Universal Love Could the Fitz be the answer to the question people aren't asking (yet)?

[LeverPuller]

I've been gently pondering the question of what we do - and the competition does more generally - against the monster key forwards coming on. Blokes like Tippett and Daniher who come in at 200cm+ and 100kg+. Those blokes who are too tall, too strong.

Now admittedly, I didn't expect this would be the answer. Tom Boyd is 201cm and 101kg. The Fitz (according to Wikipedia) is 199cm and 87kg (although you'd expect him to be bigger than that). He's also quick.

While I doubt he could muscle a gorilla, he could keep up with them on the lead and get support for the muscle.

Maybe...maybe we have a new key back and a final solution?

 

[wowlace]

Was absolutely amazed at his game down back. Might be a turning point for him.

 

[d33my]

Played really well today. Not sure what Boyd was up to but it certainly wasn't playing football.

Doubt we can take him in every week though. Some forward lines would slaughter us if we went in like today (Hawks, Freo...)
Can you become a good player if you're only playing every third or fourth week? I guess we might find out...

 

[Bluelegs]

Maybe...maybe we have a new key back and a final solution?

We're not sending Howe to the gas chamber, are we?

 

[MAXIMUM GRUNDAGE]

The next Al Nicholson.

 

[LeverPuller]

We're not sending Howe to the gas chamber, are we?

oh geez. I need to change that.

 

[whatwhatsaywhat]

His reading of the play and his distribution of the ball was outstanding today.

Doing it multiple games in a row is going to be his challenge.


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[Tempy Tiger]

He's also struggled with diabetes in the past but apparently now has heavily reduced the number of insulin injections he needs because of the paleo diet the boys were/are? on. Potential very good news story.

 

[00Stinger]

Fitz adds the height we have been missing down back this year

 

[Cannon82]

Thought Fitz was good today. Likewise, not sure how he'd go against a good AFL forward as from what I've seen of Boyd, he's just a big unit with decent hands who lumbers towards the ball and doesn't have much of a leap, any pace or use his body well. Fitz' closing speed is great and he's pretty mobile, so you'd think he'd at least be able to do half a decent job most weeks. I was expecting him to give away more clumsy free kicks and the like, but if he can keep this form up, why not keep him in the team? Leave Howe in the forward line where he belongs and Fitz can saunter forward occasionally if he doesn't have a key match up.

Dunn, T Mac, Fitz, Garland, Salem and Jetta is a handy and flexible back 6.

 

[Sprout]

I'll wait to see him back it up on an opponent who isn't an overhyped and overpaid kid, but he was excellent today and could add a new dimension to our back six.

 

[d33my]

Dunn, T Mac, Fitz, Garland, Salem and Jetta is a handy and flexible back 6.

I'll even risk raising your ire and throw Grimes into that mix

 

[Tempy Tiger]

Grimes was excellent today. If he gets his confidence up his improvement will be enormous. He's very athletic, has a huge heart and competes fiercely. His only knock is his disposal and that's because he's got PTSD from having to lead the charge the last five years.

 

[Sprout]

Grimes was solid today, and there are even glimpses of that dasher off HB that we saw early in his career.

Still has the odd inexplicable clanger in his kitbag.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Too tall against a lot of teams IMO. If it keeps Howe forward and Dawes out of the team though it could be cool.

 

[Theo X]

Was great today

Also, MFC website lists him as 200cm, 99kg's so he;s put on a bit of weight from the wiki info.

 

[Cannon82]

I'll even risk raising your ire and throw Grimes into that mix

I'm one of the Grimes fans. I am still hoping for him to regress to his first three or four years at the club and be one of our best.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Reckon pretty much anyone could have done the job today, but to be fair to Fitzpatrick he can only beat the player he's put on and he did that very comprehensively. By all reports has been doing similarly well as a KPD in the VFL too. I'd rather he was playing as a second fiddle KPF to Hogan but I guess we can't complain about adding another good KPD to our list (Dunn, McDonald, and Garland who isn't really a KPD anymore). Still reckon Frost is the choice for the gorilla forwards though, especially given his quite impressive ruck work early in the season. Would like to see Fitz continue to be developed though - would be about 5 years younger than Dunn, and gives us an at least decent option if someone goes down.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

I'm one of the Grimes fans. I am still hoping for him to regress to his first three or four years at the club and be one of our best.

If Morton, Gysberts, and Tapscott could do the same...and if Trengove could go back to being Fit

 

[ponsdale]

Loved Fitz as the sweeper too. Used his pace and positioning very well late in the game.

In the very least, he's creating pressure for spots and options for the backline. And that will lift everyone.

 

[Tulip]

Been a fairly outspoken fan of Fitzmania since the beginning, and I couldn't help but notice that he looked like a natural defender. He's always played strangely up forward with his leading and marking, and I thought he looked far more comfortable following the lead and spoiling. When Boyd came off I thought Fitz would too, but he was actually very effective mopping up and sending the ball forward when he wasn't on a man.

I continue to believe that McDonald could be an excellent CHF; because he's strong in front of the man, takes a good mark and really can kick these days. He also has elite endurance. If we wanted to try that, damaging to his AA chances it might be, it looks like we have another solid option to be third tall down back along with Frost.

 

[Canary]

Dunn, T Mac, Fitz, Garland, Salem and Jetta is a handy and flexible back 6.[/QUOTE]

Certainly is. Add Grimes as a seventh who is rotated/started as needed (with a Fitz/Garland to be moved around the ground depending on the opposition) and we've got one of the better defenses going around.

That ludicrous stat early in the first where it was 16-1 i50s for about two goals speaks volumes about the efficacy of our current defensive structures. Imagine how great the boys will be when they aren't constantly bombarded!

 

[dee_mac]

I reckon the Michael Johnson from Freo comparisons have been pretty apt from the weekends performance. Lets hope he can keep it up

 

[deeco]

Think he might need a few more performances like that, he's out of contract at end of year isn't he?

 

[Cannon82]

Been a fairly outspoken fan of Fitzmania since the beginning, and I couldn't help but notice that he looked like a natural defender. He's always played strangely up forward with his leading and marking, and I thought he looked far more comfortable following the lead and spoiling. When Boyd came off I thought Fitz would too, but he was actually very effective mopping up and sending the ball forward when he wasn't on a man.

I continue to believe that McDonald could be an excellent CHF; because he's strong in front of the man, takes a good mark and really can kick these days. He also has elite endurance. If we wanted to try that, damaging to his AA chances it might be, it looks like we have another solid option to be third tall down back along with Frost.

I sort of agree with you about Fitz, although he's not really a "natural" anything because he's a gigantic gangly praying mantis-like weird stick creature. I also think T Mac could be a good forward for us, and having Fitz down back could release him to roam around and perform heroic deeds across the park. Would be a campaigner of a matchup for teams if we let him loose, sort of similar to how Blicavs runs rampant because he's either taller, quicker or fitter than his opponent and knows how to take advantage.