Analysis Where to play Maynard and the flow on

[Quicky]

Where we play Maynard is one of the more interesting questions coming into the 2018 season. He has spent his career to-date as a lock down back pocket knocking the chocolates out of lesser men. But this season he has built a bigger tank, he's training with the mids and looks destined for a role upfield.

I'm interested in peoples thoughts on this. Where is Maynards best role? Is it at back pocket? Wing? On-ball? Tagging? Half forward? And why?

I think he is best used in one of two roles for us. I would love to see him unleashed off a wing first. In a similar way Embley was played for the Eagles. His kicking inside 50 is a real feature of his game. He can take the game on from the wing and be the most damaging.

The other is as a run-with player. Greenwood is great at this but isn't a damaging player. Crisp has gone back and will stay there. I think there is a place in the side for a run with player and I reckon there is greater balance if that player can be an offensive threat. Maynard could do this.

If Maynard goes further afield it also opens up opportunities in defence. For smalls in defence we have Crisp who picks himself. And then it is real open. There are claims for Varcoe, Murray and Smith. There's the new boy Appleby. Who replaces Maynard there?

Another flow on if Maynard moves to the wing is who gets displaced? Sidebottom and WHE have looked good there. We have Wells and Treloar who go there. As well as Phillips and Aish. We have a lot of quality on the outside.

Personally i'd love to see Treloar spend more time on the wing rotating on-ball. And i'd love to see Wells spend more time at half forward. Wells ability to find space and hit targets is so valuable there. It also gives us the freedom to use Sidebottom and WHE more forward of the ball. That could be handy if Elliott misses the start of the year and while Stephenson develops.

Whatever happens with Maynard it seems there will be positive flow-ons and opportunities through-out the team. I'm really looking forward to see how it all pans out.

 

[Aishole]

Maynard would be wasted as a tagger imo. He is a super human beast of a man with a damaging peg, feels like a waste chasing someone around all day opposed to attacking the footy with ferocity which is a feature of his game.
Other then that, spot on post

 

[Quicky]

Maynard would be wasted as a tagger imo. He is a super human beast of a man with a damaging peg, feels like a waste chasing someone around all day opposed to attacking the footy with ferocity which is a feature of his game.
Other then that, spot on post

My preference is off a wing.

 

[biggiemediums]

Midfield. He's a ******* bull. I want Maynard pegging it into the 50, he has a beauty of a kick. Maynard and De Goey take our midfield and turn it into one of the best and strongest midfields in the league. They're two solidly built bulls.

He's wasted in defense and he'd be wasted as a tag.

 

[left at home]

Wing or centre, always thought he was better suited to the midfield.
Running through from the centre, he will be more damaging. Good kick, hard at the ball and aggressive. Just what we need there.
We have recruited two players who could take his spot down back in Murray and Appleby. Also Crisp should get first shot at back pocket.
Can rotate with Steele at half forward, knows how to kick a goal as well

 

[magpies42]

I think irrespective of where his best position is and given we are fairly well stacked in the midfield he should remain on a HBF.

His pace, kicking and mongrel are lacking down back and we don’t have a ready made replacement.

 

[Quicky]

I think there is a difference between a tag and a run-with. A tag is what Greenwood does and Crowley did. It's a primarily defensive role. A run-with is what Coniglio does and Crisp did. There is a defensive reponsibility but it's less defensive and involves winning your own ball too. I would suggest a run-with for Maynard as an option behind wing.

 

[Quicky]

Midfield. He's a ******* bull. I want Maynard pegging it into the 50, he has a beauty of a kick. Maynard and De Goey take our midfield and turn it into one of the best and strongest midfields in the league. They're two solidly built bulls.

He's wasted in defense and he'd be wasted as a tag.

Who does he replace?

 

[Quicky]

Wing or centre, always thought he was better suited to the midfield.
Running through from the centre, he will be more damaging. Good kick, hard at the ball and aggressive. Just what we need there.
We have recruited two players who could take his spot down back in Murray and Appleby. Also Crisp should get first shot at back pocket.
Can rotate with Steele at half forward, knows how to kick a goal as well

If Crisp goes to back pocket who should be our half backs?

 

[left at home]

If Crisp goes to back pocket who should be our half backs?

We have Howe, Landon, Scharenberg and Varcoe for a start

 

[Justlokan]

Big fan of Maynard but until he learns to be smarter with his kicking (ie don't just boot it long) he'll just be a good ordinary player (thanks Jack Dyer).
FWIW I like the idea of him free-wheeling on the wing. With his pace and tackling skills he could be a faster version of Didak.

 

[Obese Arachnid]

Wing/mids, Appleby to take his place in defence. Big call maybe but I like the boy.

Don't want the Maynatour in a tag or run with role.
Unleash the beast!

Sidey to be perm HFF/FP. If it wasn't for his tank it's where he should've always played.

 

[Kirby]

If Crisp goes to back pocket who should be our half backs?

We've got more half backs than a Notre Dame bell ringing competition!

 

[biggiemediums]

Who does he replace?

If I'm in charge, (which thankfully for Collingwood; I never will be,) I play Steele off half forward with very minimal midfield time. Pendles, Adams, Treloar, Maynard, De Goey should be our core midfield with Wells, Sidebottom, Daicos, Aish etc having runs through the centre on occasion. Sidebottom can break games open with his goal sense when he's resting forward, having him on a HFF, I think he'd be a huge asset around the 50. Wells is too old and too prone to injury to even talk about as a permanent midfield fixture. For this reason he should be used sparingly. A lot less run would probably mean he could be used for an entire season if managed correctly.

 

[Obese Arachnid]

We've got more half backs than a Notre Dame bell ringing competition!

It's a hunch I had a while back too.

 

[Quicky]

We have Howe, Landon, Scharenberg and Varcoe for a start

Yep. Given we're likely to need two or three defenders capable of playing small that would make it Crisp and Varcoe. Shaz to play small? I reckon it might be Crisp, Varcoe and Murray (one of which is played off the interchange) by seasons end. But Murray needs to prove it in the VFL first.

Could Sidebottom go to half back?

 

[Quicky]

We've got more half backs than a Notre Dame bell ringing competition!

True but most of them play medium to tall. I reckon you need two or three defenders to play on smalls. That's where there's opportunity.

 

[Quicky]

Big fan of Maynard but until he learns to be smarter with his kicking (ie don't just boot it long) he'll just be a good ordinary player (thanks Jack Dyer).
FWIW I like the idea of him free-wheeling on the wing. With his pace and tackling skills he could be a faster version of Didak.

I reckon when he's up field his kicking is very different than when he's in defence. He makes some poor decisions out of defence. But his kicking inside 50 is actually a real strength. It's one of the big reasons in addition to some higher possession numbers and his improved tank which makes him a midfield option.

 

[BEEG]

Has to play half back.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

We've got more half backs than a Notre Dame bell ringing competition!

Always reminds me of Graham Kennedy

You have to ring those bells ...

 

[donkeyballs]

They should be showing him videos of D Millane and saying ‘try to play like that bloke.’
Easier said than done I know

 

[Soups]

I reckon when he's up field his kicking is very different than when he's in defence. He makes some poor decisions out of defence. But his kicking inside 50 is actually a real strength. It's one of the big reasons in addition to some higher possession numbers and his improved tank which makes him a midfield option.

First game against the Hawks he was kicking lovely weighted kicks into the F50. His decision make improved massively this year. Obviously made some poor choices but I think we’ll see less and less of it once he plays more games.

I’m really looking forward to what he can become next year. From all reports he’s training with the midfield group so hopefully he’s further up the field.

 

[Good Degoe]

 

[left at home]

Yep. Given we're likely to need two or three defenders capable of playing small that would make it Crisp and Varcoe. Shaz to play small? I reckon it might be Crisp, Varcoe and Murray (one of which is played off the interchange) by seasons end. But Murray needs to prove it in the VFL first.

Could Sidebottom go to half back?

Steele is best suited to half forward not back, but unlike some Steele has still a big role to play in the midfield, especially later in the year as the youngsters will struggle a bit yet as full time mids.
With half backs, did not know you meant smalls when l quoted you.
Crisp, Varcoe, Murray and l believe Appleby can play on smalls.
With Howe, Scharenberg and Landon, plus Goldsacks on mediums and talls

 

[WalterBlaknWhte]

Midfield.

At his best will make peoples' hair stand on end.