Roberton as a forward?

[chinggis77]

Just putting this out there.

Robbo has put on a fair bit of weight over the summer and is looking pretty ripped. He has reportedly been very good down back and has been quite strong in the air. Reads the ball very well also.

His loopy kicks are also much better suited going through the goals than to a teammate.

Not the quickest off the mark, but with today´s zoning, marking on the lead is not as common in the forward line.

Would probably offer a lot more than Jack Anthony has been at the moment.

 

[wild side]

Worth a try I reckon. That bloke from Melbourne won the game for them on the w/end after being transferred from the backline.

 

[Scham]

Couldn't be much worse than what we're currently going with but I'd like to see him take more contested overhead marks before I'd consider him a bona-fide tall forward. The quality of the tall defenders in the AFL would kill him in the air and match him on the ground IMO.

 

[paccraig]

I liked idea. But then stumbled across ... "2009 NAB AFL Draft Camp - At the 2009 NAB AFL Draft Camp Roberton recorded the fifth fastest time in the 3km time trial. He lacked pace off the mark, however, with the equal-second slowest time in the 10 and 20m sprints" ...I am thinking probably not

Has anyone seen him mark on the lead?

 

[Nickos66]

Ross would never go for it.

 

[Patty_Moz]

I was thinking the same thing today about Roberton worth a try IMO.

Was also thinking that we may as well ask Peel if they can play Faulks in the forward line to see how he goes. The truth is he is not gonna get a game for us as a KPD so we may as well find out if he can play forward.

 

[malpaso]

Worth a try I reckon. That bloke from Melbourne won the game for them on the w/end after being transferred from the backline.

That bloke from Melbourne (Colin Garland) played all his pre-draft footy as a forward that's why Neeld after reviewing the draft sheets of his players stuck him down there.

Roberton doesn't have the quickness to get out on the lead IMO and not sure about his crash packs mentality which our taller forwards need as that ball has to be brought to ground.

 

[Mudd]

Roberton is purely a depth player. Should not get a game at the moment.

 

[flyke]

Would probably offer a lot more than Jack Anthony has been at the moment.

Can't argue with that.

 

[Nickos66]

What would happen if instead of the likes of Jack Anthony and Zac Clarke, we just loaded up our forwardline with more possession winning midfielders? Just as a hypothetical. Lower, Sheridan and other ball winners, send Broughts up forward and Suban or Spurr can come in down back.. Can't be any worse than it currently is, can it?

 

[Sman-21]

No

He is not a great mark.
He is avg 1 on 1
He has no speed to get clear on a lead.
Looks to fatigue early in games and with forwards having to work so hard these days will struggle.
From what ive seen the best part of his game is the ability to run the lines.
He gets ball and likes to go for a run before disposing of it.

Roberton reminds me of the great white ghost Thornton.
Plays exactly the same as him imo.
So down in the back half is where he is most suited.

 

[chinggis77]

To those who say Robbo is too slow for the forward line. What makes you think his speed is therefore better suited to the backline?

Marks on the lead in the forward line are becoming as rare as hens teeth anyway. In addition, Jack Reiwoldt is bloody slow also. He hardly ever gets separation from his opponent. Darling ain´t quick either.

Robbos not bad overhead. Is a decent size for a third tall. Is good at ground level and best of all, he reads the play and the ball very well, which is his strength. Compare that to Zac Clarke who is constantly out of position.

Worth a shot I reckon.

 

[prattsta]

Just leave him as a 3rd tall defender. Ultimately, I think we'll have better options, but at the moment he's sitting pretty comfortably behind MJ and McPhee. Both of whom are closer to the end, than the beginning of their careers.

We're better off just bringing in someone who already knows how to play as a KPF and has done so for their entire junior/senior career. That way it is simply a case of learning the structures, not the position. Unfortunately, that is a proposition that will require another off-season.