Leading small Forward Pocket

[Freddy Bassett]

As we have no obvious, ready made large go to man in our squad, I think it is imperative we play a leading forward pocket in the style of Phil Matera, back when West Coast had a similar lack of big forwards. Who do you think in our squad has enough pace and sticky enough hands to play such a role? For us to be any chance next year to kick a score on a regular basis someone needs to stand up and kick 60 goals from such a position as it is unfair to think Tippett or Sellar should. For me it would be Andrew Mcleod... He has the finishing skills, would be impossible to stop on the lead and sensational crumbing ability. I dont think anyone else on our list has the ability this year to play such a role

 

[crowman_23]

As much as I believe McLeod could do it, I just think we lose too much by moving him forward. He sets up so much for us from half back, and IMO if moved forward would be more inconsistent and not as dominant as he has been the last couple of seasons.

I also can't see any player on our list having a 60 goal season. For us to have an effective forward line this season it will take a wide range of players to kick goals and not just a reliance on one or two players. With the departure of Welsh, we will need to spread the goals even more so than in previous seasons.

I personally don't see McGregor up to AFL standard anymore and would much rather give our younger guys the opportunity up forward. While it will produce inconcsistent results I think it would be for the best for the future.

Of guys who could go forward and play the crumbing role I would really love to see Jacky given a crack early. While he is young and lightly framed still, the quick, crumbing aboriginal boys always seem to add something to sides and I would love to see what he can do. Other than that I can see Johncock playing the role, but again we would probably lose too much for what he could deliver in the forward line and I don't think it's worth it.

 

[-VC-]

While he doesn't have the pace of a Phil Matera or Mark Williams I think that Jason Porplyzia has the ability to do something like this, though it would probably be more effective as a pinch hitting role. His hands are certainly sticky enough, however as you stated in another thread Freddy, he would need to improve his goal kicking a bit. Nikki did mention that he could have been compensating for a knee injury last season and that is a plausible theory, so we'll see how he starts this season off.

Another name I thought to throw out there would be Brett Burton. Not a leading small like you are looking for, but elusive enough to be an effective permanent forward fixture. Not enough of a thinker to be a focal point, but I figured it'd be a name worth mentioning for the sake of discussion.

 

[Mismatched]

Another name I thought to throw out there would be Brett Burton. Not a leading small like you are looking for, but elusive enough to be an effective permanent forward fixture. Not enough of a thinker to be a focal point, but I figured it'd be a name worth mentioning for the sake of discussion.

Brett Burton could be a great option here, he is the type of player who will trouble almost any opponent, and not only due to his athleticism and leap, but because, lets face it, not even he knows what he is doing and thus his opponents have no hope of premeditating what he will do or where he will go, as you say he isn't a thinker, but in a way this helps him. Whilst he is inconsistent, at the moment he is really our only forward who would trouble/worry the opposition and the only one who looks like he could kick 4+ goals in a game.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

While we may not have one player who we could confidently predict could can permanently play in this position and kick 60 for the season, there are a heap of players who could successfully cameo in the role, both during a game or even have a good month or so.

Porplyzia, Johncock, McLeod, Edwards, Thompson, Goodwin, Vince could all have purple patches, not mention more typical small forward options such as Campbell or Jacky.

For the 'short tall' (if that makes sense!) leading options Burton is our premier choice but Gill, and even our favourite Jericho, will have games where they kick 3-4.


As many have said, our goals this year will come from a spread of players. Unlike the underlying sense i get from many others that this is a euphemistic way of saying 'we don't know who the hell will kick our goals', i actually believe the quality spread of players who will go thru the forward line will be good enough to kick a decent tally most weeks.

 

[Freddy Bassett]

While he doesn't have the pace of a Phil Matera or Mark Williams I think that Jason Porplyzia has the ability to do something like this, though it would probably be more effective as a pinch hitting role. His hands are certainly sticky enough, however as you stated in another thread Freddy, he would need to improve his goal kicking a bit. Nikki did mention that he could have been compensating for a knee injury last season and that is a plausible theory, so we'll see how he starts this season off.

Another name I thought to throw out there would be Brett Burton. Not a leading small like you are looking for, but elusive enough to be an effective permanent forward fixture. Not enough of a thinker to be a focal point, but I figured it'd be a name worth mentioning for the sake of discussion.

Yeah, Porps was the other guy I was thinking of and before last year I thought he was one of our more reliable kicks at goals. Not sure what happenend last year but Im sure he has the ability in front of the big sticks, just his pace of the line that worries me. For me I prefer him as a half forward as he is very sound on the ground.

A leading forward pocket IMO is one of the easiest positions to play. Good hands, ability to time your lead and a great kick at goal is all that is really required. Its a much easier position to play than a Key Forward. The other crucial factor is obviously having players upfield being able to pin-point passes.

Someone like Burton who makes the impossible look easy and the absoloute simple difficult would not be suited IMO. Nor would Nick Gill who I think is similar in that regard to Burton. And they both have excellent work rates which are more suited to position up the ground where they can run opponents of their feet.

Its all easy to say the AFC will be able to kick scores by sharing the load and hopefully they can but in all honesty I think we will have to totally restructure our forward line and maybe even try the Western Bulldogs model of 2006. We just need to find who is going to be our Brad Johnson. I still think Andrew Mcleod could kick 60 goals a year but this must be weighed up against how many he would supply a leading small forward pocket with his impeccable delivery.

Tyson Edwards may be worth a look at aswell. Apart from Porps, the only other young player who may have the ability to play such a position I think is Bernie Vince.

 

[Stiffy_18]

I personally think that Jericho is being groomed for that role. Great pace off the mark, good mark and a good set shot.

I don't think Porplyzia's pace would be too much of a worry because you can always set screens for him to give him a couple of steps ahead of his opponent. Even if he has an opponent on his back, he generally outmarks them.

These set positions are a thing of the past. There are SO many rotations in the forward line these days that you honestly don't know who is playing a genuine KP or pocket/flank role. There were times last year when Porplyzia was played at CHF for the streches in games.

 

[Eastern Crow]

IMO, we need to rotate a range of smalls through out forward 50, Vince, Proplyzia, Goody, Jacky, Douglas, Thompson and Edwards will all spend time up forward, this blokes need to kick an aggregate of 50 - 60 goals between them

 

[macca23]

I personally think that Jericho is being groomed for that role. Great pace off the mark, good mark and a good set shot.

He's had those assets for some time Stiffy but he also has his (no need to state) shortcomings which accounts for his inability to get a regular game to date.

I hope he can do the job for us - that would be an unexpected bonus IMO.

But I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

While we may not have one player who we could confidently predict could can permanently play in this position and kick 60 for the season, there are a heap of players who could successfully cameo in the role, both during a game or even have a good month or so.

Porplyzia, Johncock, McLeod, Edwards, Thompson, Goodwin, Vince could all have purple patches, not mention more typical small forward options such as Campbell or Jacky.

For the 'short tall' (if that makes sense!) leading options Burton is our premier choice but Gill, and even our favourite Jericho, will have games where they kick 3-4.


As many have said, our goals this year will come from a spread of players. Unlike the underlying sense i get from many others that this is a euphemistic way of saying 'we don't know who the hell will kick our goals', i actually believe the quality spread of players who will go thru the forward line will be good enough to kick a decent tally most weeks.

I agree that we tend to play better when we get an even contribution from the side ... though not going to complain if Trent can get back to somewhere near his best later in the season.

We have plenty of guys as you mention who can play the leading small forward. I'm not convinced Macca is one of them, as he is more of a crumber. Edwards, Porps, Burton, Jericho, Goody & Stiffy would be my picks (in that order). I really think it could be a good use of Edwards as he is good overhead & is usually a reliable set shot.

 

[KingsCrow]

We need someone who can read the crumb well, is fast and can kick flukey goals.

I know of one player who can read the crumb well and thats Bernie Vince. He is also quite small, versatile and fast. I can see him exelling in this position.

 

[Geoffa32]

Jericho

 

[KingsCrow]

Is he good at ground level?

I doubt he would be. Speed he has, kick is alright. I would doubt his ability to read the crumb would be too good though

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Whilst we are talking leading small forwards, don't rule out the Hound as a medium forward as Stevens showed he can hold his own down back.

 

[Vader]

I would think that it would come down to Edwards & Jericho.

Edwards' days in the centre would have to be numbered, with signs in 2007 that he was slowing down. Placing him permanently in the forward line as the crumbing/leading small forward would definitely have some value.

Jericho has the speed and athleticism to carry it off, but that song from the Wizard of Oz keeps running through his head "if I only had a heart".

 

[Freddy Bassett]

Whilst we are talking leading small forwards, don't rule out the Hound as a medium forward as Stevens showed he can hold his own down back.

Ive mentioned on here once before that back when Craigy was at Norwood and Bassett was about 18, Neil Craig said Bass had the best hands he had seen on a bloke his size. Nathan reads the ball incredibly well and played his junior footy as the most dominant Centre Half Forward you are ever likely to see. He was simply unstoppable, he would generally have the oppositions best two players on him the whole time and he would average about 7 to 10 goals. And please dont think he was a big fish in a small pond because he ws doing this in year 9,10,11 and 12 for Norwood High School versus glamour colleges like Rostrevor and Sacred Heart in open football. In a pizza cup semi final at the bay one day he stood Ben Wilson ( ex collingwood and Sydney) and another bloke who could certainly play and Nath kicked a lazy 10 out of our 12 goals and we lost by 5 points. I wont keep going on and on about him as a forward but there is plenty more Bass up forward stories believe you me. His only low point up was his kicking at goals. 8 goals 7 behinds were pretty common.

 

[Porps_is_HOT_loz]

For me I would agree with others and say Porps. He can crumble very well, small and reliable in front of goals.
Another stab i the duck who I think can do well is Macca. I think he'll be great foward and is extremly fast. I think he'll fit the job to.

 

[macca23]

For me I would agree with others and say Porps. He can crumble very well

I hope he doesn't completely fall to pieces!!

 

[crowsup]

I hope he doesn't completely fall to pieces!!

That is not a very nice thing to pick on.
Even though it is very clever.
What are you? A smart ASS?

 

[Southerntakeover]

McLeod's goal kicking ability is overrated.

Hes great from 50 out on the run on the flank, but far too often have i seen him miss gimmie goals. He isnt going to be our forward line saviour. Leave the AA skipper where hes proven his worth.

 

[Ferris_rules]

Jericho

correct me if I am wrong, but I remember Jericho play one of his debut games in a forward pocket against the Power and carve them up.

I would be so happy if he could replicate that form, he looked like a gun player that night!

 

[Freddy Bassett]

correct me if I am wrong, but I remember Jericho play one of his debut games in a forward pocket against the Power and carve them up.

I would be so happy if he could replicate that form, he looked like a gun player that night!

No doubt Jericho has pace, a booming kick and good size to play the role, but Im pretty sure it was Vic Crow saying he was weak above head which would make him unsuitable to the role.

 

[Chief Crow]

Other then young Jacki and stiffy the player i think is best suited for that small crumbing forward is Douglas. he might not be a strong leading target but he does have excellent speed, clean hands and great finishing skills to set up or finish off goals.

 

[Mismatched]

Other then young Jacki and stiffy the player i think is best suited for that small crumbing forward is Douglas. he might not be a strong leading target but he does have excellent speed, clean hands and great finishing skills to set up or finish off goals.

Yeah, we tried him there last year for a bit and wasn't anything special, at this stage of his career he really needs to play in the midfield.

 

[KingsCrow]

Has anyone not seen Vince around the ball, especially rucks and crumbs. He would be a perfect forward pocket in my book