Ben Lennon being 'schooled' as a defender

[tugga]

So says Jon Ralph: "Top draft pick Ben Lennon is being schooled as a defender and may make his AFL debut in coming weeks."

What do people think of this? Drafted as a highly touted forward with a spring in his step and knack for goal and we plonk him in defence.
It's working out swimmingly for Dustin Martin isn't it?

 

[Magic17]

all about building his defensive game... can't just run forward of the ball anymore... there's been too much of that lately!

 

[SumTingWong]

So says Jon Ralph: "Top draft pick Ben Lennon is being schooled as a defender and may make his AFL debut in coming weeks."

What do people think of this? Drafted as a highly touted forward with a spring in his step and knack for goal and we plonk him in defence.
It's working out swimmingly for Dustin Martin isn't it?

Lennon will be a better kick than Martin. Physically, I don't think he is ready............very skinny.

 

[Spanish_Fly]

Its obvious, we have a dearth of hbf options whilst having an over abundance of classy forward types with composure, vision, marking ability and goal sense

 

[NZ_Tiger]

Tallish +
Slowish-
Vision+
Tank-
Kicking+
Tackling-

"We tend to like to play these types down back"-get ****ed.

 

[CoggaRules]

Its obvious, that they think we need more skilled and accurate disposers of the ball at HB to be able to hit targets inside 50 that are inaccurate and unskilled disposers of the ball.

 

[Spluff]

I don't mind players getting their start in the backline then moving to their natural positions. It's when already established players get moved to the backline that I get annoyed, or when players are never moved back to their natural positions.

It's been clear at VFL level than Lennon still has plenty to learn, and that he's learning from being played on the back flank. If he isn't moved back to half forward by next year though, that's when it gets annoying.

 

[FlossStone]

Hardwick is usually one to play new recruits in defence to make them accountable for an opponent and teach them the defensive side of footy

if we have an entire team of front runners we'd have 20 goals kicked against us on turnovers.

 

[CoggaRules]

I don't mind players getting their start in the backline then moving to their natural positions. It's when already established players get moved to the backline that I get annoyed, or when players are never moved back to their natural positions.

It's been clear at VFL level than Lennon still has plenty to learn, and that he's learning from being played on the back flank. If he isn't moved back to half forward by next year though, that's when it gets annoying.

Understand the reasoning Spluff, but what has got me f****ed is that yeah, do it with a few, but FFS, every so often just slot the player into his natural habitat ie FL, when that habitat atm is shitful, that way it might make a difference to what is and has been our f*****ing problem for the last 2-3 years.

 

[sethlad]

Flew to Brisbane with the squad,for whatever thats worth

seth

 

[bigstyletiger]

Looks to have some Brendon Goddard attributes. Could be a good position for him.

 

[TiggerMan22]

Hardwick is usually one to play new recruits in defence to make them accountable for an opponent and teach them the defensive side of footy

if we have an entire team of front runners we'd have 20 goals kicked against us on turnovers.

We still have 20 goals kicked against us on turnovers

 

[tugga]

Hardwick is usually one to play new recruits in defence to make them accountable for an opponent and teach them the defensive side of footy

if we have an entire team of front runners we'd have 20 goals kicked against us on turnovers.

True, but I am concerned that our younger players are having their flair coached out of them.

 

[Sol23]

F****n dumb hardwick again!!
Bruest, chapman, Walters and many other small
Forwards, do they play down back. Lennon is what we need up forward, when he is ready and up to afl he should be playing forward FFS.
Just about had enough of hardwick and his bullshit

 

[living_in_syd]

Am I the only one that is against this?

Surely there's other ways to teach defensive mindset and two way running.

We have done this nearly every new recruit that's come through. In a way, with every positive teaching there's a con, and that's they potentially might lose their forward natural instincts.

Some times it works and some times it doesn't.

I think even grith had it. I reckon it stunted him and destroyed his confidence a bit (even though he's not a mid)

I'd be bloody angry if we started playing loydd off hbf

 

[Tiger71]

The headline should be changed from schooled to boned /sighs. I long for the day when we recruit forwards and actually play them forward.

 

[theyellowsash]

school is where you learn, you dont stay there forever.

 

[cairo tiger]

hardwhick thinks you have to be a defender before you be a footballer. totallly thrown out our offensive structures and make them robots. go figure.

 

[I Rock]

hardwhick thinks you have to be a defender before you be a footballer. totallly thrown out our offensive structures and make them robots. go figure.

And yet the side he coaches defensive pressure around the ground is horrible.

You want a forward to learn defence. How about you coach them to chase and tackle when they don't have the ball. They can do that in the Forward 50 as well.

 

[tigs2010]

Hardwick is usually one to play new recruits in defence to make them accountable for an opponent and teach them the defensive side of footy

if we have an entire team of front runners we'd have 20 goals kicked against us on turnovers.

So we'd basically be what we are now?

 

[cairo tiger]

And yet the side he coaches defensive pressure around the ground is horrible.

You want a forward to learn defence. How about you coach them to chase and tackle when they don't have the ball. They can do that in the Forward 50 as well.

agree. how about coaching them on the basics. they sometimes dont even have that.

 

[living_in_syd]

wish we played with the same flair we did in 2012. we worried a lot of teams.

 

[johnno77]

True, but I am concerned that our younger players are having their flair coached out of them.

This times f***ing 10! It's been so obvious to me this year that blokes have seemed petrified to take a bloody chance. The only time we seem to have a crack at a bit of dare is when the game is either lost or most likely lost (except against Carlton but we all knew what would follow, the Richmond players did that just to troll us)

Please, teach forwards to defend in the forward half, midfielders to defend in the middle and around the ground and defenders to defend, you know, in defence. FFS, this is really starting to piss me off. Next thing we'll be doing is having all players not swap ends each quarter just like in junior days so they know what it feels like to be a FF instead of a FB and CHF instead of a CHB. It's all about learning mkay...........




* me dead. Say it aint so....

 

[tugga]

Well put Seal man.
Cyril Rioli didn't learn his defensive qualities in the backline did he?

 

[juss]

This is one thing Hardwick does that shits me to tears. You don't need to be played in defence to be taught a defensive side of your game. Here's a newsflash Dimma, if you can't teach a forward to play forward, and also defend, you're a s**t coach.