Lance's immediate future

[pumped]

I believe that Denis needs to make a stand now to keep Lance off the last line of defence. He has had an enormous year and has been great for the club. However other clubs are intent on pulling him back to where he is least comfortable.

I don't believe we can afford to risk Lance's form to drop to plug holes at FB. Far better to put a lesser player there than sacrifice our best or second best player. His confidence over the past 2 weeks has dropped a little and Denis needs to take positive steps to stop it dropping any further.

 

[SurreyBlue]

Oh this will be good.....couldn't agree more with your sentiments but, mate you have just opened up a can of worms.

 

[as0l0]

Setanta is crucial to this strategy, which is why i thought he was our 3rd most valuable player on the weekend.

 

[Jimthegreat]

I believe that Denis needs to make a stand now to keep Lance off the last line of defence. He has had an enormous year and has been great for the club. However other clubs are intent on pulling him back to where he is least comfortable.

I don't believe we can afford to risk Lance's form to drop to plug holes at FB. Far better to put a lesser player there than sacrifice our best or second best player. His confidence over the past 2 weeks has dropped a little and Denis needs to take positive steps to stop it dropping any further.

Fortunatley Bradshaw didn't do a great deal after the first qtr and a bit but zoning off against a fast leading FF does asks for trouble. Lance didn't to too badly, "The Age" had him just in the best players, but that strategy is fraught with danger. If he plays FB he need to play on a body player, playing on him, and not zoning off.

 

[FieryNayta]

I wouldnt put too much thought into it right now. He's been a bit quieter for a couple of weeks but he hasnt played poorly. Cant expect him to perform as highly as he has been each and every week.

Probably taking the captaincy has had a little bit to do with it, but he'll get the balance right and pull out a few big games in coming weeks.

 

[stokesy]

He has been good, without being great.

He doesn't like it on the last line of defence, but he will be caught out there and he was earlier in the season and did wonderfully well. He just needs to take some grabs in defence to get that confidence back.

He uses the ball well, and still directs traffic like no other player does.

He has had probably his poorest two weeks this season, but they have been solid enough as well.

Set for a big game this weekend.

 

[WTTF]

It was an interesting decision to play Lance at FB on Bradshaw. Thornton was the obvious choice, but I'm sure it was purely a match up thing on the night.

The Lions bascially started with Brennan at CHF and Walker took him to the cleaners. Thornton took Voss for a while and there was no one else left for Lance, other than Bradshaw.

He could have taken Pask later on when he replaced Brennan, but he was a good match up for O'hAilpin, who needed the ground time.

I think it highlights how much Pagan wants him in defense, as the obvious move was to shift Lance forward earlier when it was clear that there wasn't a match up for him at CHB.

 

[pumped]

Bit confused with some of the replies. Basically I think the Carlton Footy Club should try to play as positive as possible. If Lance is going to play down back I think he should be used in an attacking way. CHB would seem to be the best way for him to play attacking footy. Cannot see much point in using him as a full back whose main objective is to negate the FF.

 

[pumped]

It was an interesting decision to play Lance at FB on Bradshaw. Thornton was the obvious choice, but I'm sure it was purely a match up thing on the night.

The Lions bascially started with Brennan at CHF and Walker took him to the cleaners. Thornton took Voss for a while and there was no one else left for Lance, other than Bradshaw.

He could have taken Pask later on when he replaced Brennan, but he was a good match up for O'hAilpin, who needed the ground time.

I think it highlights how much Pagan wants him in defense, as the obvious move was to shift Lance forward earlier when it was clear that there wasn't a match up for him at CHB.

Thanks for such a detailed response. What you have said makes alot of sense. Personally I would have liked to have seen Setanta start at FB and given the scenario you have described free Lance to go up forward or have him loose across half back.

 

[WTTF]

Thanks for such a detailed response. What you have said makes alot of sense. Personally I would have liked to have seen Setanta start at FB and given the scenario you have described free Lance to go up forward or have him loose across half back.

I think they were hesitant to put Setanta on the last line of defense in only his 3rd game. Might be a little too stressful for him down there at this early stage of his career, I mean one mistake and it's going to cost a goal (or a point more than likely after the way they kicked!).

In an ideal world, both Lance and T-Bird would spend most of their time accross half back, but until such a time at the right FB appears, we'll be juggling depending on match ups.

Livo - OK on the right opponent, but not the anwser week in week out.
Hartlett - could be the answer if he can stay fit.
Bower - more a running HBF type at the moment. He is a few years off being a FB/CHB.

Do we draft a Hansen or Thorpe and hope they can fill the FB role in years to come?

 

[Silvagnis]

Trade bait if we're certain we can get the player we want with the pick we're offered.

Plug Hansen or Gumbleton into CHB and we'll be sitting pretty for the future if we have 5 top 30 picks in the superdraft. Lance has me worried again with the way he's played in the past three weeks and been led to the ball by faster opponents.

He should be doing more if he is indeed a gun.

A potential Captain shouldn't be protected by being played on the third tall or a kick behind play because he can't play on a Croad or Bradshaw.

Is he a leader if the inexperienced Hansen/Gumbleton or Hartlett are forced to take the opposition's best forwards?

 

[pumped]

I think they were hesitant to put Setanta on the last line of defense in only his 3rd game. Might be a little too stressful for him down there at this early stage of his career, I mean one mistake and it's going to cost a goal (or a point more than likely after the way they kicked!).

In an ideal world, both Lance and T-Bird would spend most of their time accross half back, but until such a time at the right FB appears, we'll be juggling depending on match ups.

Livo - OK on the right opponent, but not the anwser week in week out.
Hartlett - could be the answer if he can stay fit.
Bower - more a running HBF type at the moment. He is a few years off being a FB/CHB.

Do we draft a Hansen or Thorpe and hope they can fill the FB role in years to come?

Once again believe that you have probably picked their thinking. I still think it would be worth giving Setanta a few games at fb just to see how he goes. Wins are not as important at the moment as building a positive game plan and structure imo. Think you have summed up Bower, Hartlett and Livo pretty well.

 

[pumped]

Trade bait if we're certain we can get the player we want with the pick we're offered.

Plug Hansen or Gumbleton into CHB and we'll be sitting pretty for the future if we have 5 top 30 picks in the superdraft. Lance has me worried again with the way he's played in the past three weeks and been led to the ball by faster opponents.

He should be doing more if he is indeed a gun.

A potential Captain shouldn't be protected by being played on the third tall or a kick behind play because he can't play on a Croad or Bradshaw.

Is he a leader if the inexperienced Hansen/Gumbleton or Hartlett are forced to take the opposition's best forwards?

Agree that leaders should not be protected but playing Lance across half back is common sense not protection. A champion player is not necessarily suited to every position. FB is a specialised position and it just does not suit Lance.

He has played ok over the past 2 weeks and was good for the most part against WC. Still think he would be leading the B&F.

 

[Silvagnis]

He has played ok over the past 2 weeks and was good for the most part against WC. Still think he would be leading the B&F.

For a bottom side that looks likely to win another priority pick and he should be beating every opponent.

 

[WTTF]

Trade bait if we're certain we can get the player we want with the pick we're offered.

Plug Hansen or Gumbleton into CHB and we'll be sitting pretty for the future if we have 5 top 30 picks in the superdraft. Lance has me worried again with the way he's played in the past three weeks and been led to the ball by faster opponents.

He should be doing more if he is indeed a gun.

A potential Captain shouldn't be protected by being played on the third tall or a kick behind play because he can't play on a Croad or Bradshaw.

Is he a leader if the inexperienced Hansen/Gumbleton or Hartlett are forced to take the opposition's best forwards?

I agree. Whilst Lance has played really well this season so far, he isn't going to get any quicker in the next few years. Strike while the iron is hot!

Top 15 pick and I'd pull the trigger and trade him. Draft Hansen and slot him into CHB for the next 10 years and use the addition pick from the trade to target Leuenberger. Then we'd still have our priority and 2nd rounder to use on quick midfielders.

The question is who'd be interested and willing to give up their 1st rounder?

Bulldogs and West Coast would seem to be the most logical. Both need Key Forwards and will more than likely have a draft pick around the 12-16 mark. How they perform in the finals will be a deterimining factor

Having said all that, I don't believe we'd have the balls to trade him, especially after making him stand in Captain.

 

[pumped]

Why trade Lance for a top 15 pick instead of Stevens. They are similar ages and Lance shows far better leadership and has easily outperformed Stevens for the past 2 years.

 

[BlueBelle]

I cannot believe what I am reading!!! You want to trade one of our best players and our next Captain?? You are joking right???!!!

The future team of the CFC can be built soley around two players on our current list. One is Fev, the other is Big Red. Even suggesting he should be traded warrants a kick up the ass!!

Shameful!!

 

[as0l0]

I cannot believe what I am reading!!! You want to trade one of our best players and our next Captain?? You are joking right???!!!

The future team of the CFC can be built soley around two players on our current list. One is Fev, the other is Big Red. Even suggesting he should be traded warrants a kick up the ass!!

Shameful!!

agree. get the boot out.

 

[Effes]

Careful now Cypher

 

[Effes]

I cannot believe what I am reading!!! You want to trade one of our best players and our next Captain?? You are joking right???!!!

The future team of the CFC can be built soley around two players on our current list. One is Fev, the other is Big Red. Even suggesting he should be traded warrants a kick up the ass!!

Shameful!!

 

[blues4flag]

No way will we trade Lance, young players can't play all by themselves, they need experience and leadership around them and Lance is one of the best we've got. He's not going anywhere. You can't expect Hansen to be playing consistently at CHB in his first season, will probably take time to develop as do the vast majority of KKP's and most young players in general.

 

[jj1978]

It's tough...

the only worry I have with Lance is he gets into that "shocking form" of 02,03,04 puts on weight and is of no use.

As I've said ages ago... giving him the captaincy will make him most likely pull his finger out with his weight issues and work harder as a leader should!

But Lance is a TRUE Blue so I'd much rather get rid of Stephens if I had to chose b/n Him and Whitnall!

 

[ortbuster]

It's tough...

the only worry I have with Lance is he gets into that "shocking form" of 02,03,04 puts on weight and is of no use.

As I've said ages ago... giving him the captaincy will make him most likely pull his finger out with his weight issues and work harder as a leader should!

But Lance is a TRUE Blue so I'd much rather get rid of Stephens if I had to chose b/n Him and Whitnall!

C'mon guys ... lets face it.. if it was covered in sauce or sugar.. Lance would eat it up. He'd eat the crotch out of a low flying duck... pull Jesus off the cross to eat him and quite possibly eat my own mother..... ewww... give him one of those stomach staples if you want the best out of him.

 

[Silvagnis]

Careful now Cypher

I agree, we shouldn't shock them out of their dreams where Lance is a world beating CHF/CHB and a leader who can beat everyone like SOS or Southby.

I think he could be the difference for the Bulldogs or WCE in winning a flag and they do need another decent KPP. He would free up Hunter at the WCE to float forward or at least do a lot of damage playing on the opposition's third tall forward.

He would be useful at the Dogs and could help Grant, West, Johnson and Smith win that elusive flag before it's too late. Then again he'd probably do his knee once he walked through the door!

His past month hasn't been great and he was hurt badly by the athletic power forwards like Riewoldt, Richo and Croad, even Hansen led him to the ball.

http://www.pro-stats.com.au/psw/web/player_games?pid=697

Stevens is more important but some Carlton supporters are questioning his body language and whether he wants out.

 

[Funkalicous]

Without Lance, we'd be forced to make Nick Stevens our captain next year.

Honestly, Pagan should just switch Thornton and Whitnall around whenever Lance gets taken to the goal square. It's not difficult. Infact, Thornton would probably do a better job at full back.