Strategy Keep Jenkins in defence!

[Mike Smyth]

Neither does franklin, gunston or westhoff, yet all are playing the second forward role in the finals. Neither of those three crash packs, and Jenkins has improved this year, no reason why he can't again next year

Didn't say anything about crashing packs. It's about being able to take the occasional contested mark, being able to out body your opponent and running in a straight line at the contest.

 

[FR0GGY]

Westhoff crashes packs

 

[Allefgib]

Didn't say anything about crashing packs. It's about being able to take the occasional contested mark, being able to out body your opponent and running in a straight line at the contest.

Josh does and has done all these.

 

[BunjiMac]

Physicality is clearly something that isn't instinctive for JJ. However, I complexly understand why this is the case, when he's come from a non contact sport.

As a key forward, knowing when, where and how to be physical and aggressive must be second nature.

I'd find out what brogan is doing next year, and if free, make him our specialist agression coach with JJ as his pet project.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Josh does and has done all these.

Just needs to do it more consistently!

Eg. Run after the player with the ball with the same intensity like he is running away from his opponent into an open goal.

 

[Houston]

I thought having Tex and his aggression around would rub off on Josh in the second half of the season. It seemingly went the other way if anything, he just sort of sat back and let Tex do his thing.

 

[BunjiMac]

As an alternative maybe we accept that JJ will never be that physical key forward and get him to focus on his speed and agility.

He is probably most dangerous when he's leading, so let's build his tank right up so he can lead all day.

 

[spenze]

I thought having Tex and his aggression around would rub off on Josh in the second half of the season. It seemingly went the other way if anything, he just sort of sat back and let Tex do his thing.

Sometimes it is like that though, he was no longer the number 1 forward and didn't quite grasp what his role was.

 

[spenze]

As an alternative maybe we accept that JJ will never be that physical key forward and get him to focus on his speed and agility.

He is probably most dangerous when he's leading, so let's build his tank right up so he can lead all day.

He'll get a pre season this year (fingers crossed), which should help build the tank

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

He is probably most dangerous when he's leading, so let's build his tank right up so he can lead all day.

I don't think it's fitness stopping him leading.

 

[40porpoise]

I liked the idea of trying him down back. We are in desperate need of a tall defender so might as well see how he goes.

That being said, he did kick 40 goals this year. Slow finish to the year, but I think he's proven himself.

 

[BobaFett]

Lynch is a flanker. Not a 3rd tall.

Yet averages more marks than walker, podsaidly and jenkins when not injured and played as the third.

You realise a third tall isn't a KPP? Other players in the league that play it are murdoch, monfries, gray, black, winderlich, martin, murdoch, gunston/breust, mcglynn/goodes, mayne etc.

There's nothing natural about Jenkins in regards to footy

Sadly, thats how the game is these days. There are players in the league who are clearly just athletes, and aren't footballers. Jenkins, Blicavs, naitanui, ryder, westhoff, griffiths, stanley, crameri etc.

Its a trend, most of them are ruckmen or forward/second ruck. And Jenkins is performing that job well.

We don't need to find a 2nd KPF, we have it in Jenkins

 

[BobaFett]

Didn't say anything about crashing packs. It's about being able to take the occasional contested mark, being able to out body your opponent and running in a straight line at the contest.

Jenkins does take the odd contested mark, and has shown huge improvement this year in body work, but is still average.

Focus your attention away from the forward line. With walker, jenkins, lynch, betts, cameron, it is the area that is the least of our worries. In fact, our forward line is not a concern at all

 

[FR0GGY]

Yet averages more marks than walker, podsaidly and jenkins when not injured and played as the third.

You realise a third tall isn't a KPP? Other players in the league that play it are murdoch, monfries, gray, black, winderlich, martin, murdoch, gunston/breust, mcglynn/goodes, mayne etc.


Sadly, thats how the game is these days. There are players in the league who are clearly just athletes, and aren't footballers. Jenkins, Blicavs, naitanui, ryder, westhoff, griffiths, stanley, crameri etc.

Its a trend, most of them are ruckmen or forward/second ruck. And Jenkins is performing that job well.

We don't need to find a 2nd KPF, we have it in Jenkins

Ryder and Westhoff seem natural footballers to me.

 

[CrowAboutIt]

Lacks the intensity, concentration and aggression at the contest.

No chance.

Lets be honet.. we're not going to win the premiership next year. If playing Jenkins in defence teaches him to crash packs, like I saw once yesterday (first time this year), then screw it give it 6 weeks.

 

[Crowbots are dead]

Yes, I did watch the game. Thank you for asking.

The reason I think we should keep him there is because he was so bad at it (stay with me). Outbodied, lost the ball in the air in some contests, positioning average.

I think we should keep him in defence through the preseason and perhaps first third/half of next season.

All the weaknesses he has displayed as a forward get magnified in defence - you get exposed. As a forward he has some tricks and upside but at the moment short comings include his ability in one on one contests, ability to create a spill even when the kick doesn't favour you, to bring the ball to ground at all costs. These skills would have to improve playing against a direct opponent in defence. Not to mention the lessons he would learn trailing after some of the opposition's best forwards - their leading patterns, their reading of the play, their work ethic, their bodywork.

Then about halfway through the season swing him back forward after that two/three month education period. I think he would return to the forward line as a more rounded and better player.

so you would like to see us start 2015 experimenting? We are already ranked 11th for points conceded! I for one do not want to risk the season so that Jenkins might develop a few defensive skills. He was deplorable and has been for 6 weeks now.

 

[Crowbots are dead]

Lets be honet.. we're not going to win the premiership next year. If playing Jenkins in defence teaches him to crash packs, like I saw once yesterday (first time this year), then screw it give it 6 weeks.

I agree but don't you think trying to win will teach our young team more than treating the season like a preseason experiment?

 

[Stripple]

Yeah nah. Happy for today's experiment. Happy for him to learn a bit in the pre season (training and games). But once the season starts I want a guy who kicked 40 goals with the crappiest delivery to be ready for more. Yes he needs to be more physical, but as others have said lets play to his strengths rather than focusing on what we want him to be. Yes still try and improve those issues but let's not neglect the fact that he has kicked a fair few goals with those issues.

The other thing as I posted in the game day thread is if we either use Jenkins as a stop gap CHB or are aiming for him to be the long term CHB it worries me. We have more options (albeit maybe not solutions) down back than we do down forward. We take Jenkins away and we have Pods, who shouldn't be playing all year and I doubt could last all year, or Lynch who is even less of a '2nd tall forward' than Jenkins.

Unless we are getting Cameron.... hahahaha.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

so you would like to see us start 2015 experimenting? We are already ranked 11th for points conceded! I for one do not want to risk the season so that Jenkins might develop a few defensive skills. He was deplorable and has been for 6 weeks now.

You'd rather we went in with our 2014 approach?

 

[Wood_Duck]

Id expect Siggins to get plenty of game time in the pre season. The fact that he was sent off for surgery last week says to me that the club want him to have a big pre season. Expect Siggins to be prominent during the practice matches and a big chance for round 1.

 

[King Elvis]

I thought having Tex and his aggression around would rub off on Josh in the second half of the season. It seemingly went the other way if anything, he just sort of sat back and let Tex do his thing.

I think that's a great observation - first half of the year, he was very good.

Second half, it was almost like, with Tex back, he expected him to do all fo the hard work, and he could just sit back and reap the rewards.

Let's be honest though, he's kicked 40-odd goals, in an average year - a very good result.

He's worth persisting with as a forward - we might need to accept the fact that he's more of a tall flanker than a genuine KPP, but if he can kick ~50 goals a year, then you'd accept it.

I do wish he'd toughen up though, and develop a thirst for the contest - if he does that, he'll go from a good ~50 goal a year forward, to a great ~75 goal a year forward.

 

[FR0GGY]

Hoping hartigan will step up next year so there will be no need for JJ to play back.

 

[Mike Smyth]

Surely, given this thread, Spackler slips out of the top 10 for "poster of the year"? Actually, maybe even top 20. He's done a reverse Bradbury.

 

[CIDA]

I think that's a great observation - first half of the year, he was very good.

Second half, it was almost like, with Tex back, he expected him to do all fo the hard work, and he could just sit back and reap the rewards.

Let's be honest though, he's kicked 40-odd goals, in an average year - a very good result.

He's worth persisting with as a forward - we might need to accept the fact that he's more of a tall flanker than a genuine KPP, but if he can kick ~50 goals a year, then you'd accept it.

I do wish he'd toughen up though, and develop a thirst for the contest - if he does that, he'll go from a good ~50 goal a year forward, to a great ~75 goal a year forward.

With or without toughness and aggression, there's no way in hell Jenkins ever could, or will be a 75 goal a year forward. Some of the top goal kickers this year were Franklin, Roughead, Hawkins and Kennedy. They are your 75 goal a year forwards - Jenkins isn't fit to lace their boots as a footballer. He's just not on their level.

I feel JJ lacks aptitude and we will always be left wanting more from him.

 

[Mike Smyth]

Hoping hartigan will step up next year so there will be no need for JJ to play back.

Out of Shaw, luke t and hartigan I feel hartigan is still the unknown. However, even despite an average year in the reserves, I haven't given up hope on siggins either. Rule a line through Shaw and Luke t.