Play ablett up forward more

[Partridge]

So true. Good post.

Put it this way, if Geelong did win the GF in '08 there is no way you get away with the quoted comment above. Not on this forum. Productive negativity is not seen the way it should by fans who think each and every one of our players is an untouchable, future star. While we were winning games and Lonergan got the best oppurtunities of any forward in the league(most 50m entries / 2nd or 3rd string opponent) he still struggled. Our wins encourage many fans to only look positive, when our team has obvious weaknesses.

By the way, I don't agree that Mooney had a superb season last year... far from it in fact. Seemed disinterested at times throughout many games. Needs to leave his arrogance / ego in the rooms before he runs out. His '07 was fantastic.

Maybe not superb, I still think Mooney did his job though. With Lonergan, for most of the games once he got the opportunities he did perform his role, the worry was in some of the big games he struggled. As great a story as it is, I just don't know if he's good enough against the best sides. He was the logical inclusion last season with Hawkins injured/out of form, but to me there's just no argument if both are fit.

 

[Asty]

Ablett was on the bench most of the last half

He played 75% of the game and also spent the 1st 7 minutes of the 1st quarter on the bench so he was on long enough to be involved more than he was. So how is he going to go with 100% on the ground I think he wont be as explosive as when he gets his rests

Now that I think about it though he probably just got bored in the 2nd half so was standing on the outer wing chatting with his dad.

 

[ripitup27]

He played 75% of the game and also spent the 1st 7 minutes of the 1st quarter on the bench so he was on long enough to be involved more than he was. So how is he going to go with 100% on the ground I think he wont be as explosive as when he gets his rests

Now that I think about it though he probably just got bored in the 2nd half so was standing on the outer wing chatting with his dad.

He was playing on the last line of defence for a lot of the time in the second half. He was even taking the kick-outs.

 

[bigdroppunt]

He was playing on the last line of defence for a lot of the time in the second half. He was even taking the kick-outs.

i loved watching that.... have not seen somebody play on from the kick in and take on players like that....

 

[ripitup27]

i loved watching that.... have not seen somebody play on from the kick in and take on players like that....

Pretty sure most of the crowd was encouraging him to go all the way. Would have been quite the sight.

 

[winty]

They said in the Herald Sun this morning Gaz would've racked up 181 SC points on Saturday night, in only 74% game time. Freakish effort.

 

[DanA]

He played 75% of the game and also spent the 1st 7 minutes of the 1st quarter on the bench so he was on long enough to be involved more than he was. So how is he going to go with 100% on the ground I think he wont be as explosive as when he gets his rests

Now that I think about it though he probably just got bored in the 2nd half so was standing on the outer wing chatting with his dad.

Where did you get the figure he spent the first 7 minutes on the bench from?
If he played 75% of game time then that mean he spent around 28 minutes on the bench in total so maybe when I said most is was a bit of an exageration.

 

[martyk]

With Lonergan, for most of the games once he got the opportunities he did perform his role, the worry was in some of the big games he struggled.

The point being, he doesn't have what it takes to have a presence when the chips are down. If we're all happy to see him 'perform his role' while we're flogging teams by avg 45+ points as in '08 then OK. Doesn't cut it for me though. He would be next to useless in a Melbourne / West Coast type of outfit.

 

[bulletproof]

The idea has merit in preserving his legs for the second half of the season. But in key games we are going to want Ablett in the centre square.

He is that much better than the rest of our midfielders it's not funny and the team is weakened by him being away from the action for an extended period.

I hope the Selwood for next Captain talk is being put to bed, this is Ablett's team, in every sense.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

when the forward line is struggling we MUST open up the forward line for ablett its a MUST.

if something is going to cost us in september it will be the forward line again, ablett up forward on his own cant be beaten, and guess what we will still have the best midfield in the comp even without ablett

 

[darren forssman]

when the forward line is struggling we MUST open up the forward line for ablett its a MUST.

if something is going to cost us in september it will be the forward line again, ablett up forward on his own cant be beaten, and guess what we will still have the best midfield in the comp even without ablett

what was the midfield setup when he was foward?

ling, bartel, varcoe and diji?

 

[geelong_crazy26]

what was the midfield setup when he was foward?

ling, bartel, varcoe and diji?

cant remember , but this is what it could be

bartell,sellwood,corey,ling and kelly plus ottens in the ruck.Still the best in the comp

 

[rooie]

what was the midfield setup when he was foward?

ling, bartel, varcoe and diji?

chapman went into the middle and ablett came down forward. They organized it themselves during a break after a goal, so it was obviously something they have the go ahead to do.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

just been thinking if we play ablett up forward we would have 2 of the best 10 players in the comp in our forward line.

how about we just go with 4 forwards hawkins, mooney,johson and ablett?

we dont need ablett in the midfield as we would still have bartel,sellwood,corey,ling and chapman still the best

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

I remember a setup we had back in 2004/05 that seemingly worked well as Plan B. It revolved around having both Chapman and Ablett play deep in the forward line and lead out both to different pockets or stay put (deep) and try to make a contested situation around 30m out.

I seem to recall this being used against the Dogs (Ablett kicked 4 or 5), Bombers, Richmond and Dockers - who at the time didn't have overly quality small defenders. Im sure it was used a few other times as well.

I like this setup because we do have the midfield depth to cover these guys and 1:1, there aren't too many better contested ball winners than Ablett and Chapman. Throw in the fact that they both have great hands and i think it is a winning setup. I personally would like to see that space being provided for both Gaj and Chappy (who would play deep), then have Varcoe, Johnson and Byrnes and a midfield streaming in to look for the little layoff's and shots on goal. I don't think Ablett by himself is the way to go, putting Chappy alongside him gets the defense thinking that they have to cover both directions because they are both equally capable of scoring.

We have plenty of scoring options and i think we are ever-developing our setups so it is no need to panick (We still scored 13 goals against the best defense in the league, and were probably below par on forward conversion).

I still think Gaj is capable of kicking 4 or 5 from his midfield role though.

 

[meto]

Our midfield is suffering because of our inept forward line.
We loose what we gain, but if we carry passengers, that's what'll happen.

 

[loveofthegame]

id create a thread if i could but hav nt been around long enough to do so

but thought it would be an interesting thought for you guys to go after barry hall????
hes still got a few years in him and it would give you a strong forward while waiting for tommy to get his confidence up what do you think????

 

[NEMINI]

id create a thread if i could but hav nt been around long enough to do so

but thought it would be an interesting thought for you guys to go after barry hall????
hes still got a few years in him and it would give you a strong forward while waiting for tommy to get his confidence up what do you think????

exactly where in the salary cap would he fit? who goes out of the 22? what happens when he inevitably get suspended for 1/3 the season or more?

 

[loveofthegame]

exactly where in the salary cap would he fit? who goes out of the 22? what happens when he inevitably get suspended for 1/3 the season or more?

good point....
was just looking at ideas to get you guys through another grand final just feel like,, (im sure a few of you do) that your forward line is your biggest weekness
and i think tamahawk will be a good forward but is still a few years off

 

[catters rule]

he should play about 35% od the time in the forward line and just to put it out there y not play him off the half back line like wojcinski and let him run and break the lines and the tag

 

[witsend]

he should play about 35% od the time in the forward line and just to put it out there y not play him off the half back line like wojcinski and let him run and break the lines and the tag

What's to say he won't in finals?
Has anyone thought that Bomber may be keeping tricks up his sleeve?

 

[watermelonslice]

Whether Ablett spends more time in the midfield or the forward line would depend a lot on the rest of the team. Geelong's midfield obviously has amazing depth, and on a good day, it can be argued that Ablett is not necessary. (This goes with my theory that while Ablett is the best player in Geelong, he's not the most important in terms of the team structure.) The likes of Bartel, Corey, Selwood, etc. etc. is more than a proficient midfield group. This could allow Ablett to go forward and be very damaging. I have no doubt that he could be their main goal kicker if he was a permanent forward. In fact, I think Bomber's plan for Ablett to rest up forward instead of on the bench is heading somewhere.