Is this the golden age of small forwards?

[Linda Lovelace]

I never thought of him as a key
forward. I just threw him in the discussion, I guess it depends on your definition, if you include anybody who’s now a “key forward”. Maybe medium is another category.



Yes, terribly relevant, those names from the 80s and 90s.

He’s probably talked than John Nicholls too, let’s classify him as a ruckman.

Well you are free to think a unicorn was Sydney's full forward and you are welcome to throw into the discussion that Abraham Lincoln was an AFL small forward.

But if we are talking about what existed in actual reality, then Mickey O was named as and played as Sydney's full forward.

All of Dunstall, Modra and Ablett were still playing when Michael O'Loughlin debuted. In Modra's case, they spent 7 years together in the AFL system. So your complaint here is almost as baffling as your initial premise.

 

[HairyO]

Will be interesting to see there is a good mix of small forwards around at the moment.
2006-2012 seemed to be a pretty good time for them seemed to have a fair few good ones around.
Mark Le Cras was a gun that hasn’t been mentioned.

2008 to 2016 gives you Cyril, Breust and Betts at their peak.

Milne was also kicking bags across 5 of those years. LeCras had 4 good years across that period.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Well you are free to think a unicorn was Sydney's full forward and you are welcome to throw into the discussion that Abraham Lincoln was an AFL small forward.

But if we are talking about what existed in actual reality, then Mickey O was named as and played as Sydney's full forward.

Certainly later in his career, but he was more a flanker / crumbing forward early on in my opinion. I wouldn’t call him a key forward.

 

[GeTrain]

One of them has to get hit by a full back for it to surpass the previous generation. Just kicking goals isn't enough, you need to be that big of a pest your opponents need therapy afterwards.

 

[HairyO]

Certainly later in his career, but he was more a flanker / crumbing forward early on in my opinion. I wouldn’t call him a key forward.

Who were the key forwards then?

Hall at CHF and OLoughlin at FF for about 8 years after OLoughlin at CHF and Lockett at FF for about 5 years.

 

[Not Like This]

Definitely a great time for small forwards atm, while the 2010’s had some classic crumbing smalls roaming the forward 50 I think these days the ability for the smalls to get after defenders and force turnovers with tackling pressure is the best it’s been

 

[Cursed Cat]

Stevie J was definitely a medium rigid truck..not a small

Agreed - and yet he wasn't what I'd call a third tall, either.

btw I brought Darren Bewick's name up in another small forward's thread a little while back and there was pushback; I rank him highly in the role, he was razor sharp and dangerous. Played a lot on the ball too obviously, but he was a menace up forward. Killed the Cats a few times.

 

[PetterdHoisted]

2017 flag, with J. Riewoldt as sole (undersized) KPF surrounded by a mosquito fleet, was a very particular highpoint for small forwards.

Hardwick's remarkable innovation was to make the small forward's defensive role so fundamental that it became the most important position on the ground. Attack and defense equally important, players as differently skilled as Dan Butler and Jason Castagna

11

Jason Castagna

Age

27

Ht

182cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.1

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

5.3

4star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.8

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

11.4

3star

K

6.7

3star

HB

4.7

3star

M

2.9

3star

T

2.0

3star

G

1.1

5star

D

14.8

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

6.8

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

would come to dominate the league, and ultimately decide the premiership.

That era ended with the STAND/zoning rules that reduced the pressure one could apply to the defensive ball carrier, and that increased the viability of kick-mark possession footy, favouring the KPFs.

The value and role of small forwards has now reverted to the old convention- attacking prowess is paramount once more, but they are very much second fiddle again to the big forwards.

the brief, golden era of the dominant small forward has definitely passed.

 

[peetoo]

An innovation which came a few years after Paul Puopolo

28

Paul Puopolo

Age

36

Ht

173cm

Wt

78kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.9

4star

K

6.9

3star

HB

6.9

4star

M

2.2

2star

T

4.3

5star

G

0.9

4star

D

8.5

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

4.3

3star

M

1.0

1star

T

2.5

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

17.0

5star

K

8.8

4star

HB

8.2

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

4.8

5star

G

0.0

1star

?

Let’s look at 2016 when the hawks lost rough for a season

Gunston 51 Bruest 47 Rioli 47 Puopolo 34 Sicily 30 Burgoyne 15. Rucks chipping in for 25 goals


(Just remembered setantas little helpers at Carlton when Eddie and co were there)

 

[Otiman]

In the past you had 2 or 3 teams with gun small forwards, now it seems like most teams have one. It's certainly a staple of the game now.

 

[peetoo]

It’s probably because 22 and rotations means mids can rest on the bench, and CHFs not being allowed to dominate physically as much means small forwards and wingers gut running and getting into space is the new outlet kick, particularly in rebound situations