Strategy Medium Forwards

[Tulip]

Who else fondly remembers the glory days of 8.5 win seasons, 160 point weekly turnovers and Bater, Dunny and Ricky Bobby leading our forward line?

The medium forward went out of vogue towards the end of 2010, just a year after Garry Lyon proclaimed that Matty Bate would have been in Mike's top 50 if he played for a good team (I swear this happened, can anyone confirm).

However, with the rise and rise of Jack Gunston, could we be seeing a return?

Quick reference point - the medium forward is usually between about 182-190cm. He can take a mark, kick a goal and lead, but doesn't really know how to monster a pack or sprint.

I have a proposal: We return to it and make it our thing. I'm actually a touch (not throw-my-toys-out-the-pram) disappointed that Roosy is trying the Swans flood that was successful in 05 and 12. I don't think it's the best plan, and I said the same for Neeld, to try and emulate recently successful teams rather than making a plan for your own list. Roos seems to have realised this considering his willingness to change things up so early. Good teams make new plans and execute them. It's no good playing a game plan that other teams figured out how to beat last year.

Clark, Dawes and Hogan never actually trained together, let alone played, so that dream is over.

Bater is in the VFL and Ricky running off a half back flank at Richmond, so that one is over too.

What we do have, however, is a bunch of ragtag young mid-range players by the names of Toumpas, Trengove, Kent, Tapscott and Bail who have all shown some ability in the past to lead out of the forward line.

The really great thing about the medium forward is that, once teams started giving up on them, they also began to dump their medium defenders because they had no use.

Should we be aiming to try and resurrect the role? With our new found inside midfield, we could win the stoppages with Jones, Tyson, Viney and Cross handing the ball out to Vince and Watts who shoot teh ball forward at every opportunity and try to exploit the mismatches. Would allow Dawes to drag away the best defender thanks to his tank and leave space in the 50 for our mid-sized group to cause some problems.

Your thoughts, my friends?

 

[ThaiBarmats]

Due to our mid fielders under pressure week in week out to deliver the footy, we do need a fast marking medium forward who can make the mids kicks look good. Mark Ricuito/Alan Jackovic type player (excuse spelling) would be great.

 

[Blackas87]

Isn't Howe a medium forward?

 

[d33my]

Who else fondly remembers the glory days of 8.5 win seasons, 160 point weekly turnovers and Bater, Dunny and Ricky Bobby leading our forward line?

The medium forward went out of vogue towards the end of 2010, just a year after Garry Lyon proclaimed that Matty Bate would have been in Mike's top 50 if he played for a good team (I swear this happened, can anyone confirm).

However, with the rise and rise of Jack Gunston, could we be seeing a return?

Quick reference point - the medium forward is usually between about 182-190cm. He can take a mark, kick a goal and lead, but doesn't really know how to monster a pack or sprint.

I have a proposal: We return to it and make it our thing. I'm actually a touch (not throw-my-toys-out-the-pram) disappointed that Roosy is trying the Swans flood that was successful in 05 and 12. I don't think it's the best plan, and I said the same for Neeld, to try and emulate recently successful teams rather than making a plan for your own list. Roos seems to have realised this considering his willingness to change things up so early. Good teams make new plans and execute them. It's no good playing a game plan that other teams figured out how to beat last year.

Clark, Dawes and Hogan never actually trained together, let alone played, so that dream is over.

Bater is in the VFL and Ricky running off a half back flank at Richmond, so that one is over too.

What we do have, however, is a bunch of ragtag young mid-range players by the names of Toumpas, Trengove, Kent, Tapscott and Bail who have all shown some ability in the past to lead out of the forward line.

The really great thing about the medium forward is that, once teams started giving up on them, they also began to dump their medium defenders because they had no use.

Good thread. We need someone to fill the role. The players you all named are examples, but I think the best one we had over the last decade was Brad Green. He may have been taller than 190cm (CBF looking it up) but he never played like a tall forward. He was always leading out onto the flanks and taking good solid marks on the lead.

The other thing is they've gotta be a good kick for goal. Especially in tough times, they might not be getting that much service. The conversion rate would have to be high. Green was a beautiful kick for goal, especially from the 40m and out range.

Howe is probably the closest we have to that right now, but I don't think he's got the same finding space/leading ability that Green had (or goalkicking prowess). If he could develop these parts of his game more, it'd be great, because we all know how good his hands are.

The other possibility is Dunn. Once Garland is back, there's a chance that we could see Dunn more in the forward line. I'm in two minds about this because Lynden's actually been really good down back, but we need something to happen up front.

Viv Michie? 185cm? Have no idea what his hands/goalkicking is like.

 

[Topkent]

Luke Tapscott has potential in the roll but he needs to get his tank bigger, He has good hands and makes good leads but he looks stuffed after 1, He also was a deadly goalscorer from anywhere within 60m in his juniour days but somehow we have managed to train that out of him
The FF is not dead in football its now split between two people

FF has 2 jobs, Crash Packs and cause spills or Make leads and Kick Goals
Hawthorn has roughy who can crash packs and body people for the long kick and then Gunston leading up and providing a moving target
The key is movement in the forward line to create space, If we continue to be stagnate forward an bomb it in It wont matter what size players we have forward

Hopefully one Day we can have Dunn, Trenners and Tappy all rotating through as the 3rd forward with Dawes and Hogan providing the point of the structure

 

[RandB]

It's an important role no doubt. We need that Crameri type.

Howe is an obvious candidate but I think Roos is doing the right thing in getting him down the ground to get his hands on the footy and help out.

Long term we need to add a few more options. Dunn and Garland both fit the mould and could be useful down the track once we're confident with where the defence is at.

When Jayden Hunt fills out he might be good for a forward pocket - long way to go though.

 

[mrmonkey]

A yes a brad green type of player would be handy. He had a beautiful kick at his peak. But he worked so well because Neitz was doubled teamed. So we still need a tall to lead up and a medium deeper.

 

[CWaffles]

Would love to get someone like Christian Petracca in the draft - 186cm, 86kg great hands and kicks goals. If he can build a tank this year and go through the midfield he could be very handy in the midfield throwing his weight around.

 

[fushy]

Howe can play the roll but you need to still have some talls to pull a defender or 3.

 

[CTHORANGE]

Good thread. We need someone to fill the role. The players you all named are examples, but I think the best one we had over the last decade was Brad Green. He may have been taller than 190cm (CBF looking it up) but he never played like a tall forward. He was always leading out onto the flanks and taking good solid marks on the lead.

The other thing is they've gotta be a good kick for goal. Especially in tough times, they might not be getting that much service. The conversion rate would have to be high. Green was a beautiful kick for goal, especially from the 40m and out range.

Howe is probably the closest we have to that right now, but I don't think he's got the same finding space/leading ability that Green had (or goalkicking prowess). If he could develop these parts of his game more, it'd be great, because we all know how good his hands are.

The other possibility is Dunn. Once Garland is back, there's a chance that we could see Dunn more in the forward line. I'm in two minds about this because Lynden's actually been really good down back, but we need something to happen up front.

Viv Michie? 185cm? Have no idea what his hands/goalkicking is like.

Brad Green is 184cm, but appeared to play taller at times because he read the ball so well in the air. So he was a genuine mid sized forward.

Yeh they definitely have to be good kicks for goal, like when Le Cras is on song with his kicking he can kick big bags. We haven't had a forward since Brad Green who comes close to being a really nice kick for goal, I thought that's what we recruited Tapscott for...

Howe and Tapscott as have been mentioned are all I can think of, not really seeing any other long term possibilities at this stage. At the moment I like Dunn on the forward line because we are desperate, but not long term, he has done his best work in defence.

Perhaps Roosy thinks the future is to rest your midfielders in the forward 50, so that role would be rotated around amongst guys like Vince, Watts, Trengove, Tyson ?

 

[d33my]

Perhaps Roosy thinks the future is to rest your midfielders in the forward 50, so that role would be rotated around amongst guys like Vince, Watts, Trengove, Tyson ?

Without running an exhaustive survey, I'd say Watts is definitely our best kick. When he hits a good long pass it can be jaw dropping. It'd be nice to see him up on a flank, kicking them from 45ish.

Vince also has good range. Trengove not so much, but he's got fairly tidy hands, I think. Maybe that's where he'll be played when he comes back.

 

[deeman87]

Wouldn't mind seeing Trengove up forward he has good hands.

 

[Captain Jack]

Good thread. I think the thing about medium forwards is that they are now blokes who can run through the midfield - if they can't, coaches won't give them games as they are unwilling to sacrifice that extra rotation for someone who's not a genuine tall.

 

[d33my]

Good thread. I think the thing about medium forwards is that they are now blokes who can run through the midfield - if they can't, coaches won't give them games as they are unwilling to sacrifice that extra rotation for someone who's not a genuine tall.

Good point. That's why someone like Vince seems pretty well suited. I know they're similar players, but hopefully he can be more consistent on impacting the scoreboard than Col Sylvia was.