Our Forward Line stacks up !

[AndyLucimitis]

We all here this constant criticism about our either non-existent or disfunctional forward line.

I went to the game last night between Collingwood and Geelong. I sat up in the 'nose-bleed' section which was bloody freezing.

However, one benefit was having that full eagle eye view of the entire field.

It was a scrappy and strange game last night with even stranger scoring patterns eg. Geelong 8 points straight and then a burst of 5 goals late in the game.


But one thing clearly obvious was that, based on past standards, Geelong literally - and I mean literally - had no forward line , and yet were able to trouble Collingwood. No Moody, Hawkins just cannot play football and it was basically left to Stevy J to weave a bit of magic and then Bartel to sneak down and get a couple of vital goals. I'll concede Pods at least presented a bit of a target.

They did this by playing on the burst when they could and using the speed of players like Varcoe and Stokes.

My point is - have Carlton, by good management or good fortune, got a modern forward line structure, with Garlett, Betts and Walker that stacks up well against the current tactics.

 

[Blueboys7]

They got the ball forward whenever they could and were prepared to kick to a contest in their forward fifty. That's how you avoid the press and Collingwood closing you down.

 

[SexyBlueGirl]

We are missing a pack splitter ala Spalding. This would bring Betts, Garlett into the game even more.

 

[Poseidon]

We need a big target that's gonna create a contest. Hawkins & Pods had rough nights but always hit the contest hard, you could picture Betts & Garlett & even Walker swallowing up those crumbs.

Geelong were amazing in just working the ball forward and backing themselves to win it.

 

[Blue Dawn]

We are missing a pack splitter ala Spalding. This would bring Betts, Garlett into the game even more.

Spot on Sexy! If we could manage to inject a year or twos worth of development (and a stable shoulder) into Mitchell we'd be a true threat. Maybe Kruze can help fill this role in the second half of the year.

 

[ESKIE]

Hoepfully Henderson can be our presence, or Sentanta, who is more of a pack splitter....but yeh we;re good, may have Houliahn to soon

 

[VicO]

If Geelong had a functional forward line last night they would have smashed Collingwood, just like if we had a functional forward line all of the close games we'd have played this year wouldn't have been that close at all. That said a lot of great talent around the fringes for us and if we can recruit someone who can kick straight in the off-season it'll turn things around pretty quickly.

 

[40yearBLUE]

They got the ball forward whenever they could and were prepared to kick to a contest in their forward fifty. That's how you avoid the press and Collingwood closing you down.

When the Cats or the Pies kick to a contest confident they can lock it in their forward line its called a tactic to defeat the press.

But when we do it for exactly the same reason we have spuds come in here and claim we are just bombing it in long.

Sheesh.

(I agree with you by the way BB7) There is nothing wrong with having the ball kicked long to contests, we have pack mark options, we have great crumbers and if there is no other option present then kick it long and lock it in, more times than not we will win the hard ball and score. Its better than turning it over that much closer to their goal. In deep it creates the sort of pressure that creates goals.

 

[zeeCFC]

Kreuze, Hendo, Walker, Mitchell, Garlett, Betts are our future....brings a smile to my face

Waite and Hoops go alright too for now

 

[juddsentant517]

Setanta's primary role is to be a splitpacker, and really, his role in the team has positively impacted our small forwards. My guess would be he just seems to know the right spots to go to, and is just big enough a presence to create a contest which creates opportunity.

If Hampson had those two things, he would be the preferred pack-splitter, but alas he doesn't.

Kruzer and Henderson fully fit = potent. Hopeful peaking at the right time

 

[BlueTouchPaper]

Setanta's primary role is to be a splitpacker...

Gaelic term?

 

[HereComesJuddy]

I have been thinking about our forward line over the past few weeks and although I don't see it happening this year, could Watson be our swingman? From what I can tell, he had an average day out for the ants. Maybe it's time he spent some time up forward, just to see how he handles it.
Lots of people say he is a Lake type player, and with our backline doing well right now, I just think he could be a versatile player.

Interested to hear what others think?

 

[thylacine60]

Shown himself to be a duffer up forward when played there thus far.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

How about we let an 18 year old kid, 6'4 and 16 stone, with a kick like a mule, have his first year in Senior company.

Just reckon.

 

[gbatman]

Henderson is far too light to be a forward in the AFL. He even gets pushed around at VFL level. We are going with the long kick to our forwards so we need players with a bit of size about them.

Hopefulyl Kreuzer will give that contest. It's not just about brining it down, it would be nice to have some talls who can hold onto a mark every now and then.

No one seems to be recognising Waite is playing excellent at CHF. So this area is more than covered. We need a full forward who can split packs and hald onto some of those long kicks.

Henderson needs to stack on quite a lot of weight to play this role. Mitchell will take some time and Kreuzer will not be near 100% in my opinion this year.

 

[Sin City]

Hendo is a CHF and will step into the role Waite has been playing, he's not going to become a gorilla forward.

 

[stabface]

Our forward line doesn't stack up, we have 1 tall that is capable of taking a contested mark and we're too reliant on small forwards. We need someone like Kreuzer or Mitchell to stand up and then our forward line will stack up. Lachie needs more time also.

 

[Azul]

Brad Pearce would be nice.

A medium marking forward who, as a decoy, can offer a target for 5 marks inside the 50. At 2-3 goals a game...

 

[thylacine60]

Nup, played with his sad little ponytail way too much.

 

[Sin City]

Don't get as much space to lead into these days as what Pearce used to.

 

[Aphrodite]

Nup, played with his sad little ponytail way too much.

A Premiership player with a ponytail.






Tommy Alvin as well.

 

[HBF]

Nup, played with his sad little ponytail way too much.

Pearce of '95 was a joy to watch.
Could Walker turn himself into that type of player?

 

[DrEvil]

Pearce of '95 was a joy to watch.
Could Walker turn himself into that type of player?

Needs a ponytail. Fond memories of Pearce

 

[audas]

Have thought about simply leaving a player at half way (Betts) , then three quarters (Garlett) or more during the forward press. So collingwood can have the press all they want, if the ball gets out with a hurried kick its a blues goal.

Right now the press involves pretty much every player standing around the ball with some zoning, so the advantage of having EVERY player there is lost.

With a player or two standing back up the ground that would send shivers up any coach - just KNOWING that if anything goes wrong at all its a certain goal.

If those players are Eddie and Garlett then things look even more ominous. So the only alternative is to put someone on them - fine - we all know Eddie and Garlett are going to beat anyone who they are one on one with !

Would love to see some of our players practicing the torpedo each week for a few minutes, nothing over the top - just get a feel for it and then start lobbing 60, 70 meter torps out of the defence to one on ones in the forward half with eddie and garlett - you can bet a month of sunday roasts that the opposition coach will change their game plan faster than people will call for walker to be dropped for missing a mark.

 

[Big Kahuna Boot]

..as mentioned Waite is playing well as our CHF, and i think the big Setant as 2nd ruck/resting FF is our best option [currently].. ..last season he showed he is more than capable of holding down FF with a good symbiotic relationship with crumbers..