Stefan Martin looks good in defense. He is mobile, quick for his size (198cm) and can mark and kick the ball reasonably well.

I believe we can use him as a defender and ruckman/forward with great effectivness. Weekly match-ups will decide what position he will play.

But I can see him doing well around the ground as a ruckman. I think he is worth a shot. He has rucked for Sandrigham before and done well.

Does anybody agree? He does wear 34!

I think a ruck role is too challenging for him at the moment. He would be brushed aside by the giants. His best asset is his pace and that should be put to good use against a leading marking forward or as a lead up forward himself.

If team balance permits I'd give him a run on the forward line. He showed us on Saturday that he can take contested marks and there is not many in our current team that can do that.

Was one of the shining lights down back on a truly pathetic MFC performance. Some of his contested marking was top shelf and he won the praise of Malcolm Blight.

Hopefully he can consolidate the no 2 key defence spot in the absense of Garland.

As for the question of ruck, not too sure to be honest.

Was one of the shining lights down back on a truly pathetic MFC performance. Some of his contested marking was top shelf and he won the praise of Malcolm Blight.

Totally agree BBP, but at half time I was guttered that he was named at FF yet failed to play a minute there.

Have been calling for it for ages.... MEMO TO DB - give him a go in the forward line!

Great chance this week to show us what he has got as a forward with port only really have WT as a tall forward. Warnock can cover him and even have Petterd off HB if need be. Try something different! It should have happened last week in the final term!

Totally agree BBP, but at half time I was guttered that he was named at FF yet failed to play a minute there.

Have been calling for it for ages.... MEMO TO DB - give him a go in the forward line!

Great chance this week to show us what he has got as a forward with port only really have WT as a tall forward. Warnock can cover him and even have Petterd off HB if need be. Try something different! It should have happened last week in the final term!

I wqatched stef play forward and change ruck for casey admitedely the delivery to him was well lets say sub par and i even heard from the coach talking to him to keep presenting,

this guy is still learning the game and i feel he will be a forward come 2nd or 3rd ruckman, when i first saw him last yeaar this guy will go forward in time to come from my own opinion i think this guy has speed of the mark to burn for his height and has no fear as shown with his pack mark last week another of baileys projects

I wqatched stef play forward and change ruck for casey admitedely the delivery to him was well lets say sub par and i even heard from the coach talking to him to keep presenting,

this guy is still learning the game and i feel he will be a forward come 2nd or 3rd ruckman, when i first saw him last yeaar this guy will go forward in time to come from my own opinion i think this guy has speed of the mark to burn for his height and has no fear as shown with his pack mark last week another of baileys projects

Breath.....

This guy also seems to read the play very well as a defender.

Isn't it funny that when a player shines in one position, all of a sudden we want to see them play EVERY position - Possibly at the same time.

That said, I like what I see, and I would have no objection seeing him given a crack at playing forward also - I cant see the harm giving him a brief stint when we are next down at 50 odd points at 3/4.

Breath.....

This guy also seems to read the play very well as a defender.

Isn't it funny that when a player shines in one position, all of a sudden we want to see them play EVERY position - Possibly at the same time.

That said, I like what I see, and I would have no objection seeing him given a crack at playing forward also - I cant see the harm giving him a brief stint when we are next down at 50 odd points at 3/4.

This Sunday

While I like the idea in general, because it eliminates the need to have a useless second ruckman who can't go forward and kick goals, or go back and defend (sorry PJ), rucking is a very specialised position that requires a lot of training. Martin's very limited knowledge of the position worries me at this stage, because ruck injuries are common and often serious and we don't need Martin's inexperience causing him unnecessary injuries.

The other issue of course is, long term are we really going to use him as a ruck? If the answer is no (and IMO it is, given that we do need to develop Spencer and either use him with Jamar or find us a better back-up) then what's the point of confusing the poor kid and making him learn a new position for no reason?

Martin is so new to the game as it is, and while he has picked up the skills and ball-reading ability remarkably quick, we shouldn't be messing him around.

A future move into the forward line however could be something to think about, and I would say Bailey and Co were considering it prior to Garland's injury (which is why Martin played forward with Casey). Until Garland is back, Martin stays a defender. Beyond that, where and how we use Martin will depend entirely on the level of crapness of our forwards.

While I like the idea in general, because it eliminates the need to have a useless second ruckman who can't go forward and kick goals, or go back and defend (sorry PJ), rucking is a very specialised position that requires a lot of training. Martin's very limited knowledge of the position worries me at this stage, because ruck injuries are common and often serious and we don't need Martin's inexperience causing him unnecessary injuries.

The other issue of course is, long term are we really going to use him as a ruck? If the answer is no (and IMO it is, given that we do need to develop Spencer and either use him with Jamar or find us a better back-up) then what's the point of confusing the poor kid and making him learn a new position for no reason?

Martin is so new to the game as it is, and while he has picked up the skills and ball-reading ability remarkably quick, we shouldn't be messing him around.

A future move into the forward line however could be something to think about, and I would say Bailey and Co were considering it prior to Garland's injury (which is why Martin played forward with Casey). Until Garland is back, Martin stays a defender. Beyond that, where and how we use Martin will depend entirely on the level of crapness of our forwards.

Jaded makes a couple of good points. The first is the specialised nature of the ruck. It's not like playing in the forward pocket, for example, where you might be on the end of some good play and kick a goal or two. To have an effect in the ruck you've gotta know what you're doing: e.g. timing the jump, palming the ball, working in tandem with the midfielders. Martin would know little if any of this.

The other point is that our long term view cannot be to use Martin in the ruck. He has enough talent to play CHB really well, and possibly could go forward. But I don't think we can succeed in the long run with Martin as our 2nd ruckman.

No

No as well from me.

While I like the idea in general, because it eliminates the need to have a useless second ruckman who can't go forward and kick goals, or go back and defend (sorry PJ), rucking is a very specialised position that requires a lot of training. Martin's very limited knowledge of the position worries me at this stage, because ruck injuries are common and often serious and we don't need Martin's inexperience causing him unnecessary injuries.

A good example of this was last Saturday night when Sydney beat Hawthorn......

Given the fact that the Hawks were down on ruckmen, and the one that was out there was being completely pantsed, they at times during the course of the game put Roughead into the centre bounce, and I was at the game and there were Hawks fans in the vicinity who were having hissy fits at the thought of him being thrown into a position as specialised as rucking in the middle.

He was appalling, truth be told, and not just because he could get no where near Jolly, but because his timing and leaping were all over the place and was crashing down hard on his knees on more than one occasion. He could well have been fine to cover the gaping hole around the ground but he was all at sea in the middle and it looked like it could have ended rather badly.

Absolutely not, Develop the kid. Dont basterdise him to fill gaps that other players should be filling. Futher down the track once fully developed then sure try him out there but not yet

Dont basterdise him to fill gaps that other players should be filling.

Exactly.

A good example of this was last Saturday night when Sydney beat Hawthorn......

Given the fact that the Hawks were down on ruckmen, and the one that was out there was being completely pantsed, they at times during the course of the game put Roughead into the centre bounce, and I was at the game and there were Hawks fans in the vicinity who were having hissy fits at the thought of him being thrown into a position as specialised as rucking in the middle.

Anyone remember Jared Brennan going in to the ruck for Brisbane a few years ago? Can't remember who he was up against at the time, but in his very first contest he copped a knee in the guts and went down like a sack of spuds. IMO people who don't know how to ruck shouldn't become ruckmen. PJ wasn't a ruckman before his time at the MFC either, and I think it shows.

Absolutely not, Develop the kid. Dont basterdise him to fill gaps that other players should be filling. Futher down the track once fully developed then sure try him out there but not yet

Agree with this. I think it's particularly important in Martin's case since he's only been playing the game for a few years.

Anyone remember Jared Brennan going in to the ruck for Brisbane a few years ago? Can't remember who he was up against at the time, but in his very first contest he copped a knee in the guts and went down like a sack of spuds. IMO people who don't know how to ruck shouldn't become ruckmen. PJ wasn't a ruckman before his time at the MFC either, and I think it shows.

Agree with this. I think it's particularly important in Martin's case since he's only been playing the game for a few years.

I think you'll find that Martin first came to prominence in the Ammo's under 19s as a ruckman. He got something like 8 bogs in 9 games, and won the comp b&f. And I don't see the relevance of Brennan, who's physique and height is totally different to Martin.

So in answer to question, yes, I'd groom Martin for a ruck position.

He is finding his feet and doing well in his fledgling career as a tall backman.

Why would anyone want to 'throw him aound' at this stage of his development is beyond me.

He is learning the game as a defender and he is doing well, let him stay there.

And mo64, we are a long way from U/19 Ammos.

He might become a ute later on, but let the bloke concentrate and nail a possie in the 22.

I agree, if Martin doesn't fulfill his duties in defence,

he has to find another position for him to be comfortable in.

He simply doesn't have the speed to be a key defender- that was shown last week when he played on Jack Anthony. But now with the Garland injury, Bailey might have to keep him there-

Frawley and Warnock can't pull the strings on their own in the back line. Of course, Jack Grimes is due to return soon and that will help the cause, but height is the main issue and I think that's what the club needs.

Martin is the sort of player who spoils or takes a relieving mark. However, his position in defence should only be kept firm if he can use those attributes whilst playing on another player.

He is finding his feet and doing well in his fledgling career as a tall backman.

Why would anyone want to 'throw him aound' at this stage of his development is beyond me.

He is learning the game as a defender and he is doing well, let him stay there.

I agree.

The flip side to all this is you would probably be taking away time from Spencer. Id rather put more faith and time into his game and grow his skills and confidence. Leave Martin down back to hone his craft