So, I am wondering if we can fit Reid, Taz, Nate and Keeffe in the same back line.
I had thought this to be a sadly unrealistic concept until tonight when I put some thought in to it.
Can it be done EFFECTIVELY.... I say yes, it can.
This is how I see it looking:
B: Brown Keeffe Tarrant
HB: Toovey Reid Maxwell
Ways it would work (pros):
+ Brown and Tarrant can both play on smalls. Brown showed today that he can be versatile. His last opponent was Reiwoldt, who he beat, and now Crameri - who's a totally different breed of player - who he beat as well.
+ Tarrant could easily swing to be a third tall in forward line if structurally necessary.
+ Gives us greater options/back up if a forward or backman is injured; Taz, Reid, Keeffe, Brown could all Individually go forward or switch roles within the backline if needed.
+ I can't imagine the opposition would take many contested marks in their forward 50 with this set up.
+ im sure there would be other positives which I can't think of right now.
Problems and repercussions of using this backline:
- Back line would be slow at ground level. I think each of those "talls" are particularly good at ground level, however they are not as agile as Betts, Rioli, Garlett, etc. It would be a worry that opposition would just continually force the ball to ground and have their crumbing players kill us.
- There would not be much Rebound. Toovey is the best rebounder out of that back 6. Reid is actually pretty darn good though, now that I think of it. Maxwell is getting better. Brown and Taz are more Prestigiacomo types, but both have good foot skills, so who knows.
- Heath and Harry would be pushed to the wing. Is this negative? Not necessarily. In fact, Harry would probably stay in the back line as a loose player and he or Maxwell would have that role. The noticeable down side to having Heath or Harry permanently pushed to the wing is that it will push someone else out of the side. At the moment that's ok as we have Buckley and Seedsman who play similar roles who we could take out for Heath. However, will this be the case once other players start returning from injury? Thomas et al?
Now, that last point leads me to my other concern regarding that backline:
Can we play Goldsack in a side with those players? I want to say yes, but I am not sure. If he plays forward, like today, he might stay. But I just am not sure due to his height. Would we be too tall?
I'm sure there are other negatives and positives. Would like to get some opinions on the matter.
My want for this to possibly happen is due to the surprisingly fast development of Keeffe, now coupled with the successful return of N. Brown.
I do not want to stunt Keeffe's growth by sending him back to the 2's as soon as Tarrant and Reid are fit.
I will admit that I was a Keeffe basher. But from what I have seen in the last 3 weeks it seems that he has relished under the responsibility. He hasn't had Tarrant or Reid there to make him feel unsure of himself. He has done it his way and it's working. His kicking is also a massive asset.
I think that if he continued playing like he did last week/today in every game leading to Tarrant and Reid's return, and was put in to the 2's, that he would regress and would not be as confident if he returned. His confidence seems sky-high at present.
A summary of my views are:
1. Keeffe is in too good at present and has too much upside to drop for Tarrant or Reid.
2. Nathan Brown is a gun an a hugely capable athlete with superior aerobic ability. He must be grown further.
3. Reid is AA and is a lock in our team. Can shut down some of the best tall forwards and burn them just the same. Confidence was high after Richmond game.
4. Tarrant was described by Lance Franklin as the best defender he'd ever played on. Tarrant consistently keeps Buddy to 4 goals or less whereas Briwn has had 6 kicked in him by buddy twice from memory.
5. Goldsack is a utility and shouldn't be dropped.
6. Shaw is a lock.
7. Thomas is a lock.
Go.
I had thought this to be a sadly unrealistic concept until tonight when I put some thought in to it.
Can it be done EFFECTIVELY.... I say yes, it can.
This is how I see it looking:
B: Brown Keeffe Tarrant
HB: Toovey Reid Maxwell
Ways it would work (pros):
+ Brown and Tarrant can both play on smalls. Brown showed today that he can be versatile. His last opponent was Reiwoldt, who he beat, and now Crameri - who's a totally different breed of player - who he beat as well.
+ Tarrant could easily swing to be a third tall in forward line if structurally necessary.
+ Gives us greater options/back up if a forward or backman is injured; Taz, Reid, Keeffe, Brown could all Individually go forward or switch roles within the backline if needed.
+ I can't imagine the opposition would take many contested marks in their forward 50 with this set up.
+ im sure there would be other positives which I can't think of right now.
Problems and repercussions of using this backline:
- Back line would be slow at ground level. I think each of those "talls" are particularly good at ground level, however they are not as agile as Betts, Rioli, Garlett, etc. It would be a worry that opposition would just continually force the ball to ground and have their crumbing players kill us.
- There would not be much Rebound. Toovey is the best rebounder out of that back 6. Reid is actually pretty darn good though, now that I think of it. Maxwell is getting better. Brown and Taz are more Prestigiacomo types, but both have good foot skills, so who knows.
- Heath and Harry would be pushed to the wing. Is this negative? Not necessarily. In fact, Harry would probably stay in the back line as a loose player and he or Maxwell would have that role. The noticeable down side to having Heath or Harry permanently pushed to the wing is that it will push someone else out of the side. At the moment that's ok as we have Buckley and Seedsman who play similar roles who we could take out for Heath. However, will this be the case once other players start returning from injury? Thomas et al?
Now, that last point leads me to my other concern regarding that backline:
Can we play Goldsack in a side with those players? I want to say yes, but I am not sure. If he plays forward, like today, he might stay. But I just am not sure due to his height. Would we be too tall?
I'm sure there are other negatives and positives. Would like to get some opinions on the matter.
My want for this to possibly happen is due to the surprisingly fast development of Keeffe, now coupled with the successful return of N. Brown.
I do not want to stunt Keeffe's growth by sending him back to the 2's as soon as Tarrant and Reid are fit.
I will admit that I was a Keeffe basher. But from what I have seen in the last 3 weeks it seems that he has relished under the responsibility. He hasn't had Tarrant or Reid there to make him feel unsure of himself. He has done it his way and it's working. His kicking is also a massive asset.
I think that if he continued playing like he did last week/today in every game leading to Tarrant and Reid's return, and was put in to the 2's, that he would regress and would not be as confident if he returned. His confidence seems sky-high at present.
A summary of my views are:
1. Keeffe is in too good at present and has too much upside to drop for Tarrant or Reid.
2. Nathan Brown is a gun an a hugely capable athlete with superior aerobic ability. He must be grown further.
3. Reid is AA and is a lock in our team. Can shut down some of the best tall forwards and burn them just the same. Confidence was high after Richmond game.
4. Tarrant was described by Lance Franklin as the best defender he'd ever played on. Tarrant consistently keeps Buddy to 4 goals or less whereas Briwn has had 6 kicked in him by buddy twice from memory.
5. Goldsack is a utility and shouldn't be dropped.
6. Shaw is a lock.
7. Thomas is a lock.
Go.
