Mitch Morton should be our missing forward

[Greggy]

Goals
2008 - 35.16
2009 - 41.26
2010 - 12.12

And we moved him why?? He should've progressed in his Forward role last year, he should've had 50+ goals.

 

[Haggard H]

Totally agree. We have plenty of midfield options as good or better than Morton, and no small-mid forwards in his class.

 

[Madtiger2006]

At least in the early Rounds he should play forward. I'd like to see him and Houli on the flanks and Helbig in the pocket. With Post and Griffiths missing I'd try this set up.

HF: houli reiwoldt morton
FF: helbig vickery taylor
INT: miller

When Post and Griffiths are back the set up will be:

HF: houli post morton
FF: helbig reiwoldt griffiths
INT: taylor

 

[The Goon]

Goals
2008 - 35.16
2009 - 41.26
2010 - 12.12

And we moved him why?? He should've progressed in his Forward role last year, he should've had 50+ goals.

Didn't he ask to be moved? Not saying we should have let him though.

 

[tunksy]

i liked him in the forward line, and i liked him in the midfield late last season. I think it was him that suggested him play midfield he is a good height/weight and kicks the ball well and uses it well. but yes he needs ot be in the forward line too, i expect this year he will rotate through mid/fwd. or will play higher up the ground. he may go back fwd now we have houli and grigg.

 

[happy_punter]

He will play forward more often this year with some midfield usage. He was played midfield to learn some sort of defense/offense balance to integrate his play better to dimmas plan or something like that. I do like him better in the forward but he needs to apply pressure if he hasn't got the ball or he will not be as useful as others.

 

[Kyusss]

his defensive pressure is what got him out of our forward line
he moved up the ground and improved his defensive side no reason he wont go forward for large chunks this year

 

[PHX]

I think Hardwick told him he needed to play midfield as he called Morton's role in the forward line "redundant."

 

[Greggy]

i liked him in the forward line, and i liked him in the midfield late last season. I think it was him that suggested him play midfield he is a good height/weight and kicks the ball well and uses it well. but yes he needs ot be in the forward line too, i expect this year he will rotate through mid/fwd. or will play higher up the ground. he may go back fwd now we have houli and grigg.

Yeah he did want to move to the middle, it will be interesting to see if he can kick 40 odd rotating thru the middle and a HFF, he did only play the 12 games last year and still averaged 1 a game, so if anything he should be around the mid 20-30's+

 

[Greggy]

I think Hardwick told him he needed to play midfield as he called Morton's role in the forward line "redundant."

I don't remember him saying that. What did he mean by his role? Hardwick likes following trends from what I can tell so i'm sure that's why he wanted King to play that defensive forward role. I'd take Morton kicking 50 goals a year over King kicking 20, I never thought Mitch was that bad defensively, I always though he was a bit selfish in his attempts on goal.

 

[Kyusss]

I don't remember him saying that. What did he mean by his role? Hardwick likes following trends from what I can tell so i'm sure that's why he wanted King to play that defensive forward role. I'd take Morton kicking 50 goals a year over King kicking 20, I never thought Mitch was that bad defensively, I always though he was a bit selfish in his attempts on goal.

was a focus on defensively minded forwards

to be a mid sized forward u must tackle or go up the ground and get kicks and deliver well, have a look at even guys like Steve Johnson who have started getting up the ground and delivering, if your inside the f50 and under 6"5 u must be able to chase and tackle well or get out and get some kicks and work hard back the other way

 

[PHX]

I don't remember him saying that. What did he mean by his role? Hardwick likes following trends from what I can tell so i'm sure that's why he wanted King to play that defensive forward role. I'd take Morton kicking 50 goals a year over King kicking 20, I never thought Mitch was that bad defensively, I always though he was a bit selfish in his attempts on goal.

Found it.


Mitch Morton. Where's he sitting at the moment?
He's probably, talent-wise, in our best 22. He's got some deficiencies in his game that we've gone through. Defensively, he had to work on some things, and his ball-winning ability. He's starting to work on those things now at Coburg. He'll force his way in at some stage and, although he's not playing senior footy, in my eyes he's become a better player over the last three or four weeks.
Probably the other thing is we might see him in as a positional change. We'll probably try and make him into a wingman, an attacking wingman. We feel that the way the game's going, the position that he played prior has become redundant.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...t-bloke-on-earth/story-e6frf9jf-1225893106279

 

[Richo is God]

He was moved into the midfield by request, and was playing for coburg because he needed to work on his defensive pressure i think. He can pinch hit in the midfield now, could easily kick 30-40 goals playing as a half forward/midfielder

 

[Roachy8]

Played as a high half/forward & midfielder in R22 last year... 28 possessions & 3 goals...

I'm happy if he produces that every week!

 

[rfctigerarmy]

I wouldn't. 4 goals a week minimum.

 

[Morro]

Played as a high half/forward & midfielder in R22 last year... 28 possessions & 3 goals...

I'm happy if he produces that every week!

You would take this anyday.

Even if he kicks 25 goals a season playing his new role we are so much better off. As with this type of input you know he is setting up just as many.

 

[Greggy]

He was let to roam free in that match, he had so much space, it was a luxury that he won't get every week. But I agree he was damaging and having his hunger to get goals and push forward is a bonus that a lot of wingmen and mids don't have.

 

[ize_]

He played that way for the last 3-4 games though, was consistently good. He's so much more valuable to us as an attacking wingman who pushes forward. Leaving him in the forward 50 stifles his talent.

Played as a high half/forward & midfielder in R22 last year... 28 possessions & 3 goals...

I'm happy if he produces that every week!

Exactamondo.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Played as a high half/forward & midfielder in R22 last year... 28 possessions & 3 goals...

I'm happy if he produces that every week!

Yeah he was our best in Cuz's fairwell, hope he can hit that form again

 

[docko911]

I think the clear reason he was moved into the midfield last year was to help him develop midfielder skills and instincts but also teach him to not be so lazy. Based on the results at the end of last season i would say it looked like it worked. I think, after watching the way he found 2 goals easily in the first half against carlton in round 1 of the NAB, that he should play forward round 1 for most of the game. However i would still like to see him spend at least 1/4 of the game on the wing. His long kicking is a very valuable asset for inside 50s.

I think 20+ possessions and 2+ goals will be a great return round 1.

 

[captain blood 17]

He played that way for the last 3-4 games though, was consistently good. He's so much more valuable to us as an attacking wingman who pushes forward. Leaving him in the forward 50 stifles his talent.



Exactamondo.

Correct, rotate him through wing/HFF with Bachar and Grigg. He will be far more damaging. Skilled winger who can kick multiple goals. When was the last time we had a luxury like that. Morton could actually be the game breaker for us on Thursday night.

 

[_RT_]

First 6 games last year Mitch played primarily as a forward and per game averaged:
10.8 disposals 2.33 marks 2.5 tackles & 1 goal

Last 6 games he played primarily as a midfielder and per game averaged:
23.5 disposals 6.33 marks 4 tackles & 1 goal.

Now I ask what would you prefer? Me, I'd take Mitch as a midfielder anyday.

A couple of years ago it was pretty easy to simply put a tagger on 2 of Deledio Cotchin & Foley and shut us down. When Martin came into the mix last year it was simply a case of tagging him and Cotchin and our midfield struggled. With Morton now in the midfield we have Cotchin Martin Morton Foley Grigg & possibly Deledio who are all capable of getting it 20+ times per game and hurting the opposition with those possessions. This makes our midfielder much harder to match up on. For that reason I think its a no brainer that Morton needs to stay in the midfield.

 

[docko911]

Correct, rotate him through wing/HFF with Bachar and Grigg. He will be far more damaging. Skilled winger who can kick multiple goals. When was the last time we had a luxury like that. Morton could actually be the game breaker for us on Thursday night.

I agree with that.