A wing and a prayer

[Apsaalooke]

Option 16: Scrap the wings and go back to 16 a side to relieve congestion

 

[Danger in Texas]

Cumming/Curtin as starting wings

Then ideally Dowling or Edwards as the 3rd guy, though I suspect we’ll still continue to use Sholl at various points this season

We should probably bring in another wingman of some kind this off-season

 

[Crow_68]

Cumming/Curtin as starting wings

Then ideally Dowling or Edwards as the 3rd guy, though I suspect we’ll still continue to use Sholl at various points this season

We should probably bring in another wingman of some kind this off-season

Cumming Right Wing, Curtin Left Wing. Do not play a right footer on the left side, restricts the angles they can deliver to the forwards.

Would love to see Hinge push up to the left wing occasionally.

 

[footy4ever]

Just on Isaac Cumming

44

Isaac Cumming

Age

27

Ht

188cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.2

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

5.2

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.3

4star

CL

1.0

3star

D

9.5

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.5

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

2.5

3star

CL

0.0

1star

D

10.6

3star

K

5.6

3star

HB

5.0

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

1.2

4star

.

IMO the quiet achiever. Doesn't get a ton of the ball but always seems to bob up at the right time, usually a km away from any other oppo player, not always, but is also very clever one on one, then his disposal is consistently first class - immediate and usually spot on decision making. Decent overhead. Rarely fluffs a short kick or handball and can roost a ball as well.

What a trilogy of players we picked up in the off season! Him, Peatling and ANB.

 

[steve9798]

A lot to like about Curtin's marking ability on the wings

His foot skills are excellent. Curtin on one wing, Cumming on the other.

 

[Huang LoWel]

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the wing role mostly about doing a sh*t load of running forward and back, applying pressure and maintaining "shape"?
Based on this assumption, I wouldn't waste Curtin or many others listed in that role, and without seeing what Edwards brings to an AFL team, Chayce Jones

1

Chayce Jones

Age

25

Ht

180cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.0

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.6

3star

M

1.7

2star

T

1.9

4star

CL

1.3

3star

D

8.9

2star

K

4.9

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

1.4

2star

T

1.6

3star

CL

1.1

3star

D

9.4

3star

K

4.4

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.6

2star

T

1.8

4star

CL

0.8

3star

fits that bill for me - I thought he was ok in that role previously.

 

[Golumless]

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the wing role mostly about doing a sh*t load of running forward and back, applying pressure and maintaining "shape"?
Based on this assumption, I wouldn't waste Curtin or many others listed in that role, and without seeing what Edwards brings to an AFL team, Chayce Jones fits that bill for me - I thought he was ok in that role previously.

Pretty much, though it helps to have neat skills, be combative and good contested marking. It's important in the sense of you need someone to do it, but not so much that you need a lot out of these slots. Near-perfect for development.

The big problem you've missed is where does someone like Curtin go if he's not a wing? Inside midfield is not a development position, and Curtin is certainly not ready for inside minutes. A 4th tall in the forward line forces you into an easily exploited structure. 2nd-3rd tall defender? Positions are locked off. Half back, maybe, but then why not commit to wing? After all, wing to inside midfield is probably the easiest transition in football, seeing everything you're doing as a winger, you're doing as an inside midfielder - just that you're occupying more dangerous spaces.

 

[steve9798]

The best position for Jones is on a wing or HFF back in the Tasmanian league. Hopefully his contract expires at the end of the year. I would play every kid ahead of him rather than waste another game on a player who is nowhere near AFL standard.

 

[Huang LoWel]

Pretty much, though it helps to have neat skills, be combative and good contested marking. It's important in the sense of you need someone to do it, but not so much that you need a lot out of these slots. Near-perfect for development.

The big problem you've missed is where does someone like Curtin go if he's not a wing? Inside midfield is not a development position, and Curtin is certainly not ready for inside minutes. A 4th tall in the forward line forces you into an easily exploited structure. 2nd-3rd tall defender? Positions are locked off. Half back, maybe, but then why not commit to wing? After all, wing to inside midfield is probably the easiest transition in football, seeing everything you're doing as a winger, you're doing as an inside midfielder - just that you're occupying more dangerous spaces.

Due respect but I disagree. I don't see him as ever being a Daicos, Gulden or McCluggage type. Isn't half back to midfield the transition these days? Worked pretty well for Nick Daicos. Looks to be working well for Nasiah WM. Nicks will drop him to the SANFL to "find the footy" if he spends too much time on a wing. Crows half back line is far from all Australian, develop the guy there.
I'm not going to war with you over Jones being the best option though.

 

[Huang LoWel]

The best position for Jones is on a wing or HFF back in the Tasmanian league. Hopefully his contract expires at the end of the year. I would play every kid ahead of him rather than waste another game on a player who is nowhere near AFL standard.

Name the winger then, that is what the thread is asking. Don't just bag a player.
Jones has been butchered by sh*t coaching.
Billy Frampton was not considered good enough for Port or the Crows but Collingwood considered good enough to the extent he owns a premiership medal.

 

[steve9798]

Name the winger then, that is what the thread is asking. Don't just bag a player.
Jones has been butchered by sh*t coaching.
Billy Frampton was not considered good enough for Port or the Crows but Collingwood considered good enough to the extent he owns a premiership medal.

I did. Curtin and Cumming.

Jones butchered Jones - can't blame the coaches for Jones. I say get rid of him at the end of the year and then we can finally move on from the disaster that was the 2018 draft.

 

[Huang LoWel]

I did. Curtin and Cumming.

Jones butchered Jones - can't blame the coaches for Jones. I say get rid of him at the end of the year and then we can finally move on from the disaster that was the 2018 draft.

OK. Don't think Curtin is a winger, but can definitely not blame coaching re Jones - unless you have inside club knowledge. The Crows are what they are due to coaching. Finished 15th last year remember, not just because of Jones.

 

[ftmch]

Who should play on our other wing?

Isaac Cumming has been playing good, solid football and seems like a banker.

The other wing has been problematic.

Sholl started there but struggled after a decent 2024. I think he rushed back from a knee injury during preseason, not wanting to miss the Continuity Train. Regardless, there were doubts about him (on here) in the role anyway. He's a great arc-to-arc runner and finds space. Exactly what we want a wingman to do, but he tended to go missing in any tough game. Didn't ever feel like he'd impact a final, assuming we ever get there.

Nankervis then got an opportunity and has struggled. Appears much more comfortable across half back sadly.

Curtin has pinch-hit there when Cumming or Nankervis have been on the bench. A few glimpses but I'm not sure it's a long term role for him.

Before looking at other options, I think the role itself is tough to play in our structure. We tend to hack kick from stoppages. Our wingmen don't get much of a look in. They need to be marking options - both intercept and as part of our transition play - if they want to see the ball with the way we play.

Getting smart players like Taylor and Rachele around the stoppages will help here hopefully.

The role itself is tricky because it's not a see-ball, get-ball instinctive position. Hold shape (hi Murph), read the play, find space. It's not suited to many players.

Options

Jones had a good 2023 prior to injury and hasn't really fired a shot since. I think he's more a tough, contested player than a space-finding wingman. Ended up on the wing because he proved not good enough in the middle. I like him as a back pocket option but he doesn't seem like a natural wingman.

Dowling doesn't seem like a typical speedy wingman but did handle the step up to AFL level well last season. A bit like Nank, it would be a case of just trying to get a good player into the 22 somehow rather than playing to a specific strength.

Our half backs Hinge and Milera have never had any success whatsoever when playing further up the field.

I don't think we'd play Dawson there under any circumstances. Midfield, forward or behind the footy. He's as likely to play ruck as wing.

Leftfield Options

Charlie Edwards has been showing glimpses across half back in the SANFL. Is wing a role he could slide into?

I actually liked Soligo on the wing early in his career. We couldn't fit him in the midfield rotations initially due to hierarchy and our non-stop awesomeness so he had to bide his time on the wing. Even though he's obviously emerged as a very good mid, I thought he showed an aptitude for the wing. Had an inside/outside balance to his game.

ANB? A bit like Cumming, he just seems like a rock solid pro. Has been good without being outstanding. Could his smarts be utilised on the wing?

Cook? He's been named an emergency once or twice but it feels like his career is going nowhere. He's played a little bit on the wing in some AFL matches previously and does OK, gets a few touches, looks comfortable for half a quarter. Then immediately is shunted back up forward where he doesn't touch the ball for 3 weeks. Strange player.

Thoughts? Recall Sholl? Persist with Nank? Try to turn Curtin into that player?

Other options?

Anything other than 'recall Sholl'.

 

[Danger in Texas]

Just on Isaac Cumming.

IMO the quiet achiever. Doesn't get a ton of the ball but always seems to bob up at the right time, usually a km away from any other oppo player, not always, but is also very clever one on one, then his disposal is consistently first class - immediate and usually spot on decision making. Decent overhead. Rarely fluffs a short kick or handball and can roost a ball as well.

What a trilogy of players we picked up in the off season! Him, Peatling and ANB.

I said at the time that it was our best overall off-season in years, and so far I think that’s proven to be right

Peatling has changed our CB dynamic in the best way, ANB’s neatness and hard work off the HFF has been tremendous (averaging a goal a game too), and Cumming’s traits off a wing have been a breath of fresh air

 

[Captain Furious]

Name the winger then, that is what the thread is asking. Don't just bag a player.
Jones has been butchered by sh*t coaching.
Billy Frampton was not considered good enough for Port or the Crows but Collingwood considered good enough to the extent he owns a premiership medal.

Bad coaching is a cop out. If Jones was high level, he would’ve shown that by now. We all wanted him to be great but he just isn’t. And Frampton isn’t good enough, having a premiership medal doesn’t make him a good player, just a lucky one.

 

[glengowan]

This will be shot down on here, maybe rightly so, but for this week I'd put Brodie Smith

33

Brodie Smith

Age

33

Ht

194cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.5

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

7.2

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.1

4star

MG

500.1

5star

D

17.1

4star

K

12.6

5star

HB

4.5

3star

M

3.5

3star

T

2.3

3star

MG

438.9

5star

D

17.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

3.6

5star

on the wing.

As the OP points out, Cumming has made one wing his own. I don't mind the role Curtin has been mostly playing, which is part wing and part up forward and would keep him part of the set up.

Nankervis lacks slightly in penetration - he's been caught a few times doing too much with it. The early sub suggests he might be the one to make way for Hinge this week. Sholl is the most natural wingman, but has a habit of going missing when the heat is on.

I liked what Smith gave at the end of 2023 from the wing. He was poor in 2024. He's been a very good player for a long time and has served his time in the SANFL and played ok last weekend. There is a spot there on the wing for someone who is good enough to demand it. Give him one last chance.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

This will be shot down on here, maybe rightly so, but for this week I'd put Brodie Smith on the wing.

As the OP points out, Cumming has made one wing his own. I don't mind the role Curtin has been mostly playing, which is part wing and part up forward and would keep him part of the set up.

Nankervis lacks slightly in penetration - he's been caught a few times doing too much with it. The early sub suggests he might be the one to make way for Hinge this week. Sholl is the most natural wingman, but has a habit of going missing when the heat is on.

I liked what Smith gave at the end of 2023 from the wing. He was poor in 2024. He's been a very good player for a long time and has served his time in the SANFL and played ok last weekend. There is a spot there on the wing for someone who is good enough to demand it. Give him one last chance.

Agree if Smith is to stay in ahead of Nankervis, that he is our best option for the wing... not Hinge!

 

[TBM]

The best position for Jones is on a wing or HFF back in the Tasmanian league. Hopefully his contract expires at the end of the year. I would play every kid ahead of him rather than waste another game on a player who is nowhere near AFL standard.

Contracted to end of 2026. Don't think he's been EMG once this year either.

Dowling, Edwards, Ryan should all be WAY ahead Chayce in the selection pecking order.

 

[BunjiMac]

As long as it's not Sholl.

That's one player that can never complain that he didn't get the opportunities.

We've tried him so many times with the exact same result.

Not hard and tough enough in the contested hard games. Will be a liability come finals, nothing is surer.

I'm happy to give it to Curtin for now, but I still like Nank and encouraged by Edwards.

Houd totally forgotten about Jones, how's he actually going in the SANFL?

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Hinge on the wing hasn't worked previously.

However, is it a bit like Dawson forward? Hadn't worked in the past but there was no good reason that it hadn't. Dawson has the skill set to play forward. Last Saturday it clicked.

Is Hinge as a wing the same? He is good in the air, long kick. A lot of a wingman's role is as a half back-style sweeper anyway. He should succeed there?

 

[SellarStardom]

For now its Cumming, Curtin and Nank.

Cumming will stay in that role most likely but I'm sure he came to Adel for midfield minutes much like Peatling. So in time he may move from that role.

Curtin is great in that role as he is a massive unit to match up on, so a point of difference coming down the wings. Would love him to move into midfield just not sure he has urgency and mongrel to do it

Nank also has a point of difference in his ability to evade, would actually be good through the middle.

Sholl will always be there when we are firing and missing when not. Dowling is good but I think better as a HFF. Jones was great back in 23 as his pace and toughness is there but I think it's a bust, same with Cook.

Edwards could turn out to be a real asset in a wing with height, pace and long kick. We have missed a long kickingqinger for a while.

Cumming, Curtin and Nank for now, Edwards to come in

 

[glengowan]

The wing, or even wings, have been problematic for us, but are fast becoming a strength. Cumming was exceptional today, especially early. Curtin is imposing himself on the competition from his wing, his confidence catching up with his ability. Not many positions on the football field have remained similar over the years, but the wing remains a strength for a team whose player can run its length, helping out in defence, using its space to deliver forward or finish with goals.

We’ve done well in targeting Cumming to fill one, and teaching Curtin to fill the other. Loving what both of these players bring, from what are now, their wings.