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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Battle gets first crack for mine - Love the endeavour - Max was only 191cm

Big fan of Paton too - straight back in for mine

Paton~Howard~Wilkie
Coffield~Battle~Highmore
Sincs is a lock for one HBF
 
Marshall should be the sole ruck this year. His work around the ground is great...and we need that big roaming body and target around the arcs. As much as I've loved having Paddy Ryder the last couple of years (been one of my favourite players truth be told) he should be playing on a "needs be" basis.
Time for Marshall to take the reigns. He can provide the big target at kick in's and then do what he does best around the ground, leaving our intercept contingent of backs to do what they do whilst the ball is in play.
 

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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?
Exactly - Marshall is going to have his hands full in the ruck , hopefully Paddy can play more than half a season.
Also by the looks of Battle he looks to of put the work in and knowing the new backline coach in Enright will have him primed to cement his position at CHB.
We are currently in a great position because if we have injuries we have cover - Howard , Wilkie , Highmore , Battle , Joyce , Coffield , Sinclair , Webster , Paton.

All I know is to get a start in the 22 is going to be tough - just picking a starting line up is going to be a massive headache.
Webster - Howard - Wilkie
Sinclair - Battle - Highmore
Hill - Crouch - Billings
Higgins - Membery - Butler
Gresham - King - Sharman

Marshall / Steele / Jones

Coffield - Clark - Paton - Ryder - Ross - Byrne - Bytel - Connolly - Hannerbery
 
Exactly - Marshall is going to have his hands full in the ruck , hopefully Paddy can play more than half a season.
Also by the looks of Battle he looks to of put the work in and knowing the new backline coach in Enright will have him primed to cement his position at CHB.
We are currently in a great position because if we have injuries we have cover - Howard , Wilkie , Highmore , Battle , Joyce , Coffield , Sinclair , Webster , Paton.

All I know is to get a start in the 22 is going to be tough - just picking a starting line up is going to be a massive headache.
Webster - Howard - Wilkie
Sinclair - Battle - Highmore
Hill - Crouch - Billings
Higgins - Membery - Butler
Gresham - King - Sharman

Marshall / Steele / Jones

Coffield - Clark - Paton - Ryder - Ross - Byrne - Bytel - Connolly - Hannerbery
No love for the toot toot, not even on the extended platform bench 😞
 
We don't have chb nailed and have too many good 3rd talls. Personally I'd trade 1 out that has value.

This year I hope and think we will try Battle 1st.
If not working Wilkie, then Joyce

On potential even though he has shown nothing, Allison seems to have the highest potential because of his height and speed. Been looking good at training so who knows, may come on quicker than expected.

Don't think it's a crazy idea with Marshall trialled at chb as realistically he would likely be a gun chb, but prefer him to hone his ruck craft this year.
 
Geez, poor Darragh very stiff with no votes


I'm his biggest fan but I don't think the club see him as anything but a back up. I would have given him a decent run of games last year, when he came in he seemed to have some really nice traits. He's surprisingly quick and skillful and a nice size. I get the feeling that we are very stats influenced in decision making with O'Shaunnessey and Rath in charge. Guys who don't read as well on paper don't show up so get pushed aside.

That said I thought Battle looked on his way to being a gun back before we crashed his value by playing him in a variety of roles that didn't suit him. I remember watching the intraclub at Moorabin probably around 2018, Marshall played and from out of nowhere all of a sudden looked like the best big man on the ground but second was Battle who was playing against our better forwards and over and over ran out to meet the ball and chop it off. He looked like a Wakelin and I thought he'd be a lock in defence after that.

When he did make the best 22 and played defence he looked the goods and I guess Wilkie being a surprise gun has messed with his development as a defender. We are in a tricky spot where half the list could play as defenders and really only needing a back 6 to 8. It's probably the other reason that you'd not send Mashall back as well.
 
I actually reckon Members would make a great backman in the mould of Liam Jones or Jeremy Howe.

Good tank, great acceleration, excellent hands and a great vertical leap.

I like sending him back to sure up defence at the end of quarters where we seemed to always give up easy goals but you would need to trial him as a full time back. The spare is a very unaccountable role where you can just run around chasing marks. He would probably be most like Sam Fisher as a sort of smaller KP back that plays more as an unaccountable intercept marking option.

The experiment with him being more of a link man last year made him look like a GOP but when he gets back to a forward role he looks like the gun that he has been for years. He looks a bit slow to distribute the ball when he plays in the field. He's not a fast thinker. I'd have him as a forward unless we just have to move him to fit Sharman or another KPF.
 

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I like sending him back to sure up defence at the end of quarters where we seemed to always give up easy goals but you would need to trial him as a full time back. The spare is a very unaccountable role where you can just run around chasing marks. He would probably be most like Sam Fisher as a sort of smaller KP back that plays more as an unaccountable intercept marking option.

The experiment with him being more of a link man last year made him look like a GOP but when he gets back to a forward role he looks like the gun that he has been for years. He looks a bit slow to distribute the ball when he plays in the field. He's not a fast thinker. I'd have him as a forward unless we just have to move him to fit Sharman or another KPF.
I can't say I have ever seen him make a rushed decision when playing up the field.
 
We already have a great CHB in Howard. This is, far and away, his most natural role.
TBH he's not proven himself to be more than a handy one on one stopper.

Much better when he gets to play that 1-2 steps off his man and intercept the ball coming in.

I think the best set up with what we have is Joyce playing FB.

He's got the size and speed. Just needs the experience.

Wilkie - Joyce - Paton/Webster
Sinclair - Howard - Highmore/Coffield
 
How bout Marshall at FB and Paddy at CHB. Third tall I’m thinking…..Tom Campbell.
 
OK Speaking straight out of my arse - forgive me....
Why are we arguing about fringe players and flankers in this key role? Battle is borderline starting 22, let alone key position defender. He has no leap. He has been tried in various positions as a utility. Everyone loves his spirit and wants him to succeed but we are talking about cut throat AFL.. There is no time to experiment and hope and feel-good selections by putting these marginal players in KP posts.

Highmore has improved so much, you think he might possibly make the next level, but he'll be 25..Maybe...I realise Paddy needs to play and probably won't for very much or for very much longer. Of course Marshall is a great follower, but Paddy be the better tap-ruck and Marshall isn't a super forward. He is an clever opportunist, but not one to build a forward line around. One of his 13 goals last year, just snatched from a ball up as a ruckman. Brilliant.

I dunno..
Maybe Marshall could turn into the leading forward, charging out as a foil for Kingy?
Some people say there is no need the CHB of the past. I think we are undermanned down there. I always shudder when I see a kick out from an opposition behind. I see someone like Membrey running all the way down there to help, but I know that half of our offensive power goes with him. See what I am pointing at? No more wishful thinking. Time for brutal adaptations.
 
Joyce has improved every year and played some good games toward the end of 2021 until concussed by Hawkins. He is tall and quick and just has to compete in the air and halve contests just like Zac Dawson did in our last premiership window. Joyce at full back with Howard at CHB works for me. I would have both Wilkie and Highmore as well with Sinclair, Webster and Hill rotating through. Paton when fully fit has to come in too. Coffield and Battle next in line. If Joyce can lock down a key tall forward each week we are a long way toward winning most games.
 
I can't say I have ever seen him make a rushed decision when playing up the field.


He's never a rusher, he tends to stop and prop which halts the momentum. He never really makes mistakes but he will hold up a passage of play for a few seconds which can be the difference between a forward getting free on a lead and giving defenders a chance to chop it off.
 
OK Speaking straight out of my arse - forgive me....
Why are we arguing about fringe players and flankers in this key role? Battle is borderline starting 22, let alone key position defender. He has no leap. He has been tried in various positions as a utility. Everyone loves his spirit and wants him to succeed but we are talking about cut throat AFL.. There is no time to experiment and hope and feel-good selections by putting these marginal players in KP posts.

Highmore has improved so much, you think he might possibly make the next level, but he'll be 25..Maybe...I realise Paddy needs to play and probably won't for very much or for very much longer. Of course Marshall is a great follower, but Paddy be the better tap-ruck and Marshall isn't a super forward. He is an clever opportunist, but not one to build a forward line around. One of his 13 goals last year, just snatched from a ball up as a ruckman. Brilliant.

I dunno..
Maybe Marshall could turn into the leading forward, charging out as a foil for Kingy?
Some people say there is no need the CHB of the past. I think we are undermanned down there. I always shudder when I see a kick out from an opposition behind. I see someone like Membrey running all the way down there to help, but I know that half of our offensive power goes with him. See what I am pointing at? No more wishful thinking. Time for brutal adaptations.


Someone put up Battle and Highmore's stats. Surprisingly Battle lead in everything apart from intercepts which weren't outrageously higher either. I think Highmore came in and was much better than expected so we have a very positive view of him. Battle has had a season where he looked like he didn't understand his role and was in and out after poor performance so we've written him off.
 
Paddy has one year left in him. The spot is for Bing when he comes....sorry if he comes.


That would be a big call to drop a star forward back.
 
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