Opinion Our running defender conundrum

[vinum coupe]

Well then you won't like it then on both fronts.

Mentioned at times last year he was approaching 2015 as his last year. Then bam, 2016 contract. Something swayed his thinking.

He stays fit and he'll be our record holder and I'm sure quite a few of our many members would say he deserves it.

All well and good re: the record. A record is a record.

Yeah 'bam'
That's what concerns me.

He's durable, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him play 20. I just don't see it helping us.
If he gets pulled apart v hawthorn you'll say?

Look, I think he can play a role, but if he's surrounded by 4 talls he's going to make a statue look quick.

 

[hamG]

I have to expect the team is basing defense around structure as opposed to man marking, and the rebound out of defense comes from hard working midfielders and/or fast ball movement counters into the corridor. Failing that we punt it up the line to the 4 overly tall key forwards we are playing.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

All well and good re: the record. A record is a record.

Yeah 'bam'
That's what concerns me.

He's durable, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him play 20. I just don't see it helping us.
If he gets pulled apart v hawthorn you'll say?

Look, I think he can play a role, but if he's surrounded by 4 talls he's going to make a statue look quick.

Why does a player deciding to go around again become concerning?

Then get rid of the 4th tall. If he gets caught out because we're too tall and slow and get cut up on fast rebounds. That's a match committee error in selection.

Name me a better small defender at our club at present. Name 1 of them that at present is better than Enright right now in that role. That's somewhat an indictment that he's our best at his age but it is true.

 

[vinum coupe]

Why does a player deciding to go around again become concerning?

Then get rid of the 4th tall. If he gets caught out because we're too tall and slow and get cut up on fast rebounds. That's a match committee error in selection.

Name me a better small defender at our club at present. Name 1 of them that at present is better than Enright right now in that role. That's somewhat an indictment that he's our best at his age but it is true.

Slowly......you're skewing the subject off the original comment.
Congrats Francis.

If you decide to go around late in the year, it's usually a dream.
I.e. Judd. And it will show up with Bartel this year too.

But I told you that last year.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Was not my intention to do so.

In any case we shall see.

 

[David the Cat]

They'll play the four talls...one will be on the bench....

Enright looks to be traveling quite nicely....news of his decline may be premature IMO...but I admit he's an easy target to predict a falling away. He's got one of those wiry physiques though that let him maintain his level...a bit like Dustin Fletcher...he may well play well right to the end...

We need a Bews/Ruggles/Cowan/Smedts/ type to step up now and fill the breach...not so inclined to the latter, but one of the others may make the necessary step forward to do the job. Let's hope so...

 

[ButterMill]

We need Lonergan and Enright to do 6 week calves.
That's what we need.

Yeah shoot me.

Because then we'll find out if we have what we need to win the flag. And yes, Thurlow has hurt that.
4 talls? For gods sake.

I realise the six week calf part was a joke but for me it is a lovely subtle point.

We have multiple goals we need to achieve down back. One is we need a backline in 2017 onwards. That isn't Lonergan and Enright. Possibly even Taylor the way he seems to be declining.

We also have the existing hole of no decent small defender.

Then there is the zone we use which seems to allow really quick play through it, hitting up quick forwards. It appears we need pace down back.

If you lined up the backs and picked on merit the best six defenders you get a tall and old six.

But you don't want to gift kids games. You also don't want to perhaps relegate some of these older champions to the VFL as depth to achieve that end. We aren't winning a flag this year with the four talls, subjective opinion of course.

So how do we discover the backs we need to win a flag, have the best team balance, not offend champions, and develop chemistry to have a tilt in 2017-18 also? Not by losing Thurlow that's for sure.

Or maybe the interchange cap slows things enough that tired kicks into the fifty occur more and our strength down back becomes the secret recipe that unlocks this year's premiership.

It's a tantalising puzzle. Injuries force decisions, perhaps some that are just too tough to make otherwise for our coaching staff.

For mine, a great post, and it said plenty in so few words. Unlike my posts.

 

[Mattlock]

To be honest Cowan has looked like garbage in the two NAB matches. A mixture of looking losing, not attacking the ball/contest (like I briefly saw last year) and not using the ball well when he has it. But funnily enough I don't really mind because the key thing is he has played two games (albeit NAB) in a row at the start of the year. If he can actually make it through a selection of games in the 2s or 1s we might atually get a decent look at him and maybe his confidence will peak and we might have a handy little player out there...

 

[ButterMill]

To be honest Cowan has looked like garbage in the two NAB matches. A mixture of looking losing, not attacking the ball/contest (like I briefly saw last year) and not using the ball well when he has it. But funnily enough I don't really mind because the key thing is he has played two games (albeit NAB) in a row at the start of the year. If he can actually make it through a selection of games in the 2s or 1s we might atually get a decent look at him and maybe his confidence will peak and we might have a handy little player out there...

It was the first time I was able to look at him and say, he looks sloppy as a player, not "I hope he doesn't explode into pieces of calf and cartilage". Very hard to judge him. Is he is an X game player or a 24 year old? Reality is he is possibly the former but with less patience from us. Not unreasonably either. Interesting season for all of our endlessly injured.

 

[Mattlock]

It was the first time I was able to look at him and say, he looks sloppy as a player, not "I hope he doesn't explode into pieces of calf and cartilage". Very hard to judge him. Is he is an X game player or a 24 year old? Reality is he is possibly the former but with less patience from us. Not unreasonably either. Interesting season for all of our endlessly injured.

yeah it is very interesting.

this next part is not directed at you either, but i might as well continue in this post. i think a little bit of the time everyone around here, out there, wherever (supporters) build up such disdain for players who are injured and/or underperforming. but we tend to forget how frustrating and mentally debilitating it must be for said player. that is one of the reasons i definitely do not attack any player who is injured now, has been injured for a long time and will continue to do so. i just cannot imagine an athlete happily sitting at home when the reason they play the sport is to be out there doing it.

that is why i hope he gets a run at it, and i hope it comes good.

 

[ShaunWDT]

Cowan will get first crack I reckon, up to him to secure that spot.

 

[Cezz The Catter]

Cowan will get first crack I reckon, up to him to secure that spot.

I dont mind the idea mate, I liked his intensity last year and his tackling wasnt to bad. Ive been told hes good on both sides of the body to. Even if his spoiling is a little lack lustre if he can wear someone like a glove all game im happy to take that.

 

[Partridge]

yeah it is very interesting.

this next part is not directed at you either, but i might as well continue in this post. i think a little bit of the time everyone around here, out there, wherever (supporters) build up such disdain for players who are injured and/or underperforming. but we tend to forget how frustrating and mentally debilitating it must be for said player. that is one of the reasons i definitely do not attack any player who is injured now, has been injured for a long time and will continue to do so. i just cannot imagine an athlete happily sitting at home when the reason they play the sport is to be out there doing it.

that is why i hope he gets a run at it, and i hope it comes good.

It's a very valid and reasonable point you make. If the club only had 1-2 long term injuries on the list they could perhaps be more generous. But that isn't the case.

The reality is we've got far too many players in that bracket - many years on the list, for very limited output. Unfortunately for Cowan, he's been on the list as long as anyone (equal with Menzel and Vardy), he's been available the least, and he's shown the least. The club can't indefinitely retain players who haven't shown anything to justify it. His two NAB showings have been underwhelming to put it mildly. Unless he can dramatically improve, he won't be in calculations.

I'm sure every player who suffers injuries goes through the same problems. But ultimately hard decisions have to be made.

 

[Mattlock]

It's a very valid and reasonable point you make. If the club only had 1-2 long term injuries on the list they could perhaps be more generous. But that isn't the case.

The reality is we've got far too many players in that bracket - many years on the list, for very limited output. Unfortunately for Cowan, he's been on the list as long as anyone (equal with Menzel and Vardy), he's been available the least, and he's shown the least. The club can't indefinitely retain players who haven't shown anything to justify it. His two NAB showings have been underwhelming to put it mildly. Unless he can dramatically improve, he won't be in calculations.

I'm sure every player who suffers injuries goes through the same problems. But ultimately hard decisions have to be made.

I never ever mentioned anything about retention. I could go into it, hell I probably even have a very cut throat philosophy in regards to it. But realistically they aren't my decisions, and I almost don't care. It's purely a game to me. So give them all the chances they can, the journey is fun when it's interesting. You can't win them all from where we sit.

 

[ShaunWDT]

Cant see 4 tall defenders happening when we continue to pick Cowan,Ruggles,Bews types this pre season when they are fit, clearly want to nail down a small/med defender.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Problem I see is Lonergan and Taylor pick themselves and Henderson is the obvious third picked which leaves Kolo mostly playing VFL. For some reason im very aware of him wanting to leave due to lack of opportunities so I reckon we are on a hiding to nothing this year.

 

[Daniel McL]

Josh Walker as our small defender?

 

[vinum coupe]

Problem I see is Lonergan and Taylor pick themselves and Henderson is the obvious third picked which leaves Kolo mostly playing VFL. For some reason im very aware of him wanting to leave due to lack of opportunities so I reckon we are on a hiding to nothing this year.

This made zero sense.

"For some reason I'm very aware"

 

[Lana]

If he was wanting to leave he wouldn't have signed a two year deal just before trade week last year.

 

[Hood007]

Josh Walker as our small defender?

I think Jansen could've played 200 games as a lockdown defender.

 

[David the Cat]

I think Jansen could've played 200 games as a lockdown defender.

Quoted for the Lol's

 

[Seeds]

This made zero sense.

"For some reason I'm very aware"

He just might not want to tell us his reason. Plus awareness is a subjective experience.

 

[Turbocat]

Problem I see is Lonergan and Taylor pick themselves and Henderson is the obvious third picked which leaves Kolo mostly playing VFL. For some reason im very aware of him wanting to leave due to lack of opportunities so I reckon we are on a hiding to nothing this year.

The pressure is on to balance the side for size and age...but its important that future players do not miss out when this balancing is happening. If he performs he should get a game.