Do NOT play Waite down back

[gbatman]

Ok, alot of people on this board have the idea that we will be playing Waite down in the backline this year, I recon that's crazy, didn't anyone see how bad we fell down at half forward in the last quarter against Brisbane?

We were missing Jamison and Austin for the last part of the season and we really didn't miss them that badly although they were missed. Why would we play Waite in defence when we have a backline going very well without him and we have Thornton, Bower, Jamison and Austin avaliable as tall options? Jordan Russell can also play tall in defence.
Lets face it, Waite is not a great key defender, he's good at getting the ball and providing run and a target to go to but he's not a great stopper. Not as good as Bower, Thornton and Jamison and maybe even Austin next year.

Every one also has the idea that we will play Hampson, Warnock and Kreuzer forward. Maybe we will, but I really think we would miss Kreuzer on the ball. Also Kreuzer has struggled this year when he has had to play on a key defender. Maybe next year he wont but we need Waite up forward with Fev and Kreuzer so that Kreuzer or Waite don't get a really good defender. Waite also has the ability to play tall and small which is very valuable to us.

We have worked hard recruiting tall defenders so Waite doesn't have to play down back, now they are ready to go and we are ready to go with Waite forward.

If we play Waite in defence then Austin doesn't get a game. A backline of Thornton, Bower, Jamison and Waite is far to tall, unless you drop one and you wouldn't. Kreuzer plays forward on a center half back or full back and does it tough instead of on a 3rd tall defender or Kreuzer plays ruck with Cloke in the side at center half forward. It just doesn't work with Waite playing in defence.

 

[Sin City]

Agreed, I like what i saw from Austin this year and hope he can hold down CHB next year. Austin, Bower, Thornton and Jamison is tall, strong and mobile. Waite forward with Kreuzer and Fevola is ideal.

 

[blues4flag]

Thornton, Bower, Jamison and Waite all played defence for the first third of the season. We'd conceded the third least points against to that point of the season.

So much for them being too tall. Three of them are able to play on a range of forwards, including mid-sized like Medhurst and Le Cras.

While I'm a firm believer that Waite's a better player in defence, with no injuries to our other defender he'd be more valuable to the team up forward. Would like to see Austin get some more gametime in 10, after another preseason in the gym.

 

[celtic_pride]

No, I think in certain instances, he is of most benefit playing down at CHB (case in point, against Riewoldt and St.Kilda)

The beauty about Waite is his versatility, he is probably one of only two KPP's we have (the other being the irishman) that have proven they can play either down back or in the foward line .../

 

[gbatman]

I'm pretty sure Waite got a bath from riewoldt last time he played on him, Bower played on Riewoldt when Riewoldt was in excellent form and did well. Bower has since become a far better player.
Waite is NOT a good defender. He's is NOT a stopper. He plays well when played on the half back flank or on a bad CHF. Played on a good tall forward he's not a good enough stopper. He is a good forward

 

[HBF]

I like the idea of Waite forward also. Which then begs the question - what do we do with Setanta? He is a big bodied player that we need, and I just wonder if Ratts might use him in defence next year? I also wonder if he could play that Nick Maxwell role. Maybe not, but we do have some options.

 

[jonoman89]

Waite in round 1 on the wing with Richo was fantastic. BOG.

I reckon give him roaming license on a wing so he can drop back to HBF and push forward to HFF.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Waite in round 1 on the wing with Richo was fantastic. BOG.

I reckon give him roaming license on a wing so he can drop back to HBF and push forward to HFF.

Yup. This is the ticket.

The benefit of Waite in defence is that he can weave his way out of trouble brilliantly, get his go go gadget arms above his head and dish off with skill and clean up a lot of loose ball better than ANY other defender (though Bower is close on this score). Closing down a fast lead though, he is a little wasted.

He is so exciting and so freakish that we won't him involved in the play as much as possible IMO. Playing forward he fades out because he gets starved of the ball and he is the type of player who gets more and more freakish the more he is in the game. If we don't play him back, I want to see him more in the midfield. At least that way he can float between CHB and CHF and do damage as a floating KPP perhaps.

 

[DamianBis]

i think waite should play on the wing, or half back flank. give him no man or a man that doesn't need a defender hanging off him.

I think our problem is we have too many of these players who aren't really the big CHB option. But are still tall, so the small forwards will worry us if we then bring another tall to play CHB(austin in a year or 2 i assume) without getting rid of bower/thornton

 

[BlueFan4]

i think waite should play on the wing, or half back flank. give him no man or a man that doesn't need a defender hanging off him.

I think our problem is we have too many of these players who aren't really the big CHB option. But are still tall, so the small forwards will worry us if we then bring another tall to play CHB(austin in a year or 2 i assume) without getting rid of bower/thornton

Yep, Waite on a wing would be so damaging, getting back to help out the defense and also getting forward to kick long goals.

 

[Quazza]

Would love to see him in a Richo type role



curious. Anyone know where we ranked defensively this year in the end?

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Would love to see him in a Richo type role



curious. Anyone know where we ranked defensively this year in the end?

I think we were about 10th or 11th. Around 3rd in attack though.

 

[gbatman]

If it wasn't for him coming back from a knee reco. Waite would be super damaging as a centerman, he's built of the same mould as Kouta, he's every bit as quick, powerful, agile, skillful and as good in the air as Kouta. His tackling and use of his body might not be quite good enough for a centerman but he ticks a lot of boxes, would also solve our lack of quality to rotate through there and lack of a big body.

I think we are set for wingmen, it's easy to ask him to push up the ground from half forward if you want him there...

 

[BlueTouchPaper]

If it wasn't for him coming back from a knee reco. Waite would be super damaging as a centerman, he's built of the same mould as Kouta, he's every bit as quick, powerful, agile, skillful and as good in the air as Kouta. His tackling and use of his body might not be quite good enough for a centerman but he ticks a lot of boxes, would also solve our lack of quality to rotate through there and lack of a big body.

I think we are set for wingmen, it's easy to ask him to push up the ground from half forward if you want him there...

Wow, ease up there, cowboy!

 

[mediumsizered]

curious. Anyone know where we ranked defensively this year in the end?

We ranked 10th. Unfortunately the blowout against Adelaide in the last game moved us down 3 spots, but we did still fare better than Essendon & Hawthorn, whose supporters would have you believe their defence is better than ours.

 

[blues4flag]

We ranked 10th. Unfortunately the blowout against Adelaide in the last game moved us down 3 spots, but we did still fare better than Essendon & Hawthorn, whose supporters would have you believe their defence is better than ours.

PAs on its own is a poor indicator. %age is much better as it takes into accounts for different styles (i.e. high vs. low scoring).

 

[mediumsizered]

PAs on its own is a poor indicator. %age is much better as it takes into accounts for different styles (i.e. high vs. low scoring).

True, particularly when you look at North's points against, but Essendon particularly, play an attacking style of football like us, but fared worse than us defensively, despite having Fletcher playing loose down back for most of the season.

 

[AlecDuncan]

I think Waite's a better player with the game ahead of him, so I'd always start him at CHB. He's devastating there, and the position is a focal point for opposition clubs. If he's having a dirty day by all means throw him forward, but I wouldn't rely on him there week-in, week-out. He has a tendency to get lost in the forward line.

 

[Jock]

Agreed Forward - He could be as good as Nick Ringworm.

Fev needs help. The big K will help him out more over time but he needs help now. Two goals a game and ten marks is all i ask.

 

[gbatman]

well it would be rediculous to play Waite back if we had all our tall defenders avaliable. Thornton, Bower, Austin, Jamison and even Steanta should go back ahead of Waite, we need to make an effort to have him in the team and up forward.

 

[parrot]

well it would be rediculous to play Waite back if we had all our tall defenders avaliable. Thornton, Bower, Austin, Jamison and even Steanta should go back ahead of Waite, we need to make an effort to have him in the team and up forward.

Seems that the intention was to play Waite forward once all our KP defenders became available. Waite really causes defenders a heap of grief because of his athleticism, size and X-factor. We missed him badly this year. Austin is another one who can push forward. Good height, excellent overhead, and a thumping kick. We just need to get our players on the park in 2010 and we'll be fine.

 

[Zvim]

Thornton, Bower, Jamison and Waite all played defence for the first third of the season. We'd conceded the third least points against to that point of the season.

So much for them being too tall. Three of them are able to play on a range of forwards, including mid-sized like Medhurst and Le Cras.

While I'm a firm believer that Waite's a better player in defence, with no injuries to our other defender he'd be more valuable to the team up forward. Would like to see Austin get some more gametime in 10, after another preseason in the gym.

You also played Richmond, Brisbane (home), Essendon, Sydney (away), Bulldogs, Hawthorn and Fremantle (home). Hawks had injury problems, Doggies were in poor form just having been defeated by the Eagles the week before and had to come back from a Perth trip plus a couple of interstaters at home, it was a fairly good early draw. Carlton started the season strongly though.

Do you think the Blues would target someone like Gibson if it would free Waite to go forward?

 

[gbatman]

We only need another tall defender to creat depth in this area. We were unlucky this year, we lost Jamison and Austin, Austin being our backup. We also lost Setanta I believe at the end. I wouldn't give a lot for Gibson.

 

[Blue Bawls]

Waite in round 1 on the wing with Richo was fantastic. BOG.

I reckon give him roaming license on a wing so he can drop back to HBF and push forward to HFF.

Cutting off run on the wing and returning fire, sometimes with a goal was Waite at his best early this year.

 

[gbatman]

Not sure Waite will be able to play wing after coming back from a knee reco but who knows, I think we have plenty of players who can play wing and not many who are good tall forwards...