07 Forward Line

[doppleganger]

Although losing Taz takes away a fair bit from our forward line it still looks pretty good going forward.

A.Rocca, the big power KP player. Had a good return year from a serious injury, i think he will build on last year and be able to carry his early good form through an entire season. He was challenging for the Coleman at the mid part of the season!

N.Buckley, i reckon he should play 90% of his ground time up forward in 07. Buckley down forward is very dangerous and can turn it on and kick 5 or 6, as well as teach the younger kids.

T.Cloke, the roaming CHF role. More focus will come to him in 07. Has shown glimpses of solid form, has to try to step up and with Buckley & Rocca showing him the way hopefully he continues his development.

Egan, stepped up in the later part of the year. Became a good leading target, hopefully can keep progressing further.

L.Davis, really missed his spark after he went down, hopefully he recaptures his form as his pace & ball usage were important last year.

Thomas, i think that a rotation system between thomas, l.davis & ego should be employed where one of them is always playing on the ball. Thomas shown he has a good goal sense & loves the big occasion.

Medhurst, has plenty of talent. Very strong over his head, knows where the goals are, and is goal hungry which is good. He could be a big bonus for us next year.

Rusling, not sold on him as much as some others are. He needs to show that he can play in a few different positions before id start playing him. If he is able to play as a taz type burning off his opponent on long 50m plus leads, plus his quick leads out of the square then id play him in the ones. But start the season playing as a CHF-HFF flank type role for Willi until he shows good form in this role.

So Rocca & Medhurst to play the deeper forwards. Buckley to roam around where he wants. T.Cloke to be a push up CHF. Plus a combo of L.Davis, Thomas & Egan switching between on ball and closer to goal.

When / If Didak returns in 07, i would play him off the HB line as a creator type of player as it is too hard to return straight to the forward line. Didak setting us up off the HB line like a wirrpanda - mcleod - gilbee type player could work very well.

 

[HFF]

in all seriousness i think im just about to vomit. Ive seen enough of the 2 words docker and tarrant and watching him in purple like a clown makes me sick.
Yet, i do agree his loss can be covered and our forward line will be just as potent as it has been this year. I cant see any reason why we cannot still be the highest scoring team in the league again next year especially with young talent willing to improve.
Forward line in 07 will be new-looking but just as potent and as effective.
People are afraid of change but lets embrace it- better things will come out of this.

 

[sloth6]

Why have probably our best finisher around goal in defence? Didak is much more suited to a forward role, he was selected as an All Australian up forward, i think led the comp in goal assists..............need I go on.......

We have Heater in that creative half back role!

More likely than not, Medhurst has been recruited to play a role closer to goal, being another leading option and can to take some contested marks. Medhurst's arrival will allow Dids to move into the middle when he returns to full fitness.

 

[doppleganger]

Why have probably our best finisher around goal in defence? Didak is much more suited to a forward role, he was selected as an All Australian up forward, i think led the comp in goal assists..............need I go on.......

We have Heater in that creative half back role!

More likely than not, Medhurst has been recruited to play a role closer to goal, being another leading option and can to take some contested marks. Medhurst's arrival will allow Dids to move into the middle when he returns to full fitness.

Fit & Firing Didak would play forward of the ball. But he will be returning from a serious injury. Didak is a similar player to NG Brown, thi syear showed that he struggled big time to influence games when returning to his usual forward line role.

Playing off HB would be a much easier return to league footy for Didak IMO.

 

[WakeUpPies]

T.Cloke long to FF, rocca fumbles and drops the mark, medhurst picks up and handpass to didak for a goal...that would be good

 

[Coin_Toss]

Originally posted by doppleganger
A.Rocca, the big power KP player. Had a good return year from a serious injury, i think he will build on last year and be able to carry his early good form through an entire season. He was challenging for the Coleman at the mid part of the season!

Rocca is certainly the key next year, without Didak, he needs to have bearing on every single match.

N.Buckley, i reckon he should play 90% of his ground time up forward in 07. Buckley down forward is very dangerous and can turn it on and kick 5 or 6, as well as teach the younger kids.

It pains me to say this..... but Bucks is almost finished..... we can't rely on him to win us football games, mainly due to his age.

Medhurst, has plenty of talent. Very strong over his head, knows where the goals are, and is goal hungry which is good. He could be a big bonus for us next year.

I am not sold on Medhurst, has talent but not sure he has plenty of it.

If Rocca goes down the panic button will explode. Rusling is not ready to take on the responsibility, he is a few preseason's away from delivering. We are hoping Travis Cloke takes massive strides in his development - But is he ready?

Time will tell.

 

[Magpie_Babe]

It pains me to say this..... but Bucks is almost finished..... we can't rely on him to win us football games, mainly due to his age.

Ssshhhh! If we don't say it or think about it maybe it will never happen!!!!!

 

[doppleganger]

It pains me to say this..... but Bucks is almost finished..... we can't rely on him to win us football games, mainly due to his age.

What do u base this on???

Yes the days of Bucks carrying the team are long gone.

But he still has a fair bit left to offer IMO.

Playing up forward if he can average 15+ disposals, and kick 30+ goals he will be a big asset. I think he could puch for mid 40 goals if played up forward all year. Capable of a dominant half in which he kicks 4. Still attracts a quality defender, which will help medhurst, rusling, ego etc.

 

[Ferga18]

Our forward line is something people have been bagging for years. And for the last 3 days thats all i have heard. But, I honestly think its going to work very well.

HF: Thomas Cloke Medhurst

F: Buckley Rocca Rusling

Now the reason behind this structure (mind u i expect our forward line to move around throughout games, and have about 10 different players play in it), is that we need pace.
Rusling, Thomas, Medhurst chuck in Davis and Egan aswell all have pace. Rusling coming out of the square, i honestly think (as long as the ball is kicked well to him) no one will catch him on a lead. And he is capable of kicking 40-50 goals a year.
Medhurst is a workhorse. I have seen him a few times and in those times he works sooo hard to keep the ball inside his forward 50. And looking at his stats, he gets the ball aswell.
Buckley well, he is the man. He can do anything. Permanant forward he will kick 40-50 goals aswell. He can do everything and anything!!
Cloke at CHF is a good one i think, coz he showed really good glimpes in games this year, one that springs to mind is the game against hawthorn later in the year. He took big strong marks and made lead after lead after lead. Deserved his brownlow votes that night.
Thomas got us all excited this year with his pace, skill and hair. We all know he can take a mark, but we all know he can kick goals. I dont expect to see him much in the forward 50 and maybe more up around the half back wing area, but there will be times where he will play as a permanant HFF. which will be at the start of the year i think.
The big fella in the square, is one person I think hard to comment on. He is the strongest player in the AFL. One on One will beat anyone!! unless its zac Dawson then he can lead all he wants and he will kck 10 haha. Joke Zac. Anyways all collinwgood players should realise Anthonys strength which is ability to win one on one contests. Boys just POP IT UP TO HIM. Its simple, maybe fletcher can spoil a few times, but on 3 or 4 occasions u do it, anthony might win, and kick 3 or 4 goals.

Other players that will enter our forward line is Egan and Davis. They are both quick and electrifying. Egan will spend a fair bit of time around the middle and i think Davis will aswell. When Didak comes back into the midfield, then it will push one of these, probabley Davis, into our forward line.

Im excited by this structure, in fact I probabley should have applied for the Saints job. haha

Anyways im excited about season 2007 and hopefully Medders and our new draft picks have a fantastic career with the Pies.

GO PIES