Freo Forward Line 2019

[Wally Walpamur]

I loved the way Adelaide’s forward line structures up in 2017 and think we could do something similar:

Lobb - Jenkins
Hogan - Tex
Lynch - Tabs
McCrafty - McGovern (and they both have a moustache)
Walters - Betts
Langdon - Whoever from Adelaide

Cox goes back but can be thrown forward if we need another get out target.

 

[Spirit Level]

Matera - Lobb - I. Hill
Walters - Hogan - McCarthy

 

[Son of a Wizard]

Injury and form will sort this out.


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[Freomaniac]

Its been a very weird situation we have now.

Back in 2012-5, Freo only had Pav as the main tall forward, Kepler Bradley was tall but injury prone. Walters, Mayne an Ballantyne were smaller/medium forwards but were good defensive forwards. We struggled to lure anyone here while we made finals.

Now we have depth and quality.

Talls: Hogan, Tabs and Lobb.

Medium guys: Cam McCarthy, Cox and Kersten

Smalls: Walters, Matera, Ballatyne and Nyhuis

 

[theGav56]

Its been a very weird situation we have now.

Back in 2012-5, Freo only had Pav as the main tall forward, Kepler Bradley was tall but injury prone. Walters, Mayne an Ballantyne were smaller/medium forwards but were good defensive forwards. We struggled to lure anyone here while we made finals.

Now we have depth and quality.

Talls: Hogan, Tabs and Lobb.

Medium guys: Cam McCarthy, Cox and Kersten

Smalls: Walters, Matera, Ballatyne and Nyhuis

Yes, you are right. Not sure if Nyhuis quite qualifies despite his spectacular game. Dixon should be worth a mention somwhere too.

 

[Freomaniac]

Yes, you are right. Not sure if Nyhuis quite qualifies despite his spectacular game. Dixon should be worth a mention somwhere too.

you wonder with the amount of tall forwards we got now, you would woder if he could get a game In 2019. If Hogan and lobb didn't come the definitely.

McCarthy might have to fight for his spot, that means he has to work harder now. That has to be a good thing.

 

[freo84]

Injury and form will sort this out.


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Not sure who said it but man did I laugh when I read this gem:

"I won't believe Hogan is on our list until I see him on our injury list"

Our forward line should at its best look like this (Imho)

Walters Hogan Bennell
McCarthy Lobb Matera/Colyer (not sure about this last spot to be honest)

On the bench we have Tabs and Colyer that can rotate through there.

However like Son of a Wizard said injuries and form will affect this which kind of sucks so we will probably end up like this:

Walters Hogan Langdon/Colyer
McCarthy Lobb Matera / Ballaz / New shiny small forward

With Fyfe and Darcy drifting forward that is some serious marking power which we have lacked so badly in the past.

 

[wayToGo_]

Perhaps we go full anti-Freo and stack the forward line...

HF Fyfe ~ Hogan ~ Mundy

F Bennell ~ Lobb ~ Walters

 

[dockerfemme]

Perhaps we go full anti-Freo and stack the forward line...

HF Fyfe ~ Hogan ~ Mundy

F Bennell ~ Lobb ~ Walters

I really, really wish that Ross had tried some anti-Freo stuff in the forward half over the last 2.5 seasons. There was huge opportunity to try some different forward half tactics and almost nothing happened. The only thing was playing Mundy forward, and I commend whoever came up with that. I love it, although I am not sure there is a place for him there in the future.

I would love to see some new tactics in the forward half (or maybe just any tactics, other than kicking it to the intercept marker).

 

[Simmofreo]

People say you can go too tall now a days but you know what no matter what, no matter where the game moves, if you have smaller defenders on taller opponents with good marking ability you cause headaches

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[Unique Name]

Walters - Hogan - ?????
Coyler - Taberner - Lobb

Matera/Ballas/Switta up for the last spot maybe.

Possibily Ian Hill.

Wouldn't mind Banfield playing the role he did in JLT.

Think Tabs gets first crack over Cox.

 

[BigKep]

I'd have:

Matera Cox Walters
Colyer Hogan Lobb

That said I really rate Switto. Seems a very smart small forward and I like the way he uses the ball. My only question mark is his shooting for goal.

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[theGav56]

Now that we can go really big....I hope we don't. I much prefer mobile forward lines. Hogan and Lobb are more or less enough. Whoever is added to that is a cook raffle, but I expect that whoever else is there needs to offer something different. That is a negative for both Taberner and Cox who are perhaps most similar to those two, and a plus for McCarthy. But so far McCarthy has failed to seize the day.

Any of the three could be a bit of a nightmare as your third tall though. Collectively, those three players should have massive motivation to put it together over the pre-season.

 

[free at last]

Bloody hard to call on how we're going to track next year.The new rule changes could totally fast track a developing squad under the new rule changes imo.

 

[Pussinbootz]

Would love to see

Colyer Hogan Walters
McCarthy Taberner Lobb

 

[theGav56]

Would love to see

Colyer Hogan Walters
McCarthy Taberner Lobb

Fair chance you will I reckon.

I don't imagine that there will be a fixed mindset about what the forward set up will be. Some experimentation to be expected.

 

[Heart Of Purple]

People say you can go too tall now a days but you know what no matter what, no matter where the game moves, if you have smaller defenders on taller opponents with good marking ability you cause headaches

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Exactly this, especially guys that can move.
Hogan, McCarthy and Cox have the athletic attributes to really buy in and produce defensively whilst Tabs/Lobb are fairly good movers for their size (Its not like sending Sandi/Darcy forward.)
At times this year we'd have - Mundy, McCarthy, Cox and Jones in the same forward line.
On athletic traits and pressure alone,
Lobb > Jones
Cox = Cox
Hogan > Mundy
Tabs < McCarthy.

There's not really a good reason that group couldn't work with the right structure and setup, they're all capable of getting up the ground and playing multiple roles. Its not really like wed park them all as the deepest 4 and leave them. I'd imagine 2, maybe 3 at a time in the 50 surrounded by smalls like Colyer/Walters to put the pressure on. If we're too tall or need to add defensive pressure theres a lot of moves that could be made mid-game, Cox to CHB, Hogan to the midfield, rotate Tabs Lobb and Sandi off the bench at all times (hence leaving 3 forwards on the ground.) Its very doable, and if Cox goes back next year then McCarthy would fit in similarly.

If we took those 4 into a game against our KPD's, matchups would probably be -
Lobb - Pearce
Hogan - Hamling
Tabs - Logue
Cox - Ryan

Where we'd expect Tabs + Cox to really create a presence, although admittably id expect Logue to create a bit the other way.

Against West Coast we'd probably get something like
Lobb - McGovern
Hogan - Barrass
Tabs - Schofield
Cox - Hurn

We'd be keeping them all accountable and really one on one going forward I'd be happy with most those options. Going tall may actually be our best method next year, especially with the lack of mid sized hybrid's we have.

 

[Ysaye]

The reason why a big forward line is not a good idea is that these same "small" (often medoum sized anyway) defenders who can't outmark the talls can wreck absolute havok by essentially adding additional support to the midfield to kick a raft of quick goals whilst leaving those big slow forwards in their wake....ala a large number of the best teams in recent years.

For mine the forward structure should be one key forward, a ruck/forward and a very mobile (good enough to play as a mid) "third tall" forward and the rest smalls.

 

[theGav56]

The reason why a big forward line is not a good idea is that these same "small" (often medoum sized anyway) defenders who can't outmark the talls can wreck absolute havok by essentially adding additional support to the midfield to kick a raft of quick goals whilst leaving those big slow forwards in their wake....ala a large number of the best teams in recent years.

For mine the forward structure should be one key forward, a ruck/forward and a very mobile (good enough to play as a mid) "third tall" forward and the rest smalls.

That's what I think too. I think it is clear that two of those positions are locked in, while the third is pretty wide open, especially given Hogan drifted into the midfield last year. That aside, McCarthy seems best suited to the third tall, but has battled to be considered anything above ordinary.

Processing that still leaves our options wide open. Cox or Taberner, with Hogan spinning into the midfield occassionally OR McCarthy rolling into the midfield.

Wonder how Sturt would go as a spare parts mid?

 

[Admiral Byng]

How about we try a 4 - 2 foward formation instead of 3-3?

Walters Hogan Tabs Colyer
Lobb Matera

 

[Joao]

How about we try a 4 - 2 foward formation instead of 3-3?

Walters Hogan Tabs Colyer
Lobb Matera

Take it another step.

As soon as the centre bounce lands, everyone but those in the centre square bomb forward (yes all 6 defenders and both wingers). If we win the clearance we kick a goal.

 

[Purpellian Anchor]

He wouldn't impact this year but I really hope we pick up Medhat, we are lacking that med-fwd that's mobile, can take a grab but still apply the pressure of a small.

Kersten was a failure and McCarthy needs to spend half a season at Peel to get his ass in gear. Lose some weight and get back to the leading 3rd tall he was at GWS.

Yes and I like that he can kick a ball 55-60- metres. Theres a few of the WA fellas kick long. Foley another one. Is a distinct advantage when sides can have one or two kickers from outside the fifty...puts a lot of pressure back on the opposition not to flood inside the 50.

 

[MadDocker]

Flood our own forward line... How will the opposition know what we're doing if we don't even know what we're doing? Genius.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Take it another step.

As soon as the centre bounce lands, everyone but those in the centre square bomb forward (yes all 6 defenders and both wingers). If we win the clearance we kick a goal.

Might be worth a go, but not as Plan A. Maybe as Plan M or N...

 

[mightymouse75]

Fremantle forward 2019 = beast mode