i reckon we need more height

[melb_will]

What a stupid post. Fact is that TAC cup clubs and state level clubs are instructed by the AFL to recruit and develop as many kids 188cm+ as possible. This is in fact providing AFL clubs an array of junior KP talent to select from, now you can ramble on as much as you like but the truth is our club has drafted and traded poorely for the last 4-5 years.

We are either going drafting spuds and have been severely unlucky and/or our development of youngsters has waned from past years. The absolute shitful post about tall defenders not really being available is rubbish, any kid 6ft3+ wants to play AFL and it's our clubs responsibility to draft and develop and or trade for these types! All the other clubs can do it, surely Hawthorn can.

Yes, that's of course why every team other than Hawthorn has more 195cm (not 188 which had nothing to do with the post at all) key position defenders than they can handle.

Seeing as you are so informed please name names of 195cm AFL standard KPDs that have been available (to Hawthorn, bearing in mind our draft picks and trade opportunities, over the past 4-5 years.

Saying our trading/drafting has been terrible isn't the answer. B Dowler, M Thorpe etc at the time they were drafted looked like genuine prospects, everyone rated them highly, except of course you, but you were left alone at the pub yelling obscenities at the TV while all those people that actually work in the game weren't able to discern how a couple of 18 year olds would develop.

 

[WillowSF]

Spot on. Our inability to find a Croad replacement has been our biggest problem and is the key reason we have really struggled the past two seasons. We've had a few realistic options, none which I think Clarkson has truly pursued.

As I see it we can:

1. Try Schoenmakers at CHB and leave him in the side for the entire season. (He has been tried but has been dropped due to poor performances. Fair enough but I think he's worth persevering with in spite of form given our need.)

2. Move Roughead to CHB. (And consequently try Schoenmakers or Dowler up forward. Some would argue this just weakens our biggest strength which is the Franklin-Roughead combination. Given that Roughead has struggled for almost two seasons I think it's worth a shot moving him to the backline to regain form and confidence. It's also short sighted the limited opportunities Dowler has been given.)

3. Recruit a ready made key defender from another club. (There simply are not that many available and we decided to go for Burgoyne thinking our premiership window was open.)

Instead we recruited Gibson and Stratton. Both are very good pickups but neither are key position defenders. Stratton is a natural HBFer who has on occasion been asked to play on forwards a lot bigger and stronger than him. The same goes for Gibson. Actually I think Gibson would be a better player for us if he was moved up the ground.

Gilham is the only player in our backline that you could claim is a key position defender. (Even that is borderline. I think he would be better suited playing on a third tall.)

Clarkson is rolling the dice with a backline consisting of Murphy, Stratton, Gibson, Birchall, Guerra & Gilham. I honestly do not think that combination of defenders is going to get it done on opposition key forwards come finals time. Imagine if we have to face up to Geelong with a forward line of J-Pod, Mooney, Hawkins & Ottens. Maybe he has a late season trick up his sleeve. Hodge to the backline again a la 2008?

I don't know but it is really frustrating seeing a glaring weakness in our side not even addressed week in week out for almost two years. Do something! Anything...

 

[Brant]

Is Schoey's best position:

a) CHB;
b) FB; or
c) on the biggest / strongest Forward?

Interested to hear peoples thoughts as to why they pick him in 1 place & not the other.

 

[PewPewPew]

Spot on. Our inability to find a Croad replacement has been our biggest problem and is the key reason we have really struggled the past two seasons. We've had a few realistic options, none which I think Clarkson has truly pursued.

As I see it we can:

1. Try Schoenmakers at CHB and leave him in the side for the entire season. (He has been tried but has been dropped due to poor performances. Fair enough but I think he's worth persevering with in spite of form given our need.)

2. Move Roughead to CHB. (And consequently try Schoenmakers or Dowler up forward. Some would argue this just weakens our biggest strength which is the Franklin-Roughead combination. Given that Roughead has struggled for almost two seasons I think it's worth a shot moving him to the backline to regain form and confidence. It's also short sighted the limited opportunities Dowler has been given.)

3. Recruit a ready made key defender from another club. (There simply are not that many available and we decided to go for Burgoyne thinking our premiership window was open.)

Instead we recruited Gibson and Stratton. Both are very good pickups but neither are key position defenders. Stratton is a natural HBFer who has on occasion been asked to play on forwards a lot bigger and stronger than him. The same goes for Gibson. Actually I think Gibson would be a better player for us if he was moved up the ground.

Gilham is the only player in our backline that you could claim is a key position defender. (Even that is borderline. I think he would be better suited playing on a third tall.)

Clarkson is rolling the dice with a backline consisting of Murphy, Stratton, Gibson, Birchall, Guerra & Gilham. I honestly do not think that combination of defenders is going to get it done on opposition key forwards come finals time. Imagine if we have to face up to Geelong with a forward line of J-Pod, Mooney, Hawkins & Ottens. Maybe he has a late season trick up his sleeve. Hodge to the backline again a la 2008?

I don't know but it is really frustrating seeing a glaring weakness in our side not even addressed week in week out for almost two years. Do something! Anything...

Skipper to the backline a La Robbie Campbell 2009? Seems like the only real option if the resting opposition ruck gets plonked down there as he looks to be much more mobile (and better disposal) than Squiz or Twister.

Can't say i've really kept a close eye on them - any observations on Skipper (or Squiz/Twister) and their work down back? Defensive efforts/positioning etc.

Apart from the odd pack mark on the last line, both Squiz and Twister have looked a little lost in the backline for mine....

 

[WillowSF]

Skipper to the backline a La Robbie Campbell 2009? Seems like the only real option if the resting opposition ruck gets plonked down there as he looks to be much more mobile (and better disposal) than Squiz or Twister.

Can't say i've really kept a close eye on them - any observations on Skipper (or Squiz/Twister) and their work down back? Defensive efforts/positioning etc.

Apart from the odd pack mark on the last line, both Squiz and Twister have looked a little lost in the backline for mine....

Skipper is an option down back on players like Ottens & Kosi. It will mean that Renouf has to bear more of the load on the ball. (Taylor I think will not be given another opportunity this year unless its due to injury.) I'd still rather see games be given to Schoenmakers ahead of Whitecross, Moss or Suckling.

One strategy we could think about if we make the finals is to give the task of playing on gorilla forwards to Gilham and Stratton. (They are probably our best two defenders in contested marking situations. Guerra is too short. Murphy is pretty good and Birchall has no clue.) Move Hodge to HBF to provide direction and support and release Gibson further up the ground. (His disposal is generally excellent.) We would still have Mitchell, Sewell, Burgoyne & Lewis to work the stoppages.