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Team balance

The Russian
in Melbourne Demons

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Posted

I am interested in people's thoughts on our team balance over recent weeks. I wonder what team balance DB considers ideal for his game plan, especially in the forward line.

The reason I say this is because one of the reasons we were good early in the year was the our hard running half forwards in Bail and Bennell. These two were perfect for running onto that long ball into the open forward line which appears to now be a permanent feature of our game plan. However a 'Bail' and 'Bennell' type was not in our team today. Instead we had four talls in Bate, Dunn, Miller and Watts. Both Bate and Watts failed to run onto the ball the long ball today when that specific play appeared.

I find it hard to understand why DB would pick four talls this week, when a month ago we went into a game with only two talls (Miller, Watts) and three smalls (Bennell, Jetta, Wonaeamirri).

I suggest that our best forward structure would contain two talls (Bate, Dunn, Miller, Newton, Watts) to mid-sized lead up types (Green, Hughes, Petterd) and a couple hard running types who can also crumb (Bail, Bennell, Jetta, Wonaeamirri).

I am not being critical of any of the four talls perfomances today, just a bit puzzled as to how two totally different set-ups fit the same game plan?

Note: Before people jump on me I know Bail and Petterd weren't available today because of injury, just wondering why they are not replaced by like players?

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    Hmm Dunn and Bate are quite flexible. Especially Dunn he was predominantly playing a defensive tagging role today. Just happens to be over 190cm tall so he gets labelled as a tall. Wasn't really his role.

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    Hmm Dunn and Bate are quite flexible. Especially Dunn he was predominantly playing a defensive tagging role today. Just happens to be over 190cm tall so he gets labelled as a tall. Wasn't really his role.

    I don't think Bate and Dunn are flexible at all! Bate plays well leading up around HF and Dunn when forward, plays like a FF (even if he has a defensive element to his role for the day). Neither can play the hard runing/quick role Bail and Bennell played early on that works with our game plan.

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