Fyfe Forward

[free at last]

Totally agree that inside 50's don't tell the whole story. But I think a key take away could be made that our forwards actually do quite well given the limited supply. Im just not sure moving Fyfe forward is the answer to more goals.

I think Ross plays our forwards too far up the ground, and this in part accounts for our low inside 50 count, given we get plenty of the ball, but there's nobody home to kick to.

Ross' team defence has us in top 4 for defence, but he hasn't cracked the code to be top 4 offensively. So the question is - do we need to change our current game plan that got us the minor Premiership and pretty damn close to another GF (barring some terrible umpiring decisions and basic skill errors) OR are our recruits (Bennell mainly, maybe Yarran) and natural growth from within enough to cap off his master plan?

I think it'll be a little from column A, and a little from column B - no drastic changes to game plan - I don't see us being top 4 offensively, but hopefully we get better at restricting teams like Hawks & Eagles whilst having a few more X-factors capable of winning us these clutch games.

Having a bona fide contested marking option(Fyfe) inside the F50 cannot be underestimated.Fyfe inside the F50 will create room deep in our scoring zone.

 

[M_rash]

Having a bona fide contested marking option(Fyfe) inside the F50 cannot be underestimated.Fyfe inside the F50 will create room deep in our scoring zone.

We are defo screaming out for a contested mark option. Could Griff be this man?

For me, Fyfe's strengths are contested possession and aerial marking - floating in from side of packs. If he plays forward, he'll likely be manned by the #2 or #3 defender which is a different story than out marking midfielders. And as a forward, he'll need to lead or provide a target for that long kick option, which typically results in a pack forming around the drop zone, with him centre of it. Maybe he'll still be a beast and keep on pulling down the grabs - but I think he's better floating into a pack, not being centre of it.

I'ld like to see more goals from Fyfe coming from leaving his man and pushing forward at opportune times. But it's NAB cup - why not play him forward and see how it goes!

 

[_007_]

Name one player that can out mark Fyfe that can beat him on the ground.

Name one player that can beat Fyfe on the ground that can out mark him.

Edit: I guess it isn't obvious (from my wording, not being a campaigner) enough that I am saying that if they play a #1 or #2 defender on him, he can exploit them athletically and if they play a #3 or small defender on him he can out mark them...

 

[M_rash]

Name one player that can out mark Fyfe that can beat him on the ground.

Name one player that can beat Fyfe on the ground that can out mark him.

Defence is rarely one-on-one though. But I'ld say Gibson would give him a good run for his money?

Fyfe is such a perfectionist, I'm sure he could become a legit forward in time but he's the best midfielder in the comp and already gets 20 odd goals. Maybe 80/20 would be good (80% mid, 20% fwd).

 

[Purple Jesus]

Name one player that can out mark Fyfe that can beat him on the ground.

Name one player that can beat Fyfe on the ground that can out mark him.

Edit: I guess it isn't obvious (from my wording, not being a campaigner) enough that I am saying that if they play a #1 or #2 defender on him, he can exploit them athletically and if they play a #3 or small defender on him he can out mark them...

This. It's not just midfielders he outmarks. I've seen him outmark key forwards and ruckmen.

 

[Freo88]

This is great.

 

[dockerfemme]

This is great.

Who knew he would grow up so quickly to have those looks.

 

[johnthegardener]

Fyfe will definitely be targeted by our opposition this season, in fact during the NAB games he has been constantly subjected to off the ball attention obviously designed to affect his game. If this continued for the whole season I don't think that he will last the whole season. It is apparent that he will need to spend considerable time up forward to avoid this harassment which causes us to lose our most effective on baller. This is not such a disaster as we have quite a number of very good midfielders available and note that most of our midfielders would be classified as elite (hate that word) in any other team. So effectively we lose a bit in our midfield but replace it with a very dangerous forward. Which would help as a partial (if not full) solution to our need for more goal scoring.

 

[scon]

Got a bit of a reactionary streak and opposition will target it.
This will mean Cleaver is smacked left,right and centre.

 

[The Joker]

It was great when we had Crowley doing it wasnt it?!? Leave the boy in the middle and let them do what they will! The "Eyes" will protect him, that is their jobs after all...

 

[Frigate]

Brownlow man Fyfe WILL play midfield again.

Why? He is the best contested footballer in the competition.

He is not the best forward going around, a difficult match up, however he is not an established forward.

So what happens? He plays midfield and chooses when he goes forward. Pretty simple stuff... no change here, he is a smart boy and has a lot of support. He is still our best clearance player, and without those - that pill shaped balloon does not go to our forwards.

#needtwofyfes

 

[meima]

Whatever fyfe play everywhere .

 

[schnoods]

Fyfe will get attention regardless. Takes the heat off the rest of our mids.

The forward line doesnt need a big pack mark, it needs a quick transition from our backline and clear leads with good delivery.

The zone defence Freo run is a double edged sword. Slow transition gives time for the opposition to set up. With Bennell firing, Weller bringing in pace and with our other speedsters in Hill, Neale , Pearce we might've found the missing links to getting the ball out of Fyfe's hands from hbf to laces out on Pavs chest or in Walters direction with a paddock and a slow defender.

 

[GilG]

Fyfe will get attention regardless. Takes the heat off the rest of our mids.

The forward line doesnt need a big pack mark, it needs a quick transition from our backline and clear leads with good delivery.

The zone defence Freo run is a double edged sword. Slow transition gives time for the opposition to set up. With Bennell firing, Weller bringing in pace and with our other speedsters in Hill, Neale , Pearce we might've found the missing links to getting the ball out of Fyfe's hands from hbf to laces out on Pavs chest or in Walters direction with a paddock and a slow defender.

Agree with much of what you said, except Freo's ball movement from halfback has looked really lacking so far, as has its ability to hit targets. The Geelong match provided a sense of deja vu — bomb it long to Pav, Pav gets mauled by Harry Taylor, opportunity missed. Lachie Neale looks capable of stepping into Fyfe's clearance shoes. He has graduated to have earned that chance. Fyfe is just too good a contested mark and too much of a headache for defenders to keep mostly in the midfield. Throwing Pav farther forward saves wear and tear on his legs, in what's likely to be his last campaign.

 

[Sweetback]

It's a shame we didn't spend at least one of the preseason games with Nat playing solely a forward role.

 

[Purple Jesus]

High praise from the little master: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-04-08/nat-fyfe-is-the-no1-in-the-afl-gazza

 

[Allikat]

High praise from the little master: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-04-08/nat-fyfe-is-the-no1-in-the-afl-gazza

Gaz telling it like it is <3

 

[free at last]

At this early stage it appears Fyfey has cleaned up his goal kicking act.
He's already averaging 2 goals per game in 2016.At this rate he could crack the 50 goal barrier.

From what he is showing up forward he could become an elite full time KPF(very mobile).
Should we trade for a top level established on baller to allow Fyfe to stay forward as a CHF?

Neale,Bennell,Hill,Weller ????

 

[Ripper]

Neale,Bennell,Hill,Weller ????

I think Connor blakely is the key here.

 

[salim malik]

I think Connor blakely is the key here.

And Bennell, the club aren't spending months fixing his calf to play in a forward pocket. Bennell is going to play on ball interchanging forward with Fyfe.

 

[rodney hoo]

Neale,Bennell,Hill,Weller ????

Ballard.
Our drafting is short sited, all about instant success.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Play him as a mid and rest him forward. He is great playing deep 1v1 because he can mark it.

 

[meima]

Ballard.
Our drafting is short sited, all about instant success.

Totally agree , if you don't spend time to develop young player with deficiency with disposal why spend time with suban and co.
Too many player we delisted in rookie list , Duffy,Ballard,moeller, vandelluer ,wood .
Deluca ,Smith ,( next in line).

 

[StingBitten]

I'm gaining more and more respect for this dude every game. Before it was a case of him using his strength and aerial ability in clunking the mark; now he's just timing and poising it to perfection. He make's sure he's just off the pack mark, then comes in for the pluck at the right time.

I agree that he could be up for 60-70+ this year if he spends enough time there. It seems Pav's changing his strong-bodied mark/big outside kicks to scrappy, off-the-run of play goals that can work just as effectively if Fyfe can do the polar opposite.

Replace Taberner or Mayne with the decoy second ruck and add midfield strength (Bennel, Yarran, Mora, Blakely etc) to offset the loss of Fyfe.

 

[free at last]

I'm gaining more and more respect for this dude every game. Before it was a case of him using his strength and aerial ability in clunking the mark; now he's just timing and poising it to perfection. He make's sure he's just off the pack mark, then comes in for the pluck at the right time.

I agree that he could be up for 60-70+ this year if he spends enough time there. It seems Pav's changing his strong-bodied mark/big outside kicks to scrappy, off-the-run of play goals that can work just as effectively if Fyfe can do the polar opposite.

Replace Taberner or Mayne with the decoy second ruck and add midfield strength (Bennel, Yarran, Mora, Blakely etc) to offset the loss of Fyfe.

Totally agree.....With the game opening up more in 2016 Fyfe is a lot harder to defend against with more room to move in.An opposition KB must be shitting when he's defending Fyfe one out.
Lethal in the air and just as lethal on the ground too!Defenders nightmare.

We just need to be able to exploit it.