Can Sylvia play as a forward ?

[Bay Riffin 1,434]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl...8-19742,00.html

Bailey mentions Sylvia amongst others to take of the nucleus of our forward line.

"Bailey named Paul Johnson, Colin Sylvia, Michael Newton, Brad Miller and Matthew Bate as the nucleus. "

Thing is he has done better this year, mainly in the backline and that has been just gathering posessions.

i want this bloke to succeed but have no confidence he will perform as a forward.

At least his possesions rate is higher, but would like to see him have an influence.

What do people think ?

[JACKATTACK 17]

Strong mark and good skill by foot, should be a decent fit. Sadly he has never really looked like a good forward.

[Sleeve 67]

Strong mark and good skill by foot, should be a decent fit. Sadly he has never really looked like a good forward.

It's hard to look like a forward when Neita and Robbo were clogging it up.

Our forward 50 often looks like a fat man's plate at a $5 all you can buffet, never much room there.

[titan_uranus 23,253]

I thought he was looking good before his injury in defence. Think he should stay there.

[Gouga 528]

Strong mark and good skill by foot, should be a decent fit. Sadly he has never really looked like a good forward.

If DB is serious about playing Sylvia as a forward don't just do it for a quarter or even a game. Give him a few weeks down there along with Newton.

[Guest MFC4Life]

If DB is serious about playing Sylvia as a forward don't just do it for a quarter or even a game. Give him a few weeks down there along with Newton.

Agreed. At the moment it appears to be that if it ain't working after a quarter try something else.

Personally I would have Green, Sylvia and Dunn up forward with maybe Newton when he is right.

[CarnTheDees 52]

He has all the potential attributes to play as a Steve Johnson / Alan Didak / Ryan O'Keefe style of half-forward.

Question is if he fulfills that potential.

At this stage all signs point to Probably Not, though willing to give him an injury-free season or two to find out.

I do think it's his ideal position though.

[Kit Walker 210]

It's hard to look like a forward when Neita and Robbo were clogging it up.

Our forward 50 often looks like a fat man's plate at a $5 all you can buffet, never much room there.

Fair call. Though at other times it's so vacant that it looks like the buffet's been finished......

I think he plays like a marking forward pocket (similar to Ebert from Port Adelaide). Simply has not shown the ability to find the ball enough to be in the mould of the other players mentioned in this thread (Didak, Johnson, et al).

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Looked more encouraging off the back line than at anywhere... But anyone can get a kick there. It's good to know he can go there to find form, but he DOES need to do what he did in that awful WC game last year... Take marks and kick goals...

[Yze_Magic 3]

He should have been played as a Brad Johnson type forward the day he stepped into the MFC.

He is a marvel - amazing overhead and a booming, accurate kick.

I blame his lack of progress on Daniher as much as his bad run with injuries.

With Neitz and Robbo gone, it is Sylvias chance to shine.

He should be our new FF. Permanently.

Play him out of the goalsquare for the rest of the season. I will guarantee at least three 5+ goal hauls from now til the end of the year, if he plays there.

[Mono 454]

He should have been played as a Brad Johnson type forward the day he stepped into the MFC.

He is a marvel - amazing overhead and a booming, accurate kick.

I blame his lack of progress on Daniher as much as his bad run with injuries.

With Neitz and Robbo gone, it is Sylvias chance to shine.

He should be our new FF. Permanently.

Play him out of the goalsquare for the rest of the season. I will guarantee at least three 5+ goal hauls from now til the end of the year, if he plays there.

Hahahahahahahahahahaha

[Yze_Magic 3]

Hahahahahahahahahahaha

You woudnt know a good footballer if you saw one, Bruce lover

[bjgc 0]

No he can't play there he was showing something down back now they are going to play him where he has showed nothing. Bailey is a clown he is making sure Sylvia is trade bait. Why no mention of Holland he is the only one that looks like he can kick a goal. Newton has been out for ages and P.Johnson has no idea.

[Mondê 525]

I agree with you Yze Magic, put him in the square and say kick us some goals. He's got a huge vertical leap, strong hands and a thumping accurate kick. Why we haven't experimented with Col at FF during a NAB cup series at least is beyond me.

[Mono 454]

You woudnt know a good footballer if you saw one, Bruce lover

Ouch! That hurt!

[w00dy 146]

He should have been played as a Brad Johnson type forward the day he stepped into the MFC.

i'd see him a little similar to Brett Ebert from Port, but think he could play the position well...

total rejig of the forward line could be refreshing...

[Scoop Junior 3,136]

At the moment he hasn't shown he can play anywhere.

I can't believe a bloke with as much hype as Sylvia has done so little to date. Perhaps he just monstered his age group at underage level and doesn't have this strength advantage at AFL level. I know he's had his injuries, but he should have done a lot more by now.

I don't get it - he marks well, he kicks well, he's tough, a good tackler, makes good decisions, etc. but there is just something lacking. He simply is not involved in the action for long periods of games.

I don't know why he's never thrown into the centre to try win a clearance. He has hardly ever been in the centre during his career. Injuries? Bad engine? Who knows why.

Maybe I'm expecting too much. But surely you can expect lofty heights from a no.3 draft pick.

The next 12 weeks are make or break for him.

[Jerry Lundergard 412]

If we had picked up Sylvia with pick 53 and not No.3, would he still be getting a game?

[titan_uranus 23,253]

If we had picked up Sylvia with pick 53 and not No.3, would he still be getting a game?

Great point Jerry, he's in the team because fans and the coaching staff are striving to see him deliver on the potential we all want him to have, rather than because he's delivering and deserves a spot. His high selection in the draft means people like Yze Magic believe he's going to be a star without him actually showing anything to suggest that.

[drdrake 3,066]

No point playing him as a forward if we can't get the ball inside 50.

[Rogue 585]

Great point Jerry, he's in the team because fans and the coaching staff are striving to see him deliver on the potential we all want him to have, rather than because he's delivering and deserves a spot. His high selection in the draft means people like Yze Magic believe he's going to be a star without him actually showing anything to suggest that.

Once you're on the list you take up as much space as anyone else, and I imagine the coaching staff pick players on merit.

You make a valid point regarding fans though - Sylvia's got far more praise than he's deserved through deeds on the field.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Once you're on the list you take up as much space as anyone else, and I imagine the coaching staff pick players on merit.

Agree. Sylvia's challenge is the same as Bartram and Millers. They need to justify their selection.

After 5 years on the list Sylvia has shown he could be a steady capable player for MFC. However, I have seen little to suggest that he would be the "star" we crave for.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

I dunno... I've liked Sylvia's footy this year...

He's not starring, but he's breaking even. I can't remember a game where he was on my hit list, which is saying something...

Every week, at least half our players are on that list (except the Hawks match where we had only a few players play badly)...

I do like the idea of him playing whole games, and weeks out of the square. The beauty of being 1 and 9 is that we haven't got a finals series to protect. Getting the delivering players used to the way he leads and how he likes to outbody guys is probably a really constructive thing...

Consider that Morton will be back next week, and that he usually pops up with 15-20 touches a game. Anywhere between 3-8 of those touches will be aimed at a leading forward, and it may as well be Sylvia. I'd like to see them gain an understanding, and it take weeks to do this...

It's not as if playing him out of the square is the only option either. A rangy HF flanker would be good too, floating in drifting in from the flanks... He can have variety if he's coached properly.

Just stick with something to get him up to speed. This is as well as he's ever played, and as fit as he's ever been. He just needs confidence...

[Bring-Back-Powell 13,667]

Consider that Morton will be back next week, and that he usually pops up with 15-20 touches a game. Anywhere between 3-8 of those touches will be aimed at a leading forward, and it may as well be Sylvia.

Speaking of Morton, why the hell was he left out of the side V St Kilda with the flu - 3 days before the match. Surely that was the MFC way of saying the kid needs a rest.

I agree with YM, stick Col in the goal square for the rest of the year. Let him share it with Holland and maybe Yze. Bate and Miller at half forward.

[Demons 32 235]

In regards to our forward line in the OP.

I believe this is now Newtons time. He needs to be played FF against Collingwood if fit. The season is over, get him in to this pressure situation let him know out there that the forward 50 is his, must be hard to play well in a forward line with Neitz and Robbo and then one that has Sautner in the 2nds, he has never had the chance to be number 1 option. Let him try to grab it right away.

Can't deny his talent.

On the Sylvia thing. He has hardly been bad this year, think people are trying to shut him down to quickly.

I think he could be a great forward, personally I still think he would serve us best with Jones and Mclean in the centre square but looks like that will never happen so I could see him in a Ryan O'Keefe mould. Just let him hold one position for at least a month and see what he can do!!