Fwd line

[varcoe]

Its been a concern all year, we just don't have a key fwd able to take contested marks and break a game open for us, Mooney has been awful this year and continues to get worst whilst young Tomhawk is still a baby and 3-5 yrs away from being the player we want him to be.

Nathan is a huge loss, 40 odd goals is hard to replace

The freak is anything but freakish at the moment and is struggling


Would love to have 1 power fwd like a brown, Pav or Roo who we could kick to knowing not only were they going to give us a contest but take some marks as well.


anyway lets see what unfolds from here, no need to panic but i am very concerned with our fwd structure at the min, geez we nedd Otto back badly, we r playing 2 short with our rucks, they r bloody hopeless.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Mooney has been ordinary this year, and this may be the spur he needs to get his mind back on things. Losing Chappy also hurt as for a bloke his size he is still a very good target up forward.

Tom Hawkins interests me. Picked as a key forward, is developing nicely, BUT, for god sake son, have a shot at goal!!!! I know that you have built an ethos of team footy, but when you are a key forward, sometimes you have to have a shot. Is it a confidance thing???

 

[darren forssman]

not even j. brown could have taken marks last night. most contests were 2 on 1 or 3 on 1, the funniest being that kick to varcoe with 3 pies on him.

 

[PoidaCat]

ohh dear....

 

[burto]

Hawkins always seems to run too far under the ball, and ends up jumping in the air with his hands up and still missing the ball by a good meter

 

[winty]

Hawkins always seems to run too far under the ball, and ends up jumping in the air with his hands up and still missing the ball by a good meter

Does he run under the ball or is the ball kicked over his head? Our delivery into the forward line has been deplorable at times this season, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's more the latter.

 

[Brasil2007]

When you watch the game again, notice how many marks Hawkins takes/tries to take sliding along the ground. Terrible delivery.

The problem was that this was 50-60 out for the most part, and barely a crumber in sight. You want those contests to occur 30 out at most to give yourself a chance.

 

[PoidaCat]

winty and brasil..a big phat + ____ing 1...

"hmmm...you've out sprinted your opponent so I'm going to either kick it over your head or too your feet so you tear a hamstring..."..

 

[The Dukes Brian]

Their is a definite problem there. Mooney has the yips something chronic and seriously needs a RPG up the clacker, Hawkins just needs to unleash and go for the goal instead of passing it off, Stokes has been great, but just doesn't seem to have that same spark from last year, Ottens is a huge loss and cannot wait for his return. Really shows how much we relied on Nathan and how dominate he really was. But thats why they say don't they - you never truly realise how good you have something until its gone. I mean, we all know he's a natural, but we are really missing him right now and I hope to hell he comes back!

 

[Brasil2007]

Nathan was a great instinctive footballer, when he had the ball on the wing he seemed to have a good head for where to kick it. He probably read the play a bit better than Tomahawk does too. Then he had a lot more time in the team to learn as well.

 

[cozdawg#09]

For a bloke who took so many marks in the under 18 carnival, Hawkins runs under the flight of the ball wayyyy too often.

 

[Ricketts]

Disagree with the OP.

I think Mooney is in quite good form. He is able to take the contested marks. He just hasn't had the chance to with the service (this week) and conditions (last week). I think you'll find he was great last week in the rain.

As for not being able to replace Nablett's 40 goals, well if Hawkins played the Nablett role in 2007, then he would have kicked 40. And if Nablett was playing instead of Hawkins this year, he wouldn't be doing any better than Hawkins is.

And it's purely because the rest of the side aren't smashing every team by 10 goals each week. Of course Mooney and Hawkins aren't going to be kicking as many as last year. Doesn't mean they're travelling that badly.

 

[rocker_oz33]

l don't think mooneys going that bad yes he's kicking early on was shocking
but hes the only one getting hes mits on the ball leading in the right spots
it will take a little time for big hawkins to be the one we all want him to be and lets hope he will that player..gamble looks like he will be a good player he like varcoe have great flashes of play but don't get enough of the pill
and the small forwards johnson needs a break bad and at times l feel he could to do the team thing and basis's at times cant do freaky stuff all the time..stokes should play but in the forward line more l feel and chappy is a good target for his size the cats really need to get some balance in the forward line.the forwards could be getting caught out with the play on all the time rule the defense know where to go with side blocking the center and some of the kicking into the forward line is shocking l thought we were ment to have the best mids in the comp. come on boys work it out

 

[OldStyle2007]

Put it this way about our forward line:

• If we lose the forward line but win our midfield we will still win most games through goals kicked from midfield, ruck and half backs

BUT

• If we lose the midfield battle we very rarely (if ever) win because our forwards struggle to win their positions consistently

 

[Bakes]

Does he run under the ball or is the ball kicked over his head? Our delivery into the forward line has been deplorable at times this season, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's more the latter.

He can not judge the ball in flight. Not many kicks are going to be lace out, but when they are a little long, he continues steeming down the park