Defenders: Get them - and decent ones at that ....

[halfback dasher]

Think Goose would be a good fit, and also rate Rance although on yesterday i thought watching Rance,that he would be a flanker not a KPB..

 

[hodgeysleftfoot]

Re: Defenders.

you can also add taylor, stokes to this list also

all 3 are not AFL players

These guys are a cancer in our side
Every time they get the ball they burn it
Every time they are in a contest they lose
Add Morton to that list as well

 

[Easy Slips Catch]

Schoey looked tired. Damn he is a big unit! Goo goes alright - nearly our only defender that can go one on one. Murph, Birch and Gilly cannot beat an opponent.

Time to bring in Morton. Give him a go down back or show him the door. Morton could at least make more contests assuming he can run.

I would play Dowler at FB, Shoe gets a rest, Gilly on second forward. Musto, Morto, Tuck and Goo.

 

[Brenton Davy]

What's the status of Tim Boyle at the moment? Strikes me as the type that might be a decent CHB seeing as he won't get a run at CHF given your current structure.

 

[macdaddio]

Richmond seem to have a surplus of tall defenders: Thursfield, Moore, McGuane, Post, Silvester, Polak and Rance.

I'd target Thursfield or McGuane and get them up to AFL weight, Wallace liked them anorexic.

Ive mentioned these 2 guys to some of my Tigers mates, we should go pretty hard for a kpp backmen if we dont then we are deluded..

 

[Lethal44]

If the Hawks are to target a key position player why not start at the top, Brian Lake who is likely to be the all-australian full back is out of contract and the Bulldogs don't seem to be in any hurry to resign him. Were still the youngest list in the AFL, so I reckon we could do way with our first pick in the draft for him.

 

[Spursfan]

If the Hawks are to target a key position player why not start at the top, Brian Lake who is likely to be the all-australian full back is out of contract and the Bulldogs don't seem to be in any hurry to resign him. Were still the youngest list in the AFL, so I reckon we could do way with our first pick in the draft for him.

Good call, i've heard they're currently paying him peanuts (around $275k) would definitely offer 1.2m/1.6m over 3/4 years see if it's an offer he can't refuse.

 

[HChawk72]

I agree totally. Our defence is a total liability.

Birchall is a downhill skier who point blank refuses to tackle, rather wave his arms in front of the guy as he runs past him. Very soft.

Murphy.....where do you start?? Can't mark, kick or tackle. Other than that pretty good.

Browny - Thought he was our best today against the power (along with Mc Glynn, which says alot. At least he had a fair dinkum crack all game.)
Undersized but tough as a nut. Love his work.

Croad- obviously admired but was starting to lose a little pace last year. Still a top class back.

Gilham - should have stayed out all year. His knee or speed or fitness is f_cked. A lost year sadly.

Hypothetically, if we aim at Brian Lake, where do we play Croady?

Goose Maguire would be great, is obviously out of favour at St Kilda. Even James Gwilt gets a game before him for God's sake.

Now for the rest of the liabilities:

Stokes - delist immediately. Has no idea.
Dowler - just not hard enough at it.
Taylor - too undisciplined and just plain no good.
Boyle - knee again??? Done I think.
Thorp - Is a fantastic player. Just ask him....

Sometimes the answer doesn't walk in the door at 18 years of age. Time for good quality, early to mid 20 "free agent" picks.

Wonder if Luke Ball is out of contract??
I have heard that Sandilands is out of contract. Could be incorrect though. If so "show him the monnnneeeeeeyyyyy."

 

[The Mongrel Punt]

Murphy.....where do you start?? Can't mark, kick or tackle. Other than that pretty good.

Also has trouble spoiling, reading the play, communicating with teammates, handballing and staying on his feet in a marking contest. As you said though, other than that, he's great.

Thorp - Is a fantastic player. Just ask him....

Lamented getting him and passing on Selwood the day we drafted him. Still am now...

 

[Cat for Life]

Good call, i've heard they're currently paying him peanuts (around $275k) would definitely offer 1.2m/1.6m over 3/4 years see if it's an offer he can't refuse.

Is there money in your cap to do that?

 

[SodaPop]

Lucas Markovic has had 3 good years at BH.
He would've played every game for us this year.
I was shocked we didn't pick him up after delisting Zac.

 

[QuietB]

Wonder if Luke Ball is out of contract??
"

Just what we need - another inside mid. Maybe if get them all we will have some sort of advantage?

 

[markr]

What's the status of Tim Boyle at the moment? Strikes me as the type that might be a decent CHB seeing as he won't get a run at CHF given your current structure.

Did his ACL back in a VFL game in early May unfortunately. I actually thought he had a good pre-season and was playing good footy too, I think he had 4 goals for the match when he went down.

You'd think that he would be delisted at the end of the year which is unfortunate. I thought he was a pretty decent player and just couldn't get a break from injuries. The thing is until the ACL it was all impact injuries, it wasn't like he was constantly doing hamstrings or anything.

 

[CyberKev]

This old chestnut...

If it were that easy to trade for quality, ready made key defenders, we would have done it already!

The main reason we drafted Schoenmakers and Lisle was out of recognition that we were going to have to develop options in house.

Both will be far better placed after another full preseason, as will Dowler, if he is conditioned for key defensive play, rather than for a wing role.

Given a full preseason and a good run with injury, the returned presence of both Croad and Gilham will provide a major lift for 2010. The other guys will round out our complement, possibly with the addition of a player like Markovic who could well be drafted with our second pick.

This is how it will have to be, unless we can trade for injury-prone Maguire (highly risky) or the likes of Marcus Drum (who is yet to prove he is up to it at any rate).

Talk of procuring Brian Lake, or similar, is a blerrie nonsense that simply will not happen.

Clubs rightly hang-on to key defensive quality when they have it. Brett Thornton does not qualify in the elite category, but its worth remembering how that deal fell down a couple of years back due to the Blues wanting too much for him.

We have to build from within and I think we're better placed to do that than is immediately apparent.

 

[xellis]

Geez the Shoe has put on some size since coming to the club! Given a couple more years he will be one massive unit. Need to make sure he doesn't lose his pace.

As others have said, we need to go after some defenders, and Richmond would be a good place to start. I don't think getting a 29yro+ quick fix is the answer either. If we are looking to build sustained success we need a 23-26yro who can play.

Make it happen.

 

[The Post Man]

I am not as critical of Murphy for his decision to spoil instead of mark the ball. When looking at it from his point of view, he had eyes for the ball and was courageously jumping in what he perceived to be a third mad up in a contest. Whilst I would have preferred him to attempt to mark the ball, he did have doubt as to where the players near the contest were due to his eyes being primarily focused on the incoming high ball. So for this reason I am willing to cut him some slack for the decision he made instance. What I am critical of is Murphy's inability to effect the spoil, neutralize the contest and create a throw-in/re-start at the very least. Instead of the ball going out of play or rushed for a behind, it was kept in play and if memory serves me well, Port ended up kicking a goal as a result. This is basic U14's stuff that players should well be competent at by the time they enter the AFL system.

However, Tom Murphy is no orphan when it comes to our backline defending the high ball. All throughout this season we have had big troubles in dealing with a high kick into our defensive 50, particularly within 25m of goal. I am sure the club has defensive coaches who are endeavoring to rectify this problem but for now, it remains a big, big problem and it will be further exposed this week against St Kilda's tall forwards.

 

[Consumed]

This old chestnut...

If it were that easy to trade for quality, ready made key defenders, we would have done it already!

The main reason we drafted Schoenmakers and Lisle was out of recognition that we were going to have to develop options in house.

Both will be far better placed after another full preseason, as will Dowler, if he is conditioned for key defensive play, rather than for a wing role.

Given a full preseason and a good run with injury, the returned presence of both Croad and Gilham will provide a major lift for 2010. The other guys will round out our complement, possibly with the addition of a player like Markovic who could well be drafted with our second pick.

This is how it will have to be, unless we can trade for injury-prone Maguire (highly risky) or the likes of Marcus Drum (who is yet to prove he is up to it at any rate).

Talk of procuring Brian Lake, or similar, is a blerrie nonsense that simply will not happen.

Clubs rightly hang-on to key defensive quality when they have it. Brett Thornton does not qualify in the elite category, but its worth remembering how that deal fell down a couple of years back due to the Blues wanting too much for him.

We have to build from within and I think we're better placed to do that than is immediately apparent.

Go away!!

You make too much sense and bring reality into the equation.

We want a great KPD (the best in the league) and we're willing to give up Boyle and a 2nd rounder.
Maybe we will throw in Tom Murphy as well. Can't get fairer than that.

Strewth, silly season starting early this year. Posters have a hard time seperating Supercoach from AFL.

 

[pieman123]

Lewis and 1st rounder for Nathan Brown or Nathan Brown+ 2nd rounder for Roughead?

 

[Lord Mud of Glenferrie]

Did not Graham Richardson say, “Whatever it takes”?

Well Jeff you are another Pollie. Give Pelchin and Clarko clear instructions.

Because it really is a case of ‘whatever it takes’

 

[Drummond]

Lewis and 1st rounder for Nathan Brown or Nathan Brown+ 2nd rounder for Roughead?

Lewis AND a 1st rounder? Laughable stuff.

Lewis is worth more than Brown and yet the Hawks should chuck in a 1st just to keep the Pies happy? Only on BigFooty...

 

[Books]

Lewis and 1st rounder for Nathan Brown or Nathan Brown+ 2nd rounder for Roughead?

Brown and your 1st rounder for Lewis would be OK, but this is a weak draft so maybe not.

Your suggestions are both ridiculous.

 

[Roger Rogerson]

Lewis and 1st rounder for Nathan Brown or Nathan Brown+ 2nd rounder for Roughead?

Not trying to $hit stir or anything but I do not reckon Nathan Brown can play. I put him in the harry taylor category - looks like an afl player build-wise and to the untrained eye looks as though he is ok in a good side but when you have a very close look at him he is not up to it. That being said, he would be getting games for us at the moment.

 

[pieman123]

compared to your key defenders in gilham and murphy he looks like he will be 10X better

 

[BAK2BAK]

MATT MAGUIRE - Why wouldn't we want to be talking to him already, St.kilda have ruled him out for the season with his latest injury in the VFL...
Big chance he'l be looking to move on....
Reckon he's a MUST!!!!!

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

MATT MAGUIRE - Why wouldn't we want to be talking to him already, St.kilda have ruled him out for the season with his latest injury in the VFL...
Big chance he'l be looking to move on....
Reckon he's a MUST!!!!!

There's a reason he is not getting a game though.

Several sources suggest he has really lost his pace since the leg injury, which must put question marks over his ability to play as a key defender.