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- #1
is a good defence, and I think we have the best going around.
I'm not talking soley about our backline here either. Sure, our backs are great, but what really matters is the defensive pressure up forward put on by players like Ablett, Chapman, Kingsley, S Johnson etc. When the ball goes inside 50 and it's loose, these are the guys that lock it in there. I remember last year Gaz and Chappy were top two in the AFL for tackles inside attacking 50. That is impressive. So many of our goals or goal opportunities are created by our ability to keep the ball in the danger, or pressure zone, forcing our opponents to make the mistake. Then our able small forwards do their job.
Now our backline, they are special. Scarlett is the best full back in the business, no bias, just fact. He is. Harley would be top 5 CHB in the league when fit, (well, there isn't really any good CHB's anyway). Egan has some huge scalps and is improving faster than anyone could have predicted. Mooney and Milburn are both capable of playing back, forward, or in the guts. The key element that allows these two to be so damaging all over the ground is their defensive pressure, and attack on the ball. Both are essentially defenders, and their natural defensive instict sets them up perfectly to play up the ground. Our small backs eg Enright, DJ, Hunt, Rooke are full of running, and while they aren't lightning, they able to lay a tackle, and often run in groups, providing support.
Our mids, again not lightning, but tough as nails, and nearly all have a defensive side. Ling and Bartel are both very capable of bobbing up for a contested mark in the teeth of opposition goal, and neither lack any courage. Rooke, who has impressed us all I'm sure, has done so because he is so tough and plays an uncompromising, defensive game, that allows others like Corey, Tenace, Kelly to play the outside game that is needed these days.
So, in summary, whoever is the defensive coach down at Skilled, and I'm sure there is much of Bombers influence, they are doing a fine job, and defence, not necessarily backmen, will be the key to our Premiership tilt this year.
If you could be arsed to read this, I'm sure you will agree. Damn, that took ages.
I'm not talking soley about our backline here either. Sure, our backs are great, but what really matters is the defensive pressure up forward put on by players like Ablett, Chapman, Kingsley, S Johnson etc. When the ball goes inside 50 and it's loose, these are the guys that lock it in there. I remember last year Gaz and Chappy were top two in the AFL for tackles inside attacking 50. That is impressive. So many of our goals or goal opportunities are created by our ability to keep the ball in the danger, or pressure zone, forcing our opponents to make the mistake. Then our able small forwards do their job.
Now our backline, they are special. Scarlett is the best full back in the business, no bias, just fact. He is. Harley would be top 5 CHB in the league when fit, (well, there isn't really any good CHB's anyway). Egan has some huge scalps and is improving faster than anyone could have predicted. Mooney and Milburn are both capable of playing back, forward, or in the guts. The key element that allows these two to be so damaging all over the ground is their defensive pressure, and attack on the ball. Both are essentially defenders, and their natural defensive instict sets them up perfectly to play up the ground. Our small backs eg Enright, DJ, Hunt, Rooke are full of running, and while they aren't lightning, they able to lay a tackle, and often run in groups, providing support.
Our mids, again not lightning, but tough as nails, and nearly all have a defensive side. Ling and Bartel are both very capable of bobbing up for a contested mark in the teeth of opposition goal, and neither lack any courage. Rooke, who has impressed us all I'm sure, has done so because he is so tough and plays an uncompromising, defensive game, that allows others like Corey, Tenace, Kelly to play the outside game that is needed these days.
So, in summary, whoever is the defensive coach down at Skilled, and I'm sure there is much of Bombers influence, they are doing a fine job, and defence, not necessarily backmen, will be the key to our Premiership tilt this year.
If you could be arsed to read this, I'm sure you will agree. Damn, that took ages.
cheers
