Opinion How do you rate our key backs?

[Bombers36]

Sydney easily had the best defence last year - their key backman were Grundy, Aliir & Rampe (who at 188 is able to play taller than this with his marking ability).
I think Hurley & Hartley are an even enough match for Grundy & Aliir, but Ambrose and/or Browne a fair way off Rampe. We really need one of Brown or Ambrose to step up this year

 

[Charlie Payne]

Small/Mid size backs are as important as that 4. Imagine Paddy on Eddie Betts

Bags is a lock for a pocket. Pops is a onfield Coach. Dea has doesn't anything wrong and ditto Marty. Clearly half back is where we use for the top draft pick to pick up the pace of the game so McGrath is headed there at some stage (100% conversion in his 1st game). And finally McKenna did nothing wrong 2nd half of the last year and is arguably one of the best kicks at the Club. Don't miss.

Good luck getting 6 into 10.

 

[blitzer]

I think there is a bit of overrating of our talent on here.

Hurley: Rating for Now: 9/10, Potential 9/10 - Quality player and a contender for AA spots.

Hartley: Rating for Now: 7/10, Potential 8/10 - Promising first season and shows a fair bit of potential. His kicking could be a weapon but he doesn't use it enough. Defensively he was mostly pretty good but did get found out a bit at times against stronger opponents. Has good size as well which is an advantage he has over Ambrose/Brown.

Ambrose: Rating for Now: 6/10, Potential 7.5/10 - Great at locking down man on man. Not really too great at anything else. I did see some signs he's working on getting his rebounding to an acceptable level but it won't ever be a strength.

Brown: Rating for now 6/10, Potential 7.5/10 - Different to Ambrose in that his strength is intercept marking rather than his one on one play. I would rate him higher except I don't think much of his field kicking.

Overall: We have one great defender, and 3 guys that are pretty decent but have limitations at present. I think Hartley is the most likely to become a real quality defender whereas the other 2 are more role players but decent ones. So I don't see it as a weakness but its only about average at present (maybe a slight strength if you're generous).

Not counting Hooker since he's going to play at forward based on all apparent signs.

 

[Donakebab]

Sydney easily had the best defence last year - their key backman were Grundy, Aliir & Rampe (who at 188 is able to play taller than this with his marking ability).
I think Hurley & Hartley are an even enough match for Grundy & Aliir, but Ambrose and/or Browne a fair way off Rampe. We really need one of Brown or Ambrose to step up this year

It's the two way running of Sydney as a whole, particularly their midfield, that makes their defence look so strong.

 

[Yoda_]

Compared to the rest of the comp, Michael Hurley is a 10/10. A reigning All Australian defender (last year he played [2015] he was) and is still in the top 3 of KPD in the comp.

Michael Hartley, despite playing reasonably well is not in the same category as guys like Jeremy McGovern or Heath Grundy. If I were rating him, it would be the next level down, somewhere around a 6 (at best).

Then, with role players like Ambrose (5/10), Dea (4/10), and Gleeson (6/10), we have a solid enough back 6. With support from guys like McGrath (tbc) and Kelly (7/10).

 

[MightyDons4]

Hurley's elite, the rest are average at best.

 

[eth-dog]

Hurley and Hooker are elite, Hartley above average and the last two are average.

 

[carnthedons]

Hurley and Hooker are elite, Hartley above average and the last two are average.

Agree with this completely. That probably puts us in the top handful of clubs in the comp on this fairly narrow criterion