Discussion The problematic CHB position

[CursingFijian]

How bout Marshall at FB and Paddy at CHB. Third tall I’m thinking…..Tom Campbell

29

Tom Campbell

Age

34

Ht

201cm

Wt

108kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.1

2star

K

4.2

2star

HB

4.8

3star

CL

1.6

4star

HO

17.0

5star

D

5.0

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.0

1star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.0

5star

D

7.2

2star

K

4.2

2star

HB

3.0

3star

CL

1.2

4star

HO

13.2

5star

.

If Campbell got third tall before Sharman I will unleash the hounds and hunt down the selection committee one by one.

 

[puppy_dog7]

The CHB position isn’t an issue in itself.
Structures and the way the opposition teams lineup is what ultimately does.

I genuinely feel that a Backline with Howard, Wilkie, Highmore and Coffield/Webster is really all we need.

Now I know most will say “Well who’s gonna play on the the oppositions 2nd tall”
It will come down to matchups and who out of Wilkie and Highmore/Battle can matchup on them.

Highmore is a very good intercepting Defender that just needs a bit more time in the system, and Wilkie can be a good lockdown defender who can play above his weight, or should I say height division. Battle, is yet to prove his lockdown capabilities and intercepting capabilities but he has the attributes to be able to be a good defender .

Teams that win and are hard to score against play team defence. So it’s not heavily reliant on 1 on 1 defensive situations.

Richmond had - Rance/Balta 194cm, Grimes 193cm, Broad 192cm and Vlastuin 187cm

Melbourne had - Petty 197cm, Lever 194, May 191cm and Rivers 188cm

You don’t need multiple 195cm plus KPD’s to be a good defensive unit.
A good defender is the sum of all parts, and I genuinely believe that our backline will be the least of our worries (injury permitting)
It will be on our mids to win the footy, but more importantly defend and provide pressure high up the ground to prevent easy delivery for oppo forwards.

We have Highmore, Coff and even Wilkie who are very good interceptors. If we are able to get one of those free to cover entries and give teammates a chop out then I think we’ll be fine.

If need be Joyce has shown he is serviceable as a lockdown defender and someone like Battle/Allison could surprise us.

 

[Remboy]

When we start winning every centre clearance the ball will never go down there. Problem solved.

 

[TobleroneJim]

Webster - Howard - highmore
Sinclair - Wilkie - coffield.

I actually don’t expect this to change much throughout the year barring injury. Only concern is against teams with genuinely big 2nd forwards - Joyce to come in on occasion. reckon the constant ins and outs will happen further up the field, expecting battle and Paton to fight for roles elsewhere (or only rotate through as half back flankers off the bench)
On the wing we’ve got dmac, billings, hill and hanners vying for spots there, I think Paton will get a run there when back and potentially battle too

 

[AirWinmar]

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

I don't mind this and with Howard's speed is well suited to play chb. On the heart in mouth rating, I don't feel that nervous with Joyce as full back

 

[Mowman]

Paddy could play another two years as permanent CHB.

No he couldn't

 

[PlayerNumber9]

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.

I suspect that skunk is just a very good reader of the play and so often doesn't see any of the forwards in space - he then props and waits for someone to move. It's why he doesn't waste it, although he does slow thing up, which is frustrating to watch. What we spectators rarely get to see is what the field looks like in front of him (i.e. from his point of view).

I do think that he is an exceptional forward, with outstanding forward craft. The idea of throwing that away just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Minga]

It would be great to have a sturdy mongrel of a stopper. I highly highly highly rate Highmore. He’s going to be a jet intercept marker on his current trajectory, and gives me Tom Stewart vibes. Coffield is the other one who could take off. We are spoiled for choice.

However, for that mongrel of a stopper I think from what we have it’s either Battle or Joyce. Both are tough bastards, IMO, whoever trains better plays.

Howard becomes our spoiler.
Highmore/Coffield as our interceptors.
Wilkie an all rounder.

Wilkie / Howard / Webster
Coffield / Battle / Sinclair

Other choices:

Paton for Webster (Webster’s to lose)
Hill for Sinclair (Both gotta be in the 22)
Highmore for Coffield (who trains better?)
Joyce for Battle (who trains better)
Marshall full back? (JK JK)

At the end of the day, the best players should get in. And im sure there will be some shifting depending on the forward line of the team we are versing. Not all oppo teams will require us to defend with Battle, Howard and Wilkie. Maybe we’ll want the combo of Coffield and Highmore for that double punch rebound alongside Hill and Sinclair?

Just my two cents. Dreaming that either Battle or Joyce become that Carlisle type player we need.

 

[PlayerNumber9]

I don't know that anyone looks at it this way anymore (within coaching ranks that is). The question I think would be discussed is who are our back seven. To my mind the back seven is something like:

1. Key Tall - Howard
2. Second Tall - Wilkie
3. Third Tall - Highmore / Coffield / Battle
4. Small - Webster / Paton
5. HBF Rebounder - Sinclair
6. HBF Rebounder - Hill
7. Defensive mid - Clark / Hannebery / Ross

If you go back and watch the Round 21 game against Sydney, Wilkie played on Franklin (in Howard's absence) and that's because he is the strongest one-on-one defender amongst the talls. However, he was almost never forced to compete one-on-one, with others coming into the contest to assist.

Modern defensive tactics are all about the back six working together and supporting each other. The classic examples of this are Richmond and Geelong - remember that Richmond's vaunted defence (either with Rance, or post his injury) never had a player the size of Howard, and individually you'd not look twice at guys like Vlaustain of Astbury, but their defensive system was terribly effective.

So to re-phrase the opening question, which one of Highmore, Coffield and Battle takes the position of third tall?

 

[The Jack]

Unfortunately for Josh he’s as slow as treacle and has the turning circle of the QE2. Not sure he has much of a leap either. Hope he can find a position where this won’t hinder him. I’m not sure he will. Will be happy to be proven wrong because I love his aggression.

 

[Joffaboy]

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

Let's get him first, worry about that once he is with the club

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

How bout Marshall at FB and Paddy at CHB. Third tall I’m thinking…..Tom Campbell.

Dougal Howard to CHF?

 

[Jesuswasacarpenter]

If Campbell got third tall before Sharman I will unleash the hounds and hunt down the selection committee one by one.

Tomato Soup can be our starting Ruck

 

[Cold Sober]

No he couldn't

You're right; he could hold down CHF for the next two then have a two year farewell tour at CHB.

 

[ShaneGrambeau]

Seeming no one likes my choice of CHB for Marshall, I am reluctantly forced to nominate a second choice (such is my responsibility, and burden) So I nominate..wait ...1...2...3, Mr. Jarragh Joyce! Congrats JJ.

 

[hayes]

I don’t get the negativity towards Battle when we have actual evidence of him playing well as a CHB in 2019. Unfortunately Carlisle returned in 2020 and took his spot but all this undersized and no leap talk doesn’t really count for much when we’ve seen him play the position at an extremely high level before.

 

[gringo2011]

I don't know that anyone looks at it this way anymore (within coaching ranks that is). The question I think would be discussed is who are our back seven. To my mind the back seven is something like:

1. Key Tall - Howard
2. Second Tall - Wilkie
3. Third Tall - Highmore / Coffield / Battle
4. Small - Webster / Paton
5. HBF Rebounder - Sinclair
6. HBF Rebounder - Hill
7. Defensive mid - Clark / Hannebery / Ross

If you go back and watch the Round 21 game against Sydney, Wilkie played on Franklin (in Howard's absence) and that's because he is the strongest one-on-one defender amongst the talls. However, he was almost never forced to compete one-on-one, with others coming into the contest to assist.

Modern defensive tactics are all about the back six working together and supporting each other. The classic examples of this are Richmond and Geelong - remember that Richmond's vaunted defence (either with Rance, or post his injury) never had a player the size of Howard, and individually you'd not look twice at guys like Vlaustain of Astbury, but their defensive system was terribly effective.

So to re-phrase the opening question, which one of Highmore, Coffield and Battle takes the position of third tall?

Melbourne and Richmond have their wingmen play back as extra defenders to block up space so you really have 6 full time backs and a few more that drop in to block it up. Flankers play more like wingmen as well.

 

[ScrappyDo]

I don’t get the negativity towards Battle when we have actual evidence of him playing well as a CHB in 2019. Unfortunately Carlisle returned in 2020 and took his spot but all this undersized and no leap talk doesn’t really count for much when we’ve seen him play the position at an extremely high level before.

People have short memories and are mostly stupid to begin with. Humanity.

 

[pebblesofsand]

I don’t get the negativity towards Battle when we have actual evidence of him playing well as a CHB in 2019. Unfortunately Carlisle returned in 2020 and took his spot but all this undersized and no leap talk doesn’t really count for much when we’ve seen him play the position at an extremely high level before.

People have short memories and are mostly stupid to begin with. Humanity.

Thought I'd check whether I'd been harsh on Battle when he was playing in the backline in 2019 so I've gone back and watched the Round 10 Saints v Blues game from 2019 when Battle was playing alongside Nathan Brown and Cal Wilkie in defence.

The thing I really noticed the most was

















how I'd completely forgotten how good Gresh was when he playing in the midfield. 29 possessions 6 clearances and 3 Brownlow votes!!!!

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

What ?

well I think Dougal Howard could be the next Max Gawn

 

[plugger66]

Obviously we can’t have the two traditional tall backs so team defence will be huge. Wilkie battle or highmore will have to play the second tall. It will be tough and that is the exact reason we need the midfield to improve into a top 5 midfield. Gresh and Clark are the keys to that. Need them to become very good mids.

 

[PoppedCorn]

Isnt this just a stop gap till Allisons ready??

Isnt that the plan?

 

[hayes]

Isnt this just a stop gap till Allisons ready??

Isnt that the plan?

He needs to prove he’s at least VFL quality before we start making plans for him in the AFL.

 

[gringo2011]

He needs to prove he’s at least VFL quality before we start making plans for him in the AFL.

I'm still waiting for Tom Lee and Paddy McCartin to take over from Riewoldt.

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

Sinclair made that his position last year and I don't think anyone will be taking it away from him.

second in the BNF to steele and on track for all australian. Outside of Wilkie and Howard I don't think anyone else has their spots more locked in.