- Apr 24, 2021
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when joyce comes in who gets dropped? I don't think Wilkie ever gets dropped. At most he moves down to a small defender role and maybe Coffield or Webster/Paton make way one match
Discussion The problematic CHB position
- Thread starter pebblesofsand
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PoppedCorn
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- Dec 29, 2009
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Well, yeah....obviously.
No one should be getting a gig without performung in the twos.
Im just asking thats the long term plan isnt it?
That he will be a key back?
I've never really bothered to watch old games but being a lazy Sunday l had a watch of that one and round 5 in 2019 against Melbs as it was one of Batts' better games statistically.
The big take aways for me were as you say were:
1. Gresham, Gresham and more Gresham.
2. Marshall as sole ruckman
3. Benny Long playing more on ball
Battle's 2019 legend seems to have grown over time but he was definitely effective as a defender and based off that it does seem the right move to put him back there again as the other options haven't worked as well. I have little doubt that having better personnel and structure around him this time will help immensely. We shouldn't forget that our tall defenders were decimated that year and we had Nate Brown, Batts and Wilkie straight out of SANFL. 2022 should be a very different kettle of fish all together.
But to round it out, it's absolutely time to put Marshall back as no1 ruckman.
Paddy can rotate with Sharman as a 3rd tall forward and do the chopping out. We had sooo much more potency around the ball with Roma bulldozing kents left and right. He is that 2nd elite mid that we're needing.
Jesuswasacarpenter
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- Mar 12, 2021
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I reckon Sinclair is only going to get better
Its Marshall.
He does not do confused. He plays all roles.
He's like our Chuck Norris.
Dougal Howard 199cm 97kg
Oscar Adams 197cm 85Kg
Matthew Allison 195cm 79kg
Josh Battle 193cm 92kg
Tom Highmore 193cm 89kg
Darragh Joyce 194cm 96kg
Callum Wilkie 191cm 88kg
I really hope that we can eventually develop Adams or Allison for the role.
I hate it when we have a player who is good or great in a role , ( Sam Fisher, or even James Gwilt ) then shove them into a role that , because of their strength or talent , are capable of playing to an extent, but we lose the ability they had playing their natural position.
Wilkie may need to play that role sometimes this year, but i'd hope its not the plan moving forward.
I don't doubt that Marshall will be our main ruck before too long, and as such he will be capable of dropping back to strengthen defence, Ben McEvoy like but moreso. I have big tabs on Marshall.
- Apr 26, 2015
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The soft defensive work of our midfield in 2021 really put pressure on the backline in a lot of games, who did pretty well under the circumstances. As far as CHB goes, Battle would provide a strong physical presence, though not quick off the mark, and an agile CHF would run off him. Can't see much else in the wings for that position- yet.
My first choice 22:
B: Paton, Howard, Wilkie
HB: Coffield, Battle, Sinclair
C: Hill, Steele, Billings
HF: Higgins, Marshall, Gresham
F: Butler, King, Membrey
Foll: Ryder, Crouch, Jones
Int: Clark, Hannebery, Sharman, Webster
I'd really like to see Hill move up to a wing because he's a defensive liability and we already have Sinclair down back who is also undersized (but can at least hold his own against other smalls). Having Coffield and Paton in the back six means that you have two quick medium players who can help chop out a slightly undersized CHB in Battle. I hope we don't try to use Wilkie as a key defender - he's an outstanding third tall but he struggles against bigger bodies.
I'm not sold on Highmore yet. No doubt he is a good interceptor but his foot-skills seem unreliable and we don't know what he's like when given the job of stopping a quality forward.
B: Paton, Howard, Wilkie
HB: Coffield, Battle, Sinclair
C: Hill, Steele, Billings
HF: Higgins, Marshall, Gresham
F: Butler, King, Membrey
Foll: Ryder, Crouch, Jones
Int: Clark, Hannebery, Sharman, Webster
I'd really like to see Hill move up to a wing because he's a defensive liability and we already have Sinclair down back who is also undersized (but can at least hold his own against other smalls). Having Coffield and Paton in the back six means that you have two quick medium players who can help chop out a slightly undersized CHB in Battle. I hope we don't try to use Wilkie as a key defender - he's an outstanding third tall but he struggles against bigger bodies.
I'm not sold on Highmore yet. No doubt he is a good interceptor but his foot-skills seem unreliable and we don't know what he's like when given the job of stopping a quality forward.
gringo2011
Premium Platinum
Hill is there to provide rebound and run off the backline. Since is a bit of both with a contested game and a running game. We could potentially replace that run with someone like Byrnes or a new kid longer term.
- May 27, 2017
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Bit late to the thread but it has to be Josh Battle. It's criminal that he can't get a regular game.
- Apr 24, 2021
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Sinclair I see as providing the same amount of run and creativity off the backline as Hill. Connolly is someone I've seen as a Hill (backline version) replacement which lets Hill go back to the wing
CursingFijian
Knight of the Square Table
This. Think Connolly’s creativity and acceleration make him a prime candidate to play behind the ball.
The question will always be on his ability to defend and influence ground ball contests.
Jesuswasacarpenter
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Wilke did alright on Buddy, last time we played the Swannies
CursingFijian
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CursingFijian
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- Thread starter
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Is it just me or does Matty Allison seem to be featuring a lot more than many other players in the training reports?
Round 1 smokey?
CursingFijian
Knight of the Square Table
Judging by his podcasts he has quite an effervescent personality. So I would say he is the sort to attract attention.
Interestingly in those podcasts he talks about using the backline experience to help shape his forward craft when he returns to the forward line. Also spoke about feeling under skilled with regards to his intercept marking.
I got the impression that he is still best suited to a forward role.
I think Tom Highmore is streets in front for the role.
It's Going to be interesting to see what we do here.
A back line consisting of Howard, Wilkie and Highmore seems too small to me and really leaves us with just the one genuine key defender and 2 3rd talks IMO.
There was talk from Ratts that he believes Highmore could become a key position player, but at this stage he seems best suited to an intercepting 3rd tall role. This could change.
Wilkie is a quality player that battles hard but at the end of the day he is undersized for a genuine key defender and can often get beaten by the big men.
Most of the best sides are now running with 2 tall genuine key defenders with at least one intercepting 3rd tall.
It's definitely one hole we have in our list.
I think we will try Battle in defence early. He was quite good there in 2019 for a young kid that hadn't played the role before. It was probably a mistake to take him out of that role so quickly rather than sticking with him.
The injury to Coff probably helps his case as it means Highmore and Wilkie can play the 3rd tall roles.
If Battle doesn't work out we probably end up playing the undersized defence I mentioned earlier and hope we can make it work and then try to address the issue again next off season.
A back line consisting of Howard, Wilkie and Highmore seems too small to me and really leaves us with just the one genuine key defender and 2 3rd talks IMO.
There was talk from Ratts that he believes Highmore could become a key position player, but at this stage he seems best suited to an intercepting 3rd tall role. This could change.
Wilkie is a quality player that battles hard but at the end of the day he is undersized for a genuine key defender and can often get beaten by the big men.
Most of the best sides are now running with 2 tall genuine key defenders with at least one intercepting 3rd tall.
It's definitely one hole we have in our list.
I think we will try Battle in defence early. He was quite good there in 2019 for a young kid that hadn't played the role before. It was probably a mistake to take him out of that role so quickly rather than sticking with him.
The injury to Coff probably helps his case as it means Highmore and Wilkie can play the 3rd tall roles.
If Battle doesn't work out we probably end up playing the undersized defence I mentioned earlier and hope we can make it work and then try to address the issue again next off season.
I guess we'll know in a years time how Crasha is panning out.
Strangely he's listed on the Saints site as a ruck.
If he looks the goods as a key defender, we can probably continue to make do with Battle, Joyce, and Highmore.
He's most likely going to be a few years off playing senior footy if he does make it unfortunately.
I think if one of those guys don't step up and fill the role this year we will be looking someone to fill the hole in the meantime and I'm not sure we will be throwing too many eggs in the basket of a raw kid taken
late in the draft.
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- #98
Our backline is likely to be horses for courses but as for two "tall" backs to mark a man (which is rarely done in any meaningful way these days) Howard and Battle would be my picks.
Howard, Battle starting talls
Wilkie, Highmore 3rd talls
Paton, Sinclair, Geary, Webster smalls (im sure im forgetting some)
For instance if we play Geelong (with Hawkins, Esava, Cameron) then we probably play all of Howard, Battle, Wilkie and Highmore. If were playing GWS who almost dont have any tall forwards we probably look at a different set up and id guess that Highmore probably doesnt play.
For me Howard and Battle are the key big boys and Wilkie is our flex and Paton and Sinclair are our key smalls.
Howard, Battle starting talls
Wilkie, Highmore 3rd talls
Paton, Sinclair, Geary, Webster smalls (im sure im forgetting some)
For instance if we play Geelong (with Hawkins, Esava, Cameron) then we probably play all of Howard, Battle, Wilkie and Highmore. If were playing GWS who almost dont have any tall forwards we probably look at a different set up and id guess that Highmore probably doesnt play.
For me Howard and Battle are the key big boys and Wilkie is our flex and Paton and Sinclair are our key smalls.
Should we have grabbed Daniel Talia while someone is developing?
Schlong still available too.
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CursingFijian
Knight of the Square Table
I think we went down this pathway with Brown (who was excellent IMO) & Frawley (who was broken down) and here we are, years later, with nothing to show for it.
We need to identify some young(ish) KPD talent and bring it into the club, and develop it. I’m hoping we’ve already done that with Adams and that Joyce continues his gradual improvement until he becomes worthy of a lockdown role.
