The Defence thread

[Johnny Karate]

Lever, May & Lewis has left us short of options in the backline. This combined with poor team defence and a lack of confidence/form is making us look sub-AFL standard.

Last year, we won two finals without Lever and May. Lewis, was a chief offender of blunders in the prelim which probably meant he was fighting for a spot anyway.

Max Gawn isn’t doing enough, he was important at getting back in the hole and taking intercept marks to cover Oscar and Frost last year. Something is disjointed because he seems to be trying to be a Jeff White/Jim Stynes link in the chain. His go should be tap ruckwork and towering marks at both ends of the ground. In short, get out of the play, Max.

Marty Hore wasn’t given much of a chance (he could well not be up to it and seems undersized) Josh Wagner wasn’t diabolically shit last week but he’s more of a medium defender than key and is pretty limited at intercepting - I don’t get what his role is supposed to be.

The key is to fill that intercept role. This week, I’d have it as Fritsch and Gawn have license to go for marks in the hole. Hibberd is also key, he is a natural rebounding defender, I think he’ll be better if we can get someone else doing the intercept marking so he is not having to babysit Frost and Oscar and can go to work at ground level.

Our mids showing more intensity around the ball and at the man with the ball would help.

 

[Johnny Karate]

**** that is a pretty good indication of the importance of him in the team

It’s also an indictment on the rest of the defence’s leadership that we need a cooked 33 year old to scream at them so they hold their shape.

 

[Daemon]

Lever seems like a natural leader who I thought they had touted, having him back as well might help with that.

 

[demondavey]

1. An unfit May has seriously impacted our defensive structure. I guess he can’t help his injury but it might be related to his poor fitness levels. I mean we gave up a lot to bring him here and to arrive in that condition was disrespectful and unprofessional.
2. Anyone desperate for Lever? His last month of footy was seriously good and I hope we can get him back to those levels.
3. Lewis really does help structure us up, he provides that nous and experience that we need and dare I say, is a bit underrated.
4. It might be the time to now start being more flexible with one on one defending as opposed to automatically employing a zone when it’s bleedingly obvious you need to go with your man. This leads into the next point;
5. Zone pushes up too high. Which means that on the rebound we are caught in no mans land. Gaps all over the backline and easy goals.
6. Zero support from midfield. Not enough offensive running. It doesn’t help when the midfield just slams it forward and it gets rebounded out with ease because our forwards are caught unaware but are applying zero pressure, and opposition midfields just thread it kick by kick into a forward line with unaccountable defenders.
7. Hibberd and Jetta not doing enough. You seriously expect Frost & McDonald to make experienced and smart decisions re backline structure? Both are out of the side with a fit Lever and May. 2019 has proven they are stop gaps.

 

[Topkent]

Update

19 intercept marks for the season, Hore has 4 times as many as Oscar McDonald and he's played 2 games.

Geelong have 37
GWS have 47
WC have 47
Richmond have 41
North have 33
Hawthorn have 41

Hore took 4 intercept marks, we took 8 for the game which was almost as many as we took for the first 3 rounds (11)
No way Hore gets dropped