Small forward line.

[kaysee]

I see Mick Malthouse has come out saying that he thinks small forwards are just as dangerous as tall fowards with the faster paced game.

I tend to agree with him. Port's best years seemed to be when we had the likes of Burgoyne's, Dew, CCC, Wanganeen, and Mahoney playing at FF. No doubt we had a decent midfield in those years but I still think that those small quick types created havoc for defenders with their twisting turning skill and speed across the ground.

Since we have started trying to play 3 talls up forward I think it is getting too easy for defenses to spoil and run the ball out. I wouldn't mind seeing a forward line like:

FF- Wanganeen, Pearce, Dew
HF- Mahoney, Tredrea/White/Lade, P. Burgoyne

Try to hit the leading targets and if not kick it low to space to let the guys run onto it at ground level.

Thoughts?

[Porthos]

My thought is that your dismissing the impact of our midfield on your comparisons is foolish.

My second thought is that doing the same thing as everyone else, but with players unsuited to it, is a great way to not win a premiership.

[ExpectToWin]

F: Wanganeen, Motlop, Pearce

HF: S.Burgoyne, White, P.Burgoyne

If the ball comes in high, White can mark.

If the ball hits the ground then its party time;)

[Ford Fairlane]

We won a premiership playing a 3 tall forward line with Tredrea, Lade, Thurstans for most of the year, including the GF. Going in with 2 talls only as a permanent set up is a recipe for disaster. It needs a precision pass into the forward line more often than not ... and we know how our forward line functions then, don't we? We only played 2 talls up forward against the roos last week and after the initial burst, the roos made some adjustments and rendered our forward line dysfunctional. We'd get to half forward and stop - there'd be nowhere to go. Looking for the short pass into the forward 50. Especially if it was Lade or White who marked outside the 50.

I still remember the 2003 prelim final where Choco started Pickett and Che across the FF line ... ugh a mess.

[portentous]

It might work on a short,wet SCG, but most times you need a tall on the forward line to at least contest the marks and bring the ball to ground.

[Porthos]

Its also worth pointing out that those high-scoring small forwards do best in crap sides where there are no other reliable forward targets. This means they can use pace in space to get their marks instead of relying on strength in smaller areas.