egg on their face when they get proven wrong in 2006. GO EAGLES!
Agreed, most of them are... lets say Jealous :D

[Embers]

What is this thread actually about?

It's clear that we have, on paper, a forward line capable of kicking a winning score.

What remains to be seen is whether, as a group, they are capable of playing with the kind of system that will perform under the pressure of finals.

Listing players who you expect to play forward this year doesn't answer that question.

This is an old conversation, and it's nothing more than hot air. Only time will tell.

Its about the fact we had so many injuries this year it was largely unnoticed, despite these injuries to our entire forward line we still were the 3rd best attack in the league and were first until St Kilda went nuts and we played the best 3 defenses in our last 3 games. Smith McDougall Gaspar Gardy all injured all year, Lynch was essentially the 5th tier full forward and he had to play there all year. Hansen established himself as a AFL Centre Half Forward of the future (something largely overlooked due to his injury)

The fact is we kicked goals, does it matter where they come from.....no. We got lots of depth in our forward line, one more person steps up and we will have a very good attack.

[sammyg77]

Its about the fact we had so many injuries this year it was largely unnoticed, despite these injuries to our entire forward line we still were the 3rd best attack in the league and were first until St Kilda went nuts and we played the best 3 defenses in our last 3 games. Smith McDougall Gaspar Gardy all injured all year, Lynch was essentially the 5th tier full forward and he had to play there all year. Hansen established himself as a AFL Centre Half Forward of the future (something largely overlooked due to his injury)

The fact is we kicked goals, does it matter where they come from.....no. We got lots of depth in our forward line, one more person steps up and we will have a very good attack.


Yeah I totally agree..........Smith should help resolve a few problems in giving us a solid target who can capitilise on our forward thrusts however our strength comes from having many capable goal kickers.........we dont just rely on one player like many other attacks in the competition do.

Matera will be a big loss though. Hopefully a few players and particularly Sampi can step up and fill that void. As long as we remain healthy then there is no reason why our forward line cant cause serious problems for teams next year.

I would really like to see McDougall have a good year.......If he can stay fit and play as our second tall I think he can do well. He is one man that has to step up!!!

[Embers]

CHF : Embley Hansen Waters
FF: Gaspar Smith Fletcher/resting midfielder

That forward line wud cause many headaches IMO. Embley is impossible to match up on. Hansen injury free will cause alot of problems. Waters as the tough hard tackler. Gaspar is our best contested mark by an absolute mile. Smith as the leading FF, this guys got serious pace. Smith size is similiar to that of Embley IMO, bout the same speed. Fletcher Judd Cousins can all rotate on the other forward pocket.

Get them on the pitch and there gonna cause alot of problems. Show me any other team playing there 5th tier FF that wud get 3rd best attack in the league and ill give them a medal right now.

[Locky]

Relying on just One Person to kick all your goals is a potential problem because 1. If they get injured your screwed 2. If your team has a player capable of shutting them down your screwed. Having a large variety of Goal Kickers like the eagles do makes it much harder for the oposition to stop us scoring goal (unless they put on a flood like Sydney)

[Underdog]

he may off been our leading goalkicker for a long time but a small forward pocket is very easy to replace.

I dont agree with that. Sure, its easy to put any small bloke in a forward pocket, but to find someone who has the scoring power of guys like Matera and Milne is just as rare as any position.

[inferno66]

It seems like everyone here has been listening to Robert Walls way too much


Walls is an absloute tool... He doesnt even watch Freo or West Coast games. How does he form his opinions if he doesnt watch the games :confused:

[Black JuJu]

Shouldn't it read 'This forward line is rubbish'?

Seriously, a pile of work to do up there. A PILE.

Anyone who says otherwise is an overly bias idiot wearing blue and gold glasses.

"On paper, it looks alright when we put some of our midfielders in the forward 6, assume Brad Smith is a gun, throw in a couple of massivly talked up injury prone players that have never done anything and hope Ashley Hansen doesn't keep getting injured"

and if you don't like hearing that, meh what do I care. :)

[Bestbird]

It really is going to be a watershed year for our bunch of young KPP's IMO

Lynch, McDougall, Staker, Hansen and even Seaby are all 22 or younger and when you consider this i can't really think of another team in the AFL who have forwards at there ages that are performing much better.

At around 23 Glass and Cox started showing the potential that they had promised on a consistent basis so it really is time for some of the above to do the same

Here's hoping :thumbsu:

[Eagles 4 Mine]

My question is why the hell does so many people rate Gasper so highly he has do nothing to this team in all the time he has been with the Coasters.
Why all of a sudden is he going to be a superstar and save us , can anyone answer this without talking CRAP!!!

[94_Eagles]

I reckon we scored about 1/10 of the scores we scored at home when we played away.

THAT is the problem.

[TheReason]

My question is why the hell does so many people rate Gasper so highly he has do nothing to this team in all the time he has been with the Coasters.
Why all of a sudden is he going to be a superstar and save us , can anyone answer this without talking CRAP!!!
Excluding Mckinley, as we have not seem him play....

Gaspar is head and shoulders in front of anyone else in the Contested
Marking stakes.

He has mongrel in him and knows no other way than to throw his body into everything.

Versatility, forward and back.


I don't believe he is a superatar, more its the potential he displays.

This will be a watershed year for him and I expect him to take the game by the scruff of the neck, as a result of finally having a full pre-season.

He needs to take the game by the scruff of the neck as Graham is catching up fast.


Edit: I was going to say Graham is breathing hard down his neck... but that sounds like a Gay Prono