News Ablett's loss may be Varcoe's gain

[dazbroncos]

I dont think you can underestiamte JC's input.

He was clearly playing hurt last year and I find it hard to believe that he is gone.

The game has gotten faster etc but his efforts in 09 were instrumental in getting us home. If he is fully fit and healed I see Byrnes or Stokes or even J Hunt getting magoo time before Smithy.

While he is not an in and under type he certianly is hard at the ball, and i dont think his tank is a short as been suggested.

Where i think he would excel is pinch hitting as the sub....

that kind of maximum effort off the bench type role that has been discussed for 3/4 of the game would be perfect for him. He can play mids or even forward and his defensive skills are great too.

He is a club champion in my eyes and has that attitude to succeed that is needed. Lets just hope his body ain't quit yet....

GO Catters

 

[year of the cat]

With regard to the sub rule (which probably demands its own thread) it will be interesting to see how clubs utilise it. Do you use it on a ruckman thereby maintaining the ability to maximise your midfield rotations? Do you use it on an impact player with a bit of x-factor? Do you, as has been suggested, use it on a mature player that may struggle to run out 100 minutes but could be valuable for half a game?

My opinion is that it will probably be horses for courses depending what team you are playing. Against a team like the pies you would probably want to keep all your mids available to play. Perhaps against a team with a weaker ruck division you may want to experiment with playing 2 rucks for the whole game to maximise your advantage?

I think it may also be used to play a player into form on the comeback from injury. If the likes of Ottens has been out for 3 months with one of his injuries you could have him as the sub for a couple of weeks in order to bring him back gradually.

 

[winty]

We'll see on this one. I don't hold much hope for West. It's strange because I like the look of him but he doesn't get the ball.

And Blake does?

Just picking through as I go
When was the last time Ottens showed anything forward? It is over rated. Yep great if you run forward but no longer valuable if you are sent there.

One thing with Ottens though is he has played there before, can take a pack mark or at least create crumbs for the small forwards, and generally throws his weight around. When he goes forward, he generally takes one of the opposition's best defenders. West is mobile enough to do the same. Blake wouldn't cause any opposition coaches to have sleepless nights trying to figure out how to cover him in the forward line.

As for Hawkins, I think we found out last season he is not a ruckman. He was recruited as a key forward. Play him there.