What do we do about our small defender position??

[geelong_crazy26]

I know the narratives on one side of the coin are he is raw learning the game.. but let’s look at the first practice game and rnd1… he has conceded 9 goals playing on two debutant teens in their first year…. We can’t shoulder this sort of thing performance for long throughout the season. It is to an embarrassing level to allow that.

If he plays against nick Watson on eastern Monday the way he is going he will cost us a game off his own play.

With no Jed bews back for a while, so we put Atkins back into defense?? Or put O’Connor on smalls?? Is there anyone in the VFL we can give a go??

 

[frggr]

As noted, Mullin wasn't responsible for all 4 goals in today's match and likely not the 5 in a practice match.

News of Mullins shitness is exaggerated

 

[Stab Pass]

I know the narratives on one side of the coin are he is raw learning the game.. but let’s look at the first practice game and rnd1… he has conceded 9 goals playing on two debutant teens in their first year…. We can’t shoulder this sort of thing performance for long throughout the season. It is to an embarrassing level to allow that.

If he plays against nick Watson on eastern Monday the way he is going he will cost us a game off his own play.

With no Jed bews back for a while, so we put Atkins back into defense?? Or put O’Connor on smalls?? Is there anyone in the VFL we can give a go??

Did you actually watch the game? First goal he ran around Miers on the mark. Second Jack Henry had him. Third he shoved COS under the ball and it dropped in his lap. That was he first time Mullin had him. Until then Zuthrie had him and Mullin was on Fredricks. The fourth was when there was a three on one at the top of the goal square and the ball spilled to Treacy. Mullin went to Treacy tackled him and the balls fell to Reid and he goalled. Mullin could have stuck with Reid and Treacy would have goalled. The fact the three Geelong defenders allowed the ball to spill forward was the problem.

All four goals came from us getting destroyed out of the middle. Blaming Mullin for the four goals suggests you like a whipping boy more than facts.

 

[cats_09]

I'm trying to work out who is the third debutant to have kicked a goal on Mullin

Kako kicked 4 goals in a practice match where we clearly didn't bring the intensity that as we saw today, the team is capable of playing all

And Reid only kicked 4 goals today, with a few already explaining that Mullin wasn't on him for all 4

 

[Silver Cat]

It’s unfair to blame the third qtr goals on Mullin but to my eye his lack of defensive nous and general footy nous adds an element of insecurity to the defensive unit. The expectation that he can hold down a defensive role at this stage of his career is incomprehensible.

 

[CatsDoItBetter]

Yes it’s a position we’ve struggled with for a while. It’s not Mullin that’s the issue and it’s possible that he could develop in this role but he’s not there at the moment.
Atkins is who I’d move back there, if Guthrie ever plays again I’d play him down back as well.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Oconnor was good in the tagging role today but probably either him or atkins back is the answer short term because both have played the role before and are serviceable and we have other guys that can fill in the midfield (especially once mannagh is back). Long term we need to draft or free agency a small defender in.

 

[Stab Pass]

It’s unfair to blame the third qtr goals on Mullin but to my eye his lack of defensive nous and general footy nous adds an element of insecurity to the defensive unit. The expectation that he can hold down a defensive role at this stage of his career is incomprehensible.

Seriously? Mullin caused Miers to jump in the air and have guy run around him. Mullin caused Jack Henry to drop off Reid. Mullin was the reason three Geelong defenders allowed the ball to get knocked forward to a three on one and not kill the ball over the line. You left out he causes global warming and had Trump start a trade war.

 

[sexyhunk]

is a tough position now the modern game with so many crafty small forwards. also this guy need to be comfortable one on one in the goal square against a charlie cameron or a kosi pickett, dont think a natural midfielder like oconner or atkins can do the job. zach guthrie?

 

[Silver Cat]

Seriously? Mullin caused Miers to jump in the air and have guy run around him. Mullin caused Jack Henry to drop off Reid. Mullin was the reason three Geelong defenders allowed the ball to get knocked forward to a three on one and not kill the ball over the line. You left out he causes global warming and had Trump start a trade war.

Yes, seriously.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Did you actually watch the game? First goal he ran around Miers on the mark. Second Jack Henry had him. Third he shoved COS under the ball and it dropped in his lap. That was he first time Mullin had him. Until then Zuthrie had him and Mullin was on Fredricks. The fourth was when there was a three on one at the top of the goal square and the ball spilled to Treacy. Mullin went to Treacy tackled him and the balls fell to Reid and he goalled. Mullin could have stuck with Reid and Treacy would have goalled. The fact the three Geelong defenders allowed the ball to spill forward was the problem.

All four goals came from us getting destroyed out of the middle. Blaming Mullin for the four goals suggests you like a whipping boy more than facts.

stop confusing direct opponent for who ended up trying to go over to cover him.

Mullin was playing on him, miers simply went over and stood the mark. Very silly to blame that on miers.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

is a tough position now the modern game with so many crafty small forwards. also this guy need to be comfortable one on one in the goal square against a charlie cameron or a kosi pickett, dont think a natural midfielder like oconner or atkins can do the job. zach guthrie?

Zach Guthrie might be the answer but we seem to love him loose rotating with Stewart.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

It’s unfair to blame the third qtr goals on Mullin but to my eye his lack of defensive nous and general footy nous adds an element of insecurity to the defensive unit. The expectation that he can hold down a defensive role at this stage of his career is incomprehensible.

This stage of his career?? It’s his bloody third season at AFL level and is in his mid 20’s.

First gamers with no experience besides juniors are whooping him

 

[sexyhunk]

Zach Guthrie might be the answer but we seem to love him loose rotating with Stewart.

I prefer that as well as I predict zach to overtake stewart by years end as the best man for the intercept/loose man at the back.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

As noted, Mullin wasn't responsible for all 4 goals in today's match and likely not the 5 in a practice match.

News of Mullins shitness is exaggerated

It’s really not. He looks beyond lost all the time

 

[geelong_crazy26]

I'm trying to work out who is the third debutant to have kicked a goal on Mullin

Kako kicked 4 goals in a practice match where we clearly didn't bring the intensity that as we saw today, the team is capable of playing all

And Reid only kicked 4 goals today, with a few already explaining that Mullin wasn't on him for all 4

4 goals from kako not 5, sure. Happy to be corrected. Doesn’t really change too much tho

 

[Stab Pass]

Zach Guthrie might be the answer but we seem to love him loose rotating with Stewart.

Zuthrie was on Reid the first two goals. Mullin had Fredrick. Why do you think they swapped Zuthrie and Mullin after the first two goals??

 

[Warhorse]

It’s really not. He looks beyond lost all the time

Not just that. Completely disrupts the backline and they play collectively worse. Back to the VFL and learn how to not be a liability.

 

[Stab Pass]

Not just that. Completely disrupts the backline and they play collectively worse. Back to the VFL and learn how to not be a liability.

So you are saying that Mullin wasn’t on the ground for the 1st, 2nd and 4th quarters when the back line destroyed Freo? How about a few people kicking Mullin actually watch the replay and see what happened out of the middle in the 3rd. We were destroyed and Freo got a ton of clean exits and quick movement into their forward line. That was the issue in the 3rd not Mullin.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Zuthrie was on Reid the first two goals. Mullin had Fredrick. Why do you think they swapped Zuthrie and Mullin after the first two goals??

Yes just flipped thru the replay and you re correct. Retract the 4 goal statement. Happy to admit when I’m wrong

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Not just that. Completely disrupts the backline and they play collectively worse. Back to the VFL and learn how to not be a liability.

Didn’t get the 4 goals kicked on him but he still looks very bad down there, as well as confused and lost.

Needs to probably go once kolo comes back

 

[Stab Pass]

Didn’t get the 4 goals kicked on him but he still looks very bad down there, as well as confused and lost.

Needs to probably go once kolo comes back

In the absence of facts let’s all just fall back on the “vibe”. I was at the griound and watched him. Defensively and when the ball was loose he was good. He is quick, strong and puts his head over the ball. He tackles for keeps. Does he make mistakes? Yep but they all do. Third qtr Jezza marks on the halfback flank, Mullin free 25m further upon the wing. Jezz ignores him and kicks long to MOC. Poor kick and Freo mark and surge forward. Was Jezza “lost”? Does he need to go back and play in the VFL to learn how to hit up an open man and not turn it over?

 

[My Tilly]

Mullin is not a defender. He's a powerful line breaker who will eventually move to the midfield.
Unfortunately, this is the price you pay in order to speed up the development process.

Humphries and Guthrie are good enough coverage for the meantime.

It will be a concern when we come up against Collingwood, Hawthorn, GWS. Those teams have elite small forwards so we have to hope we at least break even from the midfield.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

In the absence of facts let’s all just fall back on the “vibe”. I was at the griound and watched him. Defensively and when the ball was loose he was good. He is quick, strong and puts his head over the ball. He tackles for keeps. Does he make mistakes? Yep but they all do. Third qtr Jezza marks on the halfback flank, Mullin free 25m further upon the wing. Jezz ignores him and kicks long to MOC. Poor kick and Freo mark and surge forward. Was Jezza “lost”? Does he need to go back and play in the VFL to learn how to hit up an open man and not turn it over?

I watched the game, happy to concede getting something wrong such as goals kicked against which is an easy mistake. Let’s not go to the extent of saying he played well, he didn’t. Zero defensive transition involvement or much of an intercept game at all. Was our worst on ground.

6 touches with zero influence on the outcome.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Mullin is not a defender. He's a powerful line breaker who will eventually move to the midfield.
Unfortunately, this is the price you pay in order to speed up the development process.

Humphries and Guthrie are good enough coverage for the meantime.

It will be a concern when we come up against Collingwood, Hawthorn, GWS. Those teams have elite small forwards so we have to hope we at least break even from the midfield.

Why can’t he break lines from defense?? He just is a very poor reader of the game