Toast Welcome to the SUNS Matt Conroy!

[AuTo00Z]

Think you assume wrong with Ballard.
We played Wright in the reserves for weeks last year so clearly coaches don't agree with your assessment.
Absolutely zero chance Thompson plays in the ruck. If not Wright we'd play Day there with Wright and King forward.

And well, four tall defenders is a bit too much, so one of them's gonna miss out. Regardless of who misses out when all four a fit, I think Thompson would be the next best option for ruck if Witts were to go down. Thompson was drafted as a ruckman and is big enough to compete with most ruckman in the comp. Day, while he has pinched-hit in the ruck in the past, has very rarely played full games in the ruck. Besides, he stripped weight off earlier this year so he can be more mobile up forward, so he just won't have the body strength to compete in the ruck. Wright may get dropped at times due to poor form, but in the bigger picture he's the most important forward right now. It was at the end of the year anyway, where teams who don't play finals like to experiment a bit.

 

[Mt Isa Mustang]

And well, four tall defenders is a bit too much, so one of them's gonna miss out. Regardless of who misses out when all four a fit, I think Thompson would be the next best option for ruck if Witts were to go down. Thompson was drafted as a ruckman and is big enough to compete with most ruckman in the comp. Day, while he has pinched-hit in the ruck in the past, has very rarely played full games in the ruck. Besides, he stripped weight off earlier this year so he can be more mobile up forward, so he just won't have the body strength to compete in the ruck. Wright may get dropped at times due to poor form, but in the bigger picture he's the most important forward right now. It was at the end of the year anyway, where teams who don't play finals like to experiment a bit.

Yes, Hombsch
Thompson was drafted in 2010 - and has played 1 game in the ruck in his now 10 year career.
Day has 4 times as many career hit outs as Thompson.
Thompson is coming back from an ACL
Thompson is not paying ruck

 

[AuTo00Z]

Yes, Hombsch
Thompson was drafted in 2010 - and has played 1 game in the ruck in his now 10 year career.
Day has 4 times as many career hit outs as Thompson.
Thompson is coming back from an ACL
Thompson is not paying ruck

No, you can't have players like Hombsch not playing. It's either Thompson or Ballard who misses out. It'll depend on form, but at this stage, Thompson gets the nod due to his size and experience.
And that's only because Day has spent much more time in the ruck than Thompson, which is mainly because the team never really had any solid depth for key defenders for when May or Thompson got injured, and Day was underperforming behind Lynch and Dixon/Wright, so he was always gonna be back-up ruck purely so better key forwards/defenders. Now that key position defender depth is no longer an issue, Thompson is free to play ruck if the coaches want him to. Of course they would only play him in the ruck if he's fully fit and healthy, but if he is, he's a much better option than Day, who has now stripped weight and has had serious hip and shoulder injuries.

 

[Mt Isa Mustang]

No, you can't have players like Hombsch not playing. It's either Thompson or Ballard who misses out. It'll depend on form, but at this stage, Thompson gets the nod due to his size and experience.
And that's only because Day has spent much more time in the ruck than Thompson, which is mainly because the team never really had any solid depth for key defenders for when May or Thompson got injured, and Day was underperforming behind Lynch and Dixon/Wright, so he was always gonna be back-up ruck purely so better key forwards/defenders. Now that key position defender depth is no longer an issue, Thompson is free to play ruck if the coaches want him to. Of course they would only play him in the ruck if he's fully fit and healthy, but if he is, he's a much better option than Day, who has now stripped weight and has had serious hip and shoulder injuries.

Go have a read of our best 22 thread and you'll see how many suns fans have either Thompson or Ballard in the reserves
We'll see what happens this year.

Question for you. I was a bit down on Bianco as an early second round pick as I didn't think his size allowed him to play many positions. Pick 45 though was a steal given his skills. In 3-4 years who do you see him manning up in the Gold Coast Forward line? Rankine, Ainsworth or Sexton?
Will he have the athletic capacity to play on small forwards like Rankine, Cameron, Rioli etc..?

 

[AuTo00Z]

Go have a read of our best 22 thread and you'll see how many suns fans have either Thompson or Ballard in the reserves
We'll see what happens this year.

Question for you. I was a bit down on Bianco as an early second round pick as I didn't think his size allowed him to play many positions. Pick 45 though was a steal given his skills. In 3-4 years who do you see him manning up in the Gold Coast Forward line? Rankine, Ainsworth or Sexton?
Will he have the athletic capacity to play on small forwards like Rankine, Cameron, Rioli etc..?

Well, this is just my opinion. The way I see it is; you can't have Collins or Hombsch in he reserves, and Ballard is still young enough that he can still develop in the NEAFL. But regardless of what you or I may think, it'll really just depend on form.

And as for Bianco, I personally think he's too small to lock down on someone, and don't think he's as fast as those guys, so I'm hoping he does what Caleb Daniel does and plays loose and perhaps move onto the midfield/wing in the future, as I don't see size as an issue for midfielders.

 

[Jirik13]

Ballard is still young enough that he can still develop in the NEAFL.

Ballard is basically a lock in the best 22 unless he's out of form. He did not play 21 games in 2019 to play NEAFL now. He was the best emerging player in 2019 and is our future.

If all healthy and in form Collins or Hombsh will miss out.

 

[Choppers]

Ballard is basically a lock in the best 22 unless he's out of form. He did not play 21 games in 2019 to play NEAFL now. He was the best emerging player in 2019 and is our future.

If all healthy and in form Collins or Hombsh will miss out.

Can't like this enough........for mine it will be Hombsch who misses out, if all are fit. But Rory does have an issue with being available at times, so Hombsch would likely be his replacement I reckon.

 

[Peel67skin]

As much. I like Ballard, I think he is overated here. Can't played one on one, can only played third tall. Collins and Hombsch all played Thompson role.

 

[Mt Isa Mustang]

Third tall still defends another guy. He wasn’t loose defender most of the time.

As much. I like Ballard, I think he is overated here. Can't played one on one, can only played third tall. Collins and Hombsch all played Thompson role.

 

[Mt Isa Mustang]

Well, this is just my opinion. The way I see it is; you can't have Collins or Hombsch in he reserves, and Ballard is still young enough that he can still develop in the NEAFL. But regardless of what you or I may think, it'll really just depend on form.

And as for Bianco, I personally think he's too small to lock down on someone, and don't think he's as fast as those guys, so I'm hoping he does what Caleb Daniel does and plays loose and perhaps move onto the midfield/wing in the future, as I don't see size as an issue for midfielders.

M

 

[Happy Idiot]

Now that key position defender depth is no longer an issue, Thompson is free to play ruck if the coaches want him to.

I would argue, fairly strongly, that our key defender depth is still very much a problem. If Collins and/or Thompson go down as they did this year — which is semi-likely — we have Hombsch as next up defending big ass superstar forwards. That's a disaster.

 

[Mt Isa Mustang]

I would argue, fairly strongly, that our key defender depth is still very much a problem. If Collins and/or Thompson go down as they did this year — which is semi-likely — we have Hombsch as next up defending big ass superstar forwards. That's a disaster.

I agree having Homsbch and Graham as back ups is cutting pretty fine.
Gould would have been a nice draft pick, although happy with Sharp.
Someone like Ryan Garthwaite at Richmond has performed well enough in limited opportunities at AFL level, is a bigger body and is behind Rance, Grimes, Astubury, Broad. Also have Ben Miller playing mostly defence and Nuyon who was drafted as a tall player.

Someone like him would bolster the list if Thompson and Collins have injury issues going forward.

 

[AuTo00Z]

I would argue, fairly strongly, that our key defender depth is still very much a problem. If Collins and/or Thompson go down as they did this year — which is semi-likely — we have Hombsch as next up defending big ass superstar forwards. That's a disaster.

I meant not as bad as it was in previous years, where you know that if just one of Thompson or May went down, you were basically screwed. And you can always bring in Graham or swing Burgess or even Day down back if you really wanted to. And if there to be major injury, then that will open a list open for the mid-season draft. There are more options than before, and along with the mid-season draft should help deal with potential injuries.

 

[Fat Pizza]

I would argue, fairly strongly, that our key defender depth is still very much a problem. If Collins and/or Thompson go down as they did this year — which is semi-likely — we have Hombsch as next up defending big ass superstar forwards. That's a disaster.

That's true & we almost expect these guys to get injured, after the experiences we've had so far. On the flipside, Ballard is bulking up & played beyond his years in 2019. Graham also shows promise, but I'd still rather Thompson & Collins stay fit at least for next season.

 

[Mt Isa Mustang]

I meant not as bad as it was in previous years, where you know that if just one of Thompson or May went down, you were basically screwed. And you can always bring in Graham or swing Burgess or even Day down back if you really wanted to. And if there to be major injury, then that will open a list open for the mid-season draft. There are more options than before, and along with the mid-season draft should help deal with potential injuries.

Yes burgess slipped my mind.
Definitely looked better in defence the last few rounds than he did playing forward earlier in the year.
A third tall though. Too much to ask when he was playing on monsters

 

[RowellAnderson12]

Collins, Thompson & Ballard LOCK and chuck the key away

 

[kreglze]

Would have loved a Josh Walker or Hartley to come in as depth in KPD ranks.