Toast Our Defence

[Harris Specter]

Our defence has been the one thing that's been consistently good.
Whoever has been in defence has played an outstanding role, the likes of Merrett and Maguire who've had great seasons, Patfull and Adcock the extremely underrated performers who never let you down and the run of Drummond and Hanley who continue to prosper with their new roles.

And our new found talent in Golby and Harwood who've both held their own this season. They might even be competing for the same spot next year.

To them: Here's a toast to their defensive efforts all year, smothers, spoils, marks and rebound 50's.

PS: Am I doing it wrong?

 

[jackess]

If Drummond, Jed and Ash can find top form we'll have the best defense in the league.

B: Golby Merrett Drummond
HB: Patfull Maguire Adcock

+McGrath, Harwood, Lester, Yeo, Docherty

 

[onya boot]

While I largely agree with this in terms of one on one matchups, small forwards have at times had a field day with our defence.
We didn't seem organised (or fast) enough to prevent goals once the ball went over the back. Particularly in the St Kilda and Richmond games.
Really missed the likes of golby and McGrath at some points.

 

[patfullfankezz]

Can't speak highly enough of our defenders, brilliant bunch the lot of them (one in particular, but I'll shut up now before I get carded for fangasming everywhere) .

 

[Loyal Lion]

While I largely agree with this in terms of one on one matchups, small forwards have at times had a field day with our defence.
We didn't seem organised (or fast) enough to prevent goals once the ball went over the back. Particularly in the St Kilda and Richmond games.
Really missed the likes of golby and McGrath at some points.

Agree entirely. The amount of times we let a small forward kick an easy goal in the goal square was infuriating!!!

I don't think that Adcock had his best year to be honest. In some games, he looked very slow & shaky in defence.

But Maguire & Patfull were magnificent for the best part of the year.

 

[theteamtobeat]

We might get Silvagni next year and he will give us more depth in that area long term is well. That's if we get him.

 

[Dylan12]

We might get Silvagni next year and he will give us more depth in that area long term is well. That's if we get him.

As others have said, I don't think our problem against tall opposition forwards, it is the smaller ones, with the two Carlton games that spring in my mind where we had our greatest problems. I personally don't see why we would need Silvagni when we have Maguire, Merrett, Patfull and Lester, however, I do think it is in our best interests to draft in a young KPD for the future.

 

[Gabbatoir]

This increased depth could allow Ash to play up forward more permanently again.

 

[Brisbane2013]

If Drummond, Jed and Ash can find top form we'll have the best defense in the league.

B: Golby Merrett Drummond
HB: Patfull Maguire Adcock

+McGrath, Harwood, Lester, Yeo, Docherty

staker?

 

[jackess]

staker?

There was an article about a month ago saying he'd most likely play forward. I think he plays his best footy as a forward.

 

[Brisbane2013]

There was an article about a month ago saying he'd most likely play forward. I think he plays his best footy as a forward.

Didn't know he played forward, but what would happen to rockliff or greene or zorko who also plays in the forward line

 

[lions_den]

Didn't know he played forward, but what would happen to rockliff or greene or zorko who also plays in the forward line

there's more than four spots up forward

 

[blueiris]

yeah there's six
Green Brown Zorko
Staker Lisle Polkinghorne

 

[Brisbane2013]

there's more than four spots up forward

Lisle and brown

 

[lions_den]

Lisle and brown

there's also the bench and midfield rotations

 

[Brisbane2013]

there's also the bench and midfield rotations

Forgot about that ahaha

 

[jjami15]

As highlighted there were times that our deficiency with small, fast, nimble forwards showed us up but throughout the year the back six were the most reliable and consistent group and i wasn't anxious when the ball was travelling towards our backline. Should certainly be commended for their efforts this year.

 

[chopperduck]

Staker has played some good games down back, but his best is up forward as a lead up HF type. He usually hits the scoreboard, but has the athletic ability to be a hard match up as well. His shots on goal aren't too crash hot, he is more likely to kick 1.2 than 2.1, but the fact that he gets those shots on goal is a bonus. He really adds something to us structurally across HF.

 

[chopperduck]

Small forwards always seem to trouble us as well, no matter who we have playing. The likes of Milne and Betts have ripped us apart constantly over the past few years. Upon saying that Golby plays really well on the small forwards, i can't think of any of his games where his direct opponent really got the best of him.

 

[Sam The Doc]

Has Rockliff been carrying an injury? Looked like he had a pretty quiet second half of the year, saw him a lot up forward.

 

[Caiphus]

I'd rather be vulnerable to small forwards then talks. It usually means the opposition can't get the ball in cleanly.

We have been so short on natural crumbing players for so long that we have really only just stocked our forward line with a sufficient number.

We will be better against small forwards when we have someone to attack the crumbs down back instead of trying to defend the man.

 

[PattyKwasagun]

Has Rockliff been carrying an injury? Looked like he had a pretty quiet second half of the year, saw him a lot up forward.

Yeah he has. Not commonly known what the injury is, although some have speculated OP. He'll be back to his best and ready to go at the start of next season.

 

[Baby_Jenks]

The points made about small forwards highlights how Merretts contested marking (learnt in the forward line) will be vital in the years to come. Combine that with the return of Golby and the problem will largely take care of itself.
One thing to add about goals kicked over the back is that Patfull often plays infront of his man. An extremely brave and difficult thing to do which he does a good job at week in, week out but when it goes wrong in sticks out like the testicles of a canine.