Neitz - Moving up to CHF more?

[Bartram_Class]

You would think that a quality player approaching his 300th game would be spared having to learn new tricks, let alone having to take on a job that requiring more running.

But with the Demons searching for more avenues to goal and seeking to rid themselves of the "no Neitz, no Melbourne" tag, skipper David Neitz will spend more time up the ground at centre half-forward.

The tactic was used in 2006, but will be a key component of the 2007 forward set-up to prevent the focus falling too much on Neitz and to better use one of the best AFL forward lines.

"Most of my time, I will be in the goal square, but I will be pushing out to centre half-forward at different times in the game — more often than last year," Neitz said this week at the club's community camp in Wangaratta. "Predominantly, I will be starting at full-forward and then moving up to centre half-forward. I do like it out there — you can have a real impact on the game.

"I think my best position is close to goal, but I don't mind getting out there and having a bit of a run around and getting freed up a bit."

According to coach Neale Daniher, the club was aware as far back as 2004 that other teams were able to restrict Melbourne's forward potency if the Demons were too rigid in Neitz playing exclusively out of the goal square.

In addition, with the likes of Russell Robertson, Adem Yze, Byron Pickett, Aaron Davey and a raft of younger forwards needing room to have an impact, a more flexible and responsive game plan was required.

"Since 2004, there has been an awareness that we need to find other avenues to goal, other goalkickers," Daniher said.

"David's been very, very important to us, but I think now when opposition teams plan against Melbourne, David's a very big part of their planning — (even though) they know Russell Robertson's capable of kicking 70 goals a season (and) Adem Yze's down there.

"I think we've got a good mix with Pickett and Davey, we'd like Brad Miller to kick a few more goals, and both Paul Johnson and Mark Jamar can be played there when required. Even Col Sylvia is quite dangerous out of the goalsquare. But for that to happen, David's got to leave the goal square and go and play somewhere else.

"David's a really good athletic big fellow and we'd like him to play centre half-forward because that opens up the goal face to Adem Yze or Russell Robertson and their opponents. It just makes us a better team.

"We're not reinventing him as a centre half-forward. We want him to have more game time out there so he is really comfortable if he has to take a guy like Darren Glass away from goal."

Barring mishap, Neitz will play his 300th AFL game in round 14 against Carlton at the MCG, becoming the first Melbourne player to reach the milestone. Considering the history of club, it is a feat Neitz is surprised has not already been achieved.

Neitz said: "You'd think we would (have), just because we're the oldest club in the competition. We haven't had anyone kick 100 goals (in a season) and no one who's played 300 games. I think 97 (goals) is the highest … Hopefully, I can reach that milestone too, that'd be nice."

And how long can the 32-year-old play on? "Two years. I said last year I'd have two more and that would be it, so I'm sticking with that again this year," he said. "I might still be saying that when I'm 40."

Fine as long as Miller is the one that gets to play out of the square, not Yze or Robertson. How does that help us solve our FF problem when Neitz leaves if all we are trying in his absence are the little blokes?

 

[melbournemartin]

Not quite sure where Dunn and possibly Newton fits into all of this.

 

[davey_magik]

I don't mind if they swap Neitz and Miller around at different stages of the game, I think it could help at times and offer us a different type of FF and CHF.
As BC said I don't want to see Yze or Robbo being isolated at FF UNLESS they are on their direct opponent, not the opposition FB. Robbo and Yze perform at their best when the opposition are forced to give them a lesser defender after matching up Neita, Flash and co. Col is also a option as if ND has a brain and plays him mainly in the midfield he can rest up forward and with his strength and marking ability he would be a very difficult matchup.

 

[demonfan9]

I don't mind if they swap Neitz and Miller around at different stages of the game, I think it could help at times and offer us a different type of FF and CHF.
As BC said I don't want to see Yze or Robbo being isolated at FF UNLESS they are on their direct opponent, not the opposition FB. Robbo and Yze perform at their best when the opposition are forced to give them a lesser defender after matching up Neita, Flash and co. Col is also a option as if ND has a brain and plays him mainly in the midfield he can rest up forward and with his strength and marking ability he would be a very difficult matchup.

Agree on all your points, however I think we should rest McLean in a pocket a bit more (instead of Sylvia) rather than taking him off too much. The kid can do everything else, might as well let him kick a few goals too.

 

[melbournemartin]

Worth a punt with McLean though I can't see it happening. Leave him in the middle and if he needs a rest give him a proper one so he can be fit and firing for when he comes back on.

 

[wsm28]

Paul Johnson has bulked up significatly over the summer so why not try him down there.. he is big, great set of hands and beautiful kick for goal.

 

[Bartram_Class]

Paul Johnson has bulked up significatly over the summer so why not try him down there.. he is big, great set of hands and beautiful kick for goal.

No good above his shoulders, cant mark the ball in a contest.

 

[The Flash]

Yeah I like the idea of having Neita and Millsy rotating between the 2 positions. Would like the skip to start at CHF so he can run in off the line and smash open the packs, ala J Brown. Would also like to see Byron play predominately on the wing and do the same. Put fear into the opposition and have them scared at what is coming.

 

[wsm28]

No good above his shoulders, cant mark the ball in a contest.

If he can get back from his injury last year he will. Thats rubbish mate, against carlton last year he took an abundance of contested grabs overhead which means he has potential.

 

[wsm28]

Yeah I like the idea of having Neita and Millsy rotating between the 2 positions. Would like the skip to start at CHF so he can run in off the line and smash open the packs, ala J Brown. Would also like to see Byron play predominately on the wing and do the same. Put fear into the opposition and have them scared at what is coming.

As much as i love miller, i don't beleive he can kick long enough which means hes going to be restricted to short leads from the goal square.. His groin was a trouble when he was younger i think and as a result, has never been able to kick very far.

 

[melbournemartin]

Yeah for such a big guy he struggles to kick 50 even.

 

[Andrew_Leema]

Neitz would be a cracker choice to move up to CHF more! Hes build like no tommorow and is still able to play at a great intensity hes got a high skill level and is quick witted for a old bloke lol. Miller over Robertson any day and i would like to see more of Brock Mclean move up forward when he's a bit fatigued. He kicked some great goals last year and i think he goes alright.