Sampi the Defender

[Voice of Reason]

All this talk about Wirra not staying (which would disappoint me greatly) has got me thinking about how much we rely on him back there.

What do you think about playing Ashley Sampi in defence? Good foot skills, would get him more into the play, gives us rebound out of defence, could sit on those dangerous small forwards we used to have trouble with and sweep up as well.

While his goalkicking is freakish, it's a bit of a waste to have him up in the forward pocket and he'd struggle to get into our excellent midfield for extended periods, even if his conditioning did improve.

I've seen him play well at FB for South Fremantle and he did a job against Essendon in last year's final.

Thoughts?

 

[llosis]

Not as a long term fixture. Maybe short term, some match-ups might suit him, but I would've thought his future is in the midfield.

Admittedly if we lost Wirra from the back half we would struggle for rebound.

 

[Deegle]

Yeh i think Sampi is destined to be a midfield player, his pace, his freakish and his uncanny abilty make him the seceret weapon the eagles may need for a premiership. I think woosha had Sampi down there as a side project and eventually after so many awesome games decided to keep him there. However i would much rather see him off the half-back line or in the midfield.

 

[no1bankteller]

Lets not forget that Cousins was in the forward line for the first two season in the AFL....may be an indication of what is to come for Sampi.

My prediction is that next year Sampi and Judd are to rotate throught the midfield via the forward line....

 

[Sera]

Sampi loves the flashy stuff, but he has to learn to do more of the bread and butter stuff before he can become a full time midfielder...

 

[noodle]

he needs to lose some of that puppy fat first.

 

[thegur]

i think he is destined for the midfield. Anyone with the amount of skill he has should be. Having said that, where does Wirra play??

also, i'd hate to think that we'd waste pick.6 in the draft on a foward pocket, unless they are as quality as Fido ... with pick 6, you should be getting dynamite.

thegur

 

[jod23]

Ashley Sampi is our best kick on goal, Matera probably his equal but Samps has longer range, he also takes a fantastic pack mark thanks to his huge leap and is very good on the lead. So I think a half forward spot is his best position. He is too good a goalkicker to be left in defence but the midfield is an option. Personally though I would leave him up forward.

 

[The Passenger]

Sampi isn't yet ready for the midfield on any more than a 5/10-minute at a time basis.

He's still a bit to raw, and with the likes of Chick, Cousins, Judd, Kerr, Fletcher, Braun hanging around, it's hard to see him getting much of a role in there.

But he is definetaly a future burst midfielder who hangs around on the HFF.

As a defender there may be some set ups that suit him, and thats fine if he goes down there now and then, but not as permanent option.

 

[GoEagles]

I have my reservations with Sampi being a defender. From what I've seen when he's ventured down back - he hasn't been very accountable and defensive towards his opponent. He would be better suited to a half back flanker - to rebound the ball through the midfield or to kick long to our half forward zone.