Thornton the forward

[CrippsonBlue]

they will probably make Fish 2nd forward again - a position that asks too much of him

Really disappointing that it looked like we were finally going to see Fev, Waite & Fish line up forward again.

Having Fisher as the 3rd marking option behind those two would have really given him the chance to prosper, and for us to potentially find a forward combo that worked, with Betts and Yarran picking up the scraps...

Unfortunately though as you suggest, Fisher will now likely be our second tall forward we look to, which will see the second best defender go to him, and as we saw last year this is not the scenerio we want, nor that works.

While Waite's injury opens the door for Fisher, it sadly puts him into the same position he was in last year, and when he is once again not able to cope in a role not suited to him, I can see everyone will be out to unjustly crucify him.

Waite's injury is the worse thing that could have happened to Fisher's career in a way - He may have indeed 'blossomed' as our 3rd tall, but he may now never get that chance, and instead get punished and delisted for not being able to hold down the role of second

 

[blues4flag]

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.

Not sure if he's ever played the position as a junior but why move him from defence when he's been our best performed defender this season after Waite? He's developing beautifully there and gets better every week.

Has done the job on some exceptionally talented talls in Franklin and Pavlich and comprehensibly beat one of the competitions best mid-sized forwards in Porplyzia on the weekend. He's still slight so he might struggle yet on the monster full forwards as he did against Bradshaw (who mightn't look as big as Brown but is arguably the Lions strongest player). However while it was thought he might develop in a third tall with his lack of size, I'm hopeful that he'll be the 10 year CHB we've been crying for.

 

[blues4flag]

While Waite's injury opens the door for Fisher, it sadly puts him into the same position he was in last year, and when he is once again not able to cope in a role not suited to him, I can see everyone will be out to unjustly crucify him.

What Fisher needs to do is to play that deep tall role that he did so well in 2007 and not be expected to play as a link man, pushing up onto the wing and across half forward as his lack of mobility when the ball hits the ground in such a position is a liability. Mitch Robinson shows promise as a HFF though he might be better suited to playing behind the ball at this stage of his career.

Unfortunately, with Wiggins severely out of form and now injured - our HFF/makeshift CHF, Fisher might be required to play that role.

Unless the club is willing to throw Thornton down on a HFF where with his contested marking ability he'll provide a good option going inside 50, in a similar role to Adam Mcphee at Essendon. Or put Setanta up there who's played most of the season in the ruck/up forward to my knowledge. Can take a mark and likes to lead up through the corridor and is a deceptively good kick at goal when in range.

I'd very much doubt that both would be played in defence - Bower, Austin, Jamison and one of the aforementioned two should be capable of covering the opposition talls, although Setanta is probably our best bet in covering the monster talls/resting ruckman at the moment.

 

[Just Kreuzing]

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.

If Fisher does come in then i doubt Thornton will be moved forward, He could be a good hit up option across half forward with the opportunity and we dont lose a great deal down back as he doesn't win too many 1 on 1 duels and most can play the loose sweeping across half back these days.

 

[K.Simpson]

Thornton, imo, is one of the best exponents of being the loose man in defense in the entire afl. When Waite was playing, i thought thornton's game suffered as he was restricted by usually getting a fairly tough role on a key forward, not allowing him to zone and create. Now with Waite gone (or when he was moved forward) thornton has been freed up again. The amount of times he is the guy chopping off passes, running and creating out of the backline is amazing and i think extremely underrated by many at carlton.
With Ausitin Jammo and Bower (hartlett to a lesser extent), there is plenty of cover to allow T-Bird to roam and sweep up, and i just hope Ratt's NEVER puts him on a "Roughhead" type again.

 

[The Coach]

Thornton, imo, is one of the best exponents of being the loose man in defense in the entire afl. When Waite was playing, i thought thornton's game suffered as he was restricted by usually getting a fairly tough role on a key forward, not allowing him to zone and create. Now with Waite gone (or when he was moved forward) thornton has been freed up again. The amount of times he is the guy chopping off passes, running and creating out of the backline is amazing and i think extremely underrated by many at carlton.
With Ausitin Jammo and Bower (hartlett to a lesser extent), there is plenty of cover to allow T-Bird to roam and sweep up, and i just hope Ratt's NEVER puts him on a "Roughhead" type again.

That is also why you have to love a fit Jammo - because unlike Waitey and Thorn, he thrives on having an opponent

The other thing that detracts from both Thorn and Waitey's games but not so much Jammo, is that if everyone is manned up they are not pinpoint kickers. It can be a real weakness against top teams as 'up and under' kicks mostly end up being turnovers against flooded opposition backlines.

 

[Kramer1]

Thornton, imo, is one of the best exponents of being the loose man in defense in the entire afl. When Waite was playing, i thought thornton's game suffered as he was restricted by usually getting a fairly tough role on a key forward, not allowing him to zone and create. Now with Waite gone (or when he was moved forward) thornton has been freed up again. The amount of times he is the guy chopping off passes, running and creating out of the backline is amazing and i think extremely underrated by many at carlton.
With Ausitin Jammo and Bower (hartlett to a lesser extent), there is plenty of cover to allow T-Bird to roam and sweep up, and i just hope Ratt's NEVER puts him on a "Roughhead" type again.

Couldn't agree more...his output this year ranks him amongst the best HBF type players in the league. Leads the leauge in marks by a long way, and not just from chipping it around. He cut's off a lot of forwad thrusts and takes a reasonable amount of contested grabs.

His efficiency is amongst the top 2-3 of AFL players to have played most games, and again not just from chipping it around...he is a genuine rebounder and is also in the top handful for rebound 50's.

The guy deserves a bit of a break around here...has been our best defender this year, yes even with the development of Bower, and I genuinely hope he is part of our next premiership tilt.

Oh...and as for the thread, no, no need for him to go forward.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

It wasn't a sterling forward's game but it was crucial to have Thornton double his career goal tally in the one match. A bump was definitely in order.

 

[jonoman89]

His kicking skills are definitely a nice change up there.....

 

[Chism]

Lol ODN i knew you would Bump this thread!!

He was good tonight though when he went forward and can definantly Pinch hit there IMO.

 

[mediumsizered]

It wasn't a sterling forward's game but it was crucial to have Thornton double his career goal tally in the one match. A bump was definitely in order.

You are a visionary ODN. I take my hat off to you.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

The thing is, as a defender he does the defensive 1%ers and apply tackles which in the forward line are vital.

 

[Chism]

Just thinking out loud here!!

But could he be our Wildcard come September if Ratts has him go forward????

 

[BlueSnake]

He does look dangerous when he goes there (which isn't much obviously lol).

He's very handy there that's for sure, so it's a handy option and well done to Ratts for some good moves like that.

It seemed Thornton, despite having one arm, played a Waite like role and drifted forward and back as needed.

 

[MBIB]

How good was the defensive fist? Think he forgot where he was.

Loved him up there, shouldn't have passed to Carrots and made it 3 goals.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Now if Thornton did not kick those two goals, Ratten would be criticised for putting him down there considering he had kicked only two goals in his career.

This is exactly the move he made with Jamison a few weeks back. It didn't work that time, it did this time.

Ratten detractors are reactionary and condemn moves that don't work while barely mentioning moves that do.

 

[gbatman]

he actually worked hard, ran hard, got up the ground, contested hard and can kick straight, might be good up there...

 

[Juddrockz]

Great gutsy effort by T-Bird after crashing into Bower, coming off second best then to go back on the ground with a shoulder injury back it up and kick 2 goals and defend with virtually on arm.
Pity a few of the other gutless wonders didnt take a leaf out of his book.

 

[disconorman]

He did OK. I thought he ran under the ball a few times - just needed to slow a step and jump. Something he should be able to work through pretty quickly at training.

Would like to see him play a full game leading out of the goal square. Could easily kick 4 or 5 with decent delivery.

 

[kreuze_missile]

Far too valuable down in defense to be playing in the forward line, is a pretty good contested mark and kick for goal though. Im happy for him to be used up there in bursts if needs like Silvagni was towards the latter part of his career.

 

[Dramoth]

Far too valuable down in defense to be playing in the forward line, is a pretty good contested mark and kick for goal though. Im happy for him to be used up there in bursts if needs like Silvagni was towards the latter part of his career.

A little while ago, you were busy bagging Ratts for trying something similar with Jammo... that didnt come off.

This one came off and you grudging say you wouldnt mind him being used up there in bursts. No acknowledgement to the coach for having the guts to make the move.

 

[blues4flag]

His long goal was all the sweeter as it shut up the infuriatingly annoying family behind me who complained about everything ad nausem today. The negativity of some people shits me to tears.

 

[Pafloyul]

A little while ago, you were busy bagging Ratts for trying something similar with Jammo... that didnt come off.

This one came off and you grudging say you wouldnt mind him being used up there in bursts. No acknowledgement to the coach for having the guts to make the move.

I wouldn't either. If we suddenly think he is the fix to a one-dimensional forward-line then that may be taking things too far.

 

[The Coach]

I have praised Ratts b4 for making this move (maybe on this thread) and I have already said elsewhere tonight that I see it as a win-win (unless we are playing a sweeper eg. v JBrown) for Thorn moves the ball too slowly down back and often with up and under kicks. Stats show that he is one of the leading marks in the comp and people that can mark are needed in our forward line. I am from the Malcolm Blight school of thinking - first priority is to pick a team that can kick a winning score.

ps I have to say that I think that Thorn's move tonight may have been forced on Ratts due to injury. Thorn was very brave considering the pain he was in but you only have to look at North's Simpson to see the lengths to which our heroes will go

 

[kreuze_missile]

A little while ago, you were busy bagging Ratts for trying something similar with Jammo... that didnt come off.

This one came off and you grudging say you wouldnt mind him being used up there in bursts. No acknowledgement to the coach for having the guts to make the move.

I only saw tonight's game on TV, a bit hard to make comments on Ratten's coaching when I only had a very limited view of the game.