Power Forward

[btdemon 475]

Despite being very excited about our new talent, I still think we will need a power forward to be a fair dinkum finals challenger. Jurrah is awesome and I'm confident that watts will be also. Neither will be the pack splitting, pack marking, spill creating player that is needed in a tight finals game.

We have some potentially very good small opportunist forwards in Aussie, Maric (I'm not convinced about him yet), Petterd, Davey and Jetta (this guy may lack the polish of Aussie and Maric, but he is a red hot goer). Add Jurrah, Watts, Bate and Sylvia and you have some great medium size goal kicking ability. Watts may well be a KPP one day but I think his value will be as an agile, high marking, clever forward. Morton could also play this role as he is a great mark.

Imagine this group with a talented gorilla-like J. Brown, Tredrea or Koschitzke type creating spillages and taking the top defenders attention away from them. Jurrah and Watts could be a real handfull in the way that Steve Johnson, Michael O'Loughlin, Motlop etc. are. I just don't think they are the answer as the key focus of the forward line. Robbo and Yze used to play this role with Neita as the focus.

After watching Martin over the last year I'm concerned that he doesn't have the kicking ability to be that player. However, I do think he is smart and athletic, and will make an really good CHB. ATM he is not getting a chance to settle into any position.

Miller is what he is, which is a great, tough, team man who has had to make the most of his limited talents. He may still have value, but is not the future.

Garland has great potential as a forward, but again falls more into the mid sized clever department. I also see a great defence built on Garland, Martin, Frawley, Rivers, Bennell, Grimes (and Strauss? Who knows). One that can work together like Geelong's.

The midfield needs Scully, or at least somebody who can burst away and kick long. Blease should be great as an outsider. Buckley might add some pace back but I'm not convinced by him at all.

We need another project Ruckman. Jamar has surprised me this year and Meesen and Spencer have some potential, but we need some coming through for the future.

How we recruit this year is critical! Whether we get priority picks or not, we are well stocked with potential but must boost those stocks this year to survive the famine that will occur over the next four to five years with GC and West Sydney coming online. Teams like Adelaide and Essendon have demonstrated that it is possible even without the really high draft picks.

Edited July 19, 2009 by btdemon

[ucanchoose 1,807]

The Bulldgos are living proof that this is not the case. A team of small forwards can win games and be successful. Since Power forwards are hard to find I'd like to follow the Bulldogs lead

[deeflog 679]

The Bulldgos are living proof that this is not the case. A team of small forwards can win games and be successful. Since Power forwards are hard to find I'd like to follow the Bulldogs lead

you need players with polished skills to play like the doggies...something we don't have

[Redleg 38,585]

Despite being very excited about our new talent, I still think we will need a power forward to be a fair dinkum finals challenger.

Got one in mind?

[ucanchoose 1,807]

you need players with polished skills to play like the doggies...something we don't have

Yep, but that's the line I would be taking. Much easier to polish a midfield than find a 100 goal gorilla. It has taken them time to develop this. 14 goalkickers in a game is much more sustainable than 1 guy kicking 14. Look at Carlton!

[btdemon 475]

Got one in mind?

We need to draft a project one and maybe keep Miller around in the interim.

[btdemon 475]

Mooney is not a great player but is good enough to take the key defender and create trouble. He's a cut above miller but not by a great deal.

[deeflog 679]

Yep, but that's the line I would be taking. Much easier to polish a midfield than find a 100 goal gorilla. It has taken them time to develop this. 14 goalkickers in a game is much more sustainable than 1 guy kicking 14. Look at Carlton!

good points, but does our list have the players on it that are capable of becoming polished players...Jones, Bate, Bruce...

[Redleg 38,585]

We need to draft a project one and maybe keep Miller around in the interim.

Hopefully we have pick 18 ( our third pick ) and our first two picks have given us 2 quality midfielders and we can then use 18 on a potential power forward. Another way would be to use our first pick in the PSD ( pick 1 ) to either force a trade for one or to get one for free.

Also by keeping Miller as you suggest (for another year) we could have someone ( an experienced hard body) who is tradeable to Gold Coast for a decent pick, of which they will have plenty to trade with.

Edited July 19, 2009 by Redleg

[btdemon 475]

Hopefully we have pick 18 ( our third pick ) and our first two picks have given us 2 quality midfielders and we can then use 18 on a potential power forward. Another way would be to use our first pick in the PSD ( pick 1 ) to either force a trade for one or to get one for free.

Also by keeping Miller as you suggest (for another year) we could have someone ( an experienced hard body) who is tradeable to Gold Coast for a decent pick, of which they will have plenty to trade with.

This is predicated on finishing last with no more than 4 winns. This is looking less likely.

[deeflog 679]

Hopefully we have pick 18 ( our third pick ) and our first two picks have given us 2 quality midfielders and we can then use 18 on a potential power forward. Another way would be to use our first pick in the PSD ( pick 1 ) to either force a trade for one or to get one for free.

Also by keeping Miller as you suggest (for another year) we could have someone ( an experienced hard body) who is tradeable to Gold Coast for a decent pick, of which they will have plenty to trade with.

Any idea which kids are power forwards in this years draft that will be around the 18 pick?

[52k2 0]

If we cant pick early for a FF how about one out of left field late in the draft or even in the PSD. Adrian Bonaddio from Port Melbourne, 23 years old [i think] about 198 and 95-100 Kg. Not staring but gives a good contest, not a bad lead, marks well and kicks long and pretty well.

[Sir Why You Little 35,322]

Yawn. All Clubs would love a Power Forward. Who wouldn't.

Wake me when you have created a more useful thread.

[Yze_Magic 3]

Would be nice to get pick 1 and 2, and trade pick 2 to the Crows for Kurt Tippett.

The Crows could then take the young South Australian Trengrove with that pick 2.

I doubt they give up Tippett, but you never know.

[rpfc 27,692]

We had 38 Inside 50s and we are still stuck on the forward line?

I thought we had this argument about 2 months ago - we need a decent midfield.

Our forward line is raw but promising, our midfield is in dire need of some class and run.

[Doggo 32]

Mooney is not a great player but is good enough to take the key defender and create trouble. He's a cut above miller but not by a great deal.

Miller has a long way to go to get to the level Mooney has displayed over the last 6 or so seasons. Mooney is underrated in so many ways because people expect him, with the midfield the cats have, to be kicking 80+ goals a year. He does so much for their structure, and allows them to play the game-style that they do, so much so that he's just about the most important player they have. Not the most talented, but an integral part of their game plan and structure.

Having said that, i wonder how Mooney would go at the Dees, and conversely, how Miller would go at the Cats? To be honest, i still think Cam would be slotting 40 plus goals a year at Melbourne, whereas Miller in all likeliness would still be struggling to crack 30 a year, despite the delivery he'd be getting.

In regards to drafting a power forward, i hope like hell that Jake Carlisle (VM), Matthew Panos (SA) or John Butcher (VC) are still available at our 2nd round pick (17 to 20, depending on ladder positions and PP's) in the draft, although that's extremely unlikely with the dearth of KPP in this years draft. I strongly believe first 2 picks (if we have a PP) need to be used on elite mids, Scully and Trengove/Morabito etc. I'm not a huge fan of trading away pick 2 should we receive the PP, unless the right deal comes along, ie. someone like Buddy Franklin becomes available.

PSD or rookie drafting a big, mature-aged (though no older than 22) power forward from the VFL, WAFL, SANFL etc could also be a left-field option.

[Al`s DEMONS 0]

The Bulldgos are living proof that this is not the case. A team of small forwards can win games and be successful. Since Power forwards are hard to find I'd like to follow the Bulldogs lead

the bulldogs are proof of what. playing finals?

[H_T 2,941]

Would be nice to get pick 1 and 2, and trade pick 2 to the Crows for Kurt Tippett. The Crows could then take the young South Australian Trengrove with that pick 2. I doubt they give up Tippett, but you never know.

Not a bad option. Like you say you never know. The Gold Coast would certainly be looking at him. He is a proven big man up forward.

[dee-luded 2,958]

Hopefully we have pick 18 ( our third pick ) and our first two picks have given us 2 quality midfielders and we can then use 18 on a potential power forward. Another way would be to use our first pick in the PSD ( pick 1 ) to either force a trade for one or to get one for free.

Also by keeping Miller as you suggest (for another year) we could have someone ( an experienced hard body) who is tradeable to Gold Coast for a decent pick, of which they will have plenty to trade with.

I've got a suspicion, = Miller ^ pick 24 - key forward??

[Roost It 1,434]

The Bulldgos are living proof that this is not the case. A team of small forwards can win games and be successful. Since Power forwards are hard to find I'd like to follow the Bulldogs lead

The only thing the Bulldogs prove is that you need a power forward.

Personally I think a forward line with Watts, Jurrah, Bate, Sylvia, Petterd, Maric, Davey, Wonaeamiiri would be strong enough if we had a better midfield

[LIFT 0]

We had 38 Inside 50s and we are still stuck on the forward line?

I thought we had this argument about 2 months ago - we need a decent midfield.

Our forward line is raw but promising, our midfield is in dire need of some class and run.

Well said our midfield is a long way from St.k, geel, doggies and carlton.

[Ryan Dee 140]

A 'power forward' what the hell? We are talking more and more like Americans.

Anyway all this will work itself out as the team gets better. You cant have a really strong running forward without a top midfield behind him. Even a guy like big Pav has to get into the midfield just to stay in the game, and it rare to find players like this. What I am trying to say is we need to get our midfield right first and the beast may be created from this.

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

Two words: Mitch Morton

Chase him boys. He'd be perfect.

[Ryan Dee 140]

Two words: Mitch Morton

Chase him boys. He'd be perfect.

Someone mentioned this about 5 or 6 weeks ago and I have been watching him every week since and he presents so well. Has a bit of X factor about him. Although his kicking for goal (drop punt) is not that great, but he can snap a goal better than anyone in the comp.

Edited July 19, 2009 by Mr Morton

[jacey 333]

Two words: Mitch Morton

Chase him boys. He'd be perfect.

Mitch Morton is nothing like a power forward. Plays nothing like a power forward.

What is he 184cm, 80 kgs.

He is not what we need. That Jesse White looks good but personally draft our own or work with what we've got + 2 top end talented mids.