I think a few of our best 22 and other players are going to have to take a step back and ask themselves if what they are doing is enough for the club. I am quite worried that we have too many one-track ponies in our team and that the future of AFL is leading towards players who can play multiple positions.
The players who I believe are in question are:
Dylan Grimes
Shaun Grigg*
Jake Batchelor
Aaron Edwards
Jake King
Steve Morris*
* Not a complete reinvention
I'll go through each player and explain why they need to change for their benefit and the benefit of the team.
Dylan Grimes is a serviceable 3rd tall defender. However, he is the player likely to be squeezed out with Rance's return. I think that Grimes is good enough, quick enough and agile enough to be playing senior AFL football. But as only a third tall, it doesn't seem like he'll be playing in the firsts. Which is I think Grimes should look at being a Tyson Goldsack type player. He should go into the VFL and learn how to play as a defensively aggressive half-forward flanker. He has a nice height, and amazing speed and agility which most defenders couldn't keep up with. On top of that, he would have the defensive pressure required as he has played in defence his entire career. The best thing is that he would be a swingman, being able to rotate from defense to attack whenever needed.
Shaun Grigg is one who seems on the edge of losing his senior spot. The Shaun Grigg of 2012 was a great footballer. He ran hard both ways, provided an outlet when trying to exit defence and had the heart to take on opposition. I believe he has become complacent and needs to go back to the VFL and learn to defend again. It probably wouldn't hurt to give him the first-year rookie position where he goes in defence and learns to defend. A defensive minded Shaun Grigg would benefit Richmond firsts.
Batchelor was a very good footballer as a roaming defender who would take intercept marks back in 2011/2012 but people need to understand that this position is now redundant. There is no room in the AFL for a player who only goes up third man without being assigned a man or providing an offensive option. With Batch's awkward size, he is too small for tall forwards but he is not agile to go against small forwards either. Which is why the only option for him is to either learn how to be a rebounding/offensive defender or try to reinvent himself as a wingman. Batch as a wingman is quite interesting because he knows how to position himself, he would be great defensively and he has good skills. He would also be a pain with his big size against opposition.
Aaron Edwards is likely in his last season as an AFL footballer. His position is as a third tall but he is simply not good enough/position isn't needed to make our senior side. I think A.Edwards still has a bit to offer the side. Edwards often used to push up the ground to help our midfielders. Occasionally, he would get the ball, tuck it under his arm and sprint away, leaving everyone in awe. Good, he has speed. He has good size for a midfielder and up forward, would be impossible for any midfielder to defend him. If Aaron gives a good crack at growing his tank, I think he could potentially be a midfielder at AFL standard. He has the speed, size, strength and the versatility to go forward.
Jake King has successfully reinvented himself in the past from a small backman to a small forward but he is quickly being overtaken by other small forwards such as Lloyd, Arnot and Gordon. Matthew Stokes was in a similar position at Geelong. He was only a small forward and his spot in the team was becoming jeopardized with the emergence of Stephen Motlop. Stokes spent the entire off-season building his tank and came back as a great midfielder. If King still has fire in the belly, then this is something he needs to consider.
Steve Morris is a very very good small defender. I say it's not good enough. Morris can only do one thing, which is defend. What is worse is that when he gets the ball he often makes a silly mistake and turns it over. Even if Morris cleans up his kicking, he is still only getting the ball 5-10 times in a game. Morris' opponent is still kicking 1-2 goals a game and still applying defensive pressure. It's as though we are playing 21 players on the ground. Morris needs to reinvent himself as a defender who can take a defender, but also provide offensive run. I use players such as Enright, Jaensch and Rampe as an example.
This is only my opinion and would love to get some discussion and debate going.
MR
The players who I believe are in question are:
Dylan Grimes
Shaun Grigg*
Jake Batchelor
Aaron Edwards
Jake King
Steve Morris*
* Not a complete reinvention
I'll go through each player and explain why they need to change for their benefit and the benefit of the team.
Dylan Grimes is a serviceable 3rd tall defender. However, he is the player likely to be squeezed out with Rance's return. I think that Grimes is good enough, quick enough and agile enough to be playing senior AFL football. But as only a third tall, it doesn't seem like he'll be playing in the firsts. Which is I think Grimes should look at being a Tyson Goldsack type player. He should go into the VFL and learn how to play as a defensively aggressive half-forward flanker. He has a nice height, and amazing speed and agility which most defenders couldn't keep up with. On top of that, he would have the defensive pressure required as he has played in defence his entire career. The best thing is that he would be a swingman, being able to rotate from defense to attack whenever needed.
Shaun Grigg is one who seems on the edge of losing his senior spot. The Shaun Grigg of 2012 was a great footballer. He ran hard both ways, provided an outlet when trying to exit defence and had the heart to take on opposition. I believe he has become complacent and needs to go back to the VFL and learn to defend again. It probably wouldn't hurt to give him the first-year rookie position where he goes in defence and learns to defend. A defensive minded Shaun Grigg would benefit Richmond firsts.
Batchelor was a very good footballer as a roaming defender who would take intercept marks back in 2011/2012 but people need to understand that this position is now redundant. There is no room in the AFL for a player who only goes up third man without being assigned a man or providing an offensive option. With Batch's awkward size, he is too small for tall forwards but he is not agile to go against small forwards either. Which is why the only option for him is to either learn how to be a rebounding/offensive defender or try to reinvent himself as a wingman. Batch as a wingman is quite interesting because he knows how to position himself, he would be great defensively and he has good skills. He would also be a pain with his big size against opposition.
Aaron Edwards is likely in his last season as an AFL footballer. His position is as a third tall but he is simply not good enough/position isn't needed to make our senior side. I think A.Edwards still has a bit to offer the side. Edwards often used to push up the ground to help our midfielders. Occasionally, he would get the ball, tuck it under his arm and sprint away, leaving everyone in awe. Good, he has speed. He has good size for a midfielder and up forward, would be impossible for any midfielder to defend him. If Aaron gives a good crack at growing his tank, I think he could potentially be a midfielder at AFL standard. He has the speed, size, strength and the versatility to go forward.
Jake King has successfully reinvented himself in the past from a small backman to a small forward but he is quickly being overtaken by other small forwards such as Lloyd, Arnot and Gordon. Matthew Stokes was in a similar position at Geelong. He was only a small forward and his spot in the team was becoming jeopardized with the emergence of Stephen Motlop. Stokes spent the entire off-season building his tank and came back as a great midfielder. If King still has fire in the belly, then this is something he needs to consider.
Steve Morris is a very very good small defender. I say it's not good enough. Morris can only do one thing, which is defend. What is worse is that when he gets the ball he often makes a silly mistake and turns it over. Even if Morris cleans up his kicking, he is still only getting the ball 5-10 times in a game. Morris' opponent is still kicking 1-2 goals a game and still applying defensive pressure. It's as though we are playing 21 players on the ground. Morris needs to reinvent himself as a defender who can take a defender, but also provide offensive run. I use players such as Enright, Jaensch and Rampe as an example.
This is only my opinion and would love to get some discussion and debate going.
MR
