Our future back line

[CarnTheCatters]

I listen to Sportal's Mondayitis podcast and there was some interesting debate this week about where our backline will be in 2014 / 2015. The argument being that we've got heaps of good young mids and (somewhat ironically) forward prospects, however the backine succession is not clear.

Given the loss of Laidler, the cloud over Marcus Drum etc its not an invalid point.

I might just be missing something, but apart from Gillies who are our genuine prospects?

 

[The rabbi]

I might just be missing something, but apart from Gillies who are our genuine prospects?

That depends on what you call "genuine" prospects.

I see present possibles as Arlo Guthrie, Billie Smedts, Josh Walker (possible but I have considerable doubt as he is a bit on the slow side for KP defence), Tom Gillies and Jack Weston.

Guthrie, Smedts and Weston and Gillies are all possible defenders. However I do not see any of them as KP defenders and that is where we are lacking as far as future prospects go.

Weston would add a bit of pace and is a good size at 189cm and can play at both ends. Of course he needs to be able to prove that he is better than his current rookie listing. Bathie is KPP size but I have not seen enough of Bathie and Drum (for obvious reasons) to comment.

 

[Selective Retention]

B: xxxxx Lonergan (27) Mackie (26)
HB: xxxxx Taylor (25) T.Hunt (20)

Scarlett is irreplacable and Enright is a gun but that is a pretty decent start I would have thought

Plenty of time to groom a couple more keys with Lonners and Taylor still in their prime and Smedts/Guthrie/Horlin Smith all talented small/mediums drafted last year and capable of playing back.

 

[Crhferrari]

Scott should dig into this issue and give some youngsters chances to play senior games this year when we later face some weaker sizes.
The form of a veteran could drop dramatically like Mooney's this year.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

It's a valid point, partly because of the calibre of our defenders, who are that good they will be pretty much irreplaceable, but also from a list management point of view, and I do think it's unclear.

I agree with Rabbi on Walker, he has really impressed me, but he does lack a little bit of pace off the mark, which is less of an issue playing forward than back, but most importantly for me his kicking can be a bit iffy, and with the era of the press/zones etc your best kickers need to go in the backline and your weaker kickers up the other end. What he has going for him is a lovely pair of hands, massive workrate and is really hard at the contests. I think he'll make an excellent high leading forward or CHF and I hope that's what they mould him into.

Bathie is showing some nice signs but he's only been playing footy for 6 months so still too early to call.

Guthrie and the hyphen are doing very good things, and may well solve our small defender issues going forward, but they aren't KPB.

Gillies played well on the weekend but I still have my concerns about his positioning and bodywork in 1-1 contests. Having said that Lonergan used to be poor in that area and he's improved massively so it can be done, and Gillies does have the real closing speed that you need in a defender so there is a rationale in continuing to develop him as a full back and hopefully he comes on.

Weston will be good but again he's not a KPB and is much more likely to be developed as a running back or forward flanker to use his pace and skill.

Drum certainly has the talent, but will his body ever hold together? You ought not to judge players too much on one game but I remember a practice match I went too last year where he showed an excellent ability to read the play and took the points against Dawes. Now obviously Dawes wasn't as good then as he is now, but I certainly saw talent in Drum and he's worth persisting with.

Once Scarlett retires (whenever that happens) we will basically have only Lonergan (at 28ish) Taylor and Gillies as key defensive options (at least until another year or two when we see where Drum Bathie etc are at) and given the size of your senior list at 40 I think it's both necessary and viable to have 5 options there, maybe 6, so I do reckon we're a couple short. In short I do think we could use some more quality defensive options, and hopefully our drafting and trading from now on focuses on that where it is possible.

Having said that I only see it as an area to focus on, I'm not stressed about it because Wells is an outstanding recruiter and I'm sure it's something he's already aware of and focused on in regards to our future list planning.

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

We can build any defense around Taylor/Lonergan and Mackie in my opinion. All guns with the right combination of attack, defensive nous and grunt. If Gillies can come on and display more of what he delivered on Saturday then that goes a long way to combatting any future problems.

We have plenty of time to develop youngsters into this role....it seems, given our selective recrutiment of a few gun forwards of late that we can use our picks this year to top up on some defensive grunt (which is normally available with later picks).

 

[Hoffy95]

Scarlo has twin lads now.

Problem solved?

 

[bobbycatsfanme]

Smedts is gonna be an absolute gun, no doubt about it..he's got the type of game that will allow him to push forward like Goddard or Mackie so can definitely see him being one of our key position backman.
Taylor Hunt is another player I rate very highly and more so than the Menzels and Duncans because he takes the game on in the most difficult part of the ground and most times find his way through and sets up the play like Boris has done for years. Hunt would be a player GWS would really be eyeing for their own future backline setup so hopefully we sign in for the longterm.
I watched Lonergan closely when we played Collingwood earlier in the year and he was excellent. He is now 27 years of age but he will play till he's 32, he is actually 6ft 5 tall and 100kg so very deceptive when you watch him out there. Lonergan would have to be our most improved player at the club for 2011, he's really accomodated Taylor perfectly and allowed Harry to drop off and be the link up player with Scarlett as they go through the wings/centre.
The other bloke who has yet to play but has enormous potential is Horlin-Smith. Uses the ball well and has the footy smarts to become one of our best 22. 6ft 1 would struggle to beat the taller forwards of today but then again Boris is the same size and seems to beat almost any forward he plays on.
Of all them though, you can't go past Harry Taylor he's definitely our best backman behind those other senior blokes and will take over Scarlett's mantle (to a lesser degree) when he steps away. Brilliant hands and kicking efficiency, also has a great running tank and at 25 years of age will be the guy we build our defense around.

Taylor, T. Hunt, Lonergan, Mackie, Smedts, Gillies and Horlin-Smith could combine to be every bit as good as the lineup we see today.

 

[Leeds17]

I like Taylor Hunt but geez i couldn't rate him above Menzel or Duncan, running off the back line setting up isn't that hard if you're doing off a flank granted it is hard doing in from deep in defence,

Agree 100% on Horlin-Smith though think in a couple years time, deceptively tall like Mackie, a good kick and seems to read the play well early doors but we look to have a very good group of 7-8 players coming through

 

[Sttew]

Scarlett's greatest strength now is his ability to direct traffic in the back half. He is the general, and 99 out of 100 times his decision making is faultless.

On Sunday (admittedly against a crap team), Scarlett was subbed off, and almost immediately Lonergan and Taylor assumed the general's role, directing traffic.

 

[The rabbi]

Scarlo has twin lads now.

Problem solved?

Not really. We need to fast track their growth.

 

[Belisarius]

Have to say I have been keen to try and draft 2 types for the last few seasons.

A ruckman and KP backman.

It would be great if Dawson made it.

Perhaps Lonergan will become the KP backman with Taylor. TBH I never really had that much faith he could become that player - but he has really surprised me over the past 2 seasons.

He may not get much of the ball but he does nullify a big KP forward quite consistently. That is good enough for me. If starts taking defensive marks one on one - I will be over the moon !

It seems to me Wells without fail just about - gets a good mid sized player or two every draft. Sounds like Smedts maybe one of those good ones - and maybe Guthrie too. If that is the case - just add Mackie and Thunt and we the basis of a pretty good backline.

For anyone to suggest our backline can get better - they are crazy. Losing Scarlett and then Boris - both will nearly be impossible to replace - will ensure that we can only aim to have a backline that is a close second to the one we have presently.

 

[bobbycatsfanme]

I like Taylor Hunt but geez i couldn't rate him above Menzel or Duncan, running off the back line setting up isn't that hard if you're doing off a flank granted it is hard doing in from deep in defence,

Agree 100% on Horlin-Smith though think in a couple years time, deceptively tall like Mackie, a good kick and seems to read the play well early doors but we look to have a very good group of 7-8 players coming through

really? Watch Hunt closely on the weekend, also where would you rate a bloke like Heath Shaw at Collingwood as opposed to say Thomas or Pendlebury?

 

[Leeds17]

really? Watch Hunt closely on the weekend, also where would you rate a bloke like Heath Shaw at Collingwood as opposed to say Thomas or Pendlebury?

Heath Shaw is a good player and very important to them but i think the other 2 are better player at there best anyway.

I think T Hunt is currently playing a role for us that is more important than the roles of Duncan & Menzel but i reckon they are/will be better footballers that was more what i was trying to say before.

 

[DanA]

It think we're fine this year and we have a quality replacement for Milburn in Smedts. It's not til 2014 that will have an issue.

Milburn (End of year)--> Smedts or Gillies
Wojak (2013)---------> T-Hunt
Enright (2014)--------> ??
Scarlett (2014) ------> ??
Hunt (2014)----------> ??

I think we are alright with Milburn and Wojak, the replacements won't weaken the squad IMO. Scarlett's the real worry. Simply irreplacable.

We could potential replace Enright short term with Kelly moved to the backline for a few years. His expereince and game intelligence might be useful and it'd be less demanding on the body. But the nothing we can do about Scarlett. We'll have to go to the draft for an athletic KP defender with good footskills this year or next and hope for the best. We won't however have a good draft pick to get him until 2012.

Hunt's footskills will also be missed but we can handle it i'm sure.

Looking at it I think we're okay until the 2001 draftee start retiring. I think it will coincide with Scarlett retiring in 2014 and be too much to handle.

 

[Ricketts]

Guthrie --- Bathie --- Walker
T.Hunt --- Taylor --- Smedts​