Taylor up forward... Why?

[Ricketz]

Taylor is done as a defender. May be done as a footballer. But let's give him a shot in the forward line first before we retire him.

 

[Partridge]

Ben Graham ... just how good was he in the forwardline?

Reasonable. Wasn't a star, but wasn't crap either.

 

[Bobby_]

Graham shit the bed when the club needed him most as a forward.

Shows you just how truly exceptional the likes of Ablett, Carey, Dunstall, Lockett and Franklin really are, to still be able to consistently kick the goals in September, immortals.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Very different discussion to what we're having, but I thought Henderson was our best defender last season.

Tall defender definitely. Overall imo that was Enright

 

[Ricketz]

Reasonable. Wasn't a star, but wasn't crap either.

For perspective, he was not as good as Cant Kicksley - he kicked half as many goals despite playing twice as many games. When you factor in Kingsley's points, he probably only kicked a third as many...

Kingsley was a FF, whereas Graham played CHF predominantly - so Mooney is probably a better comparison - and Mooney kicked twice as many goals on average as well. Stanley has a better record too, given he spends a lot more time in the ruck than Graham ever did.

I liked Ben Graham, but Josh Walker, Shane Kersten and even Mitch Brown had better goal averages per game.

 

[Partridge]

For perspective, he was not as good as Cant Kicksley - he kicked half as many goals despite playing twice as many games. When you factor in Kingsley's points, he probably only kicked a third as many...

Kingsley was a FF, whereas Graham played CHF predominantly - so Mooney is probably a better comparison - and Mooney kicked twice as many goals on average as well. Stanley has a better record too, given he spends a lot more time in the ruck than Graham ever did.

I liked Ben Graham, but Josh Walker, Shane Kersten and even Mitch Brown had better goal averages per game.

Graham played the majority of his career in defence.

 

[Hamingja]

Graham predominately played as a key back and moved forward late in his career due to lack of options like Taylor is doing. Goals per game mean absolutely nothing in his case.

 

[BORIS332]

Mods merge this if it's already being discussed somewhere else...

Am I the only one who thinks this is a stupid idea? In 2016 he was the number 1 defender in the AFL for average goals kicked on him...

We don't need two talls up there... Play small, kick it to Hawkins who will have more space and he can crum to Motlop/Menzel/McCarthy and resting mids...

Besides, if Scott is going to persist with playing Smith and Stanley in the same team (also a questionable decision) then one can rest up forward as the 2nd tall.

Yet another silly move by Chris Scott...

Pavlich was AA CHB and CHF - so the switch is not unprecedented.

We don't currently have a viable second tall forward option.

HT has shown he can kick goals.

Tomahawk is under an injury cloud and missed a lot of preseason.

We have plenty of KPDs to cover for HT.

Rhetoric from the club seems to indicate it will be trialled in the pre-season to reduce risk.

Need any more reasons?

 

[Vdubs]

Vdubs have you studied Black? I wonder what we can expect from him? Talking to North supporters he was a gun a few years back but got injured and appeared to overtaken by others

I have had the opportunity to work with him in the past.
I know from some encounters previously when NM beat us, Black has looked really promising.
He is very mobile, a good mark, a good kick for goal, but like many of his ilk, very dependent on confidence and injuries certainly did not help.
Hansen, Daw, Brown, Petrie all got in his way to cement a spot, but as you said, injury was the main factor

 

[Seeds]

No need to advocate it as we have one in Black. He was recruited for a reason, and not as VFL player.
I think we have a large choice of forwards this year, ie, players capable of kicking goals on a regular and reliable basis
Hawkins
Taylor
Hendo
Black
Stanley
Menzel
McCarthy
Motlop
Lang
Cockatoo
How we line up on any given week is clearly not yet set in concrete, nor should it be

I think black only plays if Menzel is injured and Taylor up forward experiment fails.

 

[Turbocat]

Reasonable. Wasn't a star, but wasn't crap either.

Pretty much as I remember him. He was probably a highly paid player proportionate to his position in the comp , mainly due to our ordinary list. Having said that Id have loved to have had him at his best in a KPP in that 89 thru 95 era.

 

[Vdubs]

Graham predominately played as a key back and moved forward late in his career due to lack of options like Taylor is doing. Goals per game mean absolutely nothing in his case.

The move forward was due to his amazing ability to kick long distance goals, his better than average marking, and the fact that although he was a gun KB, we were well served there with Scarlett and Harley and Egan.
I know for a while, he was easily our MVP. Some thought he was not a great KF, but he served us very well, and was one of those players that you would love to have at both ends.

 

[Turbocat]

The move forward was due to his amazing ability to kick long distance goals, his better than average marking, and the fact that although he was a gun KB, we were well served there with Scarlett and Harley and Egan.
I know for a while, he was easily our MVP. Some thought he was not a great KF, but he served us very well, and was one of those players that you would love to have at both ends.

Just wonder how many years you think he had left when he went to the usa. To go after the 04 PF , we then had two lesser years. Could he have been in our 07 GF?

 

[Vdubs]

Ben Graham ... just how good was he in the forwardline?

If you went to games at KP, you might recall some absolute pearlers- like the day we finally beat Brisbane. He was hugely effective in some matches. Others, not so.
Has been a leading goalkicker (only 33, but still!), and the only person in history to captain both an AFL and an NFL team.
He kicked about 145 goals in his Geelong career.

 

[Seeds]

The move forward was due to his amazing ability to kick long distance goals, his better than average marking, and the fact that although he was a gun KB, we were well served there with Scarlett and Harley and Egan.
I know for a while, he was easily our MVP. Some thought he was not a great KF, but he served us very well, and was one of those players that you would love to have at both ends.

Kicked 39 goals in his last season playing as a centre half forward. That's not too shabby. Pity he left when he did. Probably would of went further in 2005.

 

[Vdubs]

Just wonder how many years you think he had left when he went to the usa. To go after the 04 PF , we then had two lesser years. Could he have been in our 07 GF?

I felt he deserved to be there after serving us so well, particularly the offers he had, and with Colbert leaving, but maybe his desire was eroded by the USA offers and his age. Could have been a handy defender with Egan going down, and was he better than a Nathan Ablett?

 

[Bobby_]

and was he better than a Nathan Ablett?

Nathan kicked 34.18 and just notched up career game number 32.
He also took 21 contested marks and had a direct hand in 15 other goals.

Would Nathan have kicked 40+ the following season had he remained in the game?

 

[Cursed Cat]

Nathan kicked 34.18 and just notched up career game number 32.
He also took 21 contested marks and had a direct hand in 15 other goals.

Would Nathan have kicked 40+ the following season had he remained in the game?

with the midfield group we had at the time feeding him (including the best player in the game, his brother), I have little doubt he could've cracked 40 goals pretty comfortably ..

 

[catempire]

Graham was an average key forward. If the Taylor move is to be a success he must be better than that.

 

[Larry Donohue]

I am seriously getting excited about our attacking defence. It is seriously fast and has quality use. And they are big agile flankers too who will hammer some small forwards. I can seriously see Bews, Tuohy, Stewart and Thurlow hunting and hurting (in fair play) smaller forwards like Betts and Rioli. The bigger guys like Kolo, Lonergan and Hendo spoiling, the smaller guys swooping on the balls and rebounding it out at pace. )))

And if they link right with Danger, Guthrie, Lang, Cockatoo, Mots and Duncan, that forward line is going to be fed quality balls repeatedly to one on one or two on two contests. Now, think Hawk or Taylor lingering at half forward and delivering sharp passes to the other leading back at them from the goal square. Or Danger, Cocky, Guthrie and Mots taking shots from 50, or Duncan, Lang, Mots and Selwood spotting up Taylor or Hawkins, or Menzel or Hawk one out in the goal square, McCarthy, Lang, Mots or Cockatoo roving off the feet of the big forward (obviously we don't have multiple Langs, Motlop's, Cockatoo's and Duncan's in the team, but I'm painting a picture of the scenarios).

I think Parfitt and Menegola will be added to that list by years end. Agree with your optimism though. Fast movement should certainly give us even more inside fifties with better efficiency. Happy with the shifts.

 

[Willo_]

I don't really like this idea, not to say it won't work and blow me away... but we have long almost ridiculed Taylor going forward as Plan B... now some are accepting that is a good move?

Balance wise I do worry we are too tall in the backline, and this helps there... I'm happy with Doms/Hendo/Kola as the 3 taller players with any of Mackie/Bews/Ruggles/Thurlow/Stewart filling the remaining holes..

But I feel Harry is better value back than forward, I'd prefer Doms/JK to duke it out for that last position and we don't take another player away from his strongest postition to try make him something else.

 

[dazbroncos]

And didn't play on the main goal kicking forward once in the whole season. Rance didn't make it in the top 20 in that list.[/QUOTE
So that makes HT cooked and retireable?

Interesting metrics

Go Catters

 

[dazbroncos]

Very different discussion to what we're having, but I thought Henderson was our best defender last season.

I'd agree with that.. just don't think HT's season would draw retirement calls..

Go Catters

 

[Vdubs]

with the midfield group we had at the time feeding him (including the best player in the game, his brother), I have little doubt he could've cracked 40 goals pretty comfortably ..

So would have Graham.

 

[Vdubs]

Nathan kicked 34.18 and just notched up career game number 32.
He also took 21 contested marks and had a direct hand in 15 other goals.

Would Nathan have kicked 40+ the following season had he remained in the game?

As have said before, the greatest waste of talent to be seen our way, but he had his reasons.
I can not answer my question as to whether Graham would have kept NAB out of the team in 05-07.