Jump to content

The ideal forward

Inner Demon
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

Posted

I thought this article would be worth posting to add to the occasional discussion on this forum regarding our perceived need for more "tall forwards". Here's Garry Lyon's feelings on the matter.

Garry Lyon article

  • Quote
    •  
    • Author

    I suppose that's why he's "deceptively" quick as opposed to "obviously" quick.

    Incidentally, I haven't posted this as a form of praise for Matthew Bate, moreso part of an ongoing discussion about the need for forwards taller than the (as nominated by some) magic number of 193cm.

  • Quote
    •  

    Yeah true.

    I think he has a very good argument.

    I think Watts also fits into this mould as well...

    With the need to be able to move around the ground a lot the monster will find it more difficult. But there will always be a need for a brown or hall i think

  • Quote

    An interesting read.

    Leading forwards are very much in fashion at the moment. However, one day there will be a player as good as Alister Lynch was at standing in the goal square and beating his opponent one on one. Just because Hawkins and Neagle are no good at this doesn't mean there isn't a place for it. Hale got a couple of goals on us last weekend doing exactly that.

  • Quote

    • Author

    Hale got 1 goal doing that.

    He's not saying that big forwards will never kick goals again, he's saying the more mobile "big" forwards are going to kick the lion's share of the goals in years to come.

    If Watts can play this style of game at 196cm+ it makes him extremely dangerous.

  • Quote

    look back a few years ago to when bate was drafted and youll find that he was one of the quickest on our list over 20 meters.

    since then we have drafted a number of players with good pace, so he may have dropped down the list a bit and 20 meter pace is not the first few step 5 meter pace which lets you break those lines sometimes.

    but if he is in a straight line he goes alright.

    pace has nothing to do with turning either. he has the turning circle of the QE2

  • Quote

    Lost me when he said Bate was deceptively quick! Has he seen him try to turn?

    He said he's quick because he IS quick. In his first couple of seasons he played in the middle of the ground. In straight lines Bate is VERY fast. Kind of like Merrett at the Lions.

    Just because you're a big man and don't have great lateral movement doesn't mean there aren't other kinds of pace to be extracted. Against the Lions he was way out ahead on leads.

    But don't let me stop you on your Bate hatred.

    Matty Bate = The new Bruce (as soon as he retires). A player unfairly mailigned for no particular reason.

    MFC fans 2010 = Richmond fans 2004.

  • Quote
    •  

    look back a few years ago to when bate was drafted and youll find that he was one of the quickest on our list over 20 meters.

    since then we have drafted a number of players with good pace, so he may have dropped down the list a bit and 20 meter pace is not the first few step 5 meter pace which lets you break those lines sometimes.

    but if he is in a straight line he goes alright.

    pace has nothing to do with turning either. he has the turning circle of the QE2

    somtimes that can be an advantage for a left footer though. Many of the taller left footed forwards are like that: Cloke, Hart, Lloyd. It need not be a disadvantage. Interestingly much of Bate's running is up the ground on a long lead where he has more than adequate leg speed. On those sort of leads he is almost always sufficiently ahead of his opponent to be able to mark.

    Gary Lyon I know is a bit of a fan of his. He has stated on many occasions that in a side with an elite mid field Bate would be a top 50 player in the competition. Maybe that time is about to arrive. With Liam, Wonna, Morton, Sylvia,Trengove and a fit and firing JW in full flight, it will be quite a forward line.

    Bring it on.

  • Quote

    • Archived

    This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • REPORT: Port Adelaide

      Of course, it’s not the backline, you might argue and you would probably be right. It’s the boot studder (do they still have them?), the midfield, the recruiting staff, the forward line, the kicking coach, the Board, the interchange bench, the supporters, the folk at Casey, the head coach and the club psychologist  It’s all of them and all of us for having expectations that were sufficiently high to have believed three weeks ago that a restoration of the Melbourne team to a position where we might still be in contention for a finals berth when the time for the midseason bye arrived. Now let’s look at what happened over the period of time since Melbourne overwhelmed the Sydney Swans at the MCG in late May when it kicked 8.2 to 5.3 in the final quarter (and that was after scoring 3.8 to two straight goals in the second term). 

      • 2 replies
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Essendon

      Casey’s unbeaten run was extended for at least another fortnight after the Demons overran a persistent Essendon line up by 29 points at ETU Stadium in Port Melbourne last night. After conceding the first goal of the evening, Casey went on a scoring spree from about ten minutes in, with five unanswered majors with its fleet of midsized runners headed by the much improved Paddy Cross who kicked two in quick succession and livewire Ricky Mentha who also kicked an early goal. Leading the charge was recruit of the year, Riley Bonner while Bailey Laurie continued his impressive vein of form. With Tom Campbell missing from the lineup, Will Verrall stepped up to the plate demonstrating his improvement under the veteran ruckman’s tutelage. The Demons were looking comfortable for much of the second quarter and held a 25-point lead until the Bombers struck back with two goals in the shadows of half time. On the other side of the main break their revival continued with first three goals of the half. Harry Sharp, who had been quiet scrambled in the Demons’ first score of the third term to bring the margin back to a single point at the 17 minute mark and the game became an arm-wrestle for the remainder of the quarter and into the final moments of the last.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Gold Coast

      The Demons have the Bye next week but then are on the road once again when they come up against the Gold Coast Suns on the Gold Coast in what could be a last ditch effort to salvage their season. Who comes in and who comes out?

        • Haha
      • 96 replies
      Demonland

    • PODCAST: Port Adelaide

      The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 16th June @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we dissect the Dees disappointing loss to the Power.
      Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show.
      Listen LIVE: https://demonland.com/

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 31 replies
      Demonland

    • POSTGAME: Port Adelaide

      The Demons simply did not take their opportunities when they presented themselves and ultimately when down by 25 points effectively ending their finals chances. Goal kicking practice during the Bye?

        • Clap
        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 252 replies
      Demonland

    • VOTES: Port Adelaide

      Max Gawn has an insurmountable lead in the Demonland Player of the Year ahead of Jake Bowey, Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Kozzy Pickett. Your votes please; 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1.

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 32 replies
      Demonland
    View All