Reid moves down back

[Dave The Man]

Ben Reid’s 2009 season will have a slightly different look than 2008.

After being drafted with the club’s eighth overall pick in the 2006 AFL National Draft, Reid played in the VFL and in the AFL as a forward. It wasn’t until he returned from a foot injury sustained in round 13, did the club play him as a tall defender in the last VFL game of the season.

“They are saying they will be trying me out in the backline this preseason and see how I go there,” Reid told CTV after the Wednesday training session.

“Probably swing forward as well. Bit of both just to add another string to my bow.”

Reid has had experience playing a defensive role when he played for the under 18s Murray Bushrangers.

“I don’t mind at all. I played a few games there in the under 18s as a back man so I am sort of used to it and get used to being up against better opposition.”

Reid was building a promising 2008 season, managing three senior games, until breaking his foot in round 13.

“It was a pretty frustrating injury I suppose. Just getting into the seniors and doing your foot like that is not what you want.”

Reid spent 10 weeks rehabilitating with the injury group and believed it helped to have a few players in the same position as him.

“You look around and you see Rus (Sean Rusling), Pebs (Anthony Rocca) who has had injury problems in the past as well. You talk to those sorts of guys and they help you out on the way and get you through.”

Reid has already had an intense preseason after spending an extra week in Arizona with Cameron Wood, Alan Didak and assistant coach Brad Scott before the main group arrived.

“Loving being fully fit. The preseason has been really good over in Arizona was amazing. Probably one of the best trips I have ever been on and looking forward to this year.”

So I guess it's Offical Know Reid is a Backman

Story Here

 

[The Royal Sampler]

That will disappoint a great many people on here.

Good move though, had to happen.

 

[didaka]

He'll be a good backman.

 

[Bay Pie]

It has also been reported that he did drills in a group with Fraser, Bryan & Wood.

Reid possibly a ruckmen, also? How tall is he now. Drafted at 196cm but about as bottom age as you can get.

 

[Optimax]

I mentioned this last week.

never the less he has all the tools to be a good chb, just need some body weight

 

[Dave The Man]

I mentioned this last week.

never the less he has all the tools to be a good chb, just need some body weight

Well this was Confirmation

 

[Lockyer24]

Do we see him as a third tall who can cut off attacks with his marking?

Or a true full back or centre half back?

 

[Dave The Man]

Do we see him as a third tall who can cut off attacks with his marking?

Or a true full back or centre half back?

I say Reid would be a Proper CHB

 

[mavs5]

Probably working on this type of set up down back for the future:

B: O'Brien Brown Anthony
HB: Sidebottom Reid Maxwell

 

[Jie_Hodge]

I would love to and can see him developing into a sam fisher from the saints type that will be able to play on tall fowards effectively as well as use run off the backline if needed.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Excellent news. It should be his primary position. However, when the game dictates it, they should also move him forward (or wherever else they see him), to get him in the situation where he can play anywhere competently.

 

[smiddaz123]

He'll need to avoid body contact in one on ones. When the ball is kicked long he'll have to stand off his opponent and jump in from the side. He'll get muscled out everytime otherwise.

He has the speed and athletisism to go with players on the lead, and to Malthouse' credit this is exactly what killed us against Fevola/Buddy. It's good that he's addressing it.

He still seems a bit clumsy when he gets the ball himself though, his skills need just as much work as his weight does.

He has potential in the position, but I predict he'll be a bit lost early on, and we'll concede a fair few goals due to the move. Long term he could be an answer though. Heaps of quality backmen, O'Brien, Sam Fisher, Bock etc all had very VERY poor starts to their AFL careers from memory, but they improved at a very fast rate and all became arguably the most important defenders to their sides.

 

[SteeleAt11]

First game back from the 3 month knee injury last year he got 22 disposals and 8 marks in 2 quarters in the magoos at Cente Half Back.

 

[ant22]

Probably working on this type of set up down back for the future:

B: O'Brien Brown Anthony
HB: Sidebottom Reid Maxwell

That's a terrible setup. No where near enough run and carry for a start. Far to top heavy. Shaw and or clarke need to be back there to provide run with the likes of corrie and in the future possibly barham as running options. Even though sidebottom may get some time there long term he has been recruited for the midfield and his clearance work and hardness.

If we had that as a regular setup I doubt we would win more than half a dozen games in a season.

 

[Dave The Man]

Should of done this with Tarrant when we had him

 

[HFF]

I for one am slightly disappointed he will be developed as a key back because I have high hopes for him as a forward but with the plethora of options up forward something needed to give.

Rus, Pebs and Cloke are all ahead of Reid and then there is also Dawes.

I'll support this move for him to become our next star CHB. Actually a little more upbeat after seeing his numbers in his last game in the twos.

Would also mean we don't need to play Leigh Brown to often too.

Now I just hope MM decides to use JA as the 3rd tall ala James Clement.

We surely can't fit Pebs, Cloke, Rus, Dawes and JA in the same forward line. Only 3 can play at the one time.

Also, DTM, I've mentioned before the reasons behind Taz's fall and it has nothing to do with his position on the field. Poor midfield delivery from mediocre players (Bucks & Burns excluded) was his kryptonite.

 

[Skade]

Much rather him than Dawes. Need Dawes to be the Big mungrel when Ant retires.

 

[Bonuspoints]

Do we see him as a third tall who can cut off attacks with his marking?

Or a true full back or centre half back?

Will depend on his upper body strength. If he's strong enough he'll be CHB which is what he should be. If he doesn't get the upper body strength the best we could hope for is a third tall, but we've got plenty of those.

I think he'll be the guy we play on the Riewoldt's, Buddy's and Fev's. Fingers crossed he works out. Skills wise I'm thinking that once he gets settled in at AFL level his skills will smooth out.

 

[Sloth]

Probably working on this type of set up down back for the future:

B: O'Brien Brown Anthony
HB: Sidebottom Reid Maxwell

Um, no. Anthony will play in the forward line.

 

[Lockyer24]

Jarrad Waite might be a good comparison in how we will develop him down back. Seems to be similar in athletic attributes and some skills.

I reckon we shelve the John Anthony backline talk, when you can kick that straight and notch up 30 or so in your first year, you're worth keeping there for a fair while. Rusling has his work cut out for him.

 

[HFF]

Rusling is the best forward in our side IMO.

If he can stay fully fit and injury-free, this view will be universal. He just knows how to take marks inside F50 with relative ease- something we have been lacking. Is just a natural forward.

Whilst I rate JA, I just don't see how he can fit into an already "crammed" forward line with all of our excessive options, when we are screaming out for defenders (then having to recruit Leigh Brown).

JA's conversion was exceptional last season, particularly for a player being groomed to become Jimmy Clement, however, we need another player capable of playing tall or small as Clement did and JA has that physical presence about him to do that role comfortably. Also, JA could provide brilliant rebound with his precise footskills and set up many attacks from the def50.

His shift to the backline along with Reid's can stop our reliance on Maxwell to have to play that role and therefore we can use Maxy as a roaming utility type, rather than having to play on the oppositions 3rd tall.
Hopefully MM and co. share this view because IF JA's career begins to stagnate, I will be shifting the blame on MM.

 

[Bloben]

Seems to me that for team balance that one of Jack or Reid needs to be played in defence. The consensus since recently has been that Jack is a natural defender where Reid will become one of our most dangerous forwards in a few years.

The strange thing is that my initial thought is dissapointment with Reid being wasted down back but when I think about more it actually starts to make more sense.

Reid would be competing with Cloke and Rusling for that tall lead out forward. So far he has the least runs on the board.

JA although not as atheletic and tall as Reid has other attributes that we actually need in the forward line being dead eye kicking and defensive ferocity at the ball.

I've always been really keen on Reid for one big reason. He is a tall super athlete which is reasonably common however what isn't common is that a tall super athlete actually is a natural footballer too. Reid knows when and where to run as well as being able to run the pants off anyone who stands at his height. I always thought this would mean he would be an elite forward for us but there is in fact no reason why this won't mean he will be an elite defender for us too.

Wherever he plays I'm just hoping he plays next year.

 

[1eye]

He needs a new number; it's jinxing him in front of goal

We all hope he will develop into a great player wherever he's positioned considering we used the relatively low/high pick 8, Bad memories of pick 8.

Has his kicking improved/improving

 

[hellfire]

Good move. If it works, JA stays forward.

We're building some great young 6's both front and back.

FB: Goldsack/Maxwell Brown O'Brien
HB: H.Shaw Reid Rounds/Barham

HF: Didak/Dick Cloke Anthony
FF: Rusling Dawes Medhurst

We're looking gooooood.

 

[shawthing09]

I don't think it's official or final nor do I think it's a bad move. Reid is a extremely versatile prospect and on team balance needs to be used as a defender now. Plenty of guys like this have been thrown all over the place before settling into a position. Pav played everywhere in the spine early days.

A few things will dictate where Reid ends up. Firstly his kicking at goal. If he could kick straight at goal he'd be by far our best foward prospect. However it's unlikely this will change and other option should be explored. Secondly is where he is needed. His likely to be tried across the backline, on the wing, in the ruck as well as through the foward line.

He has the right attributes to be a very good backmen and all the right attributes to be a bock type damaging CHB.