A bit has been said about the shortcomings of our two new defensive pillars when in possession.
Clearly it is an area that needs improvement, but even skilled players are expected to make errors in their first couple of games while they adjust to the speed and attrition of AFL football.
Here are some stats from the weekend that give an indication of why we may have drafted these guys.
Marcs (error intended) Adams –
8 marks. At least 4 intercept & 2 contested.
If this guy gets up and running I can see Jack Riewoldt storming of the MCG halfway through a 3rd quarter and hiding behind a car somewhere because Adams and Wood have absorbed every single aerial entry to that point in time. Reads it so well and times his jumps to perfection.
Good post TBOW. Too many people are looking at assessing players by conventional measures like the quality of their kicks rather than looking at the "new age" impact of modern footy.
Modern footy is all about getting intercepts as close to your own goal as possible, as well as attacking quickly (not giving time for the opposition to flood back) from such intercepts. This can be done through high pressing up the ground and zonal defence. This defensive system works for more athletic players who can cover the ground well and read the play, then turn defence into attack quickly, even if their "traditional" defensive skills are poor. It's why Wood was an All-Australian.
Marcus Adams is a player for modern footy, not a player for old-fashioned footy. He might not be a great kick, and he might be undersized to play a traditional key defensive post and not nimble and agile enough to play on forward flankers or smaller forwards, but he's a player for modern defensive footy. He reads the play well. He's a strong intercept mark. He's athletic in the sense he's a good runner, and can cover ground well in a zonal defensive system. He can occasionally match up one-out if required against smaller and bigger forwards here and there if the zone defence requires is and we don't manage to defend with a 2-on-1. He has natural attacking instincts having played last year and his junior career as a CHF.
By most conventional measured, he has many flaws in his game (and there are times where those flaws will be exposed, that's why he was drafted as late as he was after all). But we play innovative, modern footy with our defensive system that Adams' strengths fit perfectly in.