The Defence

[Passmore]

Reading quite a number of "best 22's" on here, watching training and obviously having my own opinion it would appear that the following players are locks (barring injury or shocking practice match form):

Grima
Thompson
McMahon

I suspect that Firitto will start at half back, given he is the incumbant and, after reading reports and watching myself, that Hansen will be given first opportunity as the other tall defender.

Training would indicate that the options for the last place in the back six will come from Anthony, McMillan, Atley, Mullett or Seirakowski. Strong preaseaon form may bring McKenzie or Mangan in the equation early as well.

I'd also expect Luke Delaney to be in strong contention for a tall defensive position, with the little brother being the understudy. Observation leads me to believe that Tarrant will spend 2012 fighting for a key forward role, with Pedesron having the capability to be switched during games, but not necessarily starting in defence.

I'd like to read some opinions on:

A. How they rate our defensive depth and
B. How they think the defensive 6 will look come finals time.

 

[Mav]

I think 2 of this lot will play: Anthony, McMillan, Atley, or Seirakowski. It wont be a back 6 but a back 7. That is, 6 on the ground and a rotation sitting on the bench.

Mullett wont get a look in until we can upgrade a rookie and then that may well be Gibson that gets the nod.

 

[Event Horizon]

If our first choice tall backs are Grima, Thompson and Hansen, does that mean Delaney will only get a game in case of injuries or shocking form? I wouldn't be so sure. Nab cup will see a lot of rotation, and the nab cup form will help determine who is in better touch come round 1. I hope we simply play players on form, rather than reputation or potential this season.

Agree that Tarrant is going to fight for a forward spot, unless a spate of injuries to backline players hits. If Hansen does play in defence, then Tarrant's chances for a game will improve drastically, as Petrie aside, we don't really have too much competition in that area for him. While Curran takes his time to develop, Tarrant has a chance to nail down a spot. If he can't do it this year, not sure he will have anything to complain about come the end of the season.

As for smaller backs, I am sure we'll see plenty of blokes tried during nab cup, and can't really speculate who is in front at the moment. My gutfeel is Sierakowski will play plenty of games this season.

 

[KillaKanga]

I'd go
Grima, Thompson, McMahon
Macmillan, Hansen, Firrito

Atley, Seirakowski (??? will have to prove how good he is yet) and McKensie all having a run through?

 

[THE MOEMAN]

my back 6 for round 1
FB: McMahon Grima Thompson
HB: Anthony Hansen Firrito

McKenzie starting on the bench.

my back 6 at end of the year
FB:McMahon Grima Thompson
HB:Anthony Hansen McKenzie

Atley on the bench

 

[Long Live the King]

Grima, Delaney, Mcmahon
Thompson, Hansen, Atley


I reckon spud is destined for the bench.

 

[Jay-Z]

Whilst the biggest hole seemed to be who will replace Brady on the HBF, the more I think about it this off-season, the more I am interested in the tall defenders rather than the small ones. Assuming we can take Tarrant out of it (as he will likely be switched forward this year), we've got the following players competing for 3 spots:
Hansen
Grima
Thompson
Delaney
Pedersen

IMO Grima and Thompson are locks which means you've got to choose between Hansen, Pedersen and Delaney. But if Scott wants to have the "swing man" flexibility with Pedo and Hansen, at least one of them has to start in defense. This seems to point to Delaney struggling to get games unless some of the other guys are injured which I would find hard to believe.

I can one of two things happening early on - we go in tall and play Scotty T on a smaller forward which would have us lining up something like this:

Thompson Delaney Grima
Firrito Hansen/Pedo McMahon

On paper this looks very tall (too tall) but depending on who we are playing, I could see us lining up this way (obviously not against a team like Carlton).

Option 2 has Delaney missing out, in which case it is likely to be someone like Atley or JMac off the HBF:
Thompson Grima McMahon
Firrito Hansen/Pedo Atley / JMac

The end of the season back 6 is very difficult to predict but I would hope it looks something like this:
Thompson Grima McMahon
Atley/Jmac Hansen/Pedo Sirra/McKensie

 

[Old Skool]

It's been a decade since we had a solid settled defence and I look forward to the matter finally sorting itself out in 2012.

BFB, could be on the money with Delaney.

He presents as a very good anchor type defender.

The conundrum is that this leaves us with a very big defence if McMahon, Hansen, Thompson, Grima and Firrito are all locks to get games.

 

[Passmore]

I tend to agree with the views on Delaney. I like what I've seen and could easily see him push into the starting FB role by rd 1.

Who makes way? Maybe Hansen with Grima moving out from the last line, or Thompson takes a more attacking HB role, leaving Grima as the third tall/third man up player. Given the balance of the back line this would force Spud out.

You could have something like

McMahon Delaney Grima
Thompson Hansen JMac/Atley etc....

or

McMahon Delaney Thompson
Firitto Grima Jmac/Atley etc....

 

[Kimbo]

Remember Thompson can play on the smaller guys too. Played on Jeffrey Gartlett and did okay from memory.

 

[MaddAdam]

Firrito will be the Pratt of 2012.

 

[Daz]

Remember Thompson can play on the smaller guys too. Played on Jeffrey Gartlett and did okay from memory.

It was actually Betts.

 

[Old Skool]

Thompson, McMahon, Firrito and Grima can all play smaller, but none of them can play on the absolute speedsters.

Grima is a quality 3rd tall defender.

Thompson and McMahon at half back would be a serious win for us on most occasions.

Perhaps Spud will have to make way for an Atley type who could sit on the speedsters?

Atley/Cunnington, Delaney, Grima
Thompson, Hansen, McMahon

Spud would actually make a decent sub option.

 

[True North]

McMahon Grima Firrito/J-Mac/other
Thompson Hansen Greenwood

 

[Mav]

I want someone the provides quality rebound. I want the opposition coaches thinking: How the frick are we going to negate Atleys (or whoever it may be) run. Someone needs to stand up in the preseason and deliver.

 

[Kimbo]

It was actually Betts.

Even smaller!

I must be thinking of one particular passage of play, or got it wrong.

 

[GarnerSmash]

It's nice to have viable options when it comes to matching up with different types of forwards. One thing we do have is flexibility to counter different set-ups, so that could see a number of players getting 'rested' from time to time, or run through differet positions.

The locks though IMO are Narni, Hunter, Hansen and McMahon. Spudley is close to that group but I reckon he can move to a wing if match-ups necessitate. The rest is opponent dependant.

 

[Daz]

If he'd had a proper preseason I would have been on the Richo bandwagon.

 

[Bigeasy]

I think is is clear that Atley will be playing half back this year along with MacMillan. I feel Thompson, Grima and McMahon are locks for now which means one position vacant which will be Hansen I feel.

Firitto and Delaney will be the back ups.


Therefore it will look like this:

Loose Narni Hunter

Atley Lachie J-Mac

We may use Delaney when we play the opposition who have a monster like Brown, Cloke etc.



Just my opinion of course.

 

[Bigeasy]

If he'd had a proper preseason I would have been on the Richo bandwagon.

He was not impressive at all when I saw him train last week. looks slow, skinny and doesn't have a penetrating kick. Maybe he is short of a run but on what I saw, he is going to struggle.

 

[Mr Reliable]

I've been struggling with this issue for a couple of months. I don't think it will be resolved until after the NAB Cup games.

 

[year of the roo]

Yeah Richo looks a mile off to me. Very much in the Norris of 2011 mould. Both great athletes, both have NQR bodies, both lack smarts. 99% of the group have improved, he has stagnated. Looks no better than this time last year.

Players behind Richo in the pecking order? Probably only Max Warren, Tom Curran and Ben McKinley. Possibly Daw.

 

[Old Skool]

I've been struggling with this issue for a couple of months. I don't think it will be resolved until after the NAB Cup games.

I'd just like to see us with a settled defence for a period of time.

We have undergone a decade of Spud and Gibson playing on Gorillas, Jon Hay, Leigh Bown, Grimas injuries and Hansen swinging from one end of the ground to another.

Pick a back six and let them settle and bond in to a unit.

 

[GarnerSmash]

Yeah Richo looks a mile off to me. Very much in the Norris of 2011 mould. Both great athletes, both have NQR bodies, both lack smarts. 99% of the group have improved, he has stagnated. Looks no better than this time last year.

Players behind Richo in the pecking order? Probably only Max Warren, Tom Curran and Ben McKinley. Possibly Daw.

Might have something to do with the post season hip operation which has consequently seen him return to the track only very recently. That said, I'm not convinced he has the physique or the overall ability to make it at the highest level. He is a great VFL player but can he step it up? Not sure he'll get the chance tbh.

 

[Old Skool]

Yeah Richo looks a mile off to me. Very much in the Norris of 2011 mould. Both great athletes, both have NQR bodies, both lack smarts.

A truly puzzling comparison.

One couldn't get a kick in the VFL, the other strung together 40 disposal matches.