The Key Position Forward debate

[beelzebub 23,392]

Bate either needs to do a "Russian" and realy impose himself or he will be overtaken by another. Its up to him. He can play footy..just doesnt all the time:rolleyes:

[No16 1]

Well we can cross Rhys Stanley off the list now..

Just re-signed with the Saints.

Saints sign 14 players

[Demon_JB 1,389]

Before anyone jumps down my throat, I know Frawley is an awesome defender and pushing for All Australian and this is purely hypothetical but I was just curious on peoples opinion on how we would actually go down forward?

He has a big sized body, knows how to read the ball and his man - if we had a player like Frawley in our forward line I believe it would be quite damaging.

Thoughts?

P.S - GUYS I KNOW HE IS A BRILLIANT DEFENDER, THIS IS PURELY OUT OF CURIOSITY

a.k.a L. Tapscott?

[Guest DeesPower]

I think this is an interesting debate, and if a proven KPF becomes available in the future (such as a Hall or an Ottens), which may happen with free agency, then we would be mad not to consider it.

However, it just might be that we are better off having a different sort of forward lineI, and in so doing totally confuse and bewilder oppositions. On Sunday, we saw the mostaffective forward set up the demons have had in a decade, but it was not conventional in the way a Geelong, a St Kilda or even a Bulldogs are.

We have some unique talent up forward which is extremely difficult to match up on. Jurrah can play tall or small, is very quick in both hand and feet, and is a great mark and great kick. There is no one else like him in the AFL and opposition teams don't know how to play him in full flight. Green also plays tall and small, and is also very difficult to match up on. Wonna is very quick, is a great kick and has great hands but is not a conventional crumbing forward like a Milne or a Burn. His effectiveness is the way he brings others into the game and creates goals seemingly from nowhere. Dunn also plays tall and small and is one of the major beneficiaries from Wonna and Jurrah. Also we have a ruckman/forward in Jamar who is capable of kicking five goals in a game and provides grunt and high marking capability down forwardwhich is also difficult to match up on. Abd i havent mentioned the speed and marking ability of Bennell, the potential fast leading up the ground of a Bate, or the hard in and under play and devastating long kicking of a Tappscott.

Then there is Watts. we all know that he is a work in progress, but we see occasionally just how effective he will develop into. Blessed with great speed, ball skills, usually a great kick and a developing mark, he will in my opinion develop into a 6'5 version of Monna. He won't be a Carey or a Brown, or even a reiwolt as he is not as good a high mark as him, but he will be devastating in close, creating opportunities, and playing havoc with the set ups of opposition defences. He willbe the glue that holds this whole set up together, and the forward set up taken as a whole and acting as one unit in futurecould be absolutely devastating. But it won't be conventional, and it won't be like anything else in the league, and that will be it's power.

[John Crow Batty 8,892]

If Melbourne can develop their current fast paced game and sustain it for the long term then IMO I don't think they need the likes of a Hall, Brown, Roughhead, etc. Jack Watts is looking like the best option for a big forward but at this stage he is reminding me too much of Keplar Bradley.

[Choko 493]

Could David Hale be the answer to our problems.

Bailey has articulated very clearly that one missing link in the forward line is a big bodied tall forward.

David Hale is 201cm, 103kg. 127 games, 117 goals is pretty decent ratio considering the guy has mostly played 50% forward 50% ruck. 26 years old, so definitely not too old.

We really need a 2nd ruckman as well, so 2 birds with one stone. PJ is crap as a forward, while Hale is a genuine big target.

I think Hale could possibly be the 2nd Ruck/forward we were looking for. Is certainly talented as a past top 10 draft pick.

And most importantly, is on the outer at NM, so might be looking for greater opportunities. Goldstein and McIntosh are ahead of him in the ruck. Petrie ahead of him up forward. Probably wouldn't cost an arm and a leg

Geez! If David Hale is the answer, then we need a new question.

[jnrmac 20,361]

Key forwards can be great but its not the end if you don't have one. But having a big body to contest is important IMO. With the run and carry game today its hard to have a Fevola type who won't/can't chase defenders. Miller has been disappointing because he hasn't even been able to contest and get the ball to our runners and small forwards.

The club has experimented with Stef Martin, Miller and even PJ and the message is that players can't be one dimensional. If they can't take a big grab then they have to be able to contest and keep the ball in the fwd line.

All that is fine in the home and away season but its finals that count which is why the Dogs recruited Hall I guess. I have been trying to think of the last premiership side with a small forward line or without a big key forward??? Probably Adelaide in 1998.

So the conventional wisdom is you can't win a flag without one.

[Roost It 1,434]

Neitz started back and won All-Australian selection at CHB. Carey said he was one of the best CHB he played on.

Had Neitz stayed as CHB he could well of been one of the greats. As a FF he was very good but not a great.

[DeeSpencer 26,667]

All that is fine in the home and away season but its finals that count which is why the Dogs recruited Hall I guess. I have been trying to think of the last premiership side with a small forward line or without a big key forward??? Probably Adelaide in 1998.

So the conventional wisdom is you can't win a flag without one.

Geelong won 2 with Mooney and N. Ablett or Hawkins.

Watts has shown his class at ground level, the next step for him is to beef up his marking ability. If he can be a strong target at CHF like Mooney is for the cats then I think we can get by with a combination of Jurrah, Green and Petterd in behind.

Obviously we would love to have another Watts developing so we could play one at CHF and the other at FF - like Buddy and Roughy, or Riewoldt and Kosi.

I think the best idea now is to have a serious (within reason) play for someone like Walker or Cornelius. But if it fails then wait a while until we really are a serious threat (which hopefully happens, and hopefully happens soon) to go after a stop gap.

[The Chazz 4,077]

Geelong won 2 with Mooney and N. Ablett or Hawkins.

Watts has shown his class at ground level, the next step for him is to beef up his marking ability. If he can be a strong target at CHF like Mooney is for the cats then I think we can get by with a combination of Jurrah, Green and Petterd in behind.

Obviously we would love to have another Watts developing so we could play one at CHF and the other at FF - like Buddy and Roughy, or Riewoldt and Kosi.

I think the best idea now is to have a serious (within reason) play for someone like Walker or Cornelius. But if it fails then wait a while until we really are a serious threat (which hopefully happens, and hopefully happens soon) to go after a stop gap.

What has this Cornelius bloke done that is worthy of Melbourne having a serious play for him?

[jnrmac 20,361]

Had Neitz stayed as CHB he could well of been one of the greats. As a FF he was very good but not a great.

Neita was our best ever goal kicker, games record holder and longest serving Captain. I'd say that qualifies as great.

[The Big Ticket 94]

Neitz was a great.

And Hale is a dud of the highest order. Bailey isn't that stupid.

[jayceebee31 768]

We will concentrate on young draft picks.Enough of them in this draft. A tall forward and back and a small defender we will pick.