Medium sized defenders

[Au_Blue#24]

We need these like freo need a miracle.

Prior - if he can can back to form wil be good down back, very smart player.

Morrison could also play on a small forward.

I say we concentrate on someone like Byron Pickett next year.

 

[i_luv_westcoast]

Are any of our rookie listed players capable of playing this position?

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Just bring Humm into the squad at the expense of Taylor. Taylor was really unimpressive today, his kick-ins were shocking.

 

[jod23]

I think Taylor played ok today...kick ins are tough nowadays, especially with how effiecient the zone defences have become. I say throw Humm into hot water and see how he goes. Its worked with Kerr and Judd so far.

Really do need Read back though.

 

[iceman]

i thought we recruited Taylor as a midfielder??
i think the only reason he's playing in the back pocket is cos we dont have anyone else to take that position as yet

i think either Morrison or Prior will be able to fill that void when they get back from injury

 

[Voice of Reason]

Don't you mean small defenders?

I know they're all quite big in some ways, but I think you mean small defenders (Parkin's "talls and smalls") - as in who will match up on the opposition's dangerous small forwards, like Farmer, Holland (I've never seen him score goals before except in the first quarter of games, when he's usually very dangerous), Pickett, Krakouer, Lappin, etc ie Phil Matera-types.

As I've said before, now that Phil Read is out for the season, we don't actually have any. This is our biggest problem.

People bag Taylor, but considering this is the first year he's played back there, he's actually doing quite well at it. The kick-ins are hard and the receiving player must take more responsibility by leading for it. Banfield I think is too slow. Braun did quite well yesterday (again probably the first time he's played there in a H&A game), but that slip at the end of the third quarter and subsequent errors cost us. But they are all midfielders trying to get a place in the side at back pocket.

Who else do we have?

The most likely youngster is Humm. Hard at it but inexperienced and you can expect similar errors to what Braun made yesterday as he learns his craft.

I think Wooden is likely to be given a chance to play back there too at some stage (possibly next week - the Bulldogs are a relatively short side) and he may be a reasonable solution, not that he's quick, but he's quite a good scragger.

Someone mentioned Carroll, but I think he's a bit bigger. He's always seemed to be matched up on larger forwards (usually unfairly so, both at the Dockers and under Judge). He may get a chance, but I don't think he can establish a place in the side as a smaller quick player, more likely a back-up to Jako, McIntosh, Glass, Gaspar.

Our best is Collica, who is outstanding on tall or small players, but there's only one Michael Collica.

That's about it, unless you sacrifice a Peter Matera or a David Wirrapunda from up the ground where they should be playing. This is OK for short spells, but even then, they like to run off, which leads to the potential for quick goals and run-ons. We must stop the run-ons.

 

[TheRealBuzz]

Do I need to mention Andrew Williams again?
I know he played pretty well up forward yesterday, but he tends to be very hot and cold when up there.
I reckon he's played his most consistent footy in defence, and he should at least be given a go.

I'd also persist with Taylor for a little longer. I thought he improved after half time yesterday.

Morrison is no solution. He's not a defender, it's just the only place he can get an easy kick.

 

[ONE EYE]

I think our problem is down back moreso than up forward. At the moment we dont enough of the Woosha, McKenna, Laidley, Hart types. Collica measures up but I dont see Taylor making it as a back pocket. That doesnt mean he shouldnt be in the team. (I would have him in ahead of Chad Fletcher)

So who do we have as defenders. We could do with Read, Prior and Morrison right now.

Does anyone know how McCarrey and Green are going? Are they two we should look at?

GO EAGLES!

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Originally posted by ONE EYE
Does anyone know how McCarrey and Green are going? Are they two we should look at?

GO EAGLES!

Last year some people on here were raving on about how good McCarrey is and all that. Whats happened to him? Is he still coming along nicely, or has his development stalled?

Ohh, and i thought he was a tall key position player??

 

[mentalgrind]

Green is actually a forward flanker but seems to be turning into quite an effective backman.

I too would like to know how McCarrey is going (if he isn't promoted at the end of this year we have to delist him). He looks to be quite a talented player, but Ive heard nothing about him this year.

 

[Voice of Reason]

Oh for a David Hart. But don't forget he started at South as a rover, pure and simple. Mick converted him to a backman so successfully that he was All Australian in 1994. So we need to give Taylor and (perhaps even more so) Braun a little time. I also forgot about Green in my earlier post - he's a possible, though I doubt it.

 

[jod23]

I too forgot about Green, i hear he is turning into quite the little defender. Dont know if he's ready for a game though against the Bullies this weekend, dont know how his form is.

 

[Captain Random]

Originally posted by Voice of Reason
So we need to give Taylor and (perhaps even more so) Braun a little time.

Precisely what I was shouting at the TV when the commentators were bagging the shlt out of Braun. Just not as eloquently, and with a few more references to Robertson's questionable lineage.