best defence 2017

blue shark

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Frigate I agree with much of your post.

There's nothing wrong with Zac as a lock down KPD. He's an old fashioned fullback that will spoil if in doubt, and that makes his opponent earn his kicks. The main concern I have is when he has the ball in his hands. His lack of confidence in his disposal means that teams will allow him possession deep in our defensive 50 knowing that effectively commits us to one side of the ground.

Zac will definitely play this year, especially while Alex Pearce is injured. We will have Johnno and Hamling who as both mobile, athletic guys along side him. At some point Zac will have to make way for Alex Pearce, but in the meantime he will be the defensive general as he has been in the past.

Zac has a football brain - don't be surprised if he ends up as an assistant coach looking after the defence somewhere.
I don't mind if Dawson, Ibbo play to their strengths, but the classier backs need to ensure they help these two move the ball quickly, don't get
pegged down, which the opposition will relish, and smash us on any turnovers.
 

meima

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As much as I rate Dawson on one on one , he is getting old , why not consider Collins? . If Collins play is that mean freo will definitely lost to cats.
 

yoong

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As his buddy, I have higher hopes for Zac this year. :)
Usually the last man in defense, and one of the most experienced defender we have, i hope he'll take up some responsibility of organizing our defense on the field. I think he is still good enough to take on the opponent's best KPF and come out on top.

Anyway, I think Dawson, Collins and AP will all get games this year. We used to have McPharlin, Dawson, Silvangi , MJ and still looked lacking in KPDs (mainly due to injuries).
 
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As much as I rate Dawson on one on one , he is getting old , why not consider Collins? . If Collins play is that mean freo will definitely lost to cats.
If Collins plays it means we are going in a different direction. Collins looks like a dawson type player but Collins has a reliable kick. Saying that.... One of Dawson or Johnson has to play at least 20 games. You always need that one experienced General while the young KPDs are developing.

I have already stated Collins will replace Dawsons role as a stopper. Hamling will replace Johnson as the 3rd skinny tall on a flank or back pocket. That means either Alex Pearce, Cox or Logue plays the McPharlin role at centre half back.
 

Kunna17

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Is there no love for Luke Ryan around? I Don't know much about him tbh, but outside of bigfooty he seems to get higher praise than on it?
 

meima

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Is there no love for Luke Ryan around? I Don't know much about him tbh, but outside of bigfooty he seems to get higher praise than on it?
He will get his chance ,slowly getting into groove after interrupted pre season due to shoulder injury.
 

meima

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One of Dawson or Johnson has to play at least 20 games. You always need that one experienced General while the young KPDs are developing.
.
I definitely agree with that , I don't mind both play but the risk is Dawson is a hot head and Johnson body is fragile . it will be back at square one if both unavailable and the young one don't have enough experience and chemistry to step up.
 
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Is there no love for Luke Ryan around? I Don't know much about him tbh, but outside of bigfooty he seems to get higher praise than on it?
Nothing personal against him. But we need to be realistic on expectations. He is a 1st year player. Happy for hi to get 2-5 games In 2017 to be honest.

I definitely agree with that , I don't mind both play but the risk is Dawson is a hot head and Johnson body is fragile . it will be back at square one if both unavailable and the young one don't have enough experience and chemistry to step up.

Knowing the current situation now. It seems that Hamling is the most likely to play all 22 games of all our tall defenders. Whats good about freo in 2017 is we have a huge variety of blokes that can play both ends of the ground.

Last year, Freo didn't have a true back up plan for Johnson. Now we do with Hamling. Collins made good use of some of his games while other key defenders were out too. I don't know what everyones true expectations are on here But our expectations will depend on who is available for us in round 1.

I am going to be realistic. If I was a betting man, Hamling and Dawson are the 2 most likely tall defenders to play at least all 22 games in 2017. Personally I don't think that's a bad thing. If Johnsons body is shot, so be it. If Alex Pearce is going to be out for the 1st 3-5 games of the season, So be it. That means Collins, Logue or Cox gets a game at Centre half back. We have options.

as for smalls... Ibbo and Spurr have experience. Mundy had mixed results up a half back flank. Don't mind seeing a tucker or balic get a game or 2. Hughes looked ok last year as well.
 

meima

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Nothing personal against him. But we need to be realistic on expectations. He is a 1st year player. Happy for hi to get 2-5 games In 2017 to be honest.



Knowing the current situation now. It seems that Hamling is the most likely to play all 22 games of all our tall defenders. Whats good about freo in 2017 is we have a huge variety of blokes that can play both ends of the ground.

Last year, Freo didn't have a true back up plan for Johnson. Now we do with Hamling. Collins made good use of some of his games while other key defenders were out too. I don't know what everyones true expectations are on here But our expectations will depend on who is available for us in round 1.

I am going to be realistic. If I was a betting man, Hamling and Dawson are the 2 most likely tall defenders to play at least all 22 games in 2017. Personally I don't think that's a bad thing. If Johnsons body is shot, so be it. If Alex Pearce is going to be out for the 1st 3-5 games of the season, So be it. That means Collins, Logue or Cox gets a game at Centre half back. We have options.

as for smalls... Ibbo and Spurr have experience. Mundy had mixed results up a half back flank. Don't mind seeing a tucker or balic get a game or 2. Hughes looked ok last year as well.
Hamling yes, Dawson will occasionally get suspend when his fists get off radar and hit somebody.
 

bruzaar62

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Hamling yes, Dawson will occasionally get suspend when his fists get off radar and hit somebody.
After watching Freo v Dogs in the last round of 2016-today.I noticed that D.Pearce actually played quite well in defence.Does anyone think that he may have a future there ?? either at Freo or peel.He seemed to defend really well using his pace to close down space and provided much needed run out of the backline,although he still torched the ball a bit-but didn't seem as bad as when he plays further up the ground.
Also thought Ibbo and Tucker played really well and that Apeness competed hard.
 

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Me mate , D Tucker is going to have a break out year lachie neale style. Take em to the tuck shop is something you'll be saying a lot of in 2017!
 

meima

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After watching Freo v Dogs in the last round of 2016-today.I noticed that D.Pearce actually played quite well in defence.Does anyone think that he may have a future there ?? either at Freo or peel.He seemed to defend really well using his pace to close down space and provided much needed run out of the backline,although he still torched the ball a bit-but didn't seem as bad as when he plays further up the ground.
Also thought Ibbo and Tucker played really well and that Apeness competed hard.
Last season game vs dog is not a really good indication of how good all the players , dog already know they need to travel back Melbourne and back to Perth again vs eagles in elimination final . A lot of this play into their players mind.
 

wayToGo_

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I like the good 'ol B22 but I often think it is flawed because we don't consider who we are playing against. So I'm interested in knowing how other posters think we are going to match up against other team's forward lines. Thought I'd start with our first four rounds (based on what AFL.com predicts them to line up with R1)... Copy and paste and then insert who you think we should line-up against each player (heights are from their website and might be out-of-date). Feel free to also say who you'd line up Alex Pearce against if he weren't injured as well...

Round 1 - Geelong
  • Menzel (190cm) -
  • Taylor (195cm) -
  • McCarthy (178cm) -
  • Motlop (185cm) -
  • Hawkins (198cm) -
  • Cockatoo (186cm) -
Round 2 - Port Adelaide
  • Wingard (183cm) -
  • Eddy (193cm) -
  • Westhoff (200cm) -
  • Young (189cm) -
  • Dixon (200cm) -
  • Gray (176cm) -
Round 3 - Western Bulldogs
  • Dalhaus (179cm) -
  • Crameri (190cm) -
  • Macrae (191cm) -
  • Smith (182cm) -
  • Cloke (196cm) -
  • Stringer (192cm) -
Round 4 - Melbourne
  • Petracca (186cm) -
  • Watts (196cm) -
  • Kent (179cm) -
  • Brayshaw (187cm) -
  • Hogan (195cm) -
  • Garlett (180cm) -
 

blue shark

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With the above opposition forward lines, the only worry for me is their resting ruckman, which is where we
could be caught short.
With A Pearce, Uber, unavailable have to hope Dawson doesn't have one of his brain fades and gets reported.
Collins is the only backup, perhaps Cox should be playing defense for Peel.
I dont think Johnno, Logue, Nhyius, Hughes, are key defenders.
 

Scham

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Round 1 - Geelong
  • Menzel (190cm) - Jonno
  • Taylor (195cm) - Hamling
  • McCarthy (178cm) - Spurr
  • Motlop (185cm) - Suttcliffe
  • Hawkins (198cm) - Dawson
  • Cockatoo (186cm) - Ibbo
Round 2 - Port Adelaide
  • Wingard (183cm) - Spurr
  • Eddy (193cm) - Collins
  • Westhoff (200cm) - Jonno
  • Young (189cm) - Sutty
  • Dixon (200cm) - Hamling
  • Gray (176cm) - Weller
Round 3 - Western Bulldogs
  • Dalhaus (179cm) - Weller
  • Crameri (190cm) - Jonno
  • Macrae (191cm) - Sutty
  • Smith (182cm) - Spurr
  • Cloke (196cm) - Collins
  • Stringer (192cm) - Hamling
Round 4 - Melbourne
  • Petracca (186cm) - Sutty
  • Watts (196cm) - Collins
  • Kent (179cm) - Weller
  • Brayshaw (187cm) - Ibbo
  • Hogan (195cm) - Hamling
  • Garlett (180cm) - Spurr

I think Geelong will have their resting ruckman up forward for almost the whole game too, so Jonno and Hamling will wax between Taylor and Smith/Blikavs/Stanley.

I can also see this happening in some of the other games here e.g. Boyd in rd 3, Ryder rd 2 etc
 

wayToGo_

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With the above opposition forward lines, the only worry for me is their resting ruckman, which is where we could be caught short.
With A Pearce, Uber, unavailable have to hope Dawson doesn't have one of his brain fades and gets reported.
Collins is the only backup, perhaps Cox should be playing defense for Peel.
I dont think Johnno, Logue, Nhyius, Hughes, are key defenders.
Johnson (195cm) and McPharlin (192cm) managed ok by themselves in 2015 when we won 10 games straight. I still think this concept that you must play guys equal or taller on tall forwards is incorrect. The Bulldogs showed last year you can go in with a very short team (relatively) including in defence and make your defenders more effective through intensity and pressure across the ground (it's the same as we did in early 2015). You're never going to match the height of a Mason Cox or Rory Lobb (even Alex Pearce is giving up 11cm & 8cm respectively), so you rely instead on speed, game sense, vertical leap, etc plus support from the players around you (including making sure the delivery i50 is under pressure). Collins did exceptionally well in his debut year against a number of taller and far more experienced forwards, and he did it with rubbish pressure applied up field. Hamling was the same in the JLT - fantastic when we applied pressure in JLT2 & JLT3 but struggled in JLT1 (when Kennedy had the ball coming in on a string).

Like we have done with our forward line I do hope we transition to a speedier, more skillful back line over the year but not make them the scapegoats if our midfield's defensive pressure sucks again.
 

blue shark

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Johnson (195cm) and McPharlin (192cm) managed ok by themselves in 2015 when we won 10 games straight. I still think this concept that you must play guys equal or taller on tall forwards is incorrect. The Bulldogs showed last year you can go in with a very short team (relatively) including in defence and make your defenders more effective through intensity and pressure across the ground (it's the same as we did in early 2015). You're never going to match the height of a Mason Cox or Rory Lobb (even Alex Pearce is giving up 11cm & 8cm respectively), so you rely instead on speed, game sense, vertical leap, etc plus support from the players around you (including making sure the delivery i50 is under pressure). Collins did exceptionally well in his debut year against a number of taller and far more experienced forwards, and he did it with rubbish pressure applied up field. Hamling was the same in the JLT - fantastic when we applied pressure in JLT2 & JLT3 but struggled in JLT1 (when Kennedy had the ball coming in on a string).

Like we have done with our forward line I do hope we transition to a speedier, more skillful back line over the year but not make them the scapegoats if our midfield's defensive pressure sucks again.
Johnson, and McPharlin have been AA defenders though, and Johnson's best is behind him, is better
suited for the third tall.
You are right about midfield pressure helping the defenders out, but the biggest difference with us over the Bullies is their attack from defense.
Even if we nullify the ball coming in, will we be able to clear the ball from the oppositions half?
 

wayToGo_

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Even if we nullify the ball coming in, will we be able to clear the ball from the oppositions half?
Not if we continue playing 5 negating defenders and only one rebounding defender :) That's the beauty of pressure by your midfield. They cause the supply inside 50 to be inaccurate. We intercept more frequently and then rebound quickly. The opposition mids under pressure won't be ready to defend if done well and then our rebounds should be effective. Defenders intercept better and rebound better when pressure is applied up field. Sure you might lose some 1-on-1s because you aren't fielding the 6 best negators on your list but if you can't rebound at all then they'll eventually score anyway - it might just take them multiple entries.
 

meima

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Not if we continue playing 5 negating defenders and only one rebounding defender :) That's the beauty of pressure by your midfield. They cause the supply inside 50 to be inaccurate. We intercept more frequently and then rebound quickly. The opposition mids under pressure won't be ready to defend if done well and then our rebounds should be effective. Defenders intercept better and rebound better when pressure is applied up field. Sure you might lose some 1-on-1s because you aren't fielding the 6 best negators on your list but if you can't rebound at all then they'll eventually score anyway - it might just take them multiple entries.
Ibbo rebound ? I think you are not serious .
 

meima

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Why do you bother following Freo if everything about them is so s**t.:rolleyes:;)
So you can balance it up . I always heard ross said balance . when ask by press are he just concentrate on defensive side of the game.;). Too bad my peel team is allign to freo loh.:p
 
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