Forward worries

[Lenz]

Hoping I'm proved wrong, but here's a brief summary of the number of games played by each of our tall forwards:

Cloke = 78 games
Anthony = 12 games
Dawes = 6 games
Reid = 6 games
Rusling = 17 games

Given that Anthony Rocca is 31, and appearing to be becoming more injury prone, I'm a little worried. I love all these guys, but if Anthony, Dawes, Reid and Rusling come on at the rate that Cloke has, then I'd say we are about due to run out of experienced tall forward options. Anthony, Dawes, Reid and Rusling are about two to three seasons behind the other young guns (Thomas, Pendlebury, O'Brien and Brown) so it could be Medders, Thomas, Davis and Didak who have to shoulder the bulk of the scoring responsibilities. This means that our premiership window may not open up for another three years (despite my own insistence on the contrary). Please show me I'm wrong!!!

 

[Dave The Man]

Hoping I'm proved wrong, but here's a brief summary of the number of games played by each of our tall forwards:

Cloke = 78 games
Anthony = 12 games
Dawes = 6 games
Reid = 6 games
Rusling = 17 games

Given that Anthony Rocca is 31, and appearing to be becoming more injury prone, I'm a little worried. I love all these guys, but if Anthony, Dawes, Reid and Rusling come on at the rate that Cloke has, then I'd say we are about due to run out of experienced tall forward options. Anthony, Dawes, Reid and Rusling are about two to three seasons behind the other young guns (Thomas, Pendlebury, O'Brien and Brown) so it could be Medders, Thomas, Davis and Didak who have to shoulder the bulk of the scoring responsibilities. This means that our premiership window may not open up for another three years (despite my own insistence on the contrary). Please show me I'm wrong!!!

Take Reid out at the Momement Actually is our Strongest Place on the Field we have as you say Inexperice Tall Forwards but they have shown that they can be something special. I still think Dawes and Cloke Combinataion will be as good or Better then the Rocca/Tarrant Partnership.

Then we have the best Small Forwards in the League I don't have any Worries for the Forward line my Worrie is in Defense

 

[mattys123]

Im not too concerned with our current or future forward line, apart from maybe lacking depth if 2-3 key injuries occurred in this area.

Geelong, Sydney and WCE have all won premierships recently with very poor forward lines, and Hawthorn is the only team to win a flag with reliance on their forward line more then anything.

Rocca is almost finished it is true, but Dawes, Cloke, Rusling, Reid, Medhurst and the large number of small-medium forwards that can rotate through the forward zone give us enough power to have the potential to win a flag in the next 2-3 years.

Cloke is the player who will replace Rocca as the experienced forward, and he will continue to be the most important aspect of our forward line in the next 5-6 years.

MM is a very astute coach, and I believe if Cameron Wood develops further this year we could see Fraser added as almost a permenant fixture to that forward line, not only adding talent and height, but more experience also.

I see our defense as more of a long term problem then our midfield or forward line, as proved by all premiership sides, you dont win flags without a strong defense or at least a game plan like Hawthorns to assist your defense.

 

[Dave The Man]

forward line in the next 5-6 years.
MM is a very astute coach, and I believe if Cameron Wood develops further this year we could see Fraser added as almost a permenant fixture to that forward line, not only adding talent and height, but more experience also.

Would love this to Happen because He can take a Good Grab and Kick a Goal, Plus I think he plays his best Footy in the Forward Line

 

[mattys123]

Yeah, think everyone knows that Josh isnt a pure ruckmen, and never will be, so we as a team would be better off with him as the 2nd ruckmen, playing mostly forward and then as a relief for our No. 1. ruck, which hopefully will be Wood.

You have to remember both Matthews and Malthouse have said that Wood is as good a tap ruckman as anyone they have seen at his age, he just needs a good pre season and a lucky run with injuries.

 

[smiddaz123]

Not only will Fraser be more effective up forward, it'll also extend his career.

If he continues to play in the ruck, he'll be retiring earlier than he would be if he plays as a forward.

He is one of the most reliable set shots on the team, decent speed, makes a good lead, can take a contested grab, and very good at ground level for his size.

I'd be thrilled if he was a forward first, ruckman second.

 

[Palmer Stoat]

Our forward line is a little green, particularly if Rocca doesn't play. But there's no way around it. We need to get games into the likes of Dawes and JA. The sooner we do, the sooner we're capable of vying for a premiership.

 

[Kirby]

^ What Palmer said!

 

[DoubleO7]

The midfield is more important than the forward and defence.

Just take a look at West Coast 2006 and Geelong 2007. Neither team had a strong forward line, a lot of there goals where kicked by midfielders.

 

[Optimax]

Fraser and rocca dont play forward anymore?

If you take out rocca especially yeah our forward line is very young but it didnt stop us a hell of a lot last year

 

[Dave The Man]

I reckon Bryan could also be a Good FF and I was surprised he did not play When Rocca was Hurt and before Dawes came in

 

[DoubleO7]

I reckon Bryan could also be a Good FF and I was surprised he did not play When Rocca was Hurt and before Dawes came in

He was tried there with Carlton, but it did not work out IIRC

 

[Dave The Man]

He was tried there with Carlton, but it did not work out IIRC

Mick tried it in 2007 and I thought he did a Good Job there and I would not want him kicking around the ground because he just Bomb's the ball anywhere

 

[Kirby]

Bryan's just not good enough to play as a ff. He can only pinch hit there at best

 

[Optimax]

Mick tried it in 2007 and I thought he did a Good Job there and I would not want him kicking around the ground because he just Bomb's the ball anywhere

He was never played at FF for more then 15 minutes a game dave.

He pinch hit down there and it worked really well once when he kicked 3.2 in a half against adelaide once that was it.

 

[mattys123]

There's one option I would like to see used in the NAB CUP.

This is for Bryan, Fraser and Wood to play in the same side.

Basically the plan would be to have Fraser and Bryan as backup ruckmen rotating off the bench and through the forward line, with Wood being the primary ruck choice.

It was mentioned by MM a few times that he might play 3 rucks at once, but due to injuries and Wood's form drop at end of the year, I dont think it was ever feasible.

After all, this is what the NAB cup and the subsequent challenge matches are for, to try out new tactics and plans, and see if they work.

Worth a shot, we could potentially have 3 tall marking forwards in Cloke, Rocca and the rotating ruckmen.

 

[Dave The Man]

There's one option I would like to see used in the NAB CUP.

This is for Bryan, Fraser and Wood to play in the same side.

Basically the plan would be to have Fraser and Bryan as backup ruckmen rotating off the bench and through the forward line, with Wood being the primary ruck choice.

It was mentioned by MM a few times that he might play 3 rucks at once, but due to injuries and Wood's form drop at end of the year, I dont think it was ever feasible.

After all, this is what the NAB cup and the subsequent challenge matches are for, to try out new tactics and plans, and see if they work.

Worth a shot, we could potentially have 3 tall marking forwards in Cloke, Rocca and the rotating ruckmen.

Those Wood also showed some good Things in the Forward Line showing he can Take a very Good Contested Mark and can Kick a Goal

 

[Optimax]

Those Wood also showed some good Things in the Forward Line showing he can Take a very Good Contested Mark and can Kick a Goal

Erm dave contested marking yes but his goal kicking, well he definetly fits in with the rest of the tall forwards barring Anthony

 

[Paddywhackers]

Our forwardline is our strength. We have the best small forwards in the league. Easily the best. Davis, Didak, Medhurst are A grade small forwards, (sure they rotate through the middle) and than there is Thomas who is a class below at this stage, yet could be amongst those three this year. Than there are youngsters that can play the small forward role that show promise, Dick and Macaffer spring to mind.

As for the tall forwards. That will only improve. Cloke is at least very good. Anthony is at least already good. Together with, Reid, Dawes, Rusling all have potential tobe at least very good maybe even better.

Reid will play defence in any case, but I could see that forward line rivalling Hawthorns this year. It is already one of the best in the league, that is despite a lack of experience amongst tall forwards.

Our midfield has been the worry for about five years now... Although that is seemingly on the improve, particualry when I keep reading reports about how promising Beams and Sidebottom's pre seasons has been, not to mention we have a swarm of potentially very good midfielders coming through the ranks.

2009 is going to be an exciting year.

 

[Pie eyed]

Hoping I'm proved wrong, but here's a brief summary of the number of games played by each of our tall forwards:

Cloke = 78 games
Anthony = 12 games
Dawes = 6 games
Reid = 6 games
Rusling = 17 games

Given that Anthony Rocca is 31, and appearing to be becoming more injury prone, I'm a little worried. I love all these guys, but if Anthony, Dawes, Reid and Rusling come on at the rate that Cloke has, then I'd say we are about due to run out of experienced tall forward options. Anthony, Dawes, Reid and Rusling are about two to three seasons behind the other young guns (Thomas, Pendlebury, O'Brien and Brown) so it could be Medders, Thomas, Davis and Didak who have to shoulder the bulk of the scoring responsibilities. This means that our premiership window may not open up for another three years (despite my own insistence on the contrary). Please show me I'm wrong!!!

I beg to differ.
I think at the moment we have so much to be happy about regarding our myriad forwards that by far the biggest danger this season is that Mick Malthouse will actually be caught in camera smiling in the box.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

I agree with Palmer and Kirby. It's essential to get games into Dawes, Reid and Anthony, and until that happens we're not really ready to compete for flags.

 

[lenny&carl]

We've got more talent in the forward line than we know what to do with.

 

[Dylz48]

I think the biggest problem with our forward line is deciding who misses out

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Hoping I'm proved wrong, but here's a brief summary of the number of games played by each of our tall forwards:

Cloke = 78 games
Anthony = 12 games
Dawes = 6 games
Reid = 6 games
Rusling = 17 games

Given that Anthony Rocca is 31, and appearing to be becoming more injury prone, I'm a little worried. I love all these guys, but if Anthony, Dawes, Reid and Rusling come on at the rate that Cloke has, then I'd say we are about due to run out of experienced tall forward options. Anthony, Dawes, Reid and Rusling are about two to three seasons behind the other young guns (Thomas, Pendlebury, O'Brien and Brown) so it could be Medders, Thomas, Davis and Didak who have to shoulder the bulk of the scoring responsibilities. This means that our premiership window may not open up for another three years (despite my own insistence on the contrary). Please show me I'm wrong!!!

Throw in Rocca Fraser and Leigh Brown as well as Medhurst who plays tall and can take as good a contested mark as anybody, and thats a solid mix of potential key forwards. And you can add Nathan Brown to the mix.

And Davis, Thomas, Didak, Dick, Pendelbury, Corrie...... I'd say the forward line's in pretty good hands.

 

[The 10th Letter]

I'm not too worried about our forward situation. We've got a long list of options up forward that will give us depth in the event of injury and the ability to be a little creative on game day if we have a full list to choose from.

It is important that we get further game time into the likes of Dawes, Anthony and Reid this year -- as I see 2009 as the year that we get a better indication as to how our team will look heading forward. As has been mentioned we have the best crop of small/medium forwards currently in the league, with the likes of Dick and now Bennell waiting in the wings.

We shouldn't be short of forward targets in 2009, regardless of how Rocca's body holds up. We have Cloke who is really just starting his career and will provide a good centrepiece to build around. I'm not concerned at all about our forward line heading into 2009, it's the least of our worries in my opinion.