Strategy What are we going to do about centre half forward?

[Whiskers]

Walker wasn't missing against Freo last year mate. He was right there helping Freo win for all to see.
This question of who to play is bloody hard. Brown is just so soft, Walker is tougher but seems a liability.
Brown as the swingman maybe but I'm very very concerned.

 

[Stig_90]

Walker wasn't missing against Freo last year mate. He was right there helping Freo win for all to see.
This question of who to play is bloody hard. Brown is just so soft, Walker is tougher but seems a liability.
Brown as the swingman maybe but I'm very very concerned.

I agree. i don't like either of them as players if I'm honest.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Anybody but Walker - god id rather the bloke standing outside of Hoyts than Walker

Oh i forget Walker is so lion hearted

That is stupid. Walker is miles better than the bloke at Hoyts, both in terms of ability and commitment. People forget Walker has enough of both to make it onto an afl list, which is better than the vast majority of us will ever achieve at football. By all means, if you think he won't play 100 games with us, say so, but that sort of rubbish comment about a player who is on our list should be reserved for bay 13, not here.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

On topic, given there is no vfl game next week we need fitness into both guys, so I would play them both and tell them whoever outperforms the other gets the spot for the QF.

 

[cynical]

Both will do poorly against good backs but Brown is classier and can be moved back.

 

[Maydok]

Honestly, I'm 50/50 on this.

Half of me says not Walker, and the other half of me says not Brown.

 

[Seeds]

Taylor to centre half forward and Mackie to third defender with occasional help from Blicavs (anywhere that stops Mackie kicking the ball - must of had 10 turnovers last night). This might be the worst move of all time but its the only one that has potential to work. Brown and Walker will never work. Premiership or Bust!

 

[catswhiskers]

That is stupid. Walker is miles better than the bloke at Hoyts, both in terms of ability and commitment. People forget Walker has enough of both to make it onto an afl list, which is better than the vast majority of us will ever achieve at football. By all means, if you think he won't play 100 games with us, say so, but that sort of rubbish comment about a player who is on our list should be reserved for bay 13, not here.

Thanks for that PO. We are all disappointed but that's a poor reason to bag our own.

Interested to read your (I think) post in the trade/list thread that a couple of clubs are interested in Walker.

I think he has a lot to offer. He is one who can run out a game and his skills are improving slowly but surely. I find it hard to fathom why our posters keep bagging this bloke on the basis of being thrown into the cauldron of a final (as a 20yo) , with Hawkins out!

I think GFC will go with Walker.

 

[Willo_]

On topic, given there is no vfl game next week we need fitness into both guys, so I would play them both and tell them whoever outperforms the other gets the spot for the QF.

Could we play both WITH Hawkins? If we got the mix around them right I think it could work and I think Brown would be the major beneficiary because he could slice it up as a Gunstan style 3rd forward.

Opens us up obviously can open us up bad on the rebound and makes us tall... But still more mobile than paying Simpson and Hmac in the same team like the start if the year

 

[Jagshemash]

Taylor to centre half forward and Mackie to third defender with occasional help from Blicavs (anywhere that stops Mackie kicking the ball - must of had 10 turnovers last night). This might be the worst move of all time but its the only one that has potential to work. Brown and Walker will never work. Premiership or Bust!

This is exactly it. Sure Taylor is an excellent defender. But in 5 mins of footy last night showed he was more than capable forward. It's all well and good having him up the other end stopping goals, but if we can't score ourselves it means nothing. I still think we're too tall down back anyway...Lonergan, Rivers, Taylor, Mackie, Thurlow all 190+, Enright 187ish. Way too tall. The reason we get cut up by small forwards.

Finals:

Enright Lonergan Thurlow
Mackie Rivers Guthrie
Duncan Selwood Motlop
Bundy Taylor Murdoch
Bartel Hawkins Stokes
Hmac Caddy Johnson
Kelly Varcoe Blitz GHS
EMG: Bews Hartman Walker/Brown

What do people think?

Enright, Thurlow and Mackie can all play tall or small, Guthrie can switch with Kelly. Flexibility. Brown or Walker mightn't be required. Also by not adding in another KPF and moving Taylor our game should have more run. We need to be bold while our window is still open.

 

[thegerman]

I notice the presence of Walker more then I do of Brown when they have each been given a shot.
Brown has his moments of being very good, and while he kicked 3 goals against Adelaide, he could have just as easily been playing as the 3rd tall or a crumbing forward for the way those goals came about - he can be solid but he can also be frustrating at times where he is next to useless (as with Kersten over the past few weeks). I would go Brown if we went a with a 3 tall forward line, but not sure about him going with just the 2 talls.
Walker has an energy about him, he always looks like he wants to be involved and have an impact, but just hasn't quite got there yet. If it clicks for him, then he would be a very useful player - just needs that one match where it goes right for him, like when Hawkins stood up in the '11 gf and other then being injured last year he hasn't looked back. Hopefully when Walker's moment/game comes, it isn't due to an injury though.

This is why I'd go with walker. He tries so hard to get involved, he's young and makes mistakes, but he chases hard, where Brown's laconic play just won't cut it.

 

[Scottland2007]

Neither. Steve Johnson forward, bring in a mid fielder or Harry Taylor forward, bring in Jed Bews to play defence. Yes there is a height difference but Walker and Brown have played stuff all at AFL level this year.

 

[Teriyakicat]

On topic, given there is no vfl game next week we need fitness into both guys, so I would play them both and tell them whoever outperforms the other gets the spot for the QF.

I won't bother finding the "Why can't we have both" meme now, PO. You've said exactly what I was going to say. We could play a 3-tall forward line, which would reduce the pressure on both Walker and Brown which, I think, would be good for both of them.

And, as others have mentioned, Brown is capable of swinging back if necessary.

 

[Corio cat]

That is stupid. Walker is miles better than the bloke at Hoyts, both in terms of ability and commitment. People forget Walker has enough of both to make it onto an afl list, which is better than the vast majority of us will ever achieve at football. By all means, if you think he won't play 100 games with us, say so, but that sort of rubbish comment about a player who is on our list should be reserved for bay 13, not here.

My thoughts- seen them both on waterfront yesterday, similar height Brown is very very light framed for a chf, Walker stronger body (looks like Browny has a first year body shape tall lithe and no muscle definition.
Brown IMO far better all round footballer than Walker BUT we need a CHF.... So its Walker for mine for that poistion, yes he will fall over, spray some kicks and make some bad decsions BUT he has a huge tank, good contested mark, fearless can pinch hit in ruck and will give 100%. Think in this comparison given we need a CHF for contested finals footy its Walker the selecters will go with. No issue at all if it was Brown as he was been solid in VFL as well.
Off topic, Thurlow was good aain , how about that block for Jimmy in the last quarter in the marking contest!!!, boy has game sense and class written all over him,cant wait to see how well will he go whith a bit more experience.

 

[year of the cat]

Anybody but Walker - god id rather the bloke standing outside of Hoyts than Walker

Oh i forget Walker is so lion hearted

Can he mark and kick straight?

 

[you pick one]

RD 23 FFS this problem has existed all year and the MC has fiddled around all season,if one of these poor bastardy is now thrown into the CHF position at this late stage and doesn't perform I hope he is not torn apart on this board and all the I told you so posters quickly dealt with.
Who to play? neither would have made much difference last night,but given I expect Walker to be the only one of the two to be on our list next year he would have the front running(note I am bias as well towards Walks).
One will get a run as there is no VFL and even if he was to play reasonable well it wouldn't guarantee him a spot first final with SJ and GHS to return.The CHF position has had a reserve sign on it all year waiting the return of Vardy in 2015 shame really and poor planning.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

On topic, given there is no vfl game next week we need fitness into both guys, so I would play them both and tell them whoever outperforms the other gets the spot for the QF.

Don't mind this idea, but it depends on what happens in Fremantle's next two games. If it turns out that we need a win against the Lions to keep third spot, I can't see Hawkins being rested, unless there is genuinely an issue with him. If Brisbane and/or Port can knock off the Dockers, I think there's a big chance that we'd go with a Walker/Brown forward line against Brisbane.

Happy to see either of them get a shot and I wish it happened two weeks ago, frankly.

 

[Jeff76]

Play both this week, best player stays in for the first final.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

None, bring in some small players that can crumb and apply pressure.

 

[Partridge]

Taylor to centre half forward and Mackie to third defender with occasional help from Blicavs (anywhere that stops Mackie kicking the ball - must of had 10 turnovers last night). This might be the worst move of all time but its the only one that has potential to work. Brown and Walker will never work. Premiership or Bust!

We're not going to win the premiership either way. The team simply isn't good enough.

 

[Partridge]

RD 23 FFS this problem has existed all year and the MC has fiddled around all season,if one of these poor bastardy is now thrown into the CHF position at this late stage and doesn't perform I hope he is not torn apart on this board and all the I told you so posters quickly dealt with.
Who to play? neither would have made much difference last night,but given I expect Walker to be the only one of the two to be on our list next year he would have the front running(note I am bias as well towards Walks).
One will get a run as there is no VFL and even if he was to play reasonable well it wouldn't guarantee him a spot first final with SJ and GHS to return.The CHF position has had a reserve sign on it all year waiting the return of Vardy in 2015 shame really and poor planning.

That sums it up perfectly. There's been a sense of not giving any one player enough games there, just in case they actually make a go of it.

 

[Partridge]

I think he has a lot to offer. He is one who can run out a game and his skills are improving slowly but surely. I find it hard to fathom why our posters keep bagging this bloke on the basis of being thrown into the cauldron of a final (as a 20yo) , with Hawkins out!

Just on this, Walker is hardly the first or last current player to get ripped apart on here. It's happened to Brown as well. Smedts is now enjoying a taste of it, and no doubt another 2-3 players will move into that slot next year.

Ultimately, unless a player becomes a star, they have personally let US down. And that's why people get angry.

 

[Partridge]

This is exactly it. Sure Taylor is an excellent defender. But in 5 mins of footy last night showed he was more than capable forward. It's all well and good having him up the other end stopping goals, but if we can't score ourselves it means nothing. I still think we're too tall down back anyway...Lonergan, Rivers, Taylor, Mackie, Thurlow all 190+, Enright 187ish. Way too tall. The reason we get cut up by small forwards.

What do people think?

Problem is though Taylor only got moved once the game was already lost, and one of those other key defenders in Rivers was terrible and got outmarked all night. Neither Mackie nor Blicavs are good enough to stop top flight key forwards. In any case Blicavs has to play ruck. Although with his dropped mark last night he could do Walker's job.

 

[Scottland2007]

We're not going to win the premiership either way. The team simply isn't good enough.

We are so close and I think if we had a CHF last night we would have won. Why, when they kicked 10 straight we chipped around until we got to CHF and then it slingshot straight back for a goal. A solid grab at CHF and then kicked into a leading forward in our 50 and that problem just about stops.

 

[Jagshemash]

Problem is though Taylor only got moved once the game was already lost, and one of those other key defenders in Rivers was terrible and got outmarked all night. Neither Mackie nor Blicavs are good enough to stop top flight key forwards. In any case Blicavs has to play ruck. Although with his dropped mark last night he could do Walker's job.

All I'm saying is we need flexibility. Mackie is a better match up for Gunston than a key defender, I reckon, for example. Freeing up Taylor if we wanted.

I agree Mackie and Blicavs aren't good enough to stop top flight forwards, the real gorillas, but shouldn't Rivers and Lonergan be enough? Rivers had an off night. He'll bounce back.

I just don't think the coaches are brave enough to make the call on Taylor though. It's a the difference between us and Hawthorn. They are brave with tactics, throw players around, try things. We only ever do it either when we're losing or "experimenting", not when the games there to be won. It's something I admire about Hawthorn and wish we were more proactive in doing.