Opinion Was the four tall forwards a mistake ?

melbournehammer

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i don't reckon I've actually started a thread - so here goes...

All season this has been debated backwards and forwards and certainly on gf day it didn't work. But equally it is possible that we may not have reached a gf without it.

So my question - genuinely asked - is do we stick with the model or not.

Many posters seem to want members to replace Goodes - but if he does are we just having a younger version of the same model.

And if not Reid who replaces him in the forward line ?
 
Well if we knew how to use the ball well going I50 it does.

Bomb away and it comes straight back out very quick.

Never liked it.

Even though it was only the WB and they are no Hawks etc but when it was Tippett and Buddy as the main 2 Key post I liked that set up.

Would rather have them 2 and a Membrey like 3rd tall and a genuine small forward.
 
Well if we knew how to use the ball well going I50 it does.

Bomb away and it comes straight back out very quick.

Never liked it.

Even though it was only the WB and they are no Hawks etc but when it was Tippett and Buddy as the main 2 Key post I liked that set up.

Would rather have them 2 and a Membrey like 3rd tall and a genuine small forward.


Give me a genuine small forward crumbing and perfect
 

Sanecow

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Got us to the Grand Final.

For that Grand Final, you could replace Goodes with the best small forward in the history of the game and we still get smashed.
 
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Again it was not the forward structure that had the issue in the GF, it was our midfield and the lack of pressure applied to the Hawks ball carrier. If we had 100+ tackles I'm quite sure we'd be talking very differently about the Grand Final. Buddy and Tippett tried very hard, you could see them pushing up the ground to try and create a scoring opportunity.

The midfielders, not including Kennedy, really need to have a hard look at themselves over the off season, perform in 2015 and most importantly if we make next year's GF, pull their attitudes out of their backsides and come to play hard, tough footy.
 

brad cooper

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I wouldn't say it was a mistake but it didn't win us a premiership, it was simply a game plan that could beat every other team except hawthorn.
 
They wouldn't have done that bad if Jack, Parker, McVeigh, Jetta, Cunninham didn't all have stinkers. You are not winning a game if your midfield is towelled up especially against Hawthorn who have elite kicks all over the field. Don't blame the forwards, blame the mids.
 

SilentHunter_

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Our forwards played considerably well with the supply they got which was close to nothing. It all starts in the midfield and if they don't fire then you're never going to win a game of football let alone against a red-hot hawthorn. Simply put mids got smashed, had we equaled or won that battle, I would've that we were a strong chance to win.
 

afl2552

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I think the forward line struggled.

I'd like to see Luke Parker play more forward: Has awesome hands and reads the ball really well. To make that happen I think Tom Mitchell needs to come into the midfield who plays a similar role to Parker.
Jetta would add pace which is needed and should work on his defensive pressure
Mcglynn can crumb the ball nicely and adds some mongrel
Assuming Goodes retires Membrey is the third tall who I think deserves a chance after his NEAFL

Mcglynn Franklin Jetta
Parker Tippett Membrey
 
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Our forwards played considerably well with the supply they got which was close to nothing. It all starts in the midfield and if they don't fire then you're never going to win a game of football let alone against a red-hot hawthorn. Simply put mids got smashed, had we equaled or won that battle, I would've that we were a strong chance to win.

Franklin 4.2, Goodes 3 goals, Jack 2 goals, Tippett 1 all with very limited supply.

Had we at least broken even in the middle that right there was a platform to win the game.

There was nothing wrong with our forward line at all.
 

Tedeski

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YES!

A big yes!

2 big forwards, 2 medium marking forwards & 2 small forwards are perfect for the way we play.

Don't ask me who is who. Horse has no idea so how would us fans know.

We were just way too big & Horse conceded that when he started Buddy on the wing after half time.

I believe had Buddy come a year earlier, Tippett would not have been recruited.

Buddy has been a success. Tippett a fail!
 
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YES!

A big yes!

2 big forwards, 2 medium marking forwards & 2 small forwards are perfect for the way we play.

Don't ask me who is who. Horse has no idea so how would us fans know.

We were just way too big & Horse conceded that when he started Buddy on the wing after half time.

I believe had Buddy come a year earlier, Tippett would not have been recruited.

Buddy has been a success. Tippett a fail!

You do realise part of Franklin being successful this year is due to Tippett? without Tippett Buddy just gets triple teamed.
 

Tedeski

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You do realise part of Franklin being successful this year is due to Tippett? without Tippett Buddy just gets triple teamed.

I guess what I'm saying is that as a team, our forward line would have functioned better, remembering Reid had no position to play.

800K on the role Tippett is playing is damaging. That's not his fault as Buddy came to us after we recruited him.

We just can't have Tippett, Buddy, Goodes & Reid standing in our forward line watching the top defences running the ball out easily with no chasing.
 

SilentHunter_

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I guess what I'm saying is that as a team, our forward line would have functioned better, remembering Reid had no position to play.

800K on the role Tippett is playing is damaging. That's not his fault as Buddy came to us after we recruited him.

We just can't have Tippett, Buddy, Goodes & Reid standing in our forward line watching the top defences running the ball out easily with no chasing.
That is why we either get rid of reid or play him as CHB.
 

Swan Dive

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To describe Sam Reid as a forward is being optimistic, to say the least. He hasn't done anything to justify the slavering hysteria that accompanied his signing a long-term contract.

As far as Goodes is concerned, he should listen to Leigh Matthews and bow out now. We need to fill his spot during the off-season. Preferably with a hard nut.
 

MickyG

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I think the forward line struggled.

I'd like to see Luke Parker play more forward: Has awesome hands and reads the ball really well. To make that happen I think Tom Mitchell needs to come into the midfield who plays a similar role to Parker.
Jetta would add pace which is needed and should work on his defensive pressure
Mcglynn can crumb the ball nicely and adds some mongrel
Assuming Goodes retires Membrey is the third tall who I think deserves a chance after his NEAFL

Mcglynn Franklin Jetta
Parker Tippett Membrey

I like this. I would rotate Parker or any midfielder who gets a tag forward.

The four structure worked really well in the PF against North. It can work but I'm not convinced it is best.

In the GF Lake ended up on Buddy a lot and Lake did well (if my alcohol affected memory is right). I think Buddy should have gone up the field earlier to lose Lake and make him go to Tippett. Despite this as others noted the forwards performed well. There's a lot of criticism of Reid on here but the guy is competing against Buddy, Tippett and Goodes so it's no wonder he does't get the ball much. He's still young for a Forward and may not be great in that role until he's played a 100 games.

I think Goodes should retire and Membrey come in to replace him. I think Reid should go back so there is room for a small forward role and to fill our need for a Fullback to replace Teddy over the next few years. Rampe then replaces Mal or Shaw at HB.
 

afl2552

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I like this. I would rotate Parker or any midfielder who gets a tag forward.

The four structure worked really well in the PF against North. It can work but I'm not convinced it is best.

In the GF Lake ended up on Buddy a lot and Lake did well (if my alcohol affected memory is right). I think Buddy should have gone up the field earlier to lose Lake and make him go to Tippett. Despite this as others noted the forwards performed well. There's a lot of criticism of Reid on here but the guy is competing against Buddy, Tippett and Goodes so it's no wonder he does't get the ball much. He's still young for a Forward and may not be great in that role until he's played a 100 games.

I think Goodes should retire and Membrey come in to replace him. I think Reid should go back so there is room for a small forward role and to fill our need for a Fullback to replace Teddy over the next few years. Rampe then replaces Mal or Shaw at HB.

Couldn't agree more.
When things aren't functioning up forward I think straight away Buddy should head up the ground and expose his opponent. Leaving the likes of Parker, Tippett, Membrey more room to move

Reid absolutely need's to head down back. Cant fit in with Tippett and Bud. And when we play on teams like North Melbourne who have Petrie, black and brown we can cover them with Richards, Grundy and Reid, same with teams like GWS, Crows, Port who all have 3 talls. I don't want to see Reid leave but I think his only option is to head down back and be a real focus point
 

Nuggets73

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I guess what I'm saying is that as a team, our forward line would have functioned better, remembering Reid had no position to play.

800K on the role Tippett is playing is damaging. That's not his fault as Buddy came to us after we recruited him.

We just can't have Tippett, Buddy, Goodes & Reid standing in our forward line watching the top defences running the ball out easily with no chasing.

100% agreed .. If the ball isn't marked in the Swans forward 50 .. It comes out just as quick.
A GUN small forward with plenty of defensive pressure .. Really think that would benefit the Swans.

IMO .. Trade Reid .. while he's worth something .. Sure Collingwood would pay a sweet penny for him .. ;-)
... Can't see he fits the Swans model moving forward
 

Hannebrake

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Yes. Huge mistake. The balance needs to change. Unless our midfield dominates the other team - we are in trouble. A team of KPPs and small/medium defenders and the rest midfielders will get killed by a team with specialist position players.

The midfield performed poorly, but I think our overall team balance was completely wrong against a very balanced team. Sure our structure can expose some teams, but it will battle against teams that can attack with pace.

Hawthorn's most skilled players are in their backline. As soon as the ball gets turned over without pressure = Hill, Smith and Suckling off the leash.

Basically all our goals were scored from marks inside 50, whereas we basically had nothing from stoppages or general play. I.e we had ZERO forward pressure and couldn't defend how quickly they could rebound against us. We didn't own any territory.

Buddy was awesome, there was no other avenue as their players blanketed ours all over the ground.

Our biggest issue against them is our backline IMO.
The only players we can effectively shut down are 1x small forward and their resting ruck. Everyone else in their side runs riot.
Our biggest headache is Gunston - too mobile for KPD. Too tall for a mobile defender.
 
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