Chris Tarrant - our new CHB

[dominguez]

lol, nice of you to bump the only thread on bigfooty where Dom was wrong.

 

[Dr Ralph Dagg]

Please read my beautifully reasoned contribution to this thread then leave the money on the fridge

As for Grover I don't think he's as finished as some would have him. Certainly the game is only getting faster and more unforgiving but I would still pick him in our best 22 quite easily. The difference between success and failure is really coming down to milliseconds these days and it may be that his reflexes are just that bit too slow now. I'd certainly be giving him a few games yet as a walk up start.

Grover was written off by the Bigfooty crew before, and came back. There's a few on here who are very hard markers, or blind or both.

Grover is an AFL quality defender who would probably walk into the first 22 of any team in the league.

The question I have is why Grover might get a harder mark when playing forward than McPharlin. McPharlin has way more natural attributes but doesn't seem to be any more effective i.e. kicking goals that other options.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Grover was written off by the Bigfooty crew before, and came back. There's a few on here who are very hard markers, or blind or both.

Grover is an AFL quality defender who would probably walk into the first 22 of any team in the league.

The question I have is why Grover might get a harder mark when playing forward than McPharlin. McPharlin has way more natural attributes but doesn't seem to be any more effective i.e. kicking goals that other options.

So, how much for the drugs?

 

[prattsta]

Grover was written off by the Bigfooty crew before, and came back. There's a few on here who are very hard markers, or blind or both.

Grover's problem is that he's been playing as a defender in a fairly ordinary side for the last couple of seasons. The perception, rightly or wrongly, is that it's the defenders fault when the opposition kicks a goal. Combine that with his age - he has noticeably lost a step as well - and people are going to look at him as being past it.

Despite generally getting the job done, he is also undersized which works against him.

Hell, I like Grover, I appreciate the role he does week in, week out, and I have had trouble putting him in my 'best' 22 for next season. This is partly because I've tried putting so many young guys in, and partly because I'm an unrealistic idiot.

Grover is an AFL quality defender who would probably walk into the first 22 of any team in the league.

Yes, to the AFL quality defender part, no, to the walking into any team bit...

 

[legitimatic]

So, how much for the drugs?

Yep agreed, as with prattsta I can't even fit him in to our best 22, I do have him as an emergency though.

 

[Rob]

Grover is a solid 3rd tier defender. If he takes the 3rd forward behind Tarrant and McPharlin, then he'll probably do a reasonable job.

If he has to do a bigger job than that, then he's been known to struggle. But i'd back him ahead of Dodd.

 

[Scham]

Grover is a solid 3rd tier defender. If he takes the 3rd forward behind Tarrant and McPharlin, then he'll probably do a reasonable job.

If he has to do a bigger job than that, then he's been known to struggle. But i'd back him ahead of Dodd.

Yep, spot on. And FFS, McPharlin MUST play down back in 2010! I'd be willing to bet that he won't though.

 

[dominguez]

The question I have is why Grover might get a harder mark when playing forward than McPharlin. McPharlin has way more natural attributes but doesn't seem to be any more effective i.e. kicking goals that other options.

Across their careers at Fremantle I'd have Grover ahead of McPharlin.

Both struggled last season though, and I would have considered pushing one of them into retirement this year.

 

[JungleMuffin]

Yep, spot on. And FFS, McPharlin MUST play down back in 2010! I'd be willing to bet that he won't though.

Unless we have another mental run of injuries, and Pav has to move into the centre, i think McPharlin will stay back. Weve got Pav at FF/CHF now, with other guys who can play as our 2nd tall (they dont really have to dominate, break even should do). Moving McPharlin into the forward line would then be robbing Peter to pay Paul id suppose.

But yeah, if 2 of our Mids go down, then who knows what could happen D:

 

[dominguez]

Unless we have another mental run of injuries, and Pav has to move into the centre, i think McPharlin will stay back. Weve got Pav at FF/CHF now, with other guys who can play as our 2nd tall (they dont really have to dominate, break even should do). Moving McPharlin into the forward line would then be robbing Peter to pay Paul id suppose.

But yeah, if 2 of our Mids go down, then who knows what could happen D:

Late in the season Harvey said something along the lines of It's great to get a couple of players back, ideally we'd have Pav, McPharlin, Headland, Ballantyne and Mayne in the forward line.

 

[JungleMuffin]

Late in the season Harvey said something along the lines of It's great to get a couple of players back, ideally we'd have Pav, McPharlin, Headland, Ballantyne and Mayne in the forward line.

I hope hes had another think about it over the off season. McPharlin is miles ahead as a defender.

 

[E Shed]

While I prefer McPharlin in defense another more relaxed look back at our Rd 21 demolition of Essendon gave me more of an appreciation of his work in the forward line. He was really very good.

 

[Wizard]

Perfect forward line for 2010 would be:
Headland Magic Mayne
Pavlich Ballantyne
With Hasleby, Sandilands, Clarke spending 5 min stints in the forward pocket occasionally. Very rarely do teams play with a 6 man forward line anymore.

Down back i would like to see:

Hayden McPharlin McPhee
Grover Tarrant Broughton

 

[DizzyHB]

I'm a fan of..

FB: Hayden Tarrant McPhee
HB: Duffield McPharlin Broughton

and

HF: Mayne Bradley Headland
FF: Ballantyne Pav Johnson

But McPharlin will probably be forward again. I'd love to have another look at that Essendon game.

 

[Freo Blood]

McPharlin should be a swingman only. I wouldnt want him kicking for goal if anything depended on it.

 

[Belnakor]

While I prefer McPharlin in defense another more relaxed look back at our Rd 21 demolition of Essendon gave me more of an appreciation of his work in the forward line. He was really very good.

even a broken clock is right twice a day.

it was without doubt Mcpharlin's poorest season for the club, he needs to go back where he played his best football - CHB. Now we have a genuine FB he just has to play there.

 

[Gooseman]

even a broken clock is right twice a day.

it was without doubt Mcpharlin's poorest season for the club, he needs to go back where he played his best football - CHB. Now we have a genuine FB he just has to play there.

 

[Rob]

Across their careers at Fremantle I'd have Grover ahead of McPharlin.

The only possible reason for that is because of length of service.

McPharlin has clearly been the better player though - he's shut down every forward in the competition over the past few years. Grover hasn't been that good.

I will reserve judgement on McPharlin as long as he isn't played woefully out of position next season.

 

[dominguez]

I think part of the reasoning for playing McPharlin forward is that he no longer has the endurance to play CHB. If he's playing back he's either fullback or ideally in the pocket on the resting ruckman.

Who played on Riewoldt and Buddy last season, did Tarrant get both of them I can't recall ???

 

[Sigwald]

McPharlin as a forward can be very handy. Look at the Essendon game or the famous J-Lo-goal-after-the-siren one where he took that brilliant mark and lay that tackle. On the other hand he can be invisible as well and you could argue that he lost us the Geelong game this year when just about every attack in the last quarter died in his hands.

I just think he plays better and more consistent as a defender. Pair him up with Tarrant, Hayden and Broughton, and we've got a very strong back line. That stability down back is, in my opinion, much more valuable than his presence up forward.

Play Bradley up there, and let him side step Judd again. That was gold. Let McPharlin take pack marks at the half time siren down back. Makes much more sense that way.

 

[dominguez]

The only possible reason for that is because of length of service.

McPharlin has clearly been the better player though - he's shut down every forward in the competition over the past few years. Grover hasn't been that good.

McPharlin has always been far too laconic though. A lot like Dessie, he's looked like becoming a star at different stages but has never got it all together.

When it comes to defenders I prefer the reliable no frills types like Grover/Parker.

 

[Nodgey]

I'm with dom on this (except for that part about pushing one of Groves or McPharlin into retirement....)

Both have a part to play next year, and for both of them it's in the back half.

Taz/McPharlin as the key backs, Grover/McPhee take the next two, with Broughton, Hayden and any of Duff, Subes, Mundy etc having a stint back there.

McPharlin may prefer to play forward, but that's his problem. Silvagni and McIntosh preferred the the forward line too, but they were played where they were most effective. Back. Harves should do the same.

McPharlin the KPF might be > than McPharlin the KPD

but

McPharlin the KPD >>> Grover, Johnson or Dodd as KPDs

 

[MorabitoISGUN]

well he ended up good there

 

[prattsta]

I think part of the reasoning for playing McPharlin forward is that he no longer has the endurance to play CHB. If he's playing back he's either fullback or ideally in the pocket on the resting ruckman.

McPharlin has always been better suited to FB in my opinion. He's at his best when he's playing a similar role to that of Brian Lake i.e. attempting marks when he should spoil, giving supporters heart attacks but more often than not, saving the day.

If Tarrant and McPharlin both play in defense, more often than not Elvis would line up at FB anyway. Looking around the league the best forwards are generally at CHF.

Who played on Riewoldt and Buddy last season, did Tarrant get both of them I can't recall ???

Tarrant took both of them.

 

[Vintage]

I reckon McPharlin will/would be a very dangerous forward if Pav, Headland, Mayne etc were also there with him. I think he suffered this year because the rest of the forward line were missing.