2013 - The Future

[vast]

Why not, we haven't had a forward line for 6 weeks?

You really care what happens this week ay?

 

[Slattery_20]

Why not, we haven't had a forward line for 6 weeks?

You really care what happens this week ay?

I'm more interested in keeping some sort of structure than experimenting, yes.
I'm also more interested in seeing young midfielders through midfield, rather than established forwards.

 

[daffo]

I don't want to lose by 150 this week.

 

[Essendonia]

Brace yourself.

 

[Keystone agony]

How id like the team to look in 2013. Now im gonna make a team with the possible chance we pick up Savage/Weillingham/Caddy.

Fletcher - Hooker - Hibberd

Jetta - Carlisle - Dempsey

Zaharakis - Watson - Savage/Wellingham

Heppell - Hurley - Crameri

Hardingham - Ryder - Davey

TBC - Stanton - Myers

Melksham, Howlett, Browne
Sub: Anyone

Love to see the Jetta move to half back. Without Heppell we need someone else who can really help Dempsey otherwise he gets shut down, take out of the play too easily and we lose complete run and drive off half back. I like how the eagles have Waters and Hurn as excellent rebounders if one is quiet the other is dominant.

Im still unsure on Heppell and where his best position will be. Half back or as a midfielder? Id like him to start having an impact on the scoreboard next year and also have him delivering more footballs inside 50. I think hes only avg 2.7 inside 50's and kicked just 2 goals this year. Time for him to kick 15 and avg 4-5 inside 50's. He needs a big preseason to get that big motor so he can stay in the middle for longer.

If we could snare a Wellingham/Savage type it really helps our outside play and line breaking ability. It has been seen we have struggled whenever Zaka doesnt play and its too easy for sides to limit his impact without having to focus on anyone else. Stanton needs to continue his evolsion into an inside player, thats where i believe his game will be. No doubt all wingman, HFF's spend time as onballers these days. Hardingham forward just provides that bit of X factor and energy. With that side would have to work on his crumbing and pressuring game, im not sure how it is. But the main reason for his move is a) no room down back b) if he goes forward he really gives us a chance to use Crameri through the middle in short stints.

Melksham no doubt really needs to step up next year. Coming off a big preseason and really disappointing year. His breakout season coming next year would help heaps. Otherwise id like to see Ekav picked ahead of him.

No Hocking? I cant find a place in the starting midfield for him and i now believe he is only going to be a tagger. So my reason for exclusion is because he wont be starting on someone id rather he not be in the side. No doubt with injuries (Myers) he will get plenty of games. He too me looks like he has really struggled to get across the ground this year and looks to be running on the spot like half our side.

Just something a bit different with some proposed changes. A fit Myers, Zaka playing a full season, Jetta success in changing of roles and a breakout season from Melksham is what we really need.

 

[ZAAHAARAKIS!!!!!]

Like Jetta to half back, but does he have the discipline to lock someone down?

 

[Slattery_20]

Honestly what is the point of writing so many damned words when you're basically introducing 1 new player, and haven't even figured out who that is?

 

[Phone]

there's only one problem with jetta playing in the backline - he's playing in the backline.

 

[eth-dog]

That is a terrible team tbh. For these reasons:

1. Jetta is unaccountable, would be a terrible defender
2. No way known would we waste Heppell on a forward flank. Midfield or Half-Back for Heppell
3. Stanton is a predominantly outside midfielder, why would we waste his gut running ability playing an inside game?
4. Hardingham is not a forward, he is a defender, and a bloody good one at that

I would prefer a line-up similar to:

Fletcher-Carlisle-Hibberd
Dempsey-Hurley-Suban/Broughton
Stanton-Watson-Zaharakis
Melksham-Gumbleton-Crameri
Jetta-Ryder-Howlett
T-Bell-Howlett-Heppell
Browne-Hardingham-Myers
Colyer

 

[Slattery_20]

BWAHAHA! Vastly wrong!
<1 different change>

 

[eth-dog]

Fletcher - Hooker - Hibberd
Jetta - Carlisle - Dempsey
Zaharakis - Watson - Savage/Wellingham
Heppell - Hurley - Crameri
Hardingham - Ryder - Davey
TBC - Stanton - Myers
Melksham, Howlett, Browne
Sub: Anyone

That is a terrible team tbh. For these reasons:

1. Jetta is unaccountable, would be a terrible defender
2. No way known would we waste Heppell on a forward flank. Midfield or Half-Back for Heppell
3. Stanton is a predominantly outside midfielder, why would we waste his gut running ability playing an inside game?
4. Hardingham is not a forward, he is a defender, and a bloody good one at that

I would prefer a line-up similar to:

Fletcher-Carlisle-Hibberd
Dempsey-Hurley-Suban/Broughton
Stanton-Watson-Zaharakis
Melksham-Gumbleton-Crameri
Jetta-Ryder-Howlett
T-Bell-Howlett-Heppell
Browne-Hardingham-Myers
Colyer

BWAHAHA! Vastly wrong!
<1 different change>

I count 6-8 differences. I'm not criticizing the personnel, I'm criticizing the roles. Pretty obvious, really

 

[Slattery_20]

Come on eth, have a sense of humour.
Broughton isn't going to happen & you know it.

Impossible to know what's going to happen until at least a minute into trade week anyway.


Would suggest more kids will be looked at, and guys like Hardingham, Monfries & Jetta might find life a bit trickier.

 

[Essendonia]

That is a terrible team tbh. For these reasons:

1. Jetta is unaccountable, would be a terrible defender
2. No way known would we waste Heppell on a forward flank. Midfield or Half-Back for Heppell
3. Stanton is a predominantly outside midfielder, why would we waste his gut running ability playing an inside game?
4. Hardingham is not a forward, he is a defender, and a bloody good one at that

I agree with these responses. I would further note that Heppell is not expected to be such a contributor with <50 games under his belt. The failure of Melksham to develop significantly this season, coupled with the raft of injuries to our usual mids, has lead to a lapse in (usual?) midfield influence/impact that cannot be reasonably expected to be covered by the rapid improvement development of Heppell.

Heppell clearly has been more comfortable playing behind the ball, and has struggled to make the transition to midfield with the same success he has previously enjoyed. This is not an issue, as he is young, and with greater strength, maturity, time he will develop further - though as a midfielder, I cannot say. We have not really seen Dempsey AND Heppell playing off HB, so that could be one possible future scenario, and I would like to think that it would negate any requirement to move Jetta there.

 

[eth-dog]

Come on eth, have a sense of humour.
Broughton isn't going to happen & you know it.

Impossible to know what's going to happen until at least a minute into trade week anyway.


Would suggest more kids will be looked at, and guys like Hardingham, Monfries & Jetta might find life a bit trickier.

Yeah, but Suban might

 

[Keystone agony]

Yeah HFF's arnt apart of the midfield

Its been shown this year that the team you just picked Eth has been smashed this year. Whats going to change?

How do you know Jetta is unaccountable as a defender? when has he played there for any significant amount of time. It might be a challenge he needs. Im sure he knows if he gets 5-6 goals kicked on him hes going to be out of the team. Jetta is very happy earning money piss farting around in the forward line for the rest of his career without any accountability. He was a top 20 pick FFS and has never been challenged. Given games at will up front. Also interesting that when L.Davis and C.Yarran were at there best playing this role their respective sides had their best seasons.

We have seen that Stanton has struggled off a wing in the back end of the year. Hes getting older, hes not quick so he gets found out by a player with good fitness that can just sit on him off a wing. Hes an 85kg midfielder whos turning 27 next year, the bloke needs to stand up in the guts and what you cant use your elite fitness, running ability as an onballer? please. How many players play on a wing their entire career?

 

[Essendonia]

Yeah HFF's arnt apart of the midfield

True, I still maintain that you're generally putting up an unreasonable expectation on Heppell, even if he were moved to HFF.

 

[eth-dog]

Yeah HFF's arnt apart of the midfield

Its been shown this year that the team you just picked Eth has been smashed this year. Whats going to change?

How do you know Jetta is unaccountable as a defender? when has he played there for any significant amount of time. It might be a challenge he needs. Im sure he knows if he gets 5-6 goals kicked on him hes going to be out of the team. Jetta is very happy earning money piss farting around in the forward line for the rest of his career without any accountability. He was a top 20 pick FFS and has never been challenged. Given games at will up front. Also interesting that when L.Davis and C.Yarran were at there best playing this role their respective sides had their best seasons.

We have seen that Stanton has struggled off a wing in the back end of the year. Hes getting older, hes not quick so he gets found out by a player with good fitness that can just sit on him off a wing. Hes an 85kg midfielder whos turning 27 next year, the bloke needs to stand up in the guts and what you cant use your elite fitness, running ability as an onballer? please. How many players play on a wing their entire career?

Play Heppell in the guts. I would rather Watson off the HFF.

Has it? Let's look at our thrashings:

vs St. Kilda: Hurley forward, no Zaharakis, Gumbleton, Crameri, T-Bell, Browne, Myers
vs Geelong: no Hurley, Zaharkis, Crameri, Ryder, Browne, Crameri, Myers
vs Hawthorn: no Hurley, Zaharakis, Crameri, Ryder, Myers
vs Carlton: Hurley forward, Fletcher subbed off in first 5 minutes, no Gumbleton, Howlett, Myers

Because he was trialed there pre-season and TRB discontinued it because he was unaccountable as a defender? Might be worth thinking about...

Struggled on a wing: didn't have the supply he usually gets. And to answer that question: Crawford, Harvey both had pretty good careers...

 

[Essendonia]

We have seen that Stanton has struggled off a wing in the back end of the year. Hes getting older, hes not quick so he gets found out by a player with good fitness that can just sit on him off a wing. Hes an 85kg midfielder whos turning 27 next year, the bloke needs to stand up in the guts and what you cant use your elite fitness, running ability as an onballer? please. How many players play on a wing their entire career?

Stants is a runner. That is his strength. Not running over guys at the end of the match or out-sprinting them, but gut running continuously throughout the game to get into the space and be the link-up man. If I had to pick one guy to have played at peak throughout the season who didn't, it would probably be him, as it would have made up for some of what we lost. He may be one guy who didn't need to add extra muscle.

 

[Mercurial89]

With the talk about Stanton going inside, what do people think of his use as a tagger? Now not in the same vein as Crowley, hocking, picken who sit on a player and don't win big numbers, more of a carrazo type who can hurt you the other way.

I thought of it after the Richmond game after watching cotchin blow hocking up with his gut running. There isnt a mid in the league that could do that to stants. He also had some of his better games when he was playing more defensive on someone and then rebounding off them. The Kangas match at the start of the year springs to mind, and this also stops him from being taken out of the game by players trying to tag him.

This also has the benefit of freeing up hocking, who has suffered this year, maybe from a too defensive mindset.

Now im not saying we use one of our best runners as a purely lock down tagger, but what i said above or something like it should be something we look at for team balance i feel.

Thoughts?

 

[yaco55]

Could Stanton be the clean ball user we need off half back - I would go this way.

 

[Keystone agony]

We know he is fine without a tag and can really have a big influence on the game whether it be wing or wherever. Its when he gets tagged he tends to get mentally beaten before he is physically beaten. Not many physically can run with him and nothing tends to change if hes getting beaten, they continue to sit him on a wing in the hope by the time the game is over he gets 8 cheap posses in the last quarter and has 20 for the game making it an "okay game". He needs to either go to a HBF, play as an onballer (Win contested balls and clearances had 19 and 8 in round one so he can certainly do that) or what you bring to the table play as a tagger. The problem with him tagging is he isnt massive and can get pushed around but it should be given a go at lease.

Stanton to Beams next week? Crameri starts in the middle with Jobe.

 

[Mercurial89]

I'd like to see Heppel on pendles this week. Just as a learning experience. Stants on beams would be an interesting match up.

 

[yaco55]

I'd like to see Heppel on pendles this week. Just as a learning experience. Stants on beams would be an interesting match up.

Good suggestion re heppell.

Pendles is the type of player we want Hep's to be like.

 

[Chambo]

Like Jetta to half back, but does he have the discipline to lock someone down?

I have said this earlier in the year...I remember Essendon talking about it during the NAB Cup, I think he has great foot skills to damage opposition...but his defensive work would need to be established for him to be successful here.

 

[BrunoV]

Could Stanton be the clean ball user we need off half back - I would go this way.

Not sure about this one yaco.

I don't know that he has the aerial prowess to be sound enough defensively (either playing on an opponent or as a "third man up") or that he actually kicks the ball well enough to provide the sort of drive required.

It would also be taking Stanton's biggest strength, being kms covered, from him. This is probably the sticking point for me.