Discussion The problematic CHB position

So the question is - Who will be selected most often as "CHB"?

  • Josh Battle

    Votes: 38 46.3%

  • Tom Highmore

    Votes: 26 31.7%

  • Darragh Joyce

    Votes: 4 4.9%

  • Matthew Allison

    Votes: 4 4.9%

  • Jack Hayes

    Votes: 4 4.9%

  • Oscar Adams

    Votes: 1 1.2%

  • Nick Coffield

    Votes: 2 2.4%

  • Other

    Votes: 3 3.7%
  • Total voters
    82

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pebblesofsand

pebblesofsand

Brownlow Medallist
Veteran 10k Posts
Oct 18, 2011
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So here we are about to start another season and the "Who fills CHB" or more correctly " who is the 3rd tall behind Howard and Wilkie" question is still up in the air.
 
I don't think it matters so much who is named most often.

What matters more, is that the person who is named, looks at the Sandy highlights each week, and sees wolves snapping at their heels, if they have a shocker.

Selection pressure is what will drive so much of our improvement this year, IMHO, if we're relatively healthy.
 

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The problem is we recruited Howard to be the #1 stopper but we’re finding out he’s not great in that role so we need to find another #1 stopper so he can play loose. That makes it awkward though because all our other defenders need to be the second or third tall as well.

My guess is it will be three of Howard, Wilkie, Highmore and Battle. Will probably take them a couple of months to settle on who. Howard-Battle-Wilkie probably makes the most sense but Highmore looks too good not to play.
 
I don’t see Marshall as a stopper either. Oscar Adams probably our best bet at finding someone who can arm wrestle the bigger forwards, but he is a longer term prospect.

I think Battle gets first crack, then Allison, then Hayes.
 
I think Marshall could be Alex Rance
 
BrutThough said:
Why is Marshall being mentioned at all?

Why would you move him out of a position he excels at and that we don't have anyone else to play to experiment with him in defence?
Click to expand...


Even without injury Marshall hasn't met expectation since we got Paddy in. He's a back up ruck/forward. His break out year was playing ruck where he became an extra midfielder with his ability to take the ball out the ruck, he nearly won our B&F. Trying to find him a role where he gets to excel isn't crazy, he's only kicked 6,8,13 and 9 goals. He's a potential superstar of the competition and it looks like we aren't getting maximum value right now. Maybe a set position could be his thing. He's a great distributor and mark.
 
gringo2011 said:
Even without injury Marshall hasn't met expectation since we got Paddy in. He's a back up ruck/forward. His break out year was playing ruck where he became an extra midfielder with his ability to take the ball out the ruck, he nearly won our B&F. Trying to find him a role where he gets to excel isn't crazy, he's only kicked 6,8,13 and 9 goals. He's a potential superstar of the competition and it looks like we aren't getting maximum value right now. Maybe a set position could be his thing. He's a great distributor and mark.
Click to expand...
Marshall is very good in the ruck. Top 5 or 6 in the comp in fact. He is just a different style of ruckman than Ryder. Sure his tap work isnt as good as Ryders, who is one of the best tap ruckman to play. But he is elite at so many other aspects of a ruckmans game.
 
BrutThough said:
Marshall is very good in the ruck. Top 5 or 6 in the comp in fact. He is just a different style of ruckman than Ryder. Sure his tap work isnt as good as Ryders, who is one of the best tap ruckman to play. But he is elite at so many other aspects of a ruckmans game.
Click to expand...


I agree, he was excellent as our solo ruckman. With Paddy playing as the first ruck he gets a bit lost. I think he could get back to being a superstar in a defined role.
 

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hayes said:
The problem is we recruited Howard to be the #1 stopper but we’re finding out he’s not great in that role so we need to find another #1 stopper so he can play loose. That makes it awkward though because all our other defenders need to be the second or third tall as well.

My guess is it will be three of Howard, Wilkie, Highmore and Battle. Will probably take them a couple of months to settle on who. Howard-Battle-Wilkie probably makes the most sense but Highmore looks too good not to play.
Click to expand...
"...but Highmore looks too good not to play."

I think that's going to be the real issue.

People talk about Battle at "CHB" on the basis of his form there in 2019 when he played alongside Brown and Wilkie. But Highmore's performance as the 3rd tall last year were equally impressive and I think he was improving as the year progressed as he became becoming more comfortable at the level. I'd expect him to continue to improve this year will another full pre-season.

Tom Highmore and Josh Battle AFL Stats Comparison

Tom Highmore and Josh Battle AFL Stats Comparison.
www.footywire.com

But just like Battle and Coff, he lacks that little bit of height to be considered a genuine chb and I don't think any of them are really the long term answer.

One thing is for certain though - if someone like Allison (and a lesser extent my boy Oscar) just happened to step up and could be played as an 195+ cm defender, then the likes of Coff, Battle and Highmore will need to be in seriously good form (or find another role) in order to get a game.
 
gringo2011 said:
Even without injury Marshall hasn't met expectation since we got Paddy in. He's a back up ruck/forward. His break out year was playing ruck where he became an extra midfielder with his ability to take the ball out the ruck, he nearly won our B&F. Trying to find him a role where he gets to excel isn't crazy, he's only kicked 6,8,13 and 9 goals. He's a potential superstar of the competition and it looks like we aren't getting maximum value right now. Maybe a set position could be his thing. He's a great distributor and mark.
Click to expand...
Shouldn't that set position be in the ruck then? This will be Paddy's last year and after that Roma need to get back to what he's good at, otherwise what the hell are they all doing there..
 
gringo2011 said:
Even without injury Marshall hasn't met expectation since we got Paddy in. He's a back up ruck/forward. His break out year was playing ruck where he became an extra midfielder with his ability to take the ball out the ruck, he nearly won our B&F. Trying to find him a role where he gets to excel isn't crazy, he's only kicked 6,8,13 and 9 goals. He's a potential superstar of the competition and it looks like we aren't getting maximum value right now. Maybe a set position could be his thing. He's a great distributor and mark.
Click to expand...

I think moving Marshall would just cause him to much confusion. Learning a new role is not an easy task. Especially when it is highly likely that Ryder will be in his last year this year (next year at the max) and Marshall will go back to being the #1 Ruck. Arguably he should use this year as a chance to learn as much from Ryder as possible. That way can have all the tools to be an elite ruckman the year after.
 
ShaneGrambeau said:
I think Marshall could be Alex Rance
Click to expand...

Taking one of the best ruck/forwards in the comp & plonking him at CHB back makes no sense.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
ScrappyDo said:
Shouldn't that set position be in the ruck then? This will be Paddy's last year and after that Roma need to get back to what he's good at, otherwise what the hell are they all doing there..
Click to expand...


It's a tricky one, Marshall was a star in the ruck but our midfield looked a much better set up with Paddy rucking. Marshall wasn't great at tap work but his real elite trait was grabbing the ball himself and playing like an extra mid. If we are using a more tap heavy ruckman we probably have to find another way to get maximum value out of Rowan.

With Paddy in the side he seemed to play as a high HF where he's very good but not dominating. Perhaps his ruck work has developed since and he will learn to get more scoreboard impact and it won't matter. It's not a stupid question though.
 
FootyMaster11 said:
I think moving Marshall would just cause him to much confusion. Learning a new role is not an easy task. Especially when it is highly likely that Ryder will be in his last year this year (next year at the max) and Marshall will go back to being the #1 Ruck. Arguably he should use this year as a chance to learn as much from Ryder as possible. That way can have all the tools to be an elite ruckman the year after.
Click to expand...
He played chb at his vfl club.
 
Battle will have first crack at it. He may not be the standard and traditional size for the role, but he may not have to be. It depends on how the club wants to move the ball. We have enough intercept marking types, and guys to run and carry especially if the coaches persevere with keeping Hill back there.
Maybe they think they can turn Battle into a type of May clone from the Demons. He's roughly the same size, Battle may not be quite as strong, but he wouldn't be far off either. It might let Howard play more loose.
 
gringo2011 said:
Even without injury Marshall hasn't met expectation since we got Paddy in. He's a back up ruck/forward. His break out year was playing ruck where he became an extra midfielder with his ability to take the ball out the ruck, he nearly won our B&F. Trying to find him a role where he gets to excel isn't crazy, he's only kicked 6,8,13 and 9 goals. He's a potential superstar of the competition and it looks like we aren't getting maximum value right now. Maybe a set position could be his thing. He's a great distributor and mark.
Click to expand...
And the team has a position that is open for someone to own, CHB.
It could be Howard's, if we have someone to slot into FB, or Marshall's he has the size is a good contested mark, and as you say a good distributor, field kick.
 
Last edited:
Jesuswasacarpenter said:
And the team has a position that is open for some to own, CHB.
It could be Howard's, if we have someone to slot into FB, or Marshalls, he has the size is a good contested mark, and as you say a good distributor, feild kick.
Click to expand...


I'm not sure what would suit Marshall best but just think that it's not a terrible idea. If it gets the best out of him it's a good move.
 
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