Tall Defenders 2017

Remove this Banner Ad

T

the big lebowski

Brownlow Medallist
Veteran 10k Posts
Oct 4, 2006
15,923
33,864
The hood
AFL Club
North Melbourne
When assessing our 2017 chances, one of the most obvious weaknesses could be our tall defenders.

Tarrant is a gun. Yes put a fork in it stern look

Thompson. Seems to be declining and looks like he will miss a large part of preseason.

That's about it. Imagine Thompson and Tarrant were injured.

We don't have tippet. And we will already be missing spuds experience. I guess two of Hansen, Neilson, or Durdin would have to play KPD.

We might be able to cover other areas where we have lost players. But down back will have a big say in bottom 6 or not next year.
 
We are really lacking depth in that area.
I honestly couldn't believe it when we didn't take a mature age key position defender. Someone like Tyler Kietal or Jake Wilson would've been perfect in a break in case of emergency scenario. Both young enough to have a bit of development left in them.

Tarrant is a gun but the last two seasons have really only been his injury free seasons. Touch wood it stays that way but we are buggered if he does get injured.

Thompson is on a rapid decline. No pre-season is going to progress that even faster. Decision making has regressed and he can no longer compete with the real big boys. Has lost some of his lateral movement and his speed off the mark hasn't been there, especially in the last 12 months.

Hansen is a good third tall. Does okay on the more mobile forwards because of his tank. Absolutely useless one on one against anyone who has been through puberty that is over 6'2 tall.

Durdin at this stage isn't up to it. Doesn't have the body to play on the big boys. Hasn't been able to show much form in The VFL let alone AFL.

Nielson is probably the most likely to get a gig if something crap happens. Problem is is that he is probably a bit undersized as a genuine key defender as well. Can't get his hands on the pill, and has very suspect kicking. This may sound ruthless but he is like Luke Delaney. Solid stopper not much else, issue at this stage is he doesn't have the frame of Delaney so he would get rag dolled by the big KF.

EVW despite being AA key back in juniors years he isn't the size to play key position at AFL level, more a third tall who can also play on smalls.

McKay. Looks good as a forward. Leave him there.

Does not bode well if we have injuries this year. We really need two genuine key defenders to be recruited or drafted within the next two drafts in my opinion.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

If we lost Taz and Thompson and we were a serious chance to make the finals, we would have to put Waite down back with Daw/Wood/Brown forward.

Long term, Watson, Nielson, Durdin and Larkey (hopefully forward though) with 3rd tall options who can play small as well in EVW, Hibberd and even Junker.
 
GS WARRIORS said:
If we lost Taz and Thompson and we were a serious chance to make the finals, we would have to put Waite down back with Daw/Wood/Brown forward.

Long term, Watson, Nielson, Durdin and Larkey (hopefully forward though) with 3rd tall options who can play small as well in EVW, Hibberd and even Junker.
Click to expand...

I am pleased that we used our limited main list and rookie spots on young guys with potential, rather than using them for back up players such as Tippett, Currie or Ray who had several years on our lists but seldom played. Now I look forward to seeing the young blokes in action, either at VFL or, hopefully in many cases, AFL level. I'm sure all those posters who complain about us not playing young blokes will also be delighted with this change in approach as part of our reset
 
The chorus said:
I am pleased that we used our limited main list and rookie spots on young guys with potential, rather than using them for back up players such as Tippett, Currie or Ray who had several years on our lists but seldom played. Now I look forward to seeing the young blokes in action, either at VFL or, hopefully in many cases, AFL level. I'm sure all those posters who complain about us not playing young blokes will also be delighted with this change in approach as part of our reset
Click to expand...

Agreed. It's not an unfair position as a club for us to say that if Tarrant goes down any chance at finals damage is a write off. If that happens we would be better off with better draft picks.

For mine if Tarrant did go down our best chance at being competitive is a fit Hansen (which seems unlikely at this stage) and a restructure around him in the backline by making it even more attacking with him cutting off attacks across the whole area. We'd bleed goals though. I'm not expecting anything from Thompson this year.
 
It is a concern. I reckon we could cover Thompson with Nielson, if Taz goes down we're in trouble. We'd have to play Waite as a tall defender if Taz goes down
 
We're literally in the same position we were last season considering Tippett played zero games. Thompson having an injury in December isn't great but it is offset by a year of development in Durdin and Nielson plus the drafting of Larkey and Watson.
Worse case scenario we play a developing KPD like many successful clubs do, eg Barass at Eagles, Aliir at Swans, Brand at Hawks.
 
Heaps of fun said:
We're literally in the same position we were last season considering Tippett played zero games. Thompson having an injury in December isn't great but it is offset by a year of development in Durdin and Nielson plus the drafting of Larkey and Watson.
Worse case scenario we play a developing KPD like many successful clubs do, eg Barass at Eagles, Aliir at Swans, Brand at Hawks.
Click to expand...
Who's the other tall defender-- oh McGovern.
 
We have invested a first and second round pick and two years of development into Durdin and Nielsen so if they are called upon they should be ready to perform to an acceptable standard.
 
Heaps of fun said:
We're literally in the same position we were last season considering Tippett played zero games. Thompson having an injury in December isn't great but it is offset by a year of development in Durdin and Nielson plus the drafting of Larkey and Watson.
Worse case scenario we play a developing KPD like many successful clubs do, eg Barass at Eagles, Aliir at Swans, Brand at Hawks.
Click to expand...

Yeah this is a good point.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

B Tron said:
We have invested a first and second round pick and two years of development into Durdin and Nielsen so if they are called upon they should be ready to perform to an acceptable standard.
Click to expand...

From all reports Durdin still has a long way to go
 
B Tron said:
We have invested a first and second round pick and two years of development into Durdin and Nielsen so if they are called upon they should be ready to perform to an acceptable standard.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what i wanted to say. We cleared the decks for a reason, to make way for the next gen to come through. if we learnt anything from the Dogs effort this year it's the fact that we need to play to a team structure and those who come in have a role to play.
 
Heaps of fun said:
We're literally in the same position we were last season considering Tippett played zero games. Thompson having an injury in December isn't great but it is offset by a year of development in Durdin and Nielson plus the drafting of Larkey and Watson.
Worse case scenario we play a developing KPD like many successful clubs do, eg Barass at Eagles, Aliir at Swans, Brand at Hawks.
Click to expand...

I don't think we are in the same position depth wise. Tippet was a ready to go replacement. He has played on Pavlich before and done well. Spud also could play tall and also helped out in the air coming off his man. Added to that the decline of Thompson and his ongoing injury, it seems to me that Neilson and durdin are going to get games this year, which might be detrimental to the team in the short term.

But I'm all for it, and would rather they play in front of Hansen.
 
No Wright, Thompson & Firrito means the ball is never going to leave our back 50 so may as well blood Neilson and Durdin and give them some time under some real heat. People are deluded if they think we are top 10 with our backline. Teams will just isolate away from Taz and destroy us. So play the kids in KPD spots and use a floating spare tall to help them.
 
True North said:
No Wright, Thompson & Firrito means the ball is never going to leave our back 50 so may as well blood Neilson and Durdin and give them some time under some real heat. People are deluded if they think we are top 10 with our backline. Teams will just isolate away from Taz and destroy us. So play the kids in KPD spots and use a floating spare tall to help them.
Click to expand...
We have Petrie when in a pinch.

Oh. Dang.
 
Gasometer said:
The day we have two backman that can handle full forward Gorillas will make me happy for the first time in a decade.
Click to expand...

Which is why we are into Rory Thompson who I believe is the perfect option for us.

In order it goes:

Tarrant
Thompson
--------
Hansen if one gets injured
Waite if both are injured
Durdin for Tarrant
Nielson for Thompson
Hibberd
Vickers-Willis

I think it will be imperative that Goldstein drops back in the hole a lot more, kinda like his role in the last quarter of the 2014 Semi which will sure us up some and let Maj do the ruck work forward of centre.

Waite will play the Petrie role I assume, where he will roll back on occasion when we are in trouble.
 
the big lebowski said:
When assessing our 2017 chances, one of the most obvious weaknesses could be our tall defenders.

Tarrant is a gun. Yes put a fork in it stern look

Thompson. Seems to be declining and looks like he will miss a large part of preseason.

That's about it. Imagine Thompson and Tarrant were injured.

We don't have tippet. And we will already be missing spuds experience. I guess two of Hansen, Neilson, or Durdin would have to play KPD.

We might be able to cover other areas where we have lost players. But down back will have a big say in bottom 6 or not next year.
Click to expand...
Holey s**t - i didnt realise how ****ed we are for KPD.

Im counting on thompson playing 12-14 games at the absolute max.

We are going to be on struggle street
 
I was under the impression that when Durdin actually did play defence in the VFL he was named in the bests a few times. The problem was that he just kept being played up forward.

I hope he has a whole pre-season as part of the defensive group, and plays the early VFl games there and puts his hand up for the seniors. This is the year he should be doing it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Flawed Genius
MVP Votes vs Gold Coast - Round 23, 2022 plus the final tally for season 2022.
2
Replies
43
Views
2K
Val Keating
Val Keating

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top