Our best defense set up for 2009

[MaxHunt]

I've been reading the thread on our best FF for 2009 with great interest. With the various options that everyone has put up it got me to thinking about our back half.

Options:

Tall: Glass, Wilkes, Spangher, Lynch, Brown, Mackenzie, Schofield

Med-Tall: Embley, Hunter, Jones, Houlihan

Small: Nicoski, Wirra, S. Selwood, A. Selwood, Hurn

I personally see CHB as a big opportunity for someone to stand up and own it. Hunter and Bones are too small and are perfect for that 3rd tall rebounding role. Wilkes had a great season and i wouldn't mind seeing Lynch spend some time there in light of our drafting.

Will wirra play back or forward?

Now that we have close to a full list available will Embers be moved up the ground?

Thoughts?

 

[beatlesmith]

B: Waters, Glass, Hunter
HB: Bones, Mackenzie, Stenglein

I reckon stingers future is in the backline, looked really good there during the season.
Selwood, embley and nicoski to rotate through HBF and the BP. Brown and staker (when playing) to rotate through the KPP slots. Hunter plays better as a third tall i reckon. Gives very good rebound, whilst the bigger and stronger mackenzie takes a CHF bigger than hunter.

 

[MaxHunt]

Yeah i forgot about Stinga. Not sure sure he has the legs for the flank but he would be suited to the pocket.

 

[CursoryMercenary]

I disagree with that Stenglein comment, his future would be best had in the forward line. He can mark and kick straight, his pace is a problem and would cause issues if he was running off the half back line.

 

[worsfold]

B: Waters, Glass, Hunter
HB: Bones, Mackenzie, Stenglein

I reckon stingers future is in the backline, looked really good there during the season.
Selwood, embley and nicoski to rotate through HBF and the BP. Brown and staker (when playing) to rotate through the KPP slots. Hunter plays better as a third tall i reckon. Gives very good rebound, whilst the bigger and stronger mackenzie takes a CHF bigger than hunter.

Thought Stenglein was looking good at training(pace wise), didn't look to comfortable back there last year although only there on a few occassions.
Would think he would be still needed in the middle for his strength.

I had Brown pencilled in for CHB but it looks like he is training to be forward. so I think either Lynch or Spangher for CHB not sure Mckenzie is quiet ready yet and may be more suited to FB.

Also need Nicko there for his run and delivery though Schofield looks the goods for the future.
Hurn will play in the Middle this year.
I have a question mark on Waters -love his hard stuff but his foot skills can be very scary.

FB:Glass/ Mckenzie
BP: Waters, Bones, Nicko
CHB Lynch/Spangher
HBF Nicko, Waters, Sellwoods
3rd tall - Hunter, Wilkes, Schofield

Best set up IMO
Hunter, Glass, Bones
Schofield, Lynch, Selwood
fit Nicko in if small forwards, man its hard

 

[dzeRnumbrd]

Best set up IMO
Hunter, Glass, Bones
Schofield, Lynch, Selwood
fit Nicko in if small forwards, man its hard

I'm no expert but... Lynch? in defence? really?

Lynch regularly gets wrong footed by his opponents and you can't have that happening in defence.
It would cost too many goals. I think Lynch should stay in an attacking role.

Just my opinion

 

[worsfold]

I'm no expert but... Lynch? in defence? really?

Lynch regularly gets wrong footed by his opponents and you can't have that happening in defence.
It would cost too many goals. I think Lynch should stay in an attacking role.

Just my opinion

Yeah its difficult but with Brown, Kennedy, Hansen theres no room for Lynch up forward and i'm not sure he'll play wing again though the boys reckon he's slimmed down maybe he will.

Like I said I pencilled in Brown to CHB, so it was between Lynch and Spanger in my opinion so I went for experience.

 

[dzeRnumbrd]

Yeah its difficult but with Brown, Kennedy, Hansen theres no room for Lynch up forward and i'm not sure he'll play wing again though the boys reckon he's slimmed down maybe he will.

Like I said I pencilled in Brown to CHB, so it was between Lynch and Spanger in my opinion so I went for experience.

Get rid of Hansen?

 

[MaxHunt]

Best set up IMO
Hunter, Glass, Bones
Schofield, Lynch, Selwood
fit Nicko in if small forwards, man its hard

Yeah we do have a load of options up front and down back.

I think that your full back line lack a little mobility I would replace Hunter with Scotty Selwood and Nico with Selwood.

 

[worsfold]

Yeah we do have a load of options up front and down back.

I think that your full back line lack a little mobility I would replace Hunter with Scotty Selwood and Nico with Selwood.

agree - I had Nicko in there instead of hunter but thought no way can Hunter play HBF

 

[fryzie]

FB: Waters Glass Nico
HB: Bones MacKenzie A.Selwood

With players like Hunter/Wilkes/Spangher rotating through as required. I'm not terribly fussed, we have so many good options in the backline. I just donn't want to see Hurn back there at all

For the record, we're in Australia - it's defence.

 

[MaxHunt]

For the record, we're in Australia - it's defence.

Indeed, my bad.

 

[Darkness Falls]

Hey guys, who's Nico?
Is he Nic Naitanui? Or is it a nickname of someone else I don't know yet.

 

[Obeanie1]

Glass and Hunter are two players who had injury interupted seasons in 2008. If they get back to full fitness and pace wise haven't dropped off then Glass for FB and Hunter as a third tall in defence is still most likely.

Wilkes grabbed his opportunity with both hands last year and with a good solid preseason should play across the HB line.

Bones is a given either in a pocket or HBF. AS per the forward line we have say three definates in the backline being Glass, Bones and Wilkes. The other three spots will be played by a number of players.

Talls: McKenzie, Spanger, Schofield, Brown, Hunter

Medium / smalls: A Selwood, Nicoski, Hurn (I really hope he plays midfield), Embley, Waters

With a full list available the best would be IMO;

Bones Glass A Selwood
Hunter Wilkes Nicoski

Waters playing HFF
Brown playing forward
Hurn and Stinga in the middle
Embley plays the utility role

 

[RhEF JC]

Hey guys, who's Nico?
Is he Nic Naitanui? Or is it a nickname of someone else I don't know yet.

Nicoski

 

[ArdentEagle]

This is the set up I'd like to go with :

Selwood - is our best defender when it comes to small forwards IMO

Glass - is still our #1 fullback and should be in for a big 09 injury free

Schofield - is my "Utility backman" he has the height and spoiling ability for talls and the speed for smalls. Not for power forwards though

The H.B flanks are almost the most important position in modern footy for setting up the play. We need attacking players there with good skills generally but also need to have a good defensive side to their game :

A.Embley - was one of our most consistent performers when moved to the H.B.F and looked a natural. Almost the perfect balance of attack vs defence

E.MacKenzie - will be the best choice at C.H.B IMO. Wilkes is serviceable but I think E-Mac will offer us more in every area

B.Jones - When fit one our most underrated players IMO, sets the play up very well off the back line plus can shut down your O'Keeffe/Jones style mid height forwards

A.Selwood D.Glass W.Schofield
A.Embley E.MacKenzie B.Jones

 

[anti.]

surprised no one is mentioning waters.

anyway here's mine

Bones - Glass - A Selwood
Nico - Hunter - Waters

its basically the 2006 premiership backline (bar nico). im a big fan of selwood in the backline, in 06 he was super effective in that lockdown role and still managed to get the ball around 20 times a game.

Hunter for mine is our best CHB option if we're planning on putting our best team on the park. i do like mackenzie as an option though and i reckon we'd have both these guys in our team.

schoey and scooter are the first in line replacements. if A selwood doesnt play back i'd like to see schoey play the role of locking down on the tricky med-small blokes like corey jones/birdman/ben mckinley if he does a judd on us.

im not totally sold on waters in the backline, wouldnt mind him just being a utility who can add hardness wherever he plays. i'd like to see him do some midfield tagging and some defensive foward work.

wirra = fwd
hurn = not back

 

[Eagle Ant]

FB: Waters, Glass, Wilkes
HB: Bones, Hunter, Nicoski

and I agree with Sb, Stinger is better suited forward, aka Goodwin.
Good thread by the way Max

 

[ArdentEagle]

I really think Hunters best days as a defender are passed him. He doesn't have the leg speed anymore to be that 3rd rebounding defender nor the size to take the bigger CHF players. Why not use his main strength (Contested marking) where it's most damaging... In the forward line

 

[Mop]

I don't know, tough call here, but maybe Eric the Eel would be better suited to being groomed as the eventual FB with M.C. Spangher given the task of being our next gun CHB. I certainly think he has what it takes, but that said, I rate Eric the Eel highly so it's a hard call to make.

They can both run, they can both spoil.
Eric the Eel has a few more runs on the board at the moment, but as I said, both are brilliant prospects..

 

[anti.]

he does look like an eel when you think about it...

 

[Marlin01]

A.Selwood D.Glass W.Schofield
A.Embley E.MacKenzie B.Jones

That's how I see it. I'm a massive fan of MacKenzie and Schofield.

I'd like to see a settled line-up even if that means the odd slight mismatch, although I think this combination would be able to cover most teams' forward set-ups.

 

[bodazoka]

Hunter, Glass, Bones
Selwood, McKenzie, Nico

McKenzie craps all over Spangher, hopefully at least Glass, Bones and Hunter/Selwood stay injury free. The rest can fill in around those guys.

 

[Mop]

Hunter, Glass, Bones
Selwood, McKenzie, Nico

McKenzie craps all over Spangher, hopefully at least Glass, Bones and Hunter/Selwood stay injury free. The rest can fill in around those guys.

Bullshit he does, he's probably ahead by the length of Gary Ablett's hair.

 

[Brave Sir Robin]

I don't know, tough call here, but maybe Eric the Eel would be better suited to being groomed as the eventual FB with M.C. Spangher given the task of being our next gun CHB. I certainly think he has what it takes, but that said, I rate Eric the Eel highly so it's a hard call to make.

They can both run, they can both spoil.
Eric the Eel has a few more runs on the board at the moment, but as I said, both are brilliant prospects..

Eric the Half a Bee*