Opinion We need to talk about Ted...

[The Brabazone]

Ted Richards has been a great success since coming over from the Bombers. He played in a Grand Final in his first year with us, and eventually was All Australian CHB in our premiership side in 2012, unbelievably playing on Buddy Franklin on a dud ankle in the Grand Final. That being said, I think he is on his last legs. Last year I was nervous whenever he was isolated one on one, even more so after he copped a vicious KO from a Jay Schultz sling tackle. Tonight was probably the least confident I've seen him on a footy field, he looked oblivious with the ball and as though he had no hope 1v1. I'm not a big fan of reactionary threads after losses but I've been thinking this for a while and tonight cemented it. Luckily Reg is playing career best footy for us or Ted would be even more exposed.

Do people think this is a bit rash and that he still has more to give, or is it time we though about developing Aliir Aliir at AFL level? Would Ted be playing if Talia was fit? Is Sam Reid an option at CHB when he returns to the side?

Hoping Ted can prove this thread wrong for the remainder of the season.

 

[SilentHunter_]

Nah he's finished. Great player for the club but it is time to move on.

 

[Number37]

Not done yet. Can no longer play on the monsters but still reads the ball well enough to be third tall. Then again his disposal is pretty ordinary.

 

[The King!]

I think it was swansfan51 in the game thread put it best that it is actually an indictment on guys like XR and Aliir that Ted is still there

I agree he is cooked, but seems to me no one is forcing him out

 

[scaryness]

He is finished, but he was good last week.

He is going to be super inconsistent and have good games here and there. I would rather play Talia ahead of him though.

 

[Glenn_]

He is finished, but he was good last week.

He is going to be super inconsistent and have good games here and there. I would rather play Talia ahead of him though.

Slight problem of Talia being injured is why Ted is there, up to the others to show why they should be ahead of Ted in replacing Talia.

 

[robbieando]

The problem is you have listed two players who are injured so one is at least 3 weeks away from any kind of Football, let alone AFL and the other is 10 weeks away. Personally if both Reid and Talia were fit, Richards and Towers wouldn't be playing but we are what we are.

As for the younger Richards vs Aliir Aliir debate XR has shown he isn't ready to play as a KP Defender and grimlock has stated that Aliir is further behind XR as a man on man defender so both don't solve the problem we have in Ted. So what would I personally do, well I would drop Ted this week for Jones and before anyone says "hang on Jones isn't a KP defender" my reasons are two fold.

1. I think our defence plays too tall
2. Grundy as our Full Back means putting Rampe as our "CHB"

Now this would mean a back 7 of Grundy, Rampe, Laidler, Smith, Jones, McVeigh and Mills. A defence that can play tall and small

Now ideally this would hold out until Talia is fit again and we could release a McVeigh or Mills to the midfield group which by then could have Rohan and Reid involved thus more options to help out the defence or the forward line.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Really miss Talia being out badly, Ted should be 3rd tall at best.

 

[scaryness]

Slight problem of Talia being injured is why Ted is there, up to the others to show why they should be ahead of Ted in replacing Talia.

Yeah but when fit I would pick him over Ted easily. Any of these guys would be ahead of him after tonight's effort.

 

[MF]

Ted is simply a serviceable backup. As swansfan51 has pointed out, it's an indictment on our young KPDs that he's selected ahead of them but until they're actually good enough I'd rather we stick with Ted and focus on winning games rather than developing kids who haven't indicated they'll be AFL standard anyway.

 

[The King!]

Talia will be lacking fitness in 10 weeks time, would not be relying on him much this year

We are stuck with Ted, i like Robbies idea above, laidler rampe and reg are basically covering him anyway

But i cannot see Horse dropping a tall

hell nankervis looked ok down there for a bit chuck him back there

 

[The Brabazone]

The problem is you have listed two players who are injured so one is at least 3 weeks away from any kind of Football, let alone AFL and the other is 10 weeks away. Personally if both Reid and Talia were fit, Richards and Towers wouldn't be playing but we are what we are.

As for the younger Richards vs Aliir Aliir debate XR has shown he isn't ready to play as a KP Defender and grimlock has stated that Aliir is further behind XR as a man on man defender so both don't solve the problem we have in Ted. So what would I personally do, well I would drop Ted this week for Jones and before anyone says "hang on Jones isn't a KP defender" my reasons are two fold.

1. I think our defence plays too tall
2. Grundy as our Full Back means putting Rampe as our "CHB"

Now this would mean a back 7 of Grundy, Rampe, Laidler, Smith, Jones, McVeigh and Mills. A defence that can play tall and small

Now ideally this would hold out until Talia is fit again and we could release a McVeigh or Mills to the midfield group which by then could have Rohan and Reid involved thus more options to help out the defence or the forward line.

We have WCE next week, I'd say we need Reg for JJK and someone for the resting ruck, Rampe to take Darling. Although I agree against other opposition (perhaps the Dogs, or the Hawks without Roughead) Rampe works as a CHB. Do you (or does anyone else) think Reid is the solution long term? I'm not sold on Talia and Reid needs a role, he looks down on confidence without a defined role. I still remember when he swung back against Freo early last season and played his best game for years.

 

[Kennedy Parker]

Really at this stage of his career Ted should not be asked to play on guys like Tex Walker. His greatest asset is that he can read the flight of the ball well and is a good intercept mark. If he is allowed to play loose man or on a lesser forward then he can add something to the backline by cutting across to help out other defenders and outnumber forwards. That's his ideal role but right now we don't have the luxury to play him there. It says a lot about the KPD stocks we have in reserve.

 

[Shiv]

Haven't seen much of Talia but has he proven himself as a KPD in his previous teams or preseason? Or shown a lot of promise that he could be a KPD?

Would love to see how Reid would go as a KPD, purely based on his marking/leaping ability

 

[The Brabazone]

Haven't seen much of Talia but has he proven himself as a KPD in his previous teams or preseason? Or shown a lot of promise that he could be a KPD?

Would love to see how Reid would go as a KPD, purely based on his marking/leaping ability

Dogs threw him out for nothing, and they're pretty light on for KPDs.

I'm a big believer that players thrive when given a role. When the going gets tough it's easy to revert back to whatever your role is. Reid has struggled since Tippett and then Bud came and became our main targets inside 50. I can't get his game against Freo last year out of my head and what promise he showed when he went back in defence.

 

[RUNVS]

If XR and Aliir are not up to it then we are going to have to play Reid as a full time defender. We can't let our defense leak as many goals as they did today. It will lose us too many games.

 

[Punts]

Either reid goes back or they play shorter in Defence

 

[Jack2Jack]

Still reads the play well and can take a decent intercept mark...BUT his foot-skills are deplorable lately as soon as he kicks it you know its coming straight back and he struggles to keep up with leading opponents. If he's not playing 3rd tall he shouldn't be playing, Talia the obvious answer but an undersized defence that can run and use the ball is the better option until Talia's available and fit. Allir and XR are going to struggle, getting another KD next trade period is a must.
Reid is still worth more (and has played his best football) as a forward, and tonight highlighted how much we need a marking presence down that end as well. Obviously Reid is the ideal swing option who can go back and fill a whole if needed (would've been handy tonight).

 

[Jack Lord]

Still reads the play well and can take a decent intercept mark...BUT his foot-skills are deplorable lately as soon as he kicks it you know its coming straight back and he struggles to keep up with leading opponents. If he's not playing 3rd tall he shouldn't be playing, Talia the obvious answer but an undersized defence that can run and use the ball is the better option until Talia's available and fit. Allir and XR are going to struggle, getting another KD next trade period is a must.
Reid is still worth more (and has played his best football) as a forward, and tonight highlighted how much we need a marking presence down that end as well. Obviously Reid is the ideal swing option who can go back and fill a whole if needed (would've been handy tonight).

I reckon Reid played some of his best footy in defense at the latter half of last year.

 

[Banyo Bloods]

He didn't look great in the pressure cooker arena last night but he is still our best option IMO and retains his spot.

 

[Cadsky]

He didn't look great in the pressure cooker arena last night but he is still our best option IMO and retains his spot.

Thats the problem. He is terrible but he's the best we've got. It frustrates the hell out of me that the backups clearly aren't upto it.

 

[momentbymoment]

1. Jones needs to come back in and stay there. Right now, he is part of the answer and we have to let him build into the role.

2. Reid to replace Ted, followed by Talia.

3. Does anyone rate Allir? He seems to be dominant in the twos, a real presence down back. Maybe he will find another cog in the AFL.

4. McVeigh and Mills play a similar role. Only one of them required in the backs.

5. Ted looks awesome against average sides, but if a team gets it in there fast, with power forwards to mark it, he will struggle.

 

[garyrohan8]

Not done yet. Can no longer play on the monsters but still reads the ball well enough to be third tall. Then again his disposal is pretty ordinary.

yep, he's only good enough as a third tall but i don't think we can have him and laidler in the same side.

 

[The King!]

Whoever Ted went to the Crows tried to isolate, Rampe came off his man a lot last night

Ted can play as a loose man down back. As he reads play well and has a great footy brain

i think he is cooked, but id rather see his good decisions on the attack and his rubbish one on one than his brother spud it up

 

[The Brabazone]

yep, he's only good enough as a third tall but i don't think we can have him and laidler in the same side.

I completely agree with this, and that's why I'm disappointed whenever I see Zak Jones dropped. If we look at Adelaide last night they get great run out of defence from guys like Laird, Smith, Atkins and Seedsman (although he spent some time forward); and we look a bit slow and predictable with Laidler and Richards in the side. If Richards' role is as a third tall/loose man, then I think only one or the other can play. Right now I'd pick Laidler ahead of him.