View Full Version : defenders let down
after going through the pies previous results it seems that we always struggle against teams with big name forwards.
carlton 2 losses- fev
hawks big loss- buddy roughead
Brisbane- brown bradshaw
even north melbourne- jones, thompson.
this is dissappointing seeing how many 'quality' key defenders we have.
if we are to have any impact in the finals vs hawks, lions, cats, roos? blues? our key defenders are needed to step up.
after going through the pies previous results it seems that we always struggle against teams with big name forwards.
carlton 2 losses- fev
hawks big loss- buddy roughead
Brisbane- brown bradshaw
even north melbourne- jones, thompson.
this is dissappointing seeing how many 'quality' key defenders we have.
if we are to have any impact in the finals vs hawks, lions, cats, roos? blues? our key defenders are needed to step up.
Cats?? Who are their Big name forwards? They have an even spread of talent but no big gun forward. Not to say we'd beat them in the finals anyway.
What about last night?! Hall, O'keefe...
And Geelong? Mooney
That's rubbish! Well done to our Defence!
after going through the pies previous results it seems that we always struggle against teams with big name forwards.
carlton 2 losses- fev
hawks big loss- buddy roughead
Brisbane- brown bradshaw
even north melbourne- jones, thompson.
this is dissappointing seeing how many 'quality' key defenders we have.
if we are to have any impact in the finals vs hawks, lions, cats, roos? blues? our key defenders are needed to step up.
Norths big forwards did nothing. We had them on toast until Thomas and Campbell owned the last quarter
Norths big forwards did nothing. We had them on toast until Thomas and Campbell owned the last quarter
Jones and Thompson did shit all! Agree with you.
The Royal Sampler
6 Jul 2008, 13:26
We definitely need another KP defender to play full back, at least for the future if Presti can return for the shorter term.
What about last night?! Hall, O'keefe...
And Geelong? Mooney
That's rubbish! Well done to our Defence!
hall is all washed up. o'keefe is a big time goal kicker is he?
cats mooney hawkins johnson can/will step up.
We definitely need another KP defender to play full back, at least for the future if Presti can return for the shorter term.
exactly i just cant see any of our defenders being ablle to match it with buddy, roughead, fevola, brown, bradshaw. it has been proved this year.
hall is all washed up. o'keefe is a big time goal kicker is he?
cats mooney hawkins johnson can/will step up.
O'Loughlin too. 1 goal last night...
They can step up, but will they? There's no determining the future mate!
its not the defense its the midfielders. when they arent pressuring and tackling as often as last night and in the geelong game , our mids get slaughtered then the easy ball goes into the opppositions forward line.
if theres no midfield pressure , any big forward is going to kick a bag
after going through the pies previous results it seems that we always struggle against teams with big name forwards.
carlton 2 losses- fev
hawks big loss- buddy roughead
Brisbane- brown bradshaw
even north melbourne- jones, thompson.
this is dissappointing seeing how many 'quality' key defenders we have.
if we are to have any impact in the finals vs hawks, lions, cats, roos? blues? our key defenders are needed to step up.
If you are going to call Jones and Thompson big name forwards then Geelong's Mooney and S.Johnson deserve a mention. As do Hall and O'Loughlin, Fremantle's Pavlich etc.
I don't think it's a huge problem except against Fevola without Presti and Clement who both do really good jobs on him. Against Hawthorn we were beaten everywhere.
Frederlick
6 Jul 2008, 15:15
Not sure if it is the defenders alone are responsible, as in some of those matches it was a lack of work by mids and on ballers that let us down over the course of 10 or 15 minute periods, threatened to happen last night but the Swans were pretty spent themselves. Defenders can only do so much when the footy is coming in there like a belt fed mortar! After last night I'm willing to give the backs the benefit of the doubt, they held the Swans well until the forwards finally got their fingers out and started converting some of the inside 50 dominance. Swans had only kicked 2 goals to half time I think. Our midfield is still our most vunerable department, and thats partly why we get pumped by punk teams like Carlton, all they have is a mid field and one FF! And also why we do well against teams like Geelong and Swans who are solid across the ground but rely on high possession rates to get the footy to the forward line.
adzarani
6 Jul 2008, 15:44
MM can clog the defensive 50 if he wants to. He did this with great results in the 1st 3 games (Freo, Bris, Rich).
O'Brien has some work to do though. He seems to have found his feet in a CHB type role 40-80m out, but on a leading forward 0-40m from goal he has no idea.
Still MM's setup on game day is the most important thing. Last night is a prime example.
AsianWithAFro
6 Jul 2008, 17:38
We don't have a pure strong defender so our defense has to work relatively hard to help out each other out. So overall it's a team defence.
WakeUpTaz
6 Jul 2008, 18:01
This week i got a feeling Porpliza is going to be dangerous, lucky the crows don't have good big forwards.
MM can clog the defensive 50 if he wants to. He did this with great results in the 1st 3 games (Freo, Bris, Rich).
O'Brien has some work to do though. He seems to have found his feet in a CHB type role 40-80m out, but on a leading forward 0-40m from goal he has no idea.
Still MM's setup on game day is the most important thing. Last night is a prime example.
IMO obrien has been our best defender this year. Yer he had a couple of bad games early but the only player who has stitched him up has been fev and he really should not be playing on fev types. He gets alot of very dangerous qualifty half forwards like rob murhpy, nathan brown micky o etcs and does great jobs as well as providing a bit of run. Along with medhurst I think he is our most improved player.
As for the original post I think any criticism of the backs is a bit harsh. They have lost clement and presti from the backline, where talking about 400 games of quality defense there alone. Maxwell, Brown, Obrien and clarke are 4 of the 6 and they have about 100-120 games between them , and heath shaw is still very young also and wakes was going to retire last year. The times they have been thumped is also when they have been let down by the midfield. I think in 2-3 years this will be close to the best defense going around.
PendlePie
6 Jul 2008, 18:30
:confused:
I read only a couple of days ago that our defence has been second in the AFL over the past several games in points conceded. We kept the Dogs to less than 100 points (the only team to do so this season), and we kept Sydney to only 50 points, for example.
Must be remembered that our backline would come close to being the youngest in the comp. Shaw, O'Brien, Goldsack and Brown are all under 22 years of age. Give them time.
adzarani
6 Jul 2008, 18:53
IMO obrien has been our best defender this year. Yer he had a couple of bad games early but the only player who has stitched him up has been fev and he really should not be playing on fev types. He gets alot of very dangerous qualifty half forwards like rob murhpy, nathan brown micky o etcs and does great jobs as well as providing a bit of run. Along with medhurst I think he is our most improved player.
MOL got away from him inside 50 far too easily last night, dropped marks and poor kicking saved the day for Harry, he gets lost trying to stop a leading player 0-40m out from goal. Fev is the prime example.
I gave him credit for his work 40-80m out across half back, he has been great in that area.
But to continue to improve he has to switch on closer to goal. At times all the opposition forward has to do is point his finger in one direction, run the opposite way and Harry is out of the equation. Thats not good enough against topline forwards.
WakeUpTaz
6 Jul 2008, 18:55
MOL got away from him inside 50 far too easily last night, dropped marks and poor kicking saved the day for Harry, he gets lost trying to stop a leading player 0-40m out from goal. Fev is the prime example.
I gave him credit for his work 40-80m out across half back, he has been great in that area.
But to continue to improve he has to switch on closer to goal. At times all the opposition forward has to do is point his finger in one direction, run the opposite way and Harry is out of the equation. Thats not good enough against topline forwards.
Someone send a email to Harry and tell him to watch the opposition's mid-section during leads, can't go anywhere without your mid-section going the same way.
That probably did not make any sesne, oh well.