One of our biggest unaddressed problems/weaknesses over the last few years has been our forward line.
We have lacked a dangerous medium forward since chappy left and SJ on final legs as well as a CHF that can get on the park. But IMO it is more to do with strategy and our lack of roles given to our forwards.
Bombing it on Hawkins' head whilst being double teamed, or kicking it to stationary targets (sound familiar?) will just not cut it in the modern game, especially against good defences. The brown and yellow flogs have really mastered how it should be done, with more precise forward 50 entries to moving leading players as well as permanent forwards who have defined forward roles.
STRATEGY
- We need our forwards to be constantly moving with space being opened up to lead in to.
- We need to lower our eyes and hit up short 15m chip passes (like Hawks do) to free players, rather than bomb it every time to a double teamed Hawkins. The top of the goal square kick should still be used but only at the opportune moment. We just need to be less predictable and smarter.
PERSONNEL ROLES
The last few years our forwards have not had any defined roles (from where I sit). Each player needs a different role from the next in order to make the forward line work as a cohesive unit.
My ideal forward line and accompanying roles:
HF: resting mid - Clark or Vardy - Bartel
FF: Lang/Gregson - Hawkins - Menzel
- Resting mids (caddy, Motlop, Duncan, Selwood, danger). Role: to have a break from the mid and capitalise on opportunities.
- CHF can only be one of Clark or vardy. Unless vardy is playing as a second ruck and rotating forward (on the assumption Stanley is not there) both cannot fit. It shouldn't be an issue as one will probably be injured anyway. Role: to take that second defender from Hawkins and compete in the air and be a target up the ground therefore opening space in the forward 50.
- Bartel: my role for him would be a defensive hff that tags the best hbf and thus stopping teams running out of our attack at ease (a real weakness for us). Rooke mastered this role in our glory days and jimmy has the attributes to do the same, he tagged hayes out of the gf so can do this, the great man will have no issue sacrificing himself for the team in this new role and can contribute with a goal or 2 with some good leadership and tackling pressure and aerial presence in the forward 50.
- Gregson/Lang: as a result of having no specialist medium forward (bar menzel) we are forced to keep one of these players here. It's not ideal as they are both better mids, it shows we need to target one in the draft and trade next year. Role: to be CONSTANTLY moving when we are on the attack (running up and down the ground and repeat, constantly leading into space making an option) like poupolo or bruest do. They also need to be dangerous at ground level. When we do not have the ball, they need to bring relentless tackling pressure that causes inside 50 turnovers.
- Hawkins: Needs to move more. Our motto next year needs to be "keep moving". He is so much more dangerous on the lead marking at the ball and if our above players keep moving, space opens up for Hawkins to lead into. His secondary role will still always be that power foward get out of jail kick card but I would like to see it used less. If he's one out, good kick it to him at his advantage. But when double teamed, we need to lower our eyes and be unpredictable.
- Menzel: assuming stays fit, menzels role is that lurking smart medium forward that we lack and crave so much. To create opportunities from nothing and be an aerial target (third tall almost).
Overall we need to be less predictable going forward (by not kicking to Hawkins every single time). They need to work together as one cohesive moving unpredictable unit, by fulfilling smaller individual roles.
The point of this thread is to discuss ideas as to how to make our forward work better and be more dangerous. Are there any other ideas?
We have lacked a dangerous medium forward since chappy left and SJ on final legs as well as a CHF that can get on the park. But IMO it is more to do with strategy and our lack of roles given to our forwards.
Bombing it on Hawkins' head whilst being double teamed, or kicking it to stationary targets (sound familiar?) will just not cut it in the modern game, especially against good defences. The brown and yellow flogs have really mastered how it should be done, with more precise forward 50 entries to moving leading players as well as permanent forwards who have defined forward roles.
STRATEGY
- We need our forwards to be constantly moving with space being opened up to lead in to.
- We need to lower our eyes and hit up short 15m chip passes (like Hawks do) to free players, rather than bomb it every time to a double teamed Hawkins. The top of the goal square kick should still be used but only at the opportune moment. We just need to be less predictable and smarter.
PERSONNEL ROLES
The last few years our forwards have not had any defined roles (from where I sit). Each player needs a different role from the next in order to make the forward line work as a cohesive unit.
My ideal forward line and accompanying roles:
HF: resting mid - Clark or Vardy - Bartel
FF: Lang/Gregson - Hawkins - Menzel
- Resting mids (caddy, Motlop, Duncan, Selwood, danger). Role: to have a break from the mid and capitalise on opportunities.
- CHF can only be one of Clark or vardy. Unless vardy is playing as a second ruck and rotating forward (on the assumption Stanley is not there) both cannot fit. It shouldn't be an issue as one will probably be injured anyway. Role: to take that second defender from Hawkins and compete in the air and be a target up the ground therefore opening space in the forward 50.
- Bartel: my role for him would be a defensive hff that tags the best hbf and thus stopping teams running out of our attack at ease (a real weakness for us). Rooke mastered this role in our glory days and jimmy has the attributes to do the same, he tagged hayes out of the gf so can do this, the great man will have no issue sacrificing himself for the team in this new role and can contribute with a goal or 2 with some good leadership and tackling pressure and aerial presence in the forward 50.
- Gregson/Lang: as a result of having no specialist medium forward (bar menzel) we are forced to keep one of these players here. It's not ideal as they are both better mids, it shows we need to target one in the draft and trade next year. Role: to be CONSTANTLY moving when we are on the attack (running up and down the ground and repeat, constantly leading into space making an option) like poupolo or bruest do. They also need to be dangerous at ground level. When we do not have the ball, they need to bring relentless tackling pressure that causes inside 50 turnovers.
- Hawkins: Needs to move more. Our motto next year needs to be "keep moving". He is so much more dangerous on the lead marking at the ball and if our above players keep moving, space opens up for Hawkins to lead into. His secondary role will still always be that power foward get out of jail kick card but I would like to see it used less. If he's one out, good kick it to him at his advantage. But when double teamed, we need to lower our eyes and be unpredictable.
- Menzel: assuming stays fit, menzels role is that lurking smart medium forward that we lack and crave so much. To create opportunities from nothing and be an aerial target (third tall almost).
Overall we need to be less predictable going forward (by not kicking to Hawkins every single time). They need to work together as one cohesive moving unpredictable unit, by fulfilling smaller individual roles.
The point of this thread is to discuss ideas as to how to make our forward work better and be more dangerous. Are there any other ideas?
