Polak

[sonvolt17]

Just wondering where Polak will line up this year. Was our KPP spare parts man last year and is a versatile player but I get the feeling if he is played week in week out as either our FF (great hands) or CHB he could become an AA standard player.

Thoughts?

 

[Rancid_Beasties]

Lets just say if he goes down forward, he better be marking them within 25 metres out because he can't kick for shit.

 

[RichosGuns]

IMO:

FF: Deledio/Riewodlt - Richo - Brown
HF: Resting Mid* - Polak - Pettifer

+ Pattison/Hughes/Graham starting on the bench

*Resting mid = Tuck, Cogs, Tambling, Morton etc.

Schultz has had enough goes up at full foward, if he can't become a defender hes gonski.

- Play Richo out of the square and let him lead in the opposite pocket to Deledio/Riewoldt. Let Brown fill in the remaining space, and feed of their crumbs

- Play Polak as a true CHF when his marking can be utilised. He isn't the greatest shot on goal but if he takes marks from 45m - 70m out he can easily feed a handball of to a running midfielder like Deledio, Newman, Bowden, Tambling etc. He may not score as many goals, however he would set up a ton

- Have Pettifer do whatever he bassically wants. He plays well both in the pocket and leading up the ground along with Brown and Richo

- Add good marking mids like Tucky, Edwards , Jacko, Tambling, Morton, Cotchin when they have spells in the foward line and its a highly potent foward line. Bassically were just missing a speacliast crumber which hopefully Collard can develop into or Edwards can help out with a bit.

 

[cotcha now]

i reckong haveing him in our backline makes it look more solid.but do like his game we he plays forward

 

[Wallaby]

Forget 6 forwards. Think 10 midfielders - some defensive, some attacking. Most forward setups these days have 3 or at most 4 forwards inside the 50. Usually only one tall marking forward - occasionally 2 if they are as good a combo as Gehrig/Reiwoldt, but Brown, Fevola, Mooney all did it solo - the second tall marking option generally plays 40-90 metres from goal. If the ball comes in slowly, they may have some chance to run down to 25m out. Often, the two tall forwards will rotate roles - eg Lloyd/Lucas.

The 2-3 'small' forwards run around and try and create a one-on-one contest for themselves or the other forwards - if they make space, the ball will get to them. Main objective is keep out of each other's way. They do NOT 'camp in front of the pack, waiting for a crumb'. As discussed before, crumbing is a minor skill, barely used. Krakoeur may well have been the best crumber off the pack in the AFL and look where he is now.

So what is the setup? We've tried Richo as the inside 50 marking forward - Great mark, but his goal-kicking is poor - or if you prefer 'unreliable'? We've tried him up the ground - great mark, but poor set-up player (skills and decision making).

Polak seems a bright lad - I like him for the up-the-ground marking Target (40-80 from goal). interchange with Patto. Schulz ticks all the right boxes for full-forward - but like most of you, I think he is not good/consistent enough. But we do need a 'long bomb' option for when all else fails - at the moment Richo is the best bet - and that is not good.

Pettifer is our only other 'permanent' forward - the rest are resting midfielders (even Brown will play some time in the middle).

And no resting ruckman inside the 50!

 

[RichosGuns]

i reckong haveing him in our backline makes it look more solid.but do like his game we he plays forward

Problem with Polak being down back is that he played as the loose man more then he did man up. He was hailed as the backman who would take on the gurillas pre-2007, however it was the same old storey with Bowden taking the big guys like Lucas, Brown, Fraser etc. With Jordan McMohan offering more rebound, he may be the new person to fill the role

In pre-season praccy matches Polak has been used foward if thats anything to go by, aswell as Schultz back.

We simply need an accoutable 192cm+ 94kg+ fullback. Will Thurstfield hasn't put much weight on at all and will never be this player. So it's either:
Schultz (unproven)
Polak (Unaccountable)
Bowden (AGAIN! Valiant player who gets the job done more then not but could be used better in more attacking roles)
McGuane (Too raw still, lacks rebounding skills)

Untill we we develop Rance and Gourdis that is

 

[Rancid_Beasties]

From what i've seen and heard, rance would be wasted at full back. His attacking abilities are as usefull as his defensive abilities for one. And he also hasnt quite got the agility yet, struggles when more nimble players run at him at training. I think he'll be a rebounding CHB, chad cornes style, who can contest overhead but not wrestle with the guerillas.

Gourdis is a long shot and apparently lacks the brains to be an accountable player.

Need thursfield to get to gaspar's build...not a monster but an amazing ability to stay in a wrestling contest or fake a push from the forwards.

 

[mhill]

From what i've seen and heard, rance would be wasted at full back. His attacking abilities are as usefull as his defensive abilities for one. And he also hasnt quite got the agility yet, struggles when more nimble players run at him at training. I think he'll be a rebounding CHB, chad cornes style, who can contest overhead but not wrestle with the guerillas.

Gourdis is a long shot and apparently lacks the brains to be an accountable player.

Need thursfield to get to gaspar's build...not a monster but an amazing ability to stay in a wrestling contest or fake a push from the forwards.

This may sound old fashioned but change for changes sake is a dangerous thing to bring into any team sport. There was little to get excited about last year BUT we did start to develop a back 6 that was settled and starting to jell. So what do we do this pre season? Rather than develop that into a tight unit, let's break it up - move Polak to the forward line, Newman, Raines and King into the midfield. To me, that was concerning enough but to then put Schultz into a key defensive post seems crazy. Jordan McMahon in the mid field? this guys bread and butter is hitting blokes lace out on the *** in space on the wing. Leave him there. So to me, we build a back line around Polak playing at CHB. Year 1, he builds confidence as the spare man in defense - remember this was his first full year in the AFL. We know he can do it now so add responsibility by giving him the number 1 forward as an opponent in Year 2 at Tigerland. Thursfield takes the number 2 tall and Bowden the number 3 tall or medium forward. We then have a class rebounding half back flankers in Jordan McMahon AND Chris Newman to give quality ball to the mid field. Jake King takes the small forward and annoys them into the stands. Raines is the one guy who should have the talent and now the fitness and size to been given a midfield role - if he deserves it. Our forward line should be spoken for, which leaves our single major weakness - the midfield - as the major area that needs a total re-structure.
It is only practice matches and yes they should experiment but the coaching panel should take note of what makes teams successful - did the Australian cricket team bat Matthew Hayden at 5 when Steve Waugh retired?

 

[Tiger Tough]

Lets just say if he goes down forward, he better be marking them within 25 metres out because he can't kick for shit.

polak should play at CHF, and kick the ball to a leading richardson or handball it off to a running tambling or edwards to deliver it in

 

[Roar]

Lets just say if he goes down forward, he better be marking them within 25 metres out because he can't kick for shit.

Correct!

I actually liked him in the ruck toward the end of last year...has a good leap, good timing and definately held his own - a very good backup to Simmo IMO.

Definately can't play forward as he would have to be the worst shot at goal on our list. HB/part time ruckman for mine, with a McMahon or Morton running past him every time to receive the handball...

 

[RichosGuns]

Correct!

I actually liked him in the ruck toward the end of last year...has a good leap, good timing and definately held his own - a very good backup to Simmo IMO.

Definately can't play forward as he would have to be the worst shot at goal on our list. HB/part time ruckman for mine, with a McMahon or Morton running past him every time to receive the handball...

Raines, King, Schultz...all worse kicks for goal

 

[Roar]

Raines, King, Schultz...all worse kicks for goal

Disagree...

Schulz - definately a better kick than Polak, a much better kick actually although still no dead eye dick..

King - has he even had a shot at goal in his short AFL career?

Raines - again, hasn't lined them up in front of the sticks too often...

Besides, the topic is talking about a tall player in Polak and at which end of the ground he should play, not about Raines and King who are half his size and completely different players for obvious reasons...

 

[Bojangles17]

Lets just say if he goes down forward, he better be marking them within 25 metres out because he can't kick for shit.

well, there's a big fella down our way that can take a grab and answers to the same call and he's kicked nearly 800 big ones...FFS throw Polly forward with mits like his he's wasted down back

 

[CoggaRules]

Problem with Polak being down back is that he played as the loose man more then he did man up. He was hailed as the backman who would take on the gurillas pre-2007, however it was the same old storey with Bowden taking the big guys like Lucas, Brown, Fraser etc. With Jordan McMohan offering more rebound, he may be the new person to fill the role

In pre-season praccy matches Polak has been used foward if thats anything to go by, aswell as Schultz back.

We simply need an accoutable 192cm+ 94kg+ fullback. Will Thurstfield hasn't put much weight on at all and will never be this player. So it's either:
Schultz (unproven)
Polak (Unaccountable)
Bowden (AGAIN! Valiant player who gets the job done more then not but could be used better in more attacking roles)
McGuane (Too raw still, lacks rebounding skills)

Untill we we develop Rance and Gourdis that is

whats better than one accountable 192cm 94+kg full back?

5 that might be able to do the job...with one that might develop into the job..you live in the dark ages dude...modern footy is about being multi dimensional...having options.
With what you suggest...we will fall for the good old..plan a and if that dont work..plan a.

 

[wart101]

Just wondering where Polak will line up this year. Was our KPP spare parts man last year and is a versatile player but I get the feeling if he is played week in week out as either our FF (great hands) or CHB he could become an AA standard player.

Thoughts?

I want to see him up forward!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! needs work on his kick but thats just a practise thing for him i think!!!!

 

[sante]

On paper, I like him at CHB...

He will play deep with Deledio. Richo will still run free.