The Next Key Forward

[Arsene Wenger]

This has been something I have been thinking about for 18 months now. Schulzy, in my eyes has been an amazing pickup for us and has kicked plenty of important goals and more importantly has been very good for our structure. I think in an ideal world he would have been and would still be even more effective if he were not the focal point (i.e. we had another dominant key forward, such as a Roughy, Josh Kennedy, Franklin type).

We have a number of developing key forwards, namely

• Mason Shaw
• John Butcher
• Mitch Harvey
• Dougal Howard
• Jesse Palmer (?)

Is our next key forward going to come from one of these guys? If not, we are going to have to look to Free Agency I would have thought ...

What are everyones thoughts?

 

[Honeyboy Wilson]

My thought is we hopefully get to draft Ryan Burton this year and I'll probably be banging on about it a fair bit.

It's hard to get a genuine top of the line key forward to go to your team. Look how much it cost Sydney to get Buddy. The best you'll likely get is the second best key forward to switch sides, so you're usually hoping for one of your youngsters to develop, or you strike gold in a player that just wasn't suited to another club.

 

[Hong-Kong Phooey]

• Mason Shaw - i still think he will request a move back home. Based on nothing but a gut feel. What pick would we get. Id hope similar to what we paid or maybe a bit later 30-40. or if he starts to get games and shows a bit, kinda like butcher did years ago, then higher.
  
• John Butcher - delist at years end
  
• Mitch Harvey - long way off still. if burgo cant get him fit...is there really any hope? BUt if he could get fit, could be huge for us.
  
• Dougal Howard - seems to show a bit by reports, but is a real unknown still and a long shot
  
• Jesse Palmer (?) - see DH response.

Unfortunately, im not as confident in schulz comeing good this year as others here. He is getting on, and he has been batttered and bruised many times. Rumour is that he is is locked in contract talks and club not offering enough. I think he needs to take a pay cut to keep his spot.

 

[Hong-Kong Phooey]

ryan burton is only 191cm. I know walker is only 192, but he is a rarity

 

[Macca19]

Palmer is around 188cm so safe to say its not him.

I still hold out hope for Mason Shaw, but im starting to worry.

 

[Port 2004]

Palmer is around 188cm so safe to say its not him.

I still hold out hope for Mason Shaw, but im starting to worry.

Me too re Shaw. I know he has been injured a lot, but it would not be unreasonable to be concerned about his AFL future at the moment.

 

[Honeyboy Wilson]

ryan burton is only 191cm. I know walker is only 192, but he is a rarity

Burton is listed as 192cm / 90kg on the North Adelaide site.

https://nafc.com.au/footy/team/player/131

McCartin is only 192cm and went at pick no. 1.

Sometimes a player is just a natural footballer and you have to look beyond a centimetre or two. I watched Burton last year before he broke his leg and he was dominant in the Under 18s as an underager - amazing hands and knows how to operate in a forward line.

 

[Porked04]

We're just going to have to go back to the draft, get the best possible KPF and fast track his development by playing him early and being patient. This may mean throwing a fringe player in with our 1st round pick to move up a few spots in the order.

Guys like Watts and Day are too much of a risk and I doubt we could afford Dixon.

Another alternative option would be to look at Vardy from Geelong. He's been plauged by injuries but we could back our medicos and Burgess in to get him on the park. Although maybe he's too alike to Ryder.

One thing for sure is that there is little confidence of our current KPD's managing to fill the void Shultz will leave

 

[Hong-Kong Phooey]

Burton is listed as 192cm / 90kg on the North Adelaide site.

https://nafc.com.au/footy/team/player/131

McCartin is only 192cm and went at pick no. 1.

Sometimes a player is just a natural footballer and you have to look beyond a centimetre or two. I watched Burton last year before he broke his leg and he was dominant in the Under 18s as an underager - amazing hands and knows how to operate in a forward line.

apparently the break was a very serious one and he prob wont play this year. So it may see him slide considerably. second round gamble?

 

[Honeyboy Wilson]

apparently the break was a very serious one and he prob wont play this year. So it may see him slide considerably. second round gamble?

From phantom drafts on this board, he doesn't seem a hope in hell to make it to the second round. The fact he got an injury is the reason we're likely to even have a shot at him in the first round.

Jake Stringer also had a very serious leg break - still went Pick 5 and the Bulldogs would be over the moon they selected him.

 

[Hong-Kong Phooey]

We're just going to have to go back to the draft, get the best possible KPF and fast track his development by playing him early and being patient. This may mean throwing a fringe player in with our 1st round pick to move up a few spots in the order.

Guys like Watts and Day are too much of a risk and I doubt we could afford Dixon.

Another alternative option would be to look at Vardy from Geelong. He's been plauged by injuries but we could back our medicos and Burgess in to get him on the park. Although maybe he's too alike to Ryder.

One thing for sure is that there is little confidence of our current KPD's managing to fill the void Shultz will leave

problem with the draft is that they will take 2-3 years. that would see guys like boak getting close to the end of their career. Will it be too late? (boak is 27 isnt he)?

 

[Zakk Wylde]

Dougall. *******. Howard.

 

[Hong-Kong Phooey]

From phantom drafts on this board, he doesn't seem a hope in hell to make it to the second round. The fact he got an injury is the reason we're likely to even have a shot at him in the first round.

Jake Stringer also had a very serious leg break - still went Pick 5 and the Bulldogs would be over the moon they selected him.

true.

 

[Forzaport]

What are everyones thoughts?

• Mason Shaw - I'd be surprised if he's still with us in 2016. Flight risk.
  
• John Butcher - Probably reached the end of the road unfortunately
  
• Mitch Harvey - Has the skills, just needs the engine. Will be a great gorilla forward if he puts it together
  
• Dougal Howard - Way too early to tell
  
• Jesse Palmer (?) - Too short
• Logan Austin - Drafted as a defender but I reckon he's got forward potential

 

[klem22]

From what i have seen we are desperate for a key forward the real problem is there are none showing the promise to take the job by storm. J Schultz has been good but boy do we need a miracle in this area.

 

[mic59]

Shaw is 197cm, 92kg Butcher is 197cm, 94kg, Harvey is 196cm, 88kg, Howard is 199cm, 92kg and Palmer is 188cm, 86kg.

Of those players Palmer has kicked 8 goals, Butcher 7 and Harvey 7. Harvey seems to be being groomed more as a replacement for Westhoff in that he is taking a bit of the ruck and playing up the ground. But he is also kicking more goals this season, every now and then kicking 2 in a game. Palmer was only just drafted this year and kicked 3 goals in his last game against Adelaide reserves. Butcher started off the year with a bang kicking 4 against South but has been barely sighted since.

Dougal Howard is injured. I have not been at Maggies games recently so am unable to comment on Mason Shaw.

 

[SK_MD_#7]

Burton is listed as 192cm / 90kg on the North Adelaide site.

https://nafc.com.au/footy/team/player/131

McCartin is only 192cm and went at pick no. 1.

Sometimes a player is just a natural footballer and you have to look beyond a centimetre or two. I watched Burton last year before he broke his leg and he was dominant in the Under 18s as an underager - amazing hands and knows how to operate in a forward line.

McCartin is 194cm/94kg not 192cm.

 

[Honeyboy Wilson]

McCartin is 194cm/94kg not 192cm.

Well he was listed at 192cm all throughout his draft year, so if he's grown there's every chance Burton will.

 

[SK_MD_#7]

Well he was listed at 192cm all throughout his draft year, so if he's grown there's every chance Burton will.

He was listed 193cm all throughout his draft year. Even said himself mid-last year on twitter he was 193cm almost 194.

Absolutely though Burton could still grow.

 

[Honeyboy Wilson]

He was listed 193cm all throughout his draft year. Even said himself mid-last year on twitter he was 193cm almost 194.

Absolutely though Burton could still grow.

My bad, I remember seeing him listed at 192cm throughout the year. Either way, he's not exactly seen as huge key forward in terms of height.

 

[Adz2332]

We have to have a big play at someone! Now is the time we, should be, winning!
Locking away broadbent for 4 years now is just one more tick off the people to sign. who leaves and creates money ?

 

[Power Raid]

Shaw is 197cm, 92kg Butcher is 197cm, 94kg, Harvey is 196cm, 88kg, Howard is 199cm, 92kg and Palmer is 188cm, 86kg.

Of those players Palmer has kicked 8 goals, Butcher 7 and Harvey 7. Harvey seems to be being groomed more as a replacement for Westhoff in that he is taking a bit of the ruck and playing up the ground. But he is also kicking more goals this season, every now and then kicking 2 in a game. Palmer was only just drafted this year and kicked 3 goals in his last game against Adelaide reserves. Butcher started off the year with a bang kicking 4 against South but has been barely sighted since.

Dougal Howard is injured. I have not been at Maggies games recently so am unable to comment on Mason Shaw.

I'm a bit surprised Harvey hasn't put on ore beef as yet.

 

[Papa G]

Liked what I saw of Harvey last year, but hasn't set the world on fire.
Despite what others have said, I've never been enamored with Shaw.
Butcher is a lost cause.
Hopefully Dougie comes on.

It is concerning.

 

[reCOGnise]

We have to have a big play at someone! Now is the time we, should be, winning!
Locking away broadbent for 4 years now is just one more tick off the people to sign. who leaves and creates money ?

I refuse to believe we've already started to come into salary cap issues ala the Schulz rumours.

There isn't anyone knocking down the door internally so we really need to go externally to make the most of the squad we've built.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Shaw is 197cm, 92kg Butcher is 197cm, 94kg, Harvey is 196cm, 88kg, Howard is 199cm, 92kg and Palmer is 188cm, 86kg......

I have no idea where you got your stats from but Harvey is not 88kgs unless he has picked up some illness in the last couple of weeks and lost 12-15 kgs.