Analysis Who plays as 2nd key forward in 2021?

[the Ziebull]

With Brown gone who will partner Larkey next year?

Could it be a draftee like Logan McDonald, or potentially someone we bring in late.

Or Charlie Comben

or do we throw a defender forward who has played there before like Walker/Taz/Mckay

 

[King Corey]

Me.

At training once I played ruck in 1 drill because somehow I was the tallest in that drill.

There's no way I can do this at AFL level but a fallback position of KPF is feasible.

 

[the Ziebull]

Me.

At training once I played ruck in 1 drill because somehow I was the tallest in that drill.

There's no way I can do this at AFL level but a fallback position of KPF is feasible.

It’s why I put the other option

 

[Heaps of fun]

The Comdom has us covered.

 

[SammyRoo]

Comben.....if he's up to it.

Plus maybe Xerri rotating in if they play 2 Rucks from time to time.

Ziebull whilst not tall, can play as a strong/crash fwd. Goalkicking a worry.

Prefer not to re-locate a defender unless necessary. It’s not just marking, also requires forward craft.

If it had to be a defender then McKay probably the best candidate, but he’s taken 4yrs to lock-done a KPD role..... big risk changing his focus again

 

[Supreme_Chancellor]

Logan McDonald, Charlie Comben and Nick Larkey

20

Nick Larkey

Age

22

Ht

198cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.5

2star

K

4.6

2star

HB

3.9

3star

M

3.3

3star

T

1.5

3star

G

1.4

5star

D

7.0

1star

K

4.0

1star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.0

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

1.0

4star

D

8.8

3star

K

4.2

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.4

4star

G

0.8

4star

= The Triple Entente

 

[Moti]

We have a plethora of medium sized marking players. Have a tall to help Larkey that can compete like Comben, Xerri or Walker but develop the ganeplan around utilising hit up forwards and medium sized players one on one.

 

[the Ziebull]

Stevo the mobile full forward at times I’m sure we will see also

 

[Liam Boy]

Start with Walker, bring Comben in when he's ready

 

[Caracas]

Given the direction we appear to be taking, I’m all for starting R1 with a Larkey/Comben combo up forward - if Comben’s back is OK.


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[ChoppyGun]

Atu and Stevo......

Larkey and a smaller fleet I'd like being serious.

Comben who knows. Be great if he can.

 

[the Ziebull]

Yeah not against a smaller fleet ala tigers of 2017/18

With just the one tall. Allows us to just hack it in there also and let the smalls go to work at Larkeys feet

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

I have watched Walker at Brisbane and he is not AFL standard as a forward. I say this as a fan of the bloke.

He's a bloody good backman and would have finished much higher in the BF if he was allowed to play down back all year.

I wanted McKay to be trialed in the front half towards the end of this season and couldn't understand why it wasn't tried. What could be the loss?

 

[Pykie]

I have watched Walker at Brisbane and he is not AFL standard as a forward. I say this as a fan of the bloke.

He's a bloody good backman and would have finished much higher in the BF if he was allowed to play down back all year.

I wanted McKay to be trialed in the front half towards the end of this season and couldn't understand why it wasn't tried. What could be the loss?

Probably because he looked like one of the best young key backs in the comp?

On votes per game in our B&F he would have finished about 4th had he played the entire season.

Was completely dominant as that gorilla back on some damn good players.

Probably our biggest positive of the year.


We aren't shoehorning him anywhere and certainly not for a 28 year old Josh Walker.

I wouldn't trade Ben for Harry based on their 2020's.

 

[R00StaR]

I wouldnt mind seeing Taz up there. Putting more responsibility on Mckay, Corr, Walker and co. Only reservation is Taz really only got his body right when he moved to defense, big forwards tend to get smashed. Even if we got McDonald i couldnt see him playing a huge role season 1.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

Probably because he looked like one of the best young key backs in the comp?

On votes per game in our B&F he would have finished about 4th had he played the entire season.

Was completely dominant as that gorilla back on some damn good players.

Probably our biggest positive of the year.


We aren't shoehorning him anywhere and certainly not for a 28 year old Josh Walker.

I wouldn't trade Ben for Harry based on their 2020's.

Ben was a rare bright spot wasn't he but I wanted him trialed forward to see what he could produce as a key forward. It had nothing to do with Walker's role or position.

 

[Pykie]

Ben was a rare bright spot wasn't he but I wanted him trialed forward to see what he could produce as a key forward. It had nothing to do with Walker's role or position.

So you wanted a kid who looked like he had finally had come to terms with AFL football, was blossoming before our eyes in a position he'd been training in at VFL level for the last 3 years and preparing for, to be shoehorned forward just to trial it and experiment?

McKay is the sort of guy you build your entire defence around, like a Harris Andrews

31

Harris Andrews

Age

24

Ht

201cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.8

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.6

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

151.7

2star

D

17.0

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.0

3star

D

9.8

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.8

4star

M

3.4

4star

T

1.6

4star

MG

94.0

2star

.

You just don't mess with it when it clicks.

 

[the Ziebull]

Ben was a rare bright spot wasn't he but I wanted him trialed forward to see what he could produce as a key forward. It had nothing to do with Walker's role or position.

I actually agree with you and was surprised we didn’t try Mckay forward when brown was injured last year

We brought McKay in and put him back and walker forward. Could have put McKay just straight forward to replace brown to start with and then assess if he should stay there or try going back

 

[darko]

Larkey with Walker pinch hitting. At times Xerri and maybe Comben.

I'd prefer smaller but more mobile forward line that can put more pressure on the opposition.

 

[Tas]

McKay is our full back, he stays there. Enough with short-sighted ******* player development.

Assuming Crows take McDonald and we take Hollands then we play Larkey at FF, Xerri at CHF (need to him to give Goldy a chop out). We will have to see how Comben goes over the pre-season, if he isn't good to go then I think we just play the two talls.

That leaves us Zurhaar and Ziebell as medium/tall forwards.

In that above scenario we have the potential to see Stephenson, Thomas, Hollands, Scott and Taylor rotating between forward and midfield roles, I don't think it is going to click in 2021 but that is an amazing amount of talent on the forward line.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

McKay is our full back, he stays there. Enough with short-sighted ******* player development.

Assuming Crows take McDonald and we take Hollands then we play Larkey at FF, Xerri at CHF (need to him to give Goldy a chop out). We will have to see how Comben goes over the pre-season, if he isn't good to go then I think we just play the two talls.

That leaves us Zurhaar and Ziebell as medium/tall forwards.

In that above scenario we have the potential to see Stephenson, Thomas, Hollands, Scott and Taylor rotating between forward and midfield roles, I don't think it is going to click in 2021 but that is an amazing amount of talent on the forward line.

I find it interesting that generally younger supporters are against moving players into different positions. This used to be the norm in practice matches many years ago. On the Brisbane Board it's similar to here. Its the Over 50 group that want more experimentation. . Now the players go off the field all the time(interchange) but go back to the same part of the field.

Ross Glendining would be a typical key position player of yesterday who excelled forward and back. Lynch, in his Fitzroy days, would play at what ever end the wind was heading. Gary Pert played initially on a half forward flank but excelled when tried at full back.

I look at Zurhaar and see an All Australian line breaking half and once again I would have tried it. I mean the season was a sh.t storm anyway. Have a look at the Brisbane game when he ran through Eric Hipwood

30

Eric Hipwood

Age

23

Ht

204cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.0

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

2.6

2star

M

3.9

4star

T

1.3

3star

G

1.5

5star

D

11.1

3star

K

8.4

3star

HB

2.7

2star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.1

2star

G

1.1

5star

D

10.6

3star

K

8.4

4star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.6

4star

G

2.4

5star

on the wing. That was exciting.

Possibly now its a professional game the players are more conservative as well.

 

[Tas]

I find it interesting that generally younger supporters are against moving players into different positions. This used to be the norm in practice matches many years ago. On the Brisbane Board it's similar to here. Its the Over 50 group that want more experimentation. . Now the players go off the field all the time(interchange) but go back to the same part of the field.

Ross Glendining would be a typical key position player of yesterday who excelled forward and back. Lynch, in his Fitzroy days, would play at what ever end the wind was heading. Gary Pert played initially on a half forward flank but excelled when tried at full back.

I look at Zurhaar and see an All Australian line breaking half and once again I would have tried it. I mean the season was a sh.t storm anyway. Have a look at the Brisbane game when he ran through Eric Hipwood

30

Eric Hipwood

Age

23

Ht

204cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.0

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

2.6

2star

M

3.9

4star

T

1.3

3star

G

1.5

5star

D

11.1

3star

K

8.4

3star

HB

2.7

2star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.1

2star

G

1.1

5star

D

10.6

3star

K

8.4

4star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.6

4star

G

2.4

5star

on the wing. That was exciting.

Possibly now its a professional game the players are more conservative as well.

Yeah, I am over 50 and I still think it is dumb. If someone isn't working in his role or you have a surplus of players in that role then fine, someone who is literally starring for us and we have zero other long-term options is a bad idea because players can lose confidence. Experimentation is great, it turned Tarrant from a mediocre forward into a great defender, but McKay had a fantastic year as a key defender.

We could have chased players like Wright and Hogan and got them dirt cheap, we didn't, we have to persist with Larkey, Xerri and Comben.

 

[King Corey]

Ben was a rare bright spot wasn't he but I wanted him trialed forward to see what he could produce as a key forward. It had nothing to do with Walker's role or position.

I get where you're coming from. Tarrant and Hansen both spent time as competent (5 goal haul) forwards before finding their niche in defence. Ditto Daw. Drew was playing effective mobile ruck and sometimes CHB before really flourishing as key forward.

McKay produced some good footy as a KPD this year but I agree it shouldn't lock us in to not at least having another peek via praccies etc as to how he functions back up forward. He clunked them pretty well in the VFL and what's to say he couldn't be a Tom Lynch type down there?

At worst you try it and quickly write off the possibility, at best we have another bona fide key forward and the middle ground is you have a Tarrant/Hansen type able to contribute at either end.

 

[andana]

Just play Larkey and five small/medium players. Zurhaar, TT, JZ and Taylor all good marks for their size.

 

[SammyRoo]

Comben + Larks

Curtis + Zurhaar + Jaydn

Atu, TT and Mahoney buzzing around.

Premiership done ......