Who do we deploy down back?

WesternRoo

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Thread starter #1
We are not that far off facing a major crisis
in our key position stocks down back.

When I saw Hansen holding his groin and Thompson lying on the ground in the last quarter, I thought to myself, who do we have to come in?

The answer really is no one at present.Grima has been out for an extended period and is listed as a test, Cam Delaney has been out longer and has played a quarter of footy and our only insurance policy in Tippett is injured also for an extended period.

McMahon at a pinch could play on a 190cm type, but he has missed footy recently as well and is not a 3rd tall.

Such is the imbalance of our list, we have guys like Wright,Hine and Wilkins who are of no use in this or arguably any role.

So what are our other options? Obviously there is Petrie. Has played there with success before and would be most adept. But despite him being below his best this year, this would be a major compromise structurally with only Daw and the other ruckman as replacements with Tarrant and Curran out.

Then there is Tarrant. Shockingly underdone and didn't look comfortable down back when we played him there. He is injured anyway.

Curran - a forward and injured

Black - maybe at a pinch, but we would lose mobility forward.

Daw, Currie, Brown, Wallace - Forget it.

I see this as a major crisis that could derail our season as we do not have enough depth or enough versatility on our list in this area.
 

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Mordecai

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#2
Thank god Delaney is back. He might have to be put to the test earlier than we would like but he might just rise to the occasion.

Good list management getting Tippett - I hope he recovers.
 

abby

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#3
We are not that far off facing a major crisis
in our key position stocks down back.

When I saw Hansen holding his groin and Thompson lying on the ground in the last quarter, I thought to myself, who do we have to come in?

The answer really is no one at present.Grima has been out for an extended period and is listed as a test, Cam Delaney has been out longer and has played a quarter of footy and our only insurance policy in Tippett is injured also for an extended period.

McMahon at a pinch could play on a 190cm type, but he has missed footy recently as well and is not a 3rd tall.

Such is the imbalance of our list, we have guys like Wright,Hine and Wilkins who are of no use in this or arguably any role.

So what are our other options? Obviously there is Petrie. Has played there with success before and would be most adept. But despite him being below his best this year, this would be a major compromise structurally with only Daw and the other ruckman as replacements with Tarrant and Curran out.

Then there is Tarrant. Shockingly underdone and didn't look comfortable down back when we played him there. He is injured anyway.

Curran - a forward and injured

Black - maybe at a pinch, but we would lose mobility forward.

Daw, Currie, Brown, Wallace - Forget it.

I see this as a major crisis that could derail our season as we do not have enough depth or enough versatility on our list in this area.

Brad says that Grima is ready to come back, but they are just being extra cautious because they have 3 players at the moment who can play down there, I would say if one went down and Grima was not ready, Petrie would go back to plug a hole for a few weeks and our forward line would be Daw, Brown and Black.
 

WesternRoo

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Thread starter #4
Thank god Delaney is back. He might have to be put to the test earlier than we would like but he might just rise to the occasion.

Good list management getting Tippett - I hope he recovers.
I reckon we are one Tippett short TBH.

We traded out Luke Delaney and Pederson and didn't really replace them.
 

Psicosis

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#9
Definitely need to be looking to secure a young KPD in the draft this year. Firrito, Thompson and Grima all getting older and we need to start preparing for the future. We also need some more depth in this area.
 

Only Forwards

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#10
With our growing injury list if required this year we send Drew back, I trust sending him back more than I trust our other KPF's to adjust to the backline.

Which would mean an incredibly raw forward line.

But it'd also mean Maj playing FF which is where he plays at the Bees (from what I have read)

It'd be a glimpse of a possible future.
 
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Moderator #11
Definitely need to be looking to secure a young KPD in the draft this year. Firrito, Thompson and Grima all getting older and we need to start preparing for the future. We also need some more depth in this area.
Not adverse to scouting the state leagues for another readymade option.

As for now, yeh it's a problem though it's (key defender injury siutation) not that far from the end of last year when key forwards didn't really get a hold of us then either.
 

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Thewlis Dish

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#12
It's funny what a few injuries can do. If everyone is fit, we have Tippett and Delaney in the twos, along with Thompson, Hansen, Grima and Firrito in the seniors, and then we have great depth.

I think key backs are the hardest position to have depth in, as if you're any good and ready to play, you're probably looking to leave for opportunities elsewhere (ie - Delaney). You really can't keep quality key defensive stocks in the twos for a prolonged period because they are always in demand.
 

Passmore

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#13
I would say we have as much KPD depth as anyone. Thompson, Grima, Hansen, Firrito, Tippet, Delaney. Can you actually carry much more on your list?

If it comes to it, Scotty Mc is going to have to come in and play above his height. Hawthorn had to use Kyle Cheney in a similar type of role at the start of the season.
 

groo

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#15
Petrie to CHb. He can't kick a goal anyway. Daw up forward. Then ziebel forward and Dumont to hunt the footy. McMahon forward where he can choose when to run hard could be the back up option if we don't take the risk on Dumont.
Wrights possession in the vfl were pretty much meaningless.
 

LuvtheKangas

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#16
I would say we have as much KPD depth as anyone. Thompson, Grima, Hansen, Firrito, Tippet, Delaney. Can you actually carry much more on your list?

If it comes to it, Scotty Mc is going to have to come in and play above his height. Hawthorn had to use Kyle Cheney in a similar type of role at the start of the season.
And below his weight ...
 

benbanjo

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#18
Petrie to CHB is a must, he played well there too years back... got his career back on track after i though he was almost done...
Dont know how effective it would be but LA is about the 6'3 mark... could play him up forward.
Brown, Black and Daw up forward for now seems like the best option.....
 

WesternRoo

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Thread starter #19
Petrie to CHB is a must, he played well there too years back... got his career back on track after i though he was almost done...
Dont know how effective it would be but LA is about the 6'3 mark... could play him up forward.
Brown, Black and Daw up forward for now seems like the best option.....

Geez, when we start talking Liam Anthony playing a tall defender role we are shuffling deck chairs on the titanic. Probably one of the poorest one on one players in the comp.
Wright can't do it, he is slow as a wet week as well.
The only other person at a pinch who maaayyy be an option as a third tall would be MacMillan, but, that's right, he's injured too.
None of our mediums play taller down back like Spud and guys like Arch, Josh Gibson or Pratt used to
 
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