Welcome Welcome to the Hawks Jack Scrimshaw

[TheFourPillars]

I would argue that CJ isn't defending an opponent at all on many turnovers when he's run the ball out, because the ball and opposition runners are already past him by the time he can react.

It's one of the real difficulties in AFL, you're trying to get away from the other team when you have the ball, you turn it over, and suddenly you're trying to get close to them to apply pressure.

You're almost reduced to being a spectator when you lose the ball of your boot, have it knocked away in a tackle, get caught holding the ball (and the opponent plays on etc).

On another note, I don't think he's in the same realm as Scrimshaw as a defender, who is also less prone to getting lost.

Teams attack CJ by going through his opponent to try and make him accountable and stifle his run, or they look to take advantage of him over-committing or losing his opponent in a contest. He's getting better as you point out, but someone who attacks as hard as he does is going to have goals kicked on him when it comes unstuck. I think his biggest flaw though is getting lost in contests, you even see it happen one on one with him at times when he overcommits.

We definitely have systems that require the whole team to defend as you point out also - opposition kicks ins, slow attacking thrusts etc. make it super obvious.

On transition we want players running to either their man, a player running to a dangerous position, or to empty space the opposition will use on their counterattack.

I see us break down here most when teams get overlap run going off half back, and a group of mids wind up with the ball on the outnumber through the middle. Mostly I think this is because our mids just can't go with them. Watch us play Geelong or Richmond and you see it a lot. I don't think Scrimshaw or CJ are responsible for this.

At times this can make it look like out back six haven't manned up, because they get caught making a choice to stay with their space or man, or cover the players running at them.

I rarely see forwards pushing up and causing us problems on the rebound because our back six sags off, or because Scrimshaw is not covering a man/his man on a turnover.

As I said though, I know it's different at the ground where you can get a much better feel for this, but I just don't notice him overcommit while rebounding or get caught ball gazing instead of manning up/guarding space during transition. Will definitely be looking harder now though.

Yep what was happening was that CJ was dragged to the last line of defence. Thats where if you can palm of that man to someone else and take another man it works well. Day coming back has helped with that. The loss of impey will be felt for sure. CJ and scrimshaw are defending much better than they were at the start of the season. You would see scrimshaw on different opponents even lined up on jones and beat him one on one. You defend the closest man every one is one half of the ground so can rotate to get to the next closest we did really well during our premiership years. Yes our defensive structures are holding up well. More so recently mostly because we have changed it to have a loose man in defence. This sacrifices a man at the stoppages further up field.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

I'm kind of lost on people saying Scrimshaw can't defend. Have watched him really closely in one on ones recently, and he wins most of them.

Except that time he played on a 200cm KPF.

Couldn't be more impressed with him in the games I've seen this year. The poster above really nailed it, he's arguably under the radar with our own fans here on BF.

He's a very good proactive defender - as in reading the flight and backing himself in (similar to Sicily in that regard) and playing an intercepting role. He's elite at this. But being targeted, isolated in the square, and taking players on the lead is a different matter.

Though I think it's fair to say that most defender, bar the dour defenders like Hartigan, Talia, etc. prefer to be proactively defending than reactively defending.

 

[bris tarangau]

The other Birchall is staying on the park in the deep North (the more time I spend in the USA, the more I realise QLD is the deep South here). Makes you wonder what we were doing wrong with his fitness.

This Birchall is tearing it up every week. Loved that footage of his mark over the scum's 'red hot' forward. You know, the bloke who can't kick.

BTW, is Birch injured? Did not see him on the ground last night.

 

[MrPremiership]

BTW, is Birch injured? Did not see him on the ground last night.

Came out this week with "illness". Played the week before against North

 

[toomanysquibs]

Agree entirely! After hearing this I watched back replays and what he is blamed for comes from a misunderstanding of defensive roles. The most common is that someone “plays” on another! Scrim was NOT playing on Thilthorpe. He just got caught out at that moment. Which incidentally, was caused by our mids leaving the corridor open and turning the footy over leaving our defenders bombarded. We defend zones when they have the ball. When it is in dispute Scrim stays out to receive the footy and to use it or to block the small forwards at the stoppage. When we have it, he runs and links up. He is playing his role very well! 11 marks last week he is a great defender.
On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

So nailed it here with that post.

I tried to make this point in a longwinded way in another post - we guard players and space on transition, and everyone has a role.

As you point out he plays his really well. I didn't go back to watch games, but I came to this same conclusion by really paying attention to where he was based on what I could see on the AFL replays.

 

[toomanysquibs]

Though I think it's fair to say that most defender, bar the dour defenders like Hartigan, Talia, etc. prefer to be proactively defending than reactively defending.

I actually think he's good at all of those things and will win a contest more often than not against his direct opponent, but often is left making a choice on who to cover when players have slipped through unguarded on attacking thrusts.

As pointed out just above, he found himself on Tilthorpe that way. The impression from what you get in close ups on TV looks like he was directly opposed to him though.

 

[WWSD]

28 disposals - 6 marks (2 contested) - 2 tackles - 4 rebound 50s - 85% disposal efficiency

Not only is Birchall in career best form, but he’s been close to our best and most consistent player over the last two months. He’s gone to another level. He’s had 20+ disposals in seven of the last eight games.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Scrimshaw, Day, DGB and CJ will form the core of an exceptional backline - if they all end up playing there of course.

 

[VandoHawk]

Scrimshaw, Day, DGB and CJ will form the core of an exceptional backline - if they all end up playing there of course.

I think Impey gets pushed up the ground and those 4 + Sicily & Hardwick form the core of a very, very special backline.

 

[MrPremiership]

Fantastic game. Great marking performance.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

This guy is an absolute pro.

Let's never ever see him in the VFL again, he is such a consistent performer.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Beaumaris’s finest.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Beaumaris’s finest.

He looks like a Bayside Boy for sure.

Probably went to Mentone Grammar am I right?

 

[MrPremiership]

He looks like a Bayside Boy for sure.

Probably went to Mentone Grammar am I right?

Junior Club: Haileybury (Vic)/ Beaumaris (Vic)/ Sandringham U18

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Junior Club: Haileybury (Vic)/ Beaumaris (Vic)/ Sandringham U18

Same same

Absolute gun no matter what school he went to

 

[WWSD]

25 disposals - 8 marks (3 contested) - 80% disposal efficiency

 

[CHUBBSS]

25 disposals - 8 marks (3 contested) - 80% disposal efficiency

ELITE

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

Great game. Needs to learn to tackle with the body though.

 

[tommyk72]

Great game. Needs to learn to tackle with the body though.

Agreed. Derm mentioned this in comments. Then scrimshaw missed three more tackles in a row. When he learns to properly stop an opposition (an extra kg or two?) he will be elite.

 

[Braidz]

Agreed. Derm mentioned this in comments. Then scrimshaw missed three more tackles in a row. When he learns to properly stop an opposition (an extra kg or two?) he will be elite.

I’m sure he will get there. Hasn’t even played 50 games yet! That surprised me.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Another class performance. He is going to establish himself as an AA calibre HBF over the next season or two... Unless of course Mitchell sees him as a midfielder?

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Reckon this kid is gonna be a mid.

 

[matey]

Always enjoy watching him, has smarts, skills, courage and size

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Had a great game. Really hope he works on his tackling though, as it stands he is a shithouse tackler.

 

[TylerDurden]

He's an absolute gun.