Liam Jurrah to me really confirmed his brilliance at the weekend. He is a potential elite AFL player, but his versatility is such that you could almost play him anywhere. The question is where is he most value in the Melbourne premiership side? Gerard Healy on Fox Sports at the weekend wanted both Jurrah and Watts in the mid field for the Dees next year. Whilst I think both of them would be devastating there with their pace, size and footskills, and extraordinarily difficult to match up on, it does rather leave a hole in our forward set up for big forwards who can kick goals. Jurrah is extraordinary both in the air and on the ground, but he is, along with Brad Green the only current demon player who is dangerous one on one in the square.

I know this is only illustrating our lack of a big key position forward, and for all his skill and potential i don't think Watts will be that sort of player. Jurrah though could be BOTH a power forward and an agile, lightening quick crumber. His potential is extraordinary.

Personally I think he may play in our best team forward pocket with occasional run-on the ball. Perhaps Watts could be in the other pocket and they could alternate on the ball. What a prospect!

Remember, neither Watts nor Jurrah have yet had a full pre-season with us. Just imagine when they do, and Petterd, Grimes (also on the ball), Gysberts and Davey return, and tapscott debuts, what damage that willdo to the eight?

Liam Jurrah to me really confirmed his brilliance at the weekend. He is a potential elite AFL player, but his versatility is such that you could almost play him anywhere. The question is where is he most value in the Melbourne premiership side? Gerard Healy on Fox Sports at the weekend wanted both Jurrah and Watts in the mid field for the Dees next year. Whilst I think both of them would be devastating there with their pace, size and footskills, and extraordinarily difficult to match up on, it does rather leave a hole in our forward set up for big forwards who can kick goals. Jurrah is extraordinary both in the air and on the ground, but he is, along with Brad Green the only current demon player who is dangerous one on one in the square.

I know this is only illustrating our lack of a big key position forward, and for all his skill and potential i don't think Watts will be that sort of player. Jurrah though could be BOTH a power forward and an agile, lightening quick crumber. His potential is extraordinary.

Personally I think he may play in our best team forward pocket with occasional run-on the ball. Perhaps Watts could be in the other pocket and they could alternate on the ball. What a prospect!

Remember, neither Watts nor Jurrah have yet had a full pre-season with us. Just imagine when they do, and Petterd, Grimes (also on the ball), Gysberts and Davey return, and tapscott debuts, what damage that willdo to the eight?

This is all good, and as Bailey has said in regard to both Green and Davey, he would like 5 of them to play all over the ground. The one thing for me which cements Jurrah's best use, is that he LOVES to kick a goal. I would be loathe to put him anywhere he doesn't feel that is a continuing option. In regard to Jack Watts, he will be the high roving forward that every team looks for, and will dominate as both a target coming out of the defensive 50, and coming into the attacking 50. The forward line will look after itself, with Green, Petterd, Dunn, Wonnaemirri, Bennell, Maric, Jetta etc.,and resting ruck (Jamar and any one of Johnson, Martin, Newton (I know, I know). The midfield is no worry with those we've used this year including Gysberts the 3 game wunderkind, then possibly Grimes relocated, add potentially Blease, Tapscott (suspect he is more of a high half forward). Remember that the game plan at Melbourne will be a high speed, high skill one, with great mobility in the forward line. I really don't see the lack of a monster forward a la Barry Hall as being an issue. Jack Watts versatility will cover this and more.

We need to groom a forwardline, and if that means leaving Jurrah and Watts up forward then that is what is required.

Jurrah can be dangerous, and having him play forward could really cause headaches for other teams.

Both players could play in the middle, but I think the dees are covered for on ballers at the minute.

This is all good, and as Bailey has said in regard to both Green and Davey, he would like 5 of them to play all over the ground. The one thing for me which cements Jurrah's best use, is that he LOVES to kick a goal. I would be loathe to put him anywhere he doesn't feel that is a continuing option. In regard to Jack Watts, he will be the high roving forward that every team looks for, and will dominate as both a target coming out of the defensive 50, and coming into the attacking 50. The forward line will look after itself, with Green, Petterd, Dunn, Wonnaemirri, Bennell, Maric, Jetta etc.,and resting ruck (Jamar and any one of Johnson, Martin, Newton (I know, I know). The midfield is no worry with those we've used this year including Gysberts the 3 game wunderkind, then possibly Grimes relocated, add potentially Blease, Tapscott (suspect he is more of a high half forward). Remember that the game plan at Melbourne will be a high speed, high skill one, with great mobility in the forward line. I really don't see the lack of a monster forward a la Barry Hall as being an issue. Jack Watts versatility will cover this and more.

Don't forget Sylvia in that equation. He is now building the engine needed to be a powerful midfielder who rotates to the half forward flank, or vice versa. We are now starting to see that explosive mix of speed and power out of the middle that people suspected he was capable of.

Don't forget Sylvia in that equation. He is now building the engine needed to be a powerful midfielder who rotates to the half forward flank, or vice versa. We are now starting to see that explosive mix of speed and power out of the middle that people suspected he was capable of.

I haven't written off Bate yet either. Just remember that last year he was our most productive and reliable forward.

Deep full forward who leads up the 50.

41 goals in 17 games as a forward who loves to lead, mark and is good at ground level = full forward to

me!

I think that he will be the new prototype forward that will change the way forward structures are made.

As others have said he can play the one on one and on the lead type player. Amazingly he is just as good at ground level...

I think one of his greatest strengths though is that if he isn't kicking goals he wants to be the player that sets it up with a beautiful kick inside 50.

I don't think that you can specify a best position for Jurrah as that is comparing him to past players whereas he is a unique talent that will probably create a new position for players to play when his career is over.

thank god Gerad Healey aint coaching us..

WATTS should play as a roving tall forward- similar to what he is currently doing.Ditto jurrah- however both have the ability to adapt to any position as it requires.

Jurrah looks like he could be an elite ruck rover (if such a description is still valid)!

Think Adam Goodes!

And as for the forward line - don't forget Jack Fitzpatrick (they speak well of him at Casey).

where is he most value in the Melbourne premiership side?

Anywhere forward of the centre square.

Anywhere forward of the centre square.

Ditto with licence to roam wherever he wants. However he will never be a power forward, just look at his build.

As a key forward. He's already causing trouble for defenders and he's only going to get better

Yep. We find someone with natural forward ability, we also find a swag of midfielders, but we put the forward in the midfield.

Shouldn't even be a question.

Anywhere forward of the centre square.

Agreed. With Watts, Green, Petterd and Bate there may be the luxury to move all of them around forward of centre depending upon match-ups, etc. Although I do like him better up forward as a focal point.

I guess where Gerard is coming from, with a greater motor LJ can be seen as an asset further up the field and being difficult to match up on. ie. on a wing. His kicking is superb and would provide good delivery to i50. Same for Watts. I wouldn't totally dismiss the notion.

gotta love LJ

I really like him standing on the head of opposition players.

Agreed. With Watts, Green, Petterd and Bate there may be the luxury to move all of them around forward of centre depending upon match-ups, etc. Although I do like him better up forward as a focal point.

I guess where Gerard is coming from, with a greater motor LJ can be seen as an asset further up the field and being difficult to match up on. ie. on a wing. His kicking is superb and would provide good delivery to i50. Same for Watts. I wouldn't totally dismiss the notion.

I personally think they should hone their trade in the forward line first before experimenting too much in the midfield(i.e. the opposite of what they did with Dunn). But I agree that they both have the potential to have Forays in ther midfield (esp Jurrah) an this could be a great weapon in the future to throw up something different, or to bring them into the game if they are struggling in the forwards but I hope that rarely happens

I thought for a minute`Id logged onto a Hawthorn board and was reading about Buddy Franklin there for a minute. The parallels between them are closer than some people may like to admit.

I thought for a minute`Id logged onto a Hawthorn board and was reading about Buddy Franklin there for a minute. The parallels between them are closer than some people may like to admit.

Agreed. I would say that Jurrah is better overhead, Franklin is clearly stonger. Like Franklin and Goodes Jurrah could play most positions on the ground and be damaging.

All are great movers.

Jurrah's best position for both him and the team is up forward. The beauty of Jurrah is that he can have purple patches and I'm hoping that for a very long time he'll be giving opposition coaches headaches. We want a situation where opposition coaches are spending time chopping and changing defenders in their match ups throughout the game as this may not only bring our other forwards into the game (if they've been quiet) but it distracts the opposition coach from other things.

The one attribute of LJ not yet covered in this thread is his uncanny ability to get on his own on the goalside of all the defenders. Seems to happen at least once per game. I don't know of any position where this can be turned to advantage so well as deep in the forward line, so I'd have to vote for him staying there.

Either deep in the forward line, or High half forward\wing.

I really like him standing on the head of opposition players.

Haha, agreed.