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
I think we went down this pathway with Brown (who was excellent IMO) & Frawley (who was broken down) and here we are, years later, with nothing to show for it.

We need to identify some young(ish) KPD talent and bring it into the club, and develop it. I’m hoping we’ve already done that with Adams and that Joyce continues his gradual improvement until he becomes worthy of a lockdown role.
And Delaney earlier on.

Brown was pretty damn good really. Frawley was "break glass in emergency" but the glass was already broken.

Someone like Schlong might be handy, and we probably need to draft get another kid, because we don't know what we'll end up with in Adams.

You can't just draft a Goddard or a Clavarino and assume we are set for a key defender.

Pick 35 Oscar Clavarino, 196 cm, 85 kg, 22/05/1999, Dandenong Stingrays

Oscar Clavarino is a key defender who displays outstanding leadership, is a strong intercept mark, has good endurance and whilst he was primarily responsible for nullifying an opposition key forward can also be an attacking influence, setting up play from defense.

Shortly after Clavarino was selected by St Kilda Burke tweeted “Great work Saints. Oscar is an outstanding young man that will be captain of the saints by 2024. No pressure though. Welcome big fella.”
 

botts

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And Delaney earlier on.

Brown was pretty damn good really. Frawley was "break glass in emergency" but the glass was already broken.

Someone like Schlong might be handy, and we probably need to draft get another kid, because we don't know what we'll end up with in Adams.

You can't just draft a Goddard or a Clavarino and assume we are set for a key defender.

Pick 35 Oscar Clavarino, 196 cm, 85 kg, 22/05/1999, Dandenong Stingrays

Oscar Clavarino is a key defender who displays outstanding leadership, is a strong intercept mark, has good endurance and whilst he was primarily responsible for nullifying an opposition key forward can also be an attacking influence, setting up play from defense.

Shortly after Clavarino was selected by St Kilda Burke tweeted “Great work Saints. Oscar is an outstanding young man that will be captain of the saints by 2024. No pressure though. Welcome big fella.”
that didn’t age well
 

ScrappyDo

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I think we went down this pathway with Brown (who was excellent IMO) & Frawley (who was broken down) and here we are, years later, with nothing to show for it.

We need to identify some young(ish) KPD talent and bring it into the club, and develop it. I’m hoping we’ve already done that with Adams and that Joyce continues his gradual improvement until he becomes worthy of a lockdown role.
Oscar Adams looks pretty promising IMHO, and Allison looks better with each new photo. The club has obviously been looking for a proper KPD but without success so far. I think we've got enough to muddle through for a couple more years until we're hopefully contending and can attract a top liner.
I still see plenty of development left in our defensive group, JWeb being the old man now with only 113 games to his name and Doogs the next on 85.
 

Ephemeral Hope

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I think we went down this pathway with Brown (who was excellent IMO) & Frawley (who was broken down) and here we are, years later, with nothing to show for it.

We need to identify some young(ish) KPD talent and bring it into the club, and develop it. I’m hoping we’ve already done that with Adams and that Joyce continues his gradual improvement until he becomes worthy of a lockdown role.
Brown was very underrated for what he provided us. Almost never lost a contest and yes he was slow but I think that was often over stated by fans.
 
Talia was cooked unfortunately.

Schlong is worth a look but obviously isn't rated as highly as I thought he would be. He's the right age and a good size.


If you just want a Harrison Petty type he looks a no brainer as a lump back. I'm not sold on size as a necessity. You need types. Melbourne really only have Petty as a tall back KP back. Lever is an inch shorter than Battle and May is the same height. Highmore is 1 cm shorter than Lever and plays a similar intercepting role. I don't think we need a lump back unless we still want to get Howard off the chain a bit more.
 
Brown was very underrated for what he provided us. Almost never lost a contest and yes he was slow but I think that was often over stated by fans.


He was like something out of another era. A full back man on man stopper.
 
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If you just want a Harrison Petty type he looks a no brainer as a lump back. I'm not sold on size as a necessity. You need types. Melbourne really only have Petty as a tall back KP back. Lever is an inch shorter than Battle and May is the same height. Highmore is 1 cm shorter than Lever and plays a similar intercepting role. I don't think we need a lump back unless we still want to get Howard off the chain a bit more.
Great post, modern football doesnt need your Mick Martyn types much if at all anymore, id take Battle as maybe 2cms shorter than ideal for what he brings in every other department.
 
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If you just want a Harrison Petty type he looks a no brainer as a lump back. I'm not sold on size as a necessity. You need types. Melbourne really only have Petty as a tall back KP back. Lever is an inch shorter than Battle and May is the same height. Highmore is 1 cm shorter than Lever and plays a similar intercepting role. I don't think we need a lump back unless we still want to get Howard off the chain a bit more.
Agree styles come.into it just as much as size.

Pretty sure we've had this discussion numerous times.

May whilst being a similar height to Highmore is much bigger and stronger and plays as a genuine key defender which frees up Lever.

If Battle can turn himself into May then our problems are solved no doubt.

He's not overly tall but he's tall and strong enough if he can do it well.

If he can't then I see us as undersized, due to both height and the style suit Highmore and Wilkie.

At the moment Wilkie is our May. He's close to an inch shorter but also about 12 kg's lighter
 
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Agree styles come.into it just as much as size.

Pretty sure we've had this discussion numerous times.

May whilst being a similar height to Highmore is much bigger and stronger and plays as a genuine key defender which frees up Lever.

If Battle can turn himself into May then our problems are solved no doubt.

He's not overly tall but he's tall and strong enough if he can do it well.

If he can't then I see us as undersized, due to both height and the style suit Highmore and Wilkie.

At the moment Wilkie is our May. He's close to an inch shorter but also about 12 kg's lighter
Which is where Joyce comes back into the equation.

Petty = Joyce
May = Howard
Lever = Highmore
Salem = Sinclair
Hibberd = Wilkie
Rivers/Brayshaw = Clark/Hill

Howard should be the CHF you guys.

What we need is a reliable FB to just shut down the #1 tall forward and let Doogs, Highmore & Wilkie do their thing.
 

Ephemeral Hope

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Which is where Joyce comes back into the equation.

Petty = Joyce
May = Howard
Lever = Highmore
Salem = Sinclair
Hibberd = Wilkie
Rivers/Brayshaw = Clark/Hill

Howard should be the CHF you guys.

What we need is a reliable FB to just shut down the #1 tall forward and let Doogs, Highmore & Wilkie do their thing.
this is where I've landed too. Highmore and Coffield duelling for that intercepting spot depending on form
 
this is where I've landed too. Highmore and Coffield duelling for that intercepting spot depending on form
Won’t be much of a competition this year unfortunately.
 
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Which is where Joyce comes back into the equation.

Petty = Joyce
May = Howard
Lever = Highmore
Salem = Sinclair
Hibberd = Wilkie
Rivers/Brayshaw = Clark/Hill

Howard should be the CHF you guys.

What we need is a reliable FB to just shut down the #1 tall forward and let Doogs, Highmore & Wilkie do their thing.
There's definitely a spot for him if he can prove he's good enough.
 
this is where I've landed too. Highmore and Coffield duelling for that intercepting spot depending on form


Or get Coff to become a more mobile type and chuck him on a wing or something.
 
There's definitely a spot for him if he can prove he's good enough.


He's always been fairly solid IMO, I can only remember one game where he got exposed and I think that was more to do with a breakdown across the midfield.
 
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I'm confused , it seems like half the Saints supporters think Coffield can be a midfielder, while the others think he's a key position back, with not much attack.
I dont think that is the case.

There might be a small minority that think he can be a genuine mid but I doubt too many see that happening.

Haven't seen many suggest he's a key position player either.

Seems perfectly suited to that half back role.
 
I dont think that is the case.

There might be a small minority that think he can be a genuine mid but I doubt too many see that happening.

Haven't seen many suggest he's a key position player either.

Seems perfectly suited to that half back role.
I saw a lot of “it’s unfortunate Coffield did a knee but we’ve got Battle and Highmore now” when he went down like he’s some sort of second/third tall. It’s the way Ratten uses him but that thinking is completely wrong IMO.
 
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I saw a lot of “it’s unfortunate Coffield did a knee but we’ve got Battle and Highmore now” when he went down like he’s some sort of second/third tall. It’s the way Ratten uses him but that thinking is completely wrong IMO.
Well he has played almost the exact same role as what Highmore has in the past so those comments make sense.

Neither have really been used as key defenders, but having him out does make it easier to fit Battle and Highmore in as it means Wilkie can play the role of an intercepting third tall.
 
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