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Eagles had an average midfield and look how they improved . A decent forward half with marking targets can make an average midfield look a million dollars.
Freo Forward Line 2019
- Thread starter Admiral Byng
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Eagles had an average midfield and look how they improved . A decent forward half with marking targets can make an average midfield look a million dollars.
- Jan 14, 2008
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Nah no need for a membership with the new stadium, plenty of seats available. The punters are less likely to take out a membership because of the stadium. You underestimate the love for our club.
He will almost certainly pinch hit in the ruck. Wouldn't take him at his price.
Tabs got injured in round 5 last year. In the four games he actually completed, he kicked 4 goals against Essendon (his bunnies for some reason), 1 goal against Port and nothing against Gold Coast and GWS. In his fifth game against the Doggies he kicked 1 goal before getting injured.
In his 4 completed early season games he also contributed a 2 goal assists. They ended up being his only goal assists for the year.
That's hardly awesome form.
At least he is consistent: Tabs also contributed 2 goal assists in 2017 and 2 in 2016 as well. That's 6 goal assists in 34 games across 3 seasons for a as key forward. In those 34 games he kicked 39 goals. So all up he is a bit-over-a-goal-a-game key forward who doesn't get involved much in scores unless he is on the end of the chain.
I don't hate Tabs. But his record is hardly earth shattering.
How many people deservedly crapped on McCarthy in 2018? (I was one of them: too often beaten 1-on-1 with poor second efforts.)
Well with McCarthy's shitty season he still kicked more goals than Tabs has ever kicked in a season -- even in Tab's best ever year of 2016 he only kicked 18 goals.
Tabs is like Brady Grey. He is a fan favourite because we love his work ethic and that he is a team player. When you see guys like Tabs and Brady and Barlow get a game you get to think that perhaps footy isn't all about elite junior pathways and high end draft picks. And so you hope they do well because they are that little bit closer to us.
But history suggests it doesn't always end well for the fan favourites.
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I liked the idea of going tall. Wonder if we’ll consider playing 4 talks if they all hit some form. The long high floater into the forward 50 is going to be very scary for opposition defense when we have all of Hogan, Lobb, Tabs and maybe even Cox standing underneath it.
Like the eagles, I’ll say it’s make up for weaker / less experienced midfield when at worst we just need to find space for a long hard kick forward. But I think our mids will find more space anyway since I expect opposition defensive mids will need to flood back to help out.
Like the eagles, I’ll say it’s make up for weaker / less experienced midfield when at worst we just need to find space for a long hard kick forward. But I think our mids will find more space anyway since I expect opposition defensive mids will need to flood back to help out.
I too like the idea of having a tall forward line. If we have good leading patterns, it can really help stretch the defence and provide good outlets. This means better transitions from defence to attack without the midfield actually needing to change much.
For a tall forward line to work, however, it means that the smalls really, really need to work hard. Defensive pressure will be needed for when the ball hits the ground. That means some of our younger mids/forwards need to learn to run like hell and be able to stick their tackles when they get there.
For a tall forward line to work, however, it means that the smalls really, really need to work hard. Defensive pressure will be needed for when the ball hits the ground. That means some of our younger mids/forwards need to learn to run like hell and be able to stick their tackles when they get there.
I give up.
Tell you what, lets revisit when we don't make finals and Ross doesn't get sacked.
I think Ross could be replaced at the end of the season, depending on circumstances. But it won't simply be that we didn't make finals. I think our odds of finals would be 40/60 or less. After that, there needs to be a better option available.
Yeah totally agree if we regress or possibly even if we stagnate he could get the flick.
There are multiple scenarios where we don't make finals and Ross is safe as houses which is the part I was trying to communicate to freo1997.
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Dont lump Barlow in with those two spuds
.
To be fair to Graberner, his 2018 JLT also contributed to the hype and hope of a breakout year. He was pretty dominant in those two games, as well as the practise match against the weages.
JLT 1, 10pt loss against Crows: 3 goals, 1 goal assist. 16 disposals, 7 marks (3 contested) and 2 tackles. Pretty solid for a big man!
JLT 2, 62pt win against Weages: 2 goals, no assists. 23 disposals, 12 marks (5 contested) and 4 tackles.
You add these two performances to his 4.25 games early in 2018, and it was looking promising for him! 11 goals in 6.25 games is 1.76 average - puts him in the 35-40 goal territory for a full season.
Tab’s dominant games at Peel were similar to that Eagles output. He’ll probably never be a high goal scorer, but if he can bring his WAFL form to AFL, there’s potentially a spot for him - especially if he can sharpen his decision making / limit brain fart fluff kicks.
If we can get 40-50 from Hogan, and 30-40 from each of Lobb and Tabs (or Cox or McCarthy), it’ll be a massive improvement for the team. Walters is capable of kicking 30-40 as a small forward, and if Switz can contribute 30+ we could have a semi decent forward line. One which could hopefully put the shitter teams to the sword, which will help our % just as much as trying to limit the massive blow out losses (which I think will still happen given our midfield).
I agree, and in a balanced forward structure Taberner will be awesome. You can (and do) also say that for McCarthy or Cox in that line up. My prefered is for the diversity that McCarthy would add, but he has been unconvincing so far.
Yep - would love Cam to fire up and make that spot his own. He’s the most talented of that group, but remains to be seen how much he really wants it.
Cox is also quite young and still looks like he’s just enjoying life and playing AFL. Tabs is at that age where he’s put in the hard yards to build his body and game, and needs to put together a consistent year.
Hopefully towards the end of the year, Dixon and Sturt start putting on some pressure - however, it might take another year or two before they look like genuine regular B22 prospects.
For the smalls, super excited about Swita and Schultz. Both had ripping VFL seasons before being drafted. If they can bring that form and pressure to AFL, we could have a potent mosquito squad, all capable of kicking 30+ goals a year.
Going into last years pre trade period I wouldn't have minded the thought of Taberner-Cox-McCarthy if they were fit and playing to potential. Now I can switch them in and out as the third banana of my preferred forward line and keep on smirking.
Schultz has been surprisingly invisible during the pre-season, rarely featuring in training reports, especially when compared to Bewley who looms as quite likely for round 1.
The sooner we can get the forward line to resemble this format, the better;
McCarthy* Hogan Sturt (*Taberner/Cox)
Walters Lobb Switkowski
Wizard
Brownlow Medallist
Taberner just signed an extension.
Which given the way we are balanced down there is an interesting show of faith as i would have thought he was third in line as a genuine KPF and second in line as that second ruck/tall forward.
Which given the way we are balanced down there is an interesting show of faith as i would have thought he was third in line as a genuine KPF and second in line as that second ruck/tall forward.
Taylor
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The Eagles have three of the best spreading midfielders in the league, hard hard runners in Gaff, Masten and Redden - coincidentally they build a game plan of running hard to position as the ball goes into their defensive fifty and maintain possession with kicks to the free men who is usually one of the above three. They kick long when one of these isn't loose and had the marking power to maintain ball there.
Dane Swan won a brownlow off that kind of play, run hard to space and take a mark instead of a turnover.
We haven't had the power to go with all of the Eagles runners at least until recently, remember when a player like Rosa would get forty disposals against us and really exploit that last midfielder on our side who wasn't the best runner?
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Gaff didn't play in the G F and Masten ,really. Redden and Sheed had been underwhelming .
WC,s midfield was not rated at all, the bigs another story. WC won with great intercept marking across half back and class targets up forward. They made the most of an average midfield .
Redden and Sheed had been underwhelming . WC,s midfield was not rated at all, the bigs another story. WC won with great intercept marking across half back and class targets up forward. They made the most of an average midfield .
Taylor
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Yes. Surprise. The teams that have more guys who can run 15km+ in a game, especially at speed will win more games.
They are integral to transition/pressure game plans. Since you mention the grand finals, Steele Sidebottom - arguably one of the best runners in the league, tagged.
Richmond fell in a hole when Kane Lambert had a minor procedure on his ankle, he is their best runner.
Gaff, Redden and Masten give them so many pressure release options. Brad Hill and Issac Smith at Hawthorn used to do the exact same thing without as much inside ball winning from the first two.
It's where Lachie Neale can take his game to a new level, it's what Palmer won a rising star with, it's Michael Barlow's value to the side before he broke his leg.
It's why GWS fell in a hole when Kelly and Scully were both out.
They are integral to transition/pressure game plans. Since you mention the grand finals, Steele Sidebottom - arguably one of the best runners in the league, tagged.
Richmond fell in a hole when Kane Lambert had a minor procedure on his ankle, he is their best runner.
Gaff, Redden and Masten give them so many pressure release options. Brad Hill and Issac Smith at Hawthorn used to do the exact same thing without as much inside ball winning from the first two.
It's where Lachie Neale can take his game to a new level, it's what Palmer won a rising star with, it's Michael Barlow's value to the side before he broke his leg.
It's why GWS fell in a hole when Kelly and Scully were both out.
- Jan 14, 2008
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Take Kennedy, Darling, McGovern, Shepherd Hurn out of WC and WC, mids would fall flat.
Alternatively have Fyfe,Mundy, Hills,Langdon ,Blakely and Brayshaw playing with WC ,s bigs and imagine how they would improve.
Hopefully we will have somewhere near the capacity of WC,s bigs this season and get a proper reading on our midfield.
Simpson's tactics are not just purely attacking footy, as you say he has plenty of running power. He targets the oppositions strengths and employs hard tags.
We have seen it with Fyfe, and Gawn, Grundy, Sidebottom, and its what we were known for with Crowley, etc.
Most teams play into his web, bombing the ball forward, their midfield gamble on winning and have gained the
advantage with space to run.
Two way running power, tagging, smart users of the ball, Hawks at their best would demolish both last years finalists.
Great post.
Watching our derby last year it was really interesting to see how often we took possession at half-back/midfield, looked to switch (so we didn't kick down the line to McGovern, etc), and then couldn't because the WC midfielders/half-forwards were on the outside of our midfield, taking away space on the fat side of the ground.
In that situation a lot of players just pump long down the line as the "best" of 2 bad options. And then your average fan just gets frustrated because "why do they always kick it to him". Well it's because Masten is just "doing nothing" on the fat side of the ground.
You don't need to be a great footballer to consistently get on the outside. What you do need is great fitness (from years of pre-seasons), work ethic, and discipline. Guys like Redden and Masten have that.
Like any team, WC won last year not because Kennedy and McGovern are great players but because everyone did their job. And that allows the better players to influence because the game gets played on their team's terms and so the play ends up being funnelled through them.
Helps when your chb marks everything
Well if Tabs out-performs McCarthy and Cox this preseason, he will get the spot. But he will get it, I think, because of his continued improvement this preseason.
If he plays, I hope he plays deep. It keeps the game simple for him and he won't slow down ball movement by taking too long to make a decision. Tabs looks good running towards the ball up on the flanks/wings, but when he gets it, he seems to hold onto it for an age -- which of course lets the defence setup. I wonder if thats why his Goal Assists stats are so low?
If we can get 40+ from one forward and then 30+ from 2 or 3 other forwards, then we will be playing in September. I bloody hope this happens!
Yep, having guys like McGovern means that the way the WC midfield defends can be effective -- even though the midfield isn't filled with stars. Having a hard-running midfield that does its job means that a guy like McGovern can just camp down the line and take his hangers.
The two depend on each other.
I agree he is a player who needs simple game plan to get the best out of him. But if Lobb and Hogan are in the 50 he shouldn't have to overwork the grey matter.
