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BigFooty Forum
I’ve been trying to figure out how our backline is likely to be structured next season.
Some of the players who might play down back:
Merrett and Clarke – Leppa seems to like versatile defenders, but our backline is anchored by two players who are really just stoppers. I think we’ll probably start the season with both of these two in the team, but one of them, most likely Merrett, might lose their spot by year’s end.
Gardiner and Andrews – These guys seem like locks in the backline. Gardiner had a poor sophomore season, but he is a natural defender and can play on a range of opponents. Andrews’ intercept marking is such a valuable weapon surely we’ll play him behind the ball where he can influence the game the most.
Rich – He spent most of last season seemingly as our prime ball carrier out of defence, a role he didn’t really play very well. I’m hoping that the last game against the Doggies, where he played mostly on the ball, is a sign of things to come and that with a bit more fitness he’ll play an outside midfield role in 2016. Of course, that means someone else has to fill that spot.
Mayes – Mayes might fill that spot. Although I think most of us would prefer to see him at the other end of the ground, he’s spent quite a lot of time behind the ball the last couple of years and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him pushed further back. Hanley would be another candidate, but that seems like a big sacrifice offensively.
Ultimately I think one of Rich, Mayes and Hanley will probably spend most of the year down back.
Paparone – He was played mainly as a tall back flanker last year, but he doesn’t have the same defensive instincts of Gardiner and Andrews. I think there’s a good chance he plays a bit further up the ground next year. Maybe as a wingman who tries to cover back and help out defensively.
McStay – Leppitsch seems to prefer him as a defender, and he does drift out of the game easily when playing as a forward. I think he’ll start most games playing as a tall back flanker – which again might see Paparone pushed up the ground – and he’ll go forward when required.
Cutler, Harwood, Claye Beams – Cutler might get a run as an outside midfielder, but I think the best chance for all three of these guys in 2016 is to play as a small defender. Particularly as we don’t really appear to have any genuine small defenders who are locked into the team. We might start the season with one of these three in the backline. For the sake of it, let’s say Claye Beams will start the season.
So that’s Merrett, Clarke, Mayes, Gardiner, Andrews, McStay and Claye Beams in defence. That’s obviously one player too many, but it might be that some of these guys play other roles in other parts of the ground from time to time.
That leaves Paparone, Cutler, Harwood, Evans, and in a pinch maybe Watts, Hipwood and McGuiness as guys who can step in and do a role in the backline.
On the face of it, the backline looks pretty fragile. I think Leppitsch is working towards some sort of long term plan that seems to involve a lot of versatile players who can switch between opponents.
Unfortunately, I can’t figure out a collection of players that’d be likely to make up a more solid defensive unit in 2016. It might be another tough year for us in this part of the ground, but hopefully we can at least see the defensive strategy taking shape.
On the plus side, apart from Merrett, everyone has a good six or seven years of footy left at least.
Is there a better defensive structure for us?
Some of the players who might play down back:
Merrett and Clarke – Leppa seems to like versatile defenders, but our backline is anchored by two players who are really just stoppers. I think we’ll probably start the season with both of these two in the team, but one of them, most likely Merrett, might lose their spot by year’s end.
Gardiner and Andrews – These guys seem like locks in the backline. Gardiner had a poor sophomore season, but he is a natural defender and can play on a range of opponents. Andrews’ intercept marking is such a valuable weapon surely we’ll play him behind the ball where he can influence the game the most.
Rich – He spent most of last season seemingly as our prime ball carrier out of defence, a role he didn’t really play very well. I’m hoping that the last game against the Doggies, where he played mostly on the ball, is a sign of things to come and that with a bit more fitness he’ll play an outside midfield role in 2016. Of course, that means someone else has to fill that spot.
Mayes – Mayes might fill that spot. Although I think most of us would prefer to see him at the other end of the ground, he’s spent quite a lot of time behind the ball the last couple of years and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him pushed further back. Hanley would be another candidate, but that seems like a big sacrifice offensively.
Ultimately I think one of Rich, Mayes and Hanley will probably spend most of the year down back.
Paparone – He was played mainly as a tall back flanker last year, but he doesn’t have the same defensive instincts of Gardiner and Andrews. I think there’s a good chance he plays a bit further up the ground next year. Maybe as a wingman who tries to cover back and help out defensively.
McStay – Leppitsch seems to prefer him as a defender, and he does drift out of the game easily when playing as a forward. I think he’ll start most games playing as a tall back flanker – which again might see Paparone pushed up the ground – and he’ll go forward when required.
Cutler, Harwood, Claye Beams – Cutler might get a run as an outside midfielder, but I think the best chance for all three of these guys in 2016 is to play as a small defender. Particularly as we don’t really appear to have any genuine small defenders who are locked into the team. We might start the season with one of these three in the backline. For the sake of it, let’s say Claye Beams will start the season.
So that’s Merrett, Clarke, Mayes, Gardiner, Andrews, McStay and Claye Beams in defence. That’s obviously one player too many, but it might be that some of these guys play other roles in other parts of the ground from time to time.
That leaves Paparone, Cutler, Harwood, Evans, and in a pinch maybe Watts, Hipwood and McGuiness as guys who can step in and do a role in the backline.
On the face of it, the backline looks pretty fragile. I think Leppitsch is working towards some sort of long term plan that seems to involve a lot of versatile players who can switch between opponents.
Unfortunately, I can’t figure out a collection of players that’d be likely to make up a more solid defensive unit in 2016. It might be another tough year for us in this part of the ground, but hopefully we can at least see the defensive strategy taking shape.
On the plus side, apart from Merrett, everyone has a good six or seven years of footy left at least.
Is there a better defensive structure for us?
