Remove this Banner Ad

Developing Key Forwards

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

S

superfraser

Club Legend
Fallout Fan Veteran SuperCoach Leagues Winners - BigFooty Division 1
Joined
Mar 11, 2004
Posts
2,921
Reaction score
1,186
Location
Adelaide
AFL Club
Collingwood
Hey guys.

Don't take this as a troll at all.

I'm interested in life after Lloyd and Lucas.

I like Neagle, I think he's a good player and will probably be able to play one of those key forward roles.

And I know that Gumbleton was marked in for the other. He got a serious injury right? Is he out for the entire season?

Anyway, my question is more for next season and after.

Who do you think will step up and take the reigns from the Lloyd/Lucas combination?

Obviously Gumbleton will be back by then. Is he the best chance? Or is Neagle?

I'm sure there's plenty of other guys I haven't heard of.. Who are they? How do you rate them?

Thanks for your time.
 
We are all hoping Gumbleton can step up. He has had a couple of injuries that can be put down to his back issues (hammies etc) and his other injury was a broken collarbone which can happen to anyone. Hopefully he will play a couple of games this year and come on next year.
Other forward options include Ryder, Hurley and Daniher.
 
With Hille to come back and Bellchambers developing (both who can go forward), Ryder will play a lot more as a forward who rucks. Rather than the other way around.

Michael Still is the other tall forward we've drafted, I dare say we'll draft another option this year.
 

Log in to remove this Banner Ad

Something else to consider, I think Laycock might have a chance playing forward if we need it (esp. as rucks for next year look to be Hille and Ryder). Is a great kick, has a bit of practice playing down there from resting from the ruck, can take a decent mark (though he's horribly inconsistent he can work on it) and is nice and big.

Williams also plays a bit forward, I think.

So: Gumby, Neagle, Daniher, Still, Williams, Hurley, Laycock.

Plus you also have other guys like McPhee who could possibly move even further forward once we have more depth down back and in the lead up roles.
 
i would say if neagle gets fit he could easily be a player who kicks 50+ in a season, great hands and a lovely kick, moves beautifully, just needs better fitness, gumby would probably be next if he can get his body right to play at this level, not sure about the others potential to be great goal kickers
 
Ben the Gooner said:
If Laycock was played permanently forward, he'd kick 40+
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Even rucking I think he should be looking at 25+. Kicked 14 last year in 16 games. A full season with the improvement he's capable of and he should be getting there. If Hille can get about 1 a game then Laycock, who is a really fine kick, should aim better.

So should Ryder, he's fantastic.
 
Lloyd depsite what the general thought from some clubs wont be retiring or getting shot at the end of this year. He will still be a very good player for atleast another 2 years. If Lucas retires or isnt good enough to play. Ryder/hille resting is an option as well as. Neagle, Gumby, Hurley, Daniher and maybe Still. After lloyd these players along with future draftees should provide a good forwardline.
I think our kp stocks are looking good atm even with gumby injured.
 
Neagle will kick a huge bag one year. I honestly dont think Gumby should be kicking huge bags of goals.40-60 should be a good return for him, as I see kim plaing as the link man between half back and Neagle. Having said that, I dont want to se him leading up too far either. I'd say his ideal range would be between 30 and 70m from goal.

Not that any of this is based on anything apart from speculation mind you, as I havent seen enough of Gumby to judge.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Ben the Gooner said:
If Laycock was played permanently forward, he'd kick 40+
Click to expand...
Do you remember that article in the Herald Sun some time last year; it was an interview with Laycock, accompanied by a photo of he and his partner & son? Somewhere in there, he mentioned that Knights told him he wants him (Laycock) to be the succession plan for Full Forward after Lloyd. Not much came of it.
 
Still is supposedly a much better prospect than his position in the draft indicates.

He was taken as a 17 year old - and the second highest kicker in the TAC Cup last year. He was too young to justiy a high draft pick but they did not want to risk loosing him.

You would think it would help his development being on the list a year earlier.

I also like the idea of the three Northern Knights team mates being taken together.
 
Whomb said:
Do you remember that article in the Herald Sun some time last year; it was an interview with Laycock, accompanied by a photo of he and his partner & son? Somewhere in there, he mentioned that Knights told him he wants him (Laycock) to be the succession plan for Full Forward after Lloyd. Not much came of it.
Click to expand...

If you look at it the other way, is Knights saying he doesn't think Laycock is part of the plan in the ruckmen department?
 
Whomb said:
Do you remember that article in the Herald Sun some time last year; it was an interview with Laycock, accompanied by a photo of he and his partner & son? Somewhere in there, he mentioned that Knights told him he wants him (Laycock) to be the succession plan for Full Forward after Lloyd. Not much came of it.
Click to expand...

With Pears, Hurley and Daniher letting Ryder out of defensive duties, Laycock could easily go forward with Ryder rucking.
 

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Laycock can be a real ace up our sleeve in this department.

Can definitely see him becoming a Kosi type man mountain of a key forward, who would be a matchup nightmare when you have the roving mobile type Gumbleton (ala Riewoldt) and 197cm and Neagle as another leadup option. Crumbers underneath.

Laycock and Ryder can alternate as the forward come back up ruckmen.

Even without Gumbleton making it we have options in Still, Daniher (recruited as a forward) and Hurley as key forwards.

I am starting to think our list has a very balanced and comprehensive feel about it. We just need a pre-season or two into a few players.

I think next year we will again draft the best available key position and midfielder, but perhaps reverse the order with best midfielder first round, and best available KP 2nd round.

I was at Windy Hill a while back, not long after the Gumbleton Op and I heard Winders talk about the Gumbleton operation. He said while it wasnt exactly the same, he had been told the best thing for Scott was the fact the Doc confirmed after the OP that it had to be done, rest and physio could never fix the problem. Winders needed an op as well.

So while we perhaps spent too much time hoping time would get it better, at least they seemed to find what was wrong and have fixed it.

I thought that was very encouraging.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Remove this Banner Ad

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Back
Top Bottom