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Positional Changes

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Hirdman

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I was thinking about possible positional changes next year, in 08 some of the notable changes were Mcphee play a hit up HFF (CHF when neccessary), Ryder CHB, Welsh move into the ball, Monfries move to a defensive forward....
What are your thoughts for 09, obviously this will depend on injuries but one area I am worried about is the small defender position. I think Slatts has improved this year but he is a liability with the quick smalls whether they are good in the air or not. I think Jetta could play this position, this could work for a number of reasons:

  1. He is extremely quick and can go with anyone for pace
  2. His defensive pressure is one of the best aspects of the game
  3. It may help him get more ball
  4. Good skills coming out of defence (thinking a younger, faster Johncock)
  5. We have Davey, Monfries, Reimers and Lonergan that can all play in the FP
I know he may be suspect in the air or from a strength perspective but it may be worth a go, thoughts??
 
I was thinking about possible positional changes next year, in 08 some of the notable changes were Mcphee play a hit up HFF (CHF when neccessary), Ryder CHB, Welsh move into the ball, Monfries move to a defensive forward....
What are your thoughts for 09, obviously this will depend on injuries but one area I am worried about is the small defender position. I think Slatts has improved this year but he is a liability with the quick smalls whether they are good in the air or not. I think Jetta could play this position, this could work for a number of reasons:

  1. He is extremely quick and can go with anyone for pace
  2. His defensive pressure is one of the best aspects of the game
  3. It may help him get more ball
  4. Good skills coming out of defence (thinking a younger, faster Johncock)
  5. We have Davey, Monfries, Reimers and Lonergan that can all play in the FP
I know he may be suspect in the air or from a strength perspective but it may be worth a go, thoughts??

Think of a few matchups.

Jetta V Brad Johnson. Jetta would be smashed in the air, out bodied and out marked constantly.

Jetta V Milne. In the defensive 50 I think that Jetta would be really hurt on the rebound. Milne would be too smart for Leroy in this part of the ground.

Jetta V Thomas. Jetta may be more dangerous and hurt Thomas on the rebound. Though Thomas would still have Jetta in the air it would not be as one sided and Jetta would not be outbodied.

Jetta V Austin Wonnamieri (sp?). I think this would be more even as long as Jetta doesn't get lost on the lead. Austin is quick so Jetta would need to have his footy brain turned to max.
 
Jetta will never be a small defender, he just won't. He'll spend a lot of time in the forward 50 next year and up on the wing. I think if we were to develop a quick small defender to play on the Davis and Milne types, it would be Atkinson. Houli has also showed he can be creative off half back while playing on a small forward.

Others i can think of:
Winderlich to play more up forward.
Reimers to play a lot more on the wing.
 

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Upon reflection I am thinking he is too small, he would get torched in the air by too many. Although we have a genuine issue down there, Atkinson may be the guy, I also think Reimers could play the role (although I like seeing him on the wing).

Who else could do it?
 
I think Atkinson has a future as a lock down small defender. I also hope we get Suban in the draft, and groom him for the role.

I share the optimism with Atkinson. After the first West Coast game, I had him almost written off. After the Collingwood game, I regained hope. He's got a long way to go, but he's quick, strong and skilled and that's a reasonable start. Next year, assuming he'll get a chance, he's got to prove his out and out defensive qualities.

As for Suban, I don't see him as a defender. You've only got to be one yard slower than your forward opponent these days to be completely exposed, and Nick's going to fall into that bracket too many times for my liking. He'll get a career as a rich man's Brent Prismall I'd say.
 
Dempsey = running HBF 09

The only thing Dempsey at Essendon = is rehab.

As for this thread:

Could we get away with Pears rotating with Ryder between FB and CHB?

Collingwood seem to have done well with Brown getting a few of the big jobs and I see Pears as a player with a similar build not to mention he'll have Fletcher down their to give him a chop out.
 
Playing Jetta as Slattery's role is just a huge waste of talent...

Jetta has only been playing FP in the absence of Davey...

Worst case scenario Jetta will end up a HFF or FP. Sheedy's main purpase of drafting him was to get an attacking midfielder. Hopefully he'll end up as a Leon Davis/Didak type, starting off his career up forward, then eventially injecting him to through the midfield after a few seasons or so.
 

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The only thing Dempsey at Essendon = is rehab.

As for this thread:

Could we get away with Pears rotating with Ryder between FB and CHB?

Collingwood seem to have done well with Brown getting a few of the big jobs and I see Pears as a player with a similar build not to mention he'll have Fletcher down their to give him a chop out.

The difference between Brown being able to effectively play key back and Pears is Collingwood have an incredibly accountable midfield and therefore put a lot less pressure on Brown. We have the opposite, so Pears would be under a lot of pressure.
 
Pears to FB. We have to take the punt on someone and he's the best fit IMO.

McPhee back to half back. I thought he did a great job this season at HF, but with Lucas, Lloyd, Neagle, Gumby and even Monfries with his ability to play tall we need him more in defence than attack.

Nash to get in a look in on the wing. I would love to see him kicking the ball into the forward 50. Not sure if he has the engine, but would be a good wiz cup experiment at least.
 
If you actually watch Jetta closely he is not overly quick over a distance. He is rather quick in a short bursts and has a good side step but he has not got the after burner pace that Lovett and Davey have.
 
I would like to see Pears begin as the 3rd tall defender taking the 3rd best tall forward. If he is going OK by round 8 or so, I think that we can then experiment with him at FB and free Fletch up.
 
The only thing Dempsey at Essendon = is rehab.

As for this thread:

Could we get away with Pears rotating with Ryder between FB and CHB?

Collingwood seem to have done well with Brown getting a few of the big jobs and I see Pears as a player with a similar build not to mention he'll have Fletcher down their to give him a chop out.

Agree on the Pears thing.

We need to get him to do some lock down jobs and try and get 15+ games into him next year.

If we do that then I think we can only afford one of NLM or Slattery to play. I'd choose NLM over Slatts.

Houli, Dempsey, Myers or Winderlich should try and play a Heath Shaw type role and set things up from defence.
 

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Pears to FB. We have to take the punt on someone and he's the best fit IMO.

McPhee back to half back. I thought he did a great job this season at HF, but with Lucas, Lloyd, Neagle, Gumby and even Monfries with his ability to play tall we need him more in defence than attack.

Nash to get in a look in on the wing. I would love to see him kicking the ball into the forward 50. Not sure if he has the engine, but would be a good wiz cup experiment at least.

Gumbleton MUST play CHB next year. Leave him there the whole year. The benefit is two fold: learn where to run from the opposition's best players, whilst easing the burden on his frail body. He needs to string games together and I think he is most likely to do that from back there.

I'd also consider rotating Lucas back there as well for team balance with Lloyd and Neagle up forward.
 
Ryder to spend half his time loose across half-back and the other half as an unconventional midfielder.
Don't think this will happen. With Mal already gone and Fletch finishing up next year, Knights will continue to develop Paddy as our FB/CHB and maybe try and free up Fletch to play loose.
 

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