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Luke Bowden

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rik E Boy
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Rik E Boy

Rik E Boy

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Cast your mind back to Tassie in Round 4, 2007. Luke Hodge ran around all day by himself and presented not only a significant obstacle to our misfiring attack (at least it was that day with the big forwards not getting a snag all match long) but setting up Hawk attacking raids as well.

In recent matches Luke Bowden, er, Hodge appears to be settling into this role again and doing a bit of damage just quietly. Surely Bomber has taken note of this and has planned some sort of countering tactic. With Ling to go to Mitchell when/if we play the Hawks who goes to Hodge? One thing I don't want to see is him hoovering up uncontested ball and feeding the Hawk runners.

regards,

REB
 
Rooke1280x1024.jpg
 

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haha love it, and both could do the job! in all seriousness, i think max would be perfect for the role, he'd definitely make hodge earn his touches...
 
geelong_boy said:
If Hawthorn were to play Hodge at half back against us that would allow Ling to go to the dangerous Mitchell and either Rooke or Kelly would go to Hodge.
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mmm not too sure about kelly in that role
 
If Hodge plays on the half back line like he has been can anyone else see Varcoe maybe being the man to go with him? Would certainly harass him and make sure he doesn't run off the back line setting up play. If Hodge goes into the midfield then maybe put Maxy on him.
 
Ling will get Mitchell no matter what. His role is to stop a guy getting the ball at stoppages whether that is bumping, blocking, tackling or the occasional jumper tug because once it's clear his lack of leg speed makes it difficult for him to catch his assigned role. Mitchell is the league leader in clearances.

I think that Rooke is a great choice to play a defensive role on Hodge if he plays back. He's strong enough to go with Hodge and his tenacity may rush Hodge a little bit in his disposal. I don't know how quick either player is in a foot race so if Max is slower he has to make sure he's near Hodge when Hodge gets the ball. Max can also bob up for a couple of goals and if that happens then Hodge has to become more accountable. This would work to the Cats advantage as now Hodge starts to worry more about the Cats game plan rather than his own.
 
Kiza said:
If Hodge plays on the half back line like he has been can anyone else see Varcoe maybe being the man to go with him? Would certainly harass him and make sure he doesn't run off the back line setting up play. If Hodge goes into the midfield then maybe put Maxy on him.
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Varcoe must stop Guerra getting too much time to dispose of the ball
 

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Indeed have a prelim to worry about first. Should we play Hawthorn I would not be too worried. Hodge will be made to work out for all his possessions and have someone to mind him. Is he still good enough to play a blinder anyhow? Probably but he won't get to run around without an opponent all game cutting us to pieces that's for sure. Geelong aren't stupid and lazy like other sides and will tag dangerous opposition players.
 

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Hodge plays back only if you guys have a loose man in front of Buddy.

If you guys have a loose man on Buddy, Hodge will play loose. Teams will try to tag out Hodge but Clarkson will find a way to play him loose or on someone unaccountable.
 
detox said:
Hodge plays back only if you guys have a loose man in front of Buddy.

If you guys have a loose man on Buddy, Hodge will play loose. Teams will try to tag out Hodge but Clarkson will find a way to play him loose or on someone unaccountable.
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sorry?:confused:? how can good ole' clarko play him loose or on someone unaccountable if we put max rooke on him in a shut down role???
 
buzz123 said:
sorry?:confused:? how can good ole' clarko play him loose or on someone unaccountable if we put max rooke on him in a shut down role???
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Because if we try to play someone on him in our forward line, the Hawks will swing another player down there and then they have a 2 on 1 (making that guy useless as a forward to kick to), the cats forward has a defender and Hodge is loose again so he can zone off to other long kicks as well

It's not as easy to take out a loose defender as you first think

Loose man back is a gamble between which loose back causes more damage
 
OldStyle2007 said:
Because if we try to play someone on him in our forward line, the Hawks will swing another player down there and then they have a 2 on 1 (making that guy useless as a forward to kick to), the cats forward has a defender and Hodge is loose again so he can zone off to other long kicks as well

It's not as easy to take out a loose defender as you first think

Loose man back is a gamble between which loose back causes more damage
Click to expand...

you'd prefer the other player to be free other than hodge, so our player would just stick with him...the other loose man would not be as effective
 
buzz123 said:
you'd prefer the other player to be free other than hodge, so our player would just stick with him...the other loose man would not be as effective
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Ladson and Guerra are likely to be the other loose defenders. Both also great users of the football on the rebound.

Also, if Rooke does end up tagging Hodge, I would move Hodge to the forward line and back him to kick a couple, perhaps move Campbell Brown back down in defence to pick up Steve Johnson. Not too hard to switch things around actually.

AFL is such a great game... bloody soccer is 11 v 11 totally unaccountable except the keepers.
 
I think they will be planning to play Rooke or Varcoe on/near Hodge. The problem with Hodge is he is so clever that he can pick and choose when to play tight and when to zone off. If you want to play someone on him, they'll just call in another forward and he's the loose man again so you're back to square one

Rooke on Hodge sounds good, but I think Varcoe may be the one they want as Hodge definitely won't be able to catch him if he gets the ball and Varcoe's pressue will really worry his disposal. They might try both and stick with whatever is working. Maybe Rooke early and Varcoe later on. Some people don't rate Varcoe but when I watch games he is 'involved' in a lot of goals that come from opposition turnovers. Or the pressure he puts on the kick causes the kick to go a few metres off intended target making it easier for cats defenders up the ground
 

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