Thornton the forward

[The Old Dark Navy's]

T-Bird looked okay up there last week. He is a very good contested mark and has very good recovery skills after a contest.

If not we are only going to put Austin or Setanta up there from time to time. Question is, can we make up for Thornton's sweeping ability? Certainly taking him out of the danger zone where turnovers don't mean as much, we won't have those occasional brain fades.

O'hAilpin Jamison Browne
Scotland Bower Austin
Simpson Hadley Gibbs
Stevens Thornton Yarran
Betts Fevola Fisher
Kreuzer Judd Murphy
Robinson Joseph Grigg Hampson

Emg: Armfield Russell Hartlett

In: O'hAilpin, Fisher, Grigg, Scotland
Out: Armfield, Russell, Waite (inj), Wiggins

Now I am not bashing those that are dropped or being reactive to a loss. Grigg and Scotland are almost automatic ins and I have dropped 3 runners. It takes 2 players to replace Waite in terms of his versatility but realistically we needed that lead up marking forward. I see no harm in trying a different structure and believe Thornton would be worthy given his ability to use the body and take marks (leading mark taker in the AFL at present).

 

[ctacp]

why not play Bannister in thorntons role ? before his injury last year he was probably in the top 5 BOG for us each game, good runner, goes tall or small & has a bit of grunt that we could do with.

Anyone know how he's travelling in the 2's or is he only gonna get a call up to play on cornes ?

ctacp
curlier than a catoggio pube

 

[CrippsonBlue]

why not play Bannister in thorntons role ?

Quoted for no specific purpose...

 

[CrippsonBlue]

why not play Bannister in thorntons role ?

Again just to clarify - I'm quoting it for no specific purpose...

 

[Pamam]

i like it, i thought he did well against the crows in the different role

but dont know if i like it to be continued, considering we have the Lions and Saints in the next 2 rounds after this week i would prefer our current backline to stay as it is and not to mix it up too much!!!

Thornton would probably have to take Brown or Bradshaw

and against the saints....Thornton to take Kosi and Bower to take Reiwoldt

 

[CrippsonBlue]

Just remembered the point I wanted to make

why not play Bannister

 

[pumped]

I wonder if Thornton could play wing. He seems to have good endurnace and can take a grab which is something we seem to lack.

 

[Blue since 72]

This is a tough one. I can certainly see attributes in Thornton that would be worth trying in the forward line but are we then robbing the backline?
I would really like to see the side more settled which is obviously hard with Waite gone, injuries to Grigg, Carrots, Walker and Warnock, Stevens playing across half back and we can't find a CHF although I believe we've got plenty of viable options with all payers available.

I reckon we really need to try and settle our back six, who ever the mc decide that is and it seems to me CHB and one flanker continue to be postions we can't nail down

We also need to settle CHF, so with Waite gone lets pick Thornton, Hartlett, Austin, Edwards, Hampson, Irish, someone (don't believe Cloke is the answer) and leave them there for the rest of the season and get the players used to the same faces in key positions every week (obviously taking into account form and injury although if we commit to a newbie at either CHF or CHB they should be cut some slack re form).

I think most of us would agree this year is still very much a development year so lets develop.

 

[gbatman]

playing him forward is worth trying, pretty good hands, as long as he can kick straight.

 

[BlueGibbs2011]

T-Bird looked okay up there last week. He is a very good contested mark and has very good recovery skills after a contest.

Mentioned this preseason and every poster politely left it alone. I too think Thornton is worth a shot on the half fwd line to see what he provides. Good mark overhead and good at contesting the area.

I wonder if Thornton up fwd was a complete mistake in the structure from hell on Saturday. I mean, at times, it seemed Fev was playing back pocket along side Eddie Betts and Thornton was the fwd target - crazy times .

 

[Mister Carlton]

This is a tough one. I can certainly see attributes in Thornton that would be worth trying in the forward line but are we then robbing the backline?
I would really like to see the side more settled which is obviously hard with Waite gone, injuries to Grigg, Carrots, Walker and Warnock, Stevens playing across half back and we can't find a CHF although I believe we've got plenty of viable options with all payers available.

I reckon we really need to try and settle our back six, who ever the mc decide that is and it seems to me CHB and one flanker continue to be postions we can't nail down

We also need to settle CHF, so with Waite gone lets pick Thornton, Hartlett, Austin, Edwards, Hampson, Irish, someone (don't believe Cloke is the answer) and leave them there for the rest of the season and get the players used to the same faces in key positions every week (obviously taking into account form and injury although if we commit to a newbie at either CHF or CHB they should be cut some slack re form).

I think most of us would agree this year is still very much a development year so lets develop.

Hampson.
He needs to work out how to mark...but he has a beautiful kick.

 

[Chism]

Its worth a try to see if it works. Thornton up forward could become a hard match up for Opposition as he is good Mark and is not slow by any means.

Would definantly be a master stroke if it Payed off!! His kicking may be the only thing that could let him down as most backs get the Yips when shooting for goal!!

 

[Blue since 72]

Hampson.
He needs to work out how to mark...but he has a beautiful kick.

Certainly one of my preferred options (if Warnock makes it on the park should definatley be trialed if the mc haven't already settled on someone). Wouldn't mind seeing austin there either with Hartlett taking CHB.

A lot of talk on the board about Hartlett being delisted etc but lets make that assessment based on a sustained number of games in the one's, not on what he's done to date which in terms of opportunity alone isn't much.

If we make it to eight or above this year we're ahead of last year and really think we need to give our 'developing KPP's' enough ground time to make their case. While Waite going down is tragic opportunity knocks for both the mc and certain players.

 

[jonoman89]

He played well there. But T-Bird is very useful as a 3rd tall in defense - he is leading the AFL for marks at teh moment and does a great job in giving drive from the defensive 50. Also useful in being the 3rd man up in marking contests.

Don't fix what isn't broken.

 

[The Exorcist]

T-Bird looked okay up there last week. He is a very good contested mark and has very good recovery skills after a contest.

If not we are only going to put Austin or Setanta up there from time to time. Question is, can we make up for Thornton's sweeping ability? Certainly taking him out of the danger zone where turnovers don't mean as much, we won't have those occasional brain fades.

O'hAilpin Jamison Browne
Scotland Bower Austin
Simpson Hadley Gibbs
Stevens Thornton Yarran
Betts Fevola Fisher
Kreuzer Judd Murphy
Robinson Joseph Grigg Hampson

Emg: Armfield Russell Hartlett

In: O'hAilpin, Fisher, Grigg, Scotland
Out: Armfield, Russell, Waite (inj), Wiggins

Now I am not bashing those that are dropped or being reactive to a loss. Grigg and Scotland are almost automatic ins and I have dropped 3 runners. It takes 2 players to replace Waite in terms of his versatility but realistically we needed that lead up marking forward. I see no harm in trying a different structure and believe Thornton would be worthy given his ability to use the body and take marks (leading mark taker in the AFL at present).

ODN, you've put a bit of thought into this and your named team is worth a crack I reckon - have doubts about Setanta down back but if he is going to play then backline is probably his best bet. It's probably a toss of the coin between him and Hartlett, but at some stage Hartlett deserves one more chance (provided he keeps playing well and is injury free in the Ants)

Thornton & Stevens up forward is definitely worth a crack - Stevens with his excellent kicking and Thornton with his marking ability, he's also quite athletic. He came to Carlton as a forward, I think. Fish in the forward pocket is probably Fisher's best bet (like Setanta down back), and if Fish is to get a game - he's an exceptional mark and if he can mark near goal - then that takes pressure off his questionable kicking ability. Up the field Fish gets exposed with lack of pace and poor disposal in general field play. Nearer goal may be a different question

 

[Malifice]

Sounds a bit like robbing Peter to pay Paul.

But im up for a gamble this week. The Eagles arent exactly potent up forward.

Unless JK pants us in revenge.

 

[blues4flag]

Do we risk moving Thornton up forward with Waite out for the season?

I agree that he looked good in the role - his ability to judge the flight of the footy is excellent as was highlighted by him chopping off a couple of the opposition's kickouts. With Waite out and Thornton up forward however, we lose an experienced head / general in defence and probably not what we need at the moment with the youth that we're developing down there.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

In recent weeks we have struggled going forward. Fish might help but we have to be prepared to use Thornton if necessary.

I have no faith in Hampson to do any more than create a contest up there and I don't know that we will be using him against Cox too often.

We started the year with Kreuzer, Warnock, Hampson, Cloke and Jacobs as our ruck options and are currently down to just Kreuzer and Hampson. Just goes to show you need to carry plenty of ruckmen, if they are prepared to stick around and wait. With O'hAilpin coming into the side, who is rucking for the Ants this week?

 

[Snoozer]

Thornton forward is a great move. Obviously we are stretched with the loss of Waite, but Thornton continually stifles our attack by his continual slow ball movement when we win possession down back. Just about every time he marks the ball he holds the play up, looks forwards, then backwards, then sideways, then sideways again, then forward, then ends up kicking sideways to his teammate who is forced to do the same thing. Getting him out of the back half and into a position where his marking power can do some damage would be a great move.

Johnson needs to be the medium sized defender who can slice the opposition open thru the middle of the ground... hopefully he is capable of that role... from what I've seen, if I was an opposition forward I wouldn't mind playing on him.

 

[DirkDiggler]

T-Bird looked okay up there last week. He is a very good contested mark and has very good recovery skills after a contest.

If not we are only going to put Austin or Setanta up there from time to time. Question is, can we make up for Thornton's sweeping ability? Certainly taking him out of the danger zone where turnovers don't mean as much, we won't have those occasional brain fades.

O'hAilpin Jamison Browne
Scotland Bower Austin
Simpson Hadley Gibbs
Stevens Thornton Yarran
Betts Fevola Fisher
Kreuzer Judd Murphy
Robinson Joseph Grigg Hampson

Emg: Armfield Russell Hartlett

In: O'hAilpin, Fisher, Grigg, Scotland
Out: Armfield, Russell, Waite (inj), Wiggins

Now I am not bashing those that are dropped or being reactive to a loss. Grigg and Scotland are almost automatic ins and I have dropped 3 runners. It takes 2 players to replace Waite in terms of his versatility but realistically we needed that lead up marking forward. I see no harm in trying a different structure and believe Thornton would be worthy given his ability to use the body and take marks (leading mark taker in the AFL at present).

I like your thinking. Like killing too birds with one stone. Removes from our backline one unaccountable backman who plays way too loose from his direct opponent and adds to our forward line, a player who can fill the tall forward void and this time around, benefit from keeping a good distance from his opponent.

Dirk

 

[blue gunslinger]

ODN -like the look of the team even though Army (good WA lad) goes
I actually think TBird fwd maybe the best idea. This year he seems to be "thinking" way too much in the backline. Be it when the ball is coming in thru the air or on the ground. And when we gain possesion he is trying to think too much of where to get into position or where to deliver the ball. He frequently then makes an error. He should relax more and trust his instincts that have got him this far. Up fwd - less to think about. Stay out of Fev's way. Watch the ball, lead or fill a gap. Take mark. Kick goal.
Fwd he goes.

 

[The Coach]

I think I already said this once or twice ODN - great minds think alike . The second part of my reasoning (My first is always to get the MC to take our forward deficiencies seriously) was to let Carlos and Hartlett both come into the team - 2009 is fast disappearing and we have to know about them both

I would also prefer to keep Army at Hadley's expense (Gibbs in C) and can live w/o Fish - mind you I wouldn't be surprised to see him make a fair showing for a week or two before falling back to old ways.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Well we have already been told that Fish and Setanta are coming in Five, so the rest isn't much of a stretch. Scotland and Grigg are bound to be back so we have four outs to look at. Waite injured, Wiggins injured or rested, and then two other runners. You choose the two.

Would like to see Joseph on Kerr or on Wirrpanda if he goes forward.

 

[The Coach]

Well we have already been told that Fish and Setanta are coming in Five, so the rest isn't much of a stretch. Scotland and Grigg are bound to be back so we have four outs to look at. Waite injured, Wiggins injured or rested, and then two other runners. You choose the two.

Would like to see Joseph on Kerr or on Wirrpanda if he goes forward.

I am really only on about Thorn going forward but despite last week I think it is a long shot as the MC do not start their selection from the forward line down , they will probably make Fish 2nd forward again - a position that asks too much of him

 

[Kickett Punches Read]

surpirsed that paul bower hasnt been moved forward. good mark, good kick and speed, could be another robert murphy, although you might need him to take kennedy this week.