Covering the loss of Bruce and Junior

[DeeZee 7,445]

With Junior and Bruce now gone,we have to cover for two players that average 25 possesions each every week.

Id probably go with a Morton to take on Bruces role and move Grimes deeper in the midfield to cover for Junior.

Hopefully Tapscott,Gysberts and Blease will come on a bit and also add to the midfield mix.

[Eth 4]

With Junior and Bruce now gone,we have to cover for two players that average 25 possesions each every week.

Id probably go with a Morton to take on Bruces role and move Grimes deeper in the midfield to cover for Junior.

Hopefully Tapscott,Gysberts and Blease will come on a bit and also add to the midfield mix.

Grimes will stay half-back. Moving him to the midfield will weaken the backline too much.

I'd go with Strauss and Gysberts to play more, but not necessarily filling Bruce and Junior's roles.

Morton should/is already best 22 IMO.

[e25 5]

Yeah, Gys has already shown he's good for 25+ touches.

Morton is due to come back in as a stable membe of the 22.

Tapscott, Strauss and Blease will contribute more.

Natural improvement in Scully, Trengove, Bail, Bennell et al.

I'll be surprised if we don't end up with another very good mid from either pick 12 or 33.

Not a concern covering

[Jaded No More 68,975]

I'm pretty sure the club has already planned how to cover for his loss, given he was never going to be part of our next premiership team.

[titan_uranus 25,174]

You don't have to cover for a player based on how many disposals he gets.

You cover his role.

Bruce's role was largely to provide run and direction from half back. IMO Grimes, Bail and MacDonald, who played that role late in 2010, can give us this.

[Matt Demon 1,571]

Jordie Mac will cover J Macs role and I'll get my local butcher to cover Cam Bruce

[MO FINE 171]

Jordie Mac will cover J Macs role and I'll get my loacal butcher to cover Cam Bruce

The local butcher? There's a snag in that plan.

[Rogue 585]

We recently upgraded McKenzie - he can take McDonald's rule.

We recently recruited MacDonald - he can take Bruce's role.

[titan_uranus 25,174]

We recently upgraded McKenzie - he can take McDonald's rule.

We recently recruited MacDonald - he can take Bruce's role.

Thankyou.

Hence why no one should really mind losing Bruce or Junior.

Move on please. The draft's next Thursday.

[Redleg 41,942]

Move on please. The draft's next Thursday.

Actually thursday week. 7.00PM live on Fox 2 for those with Foxtel. SEN and AFL site for those who don't.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,102]

We have plenty of young talented players who would kill for the chance to cover the roles these guys played. I'm not too worried. It might hurt a little but our list is strong and we will keep getting stronger.

[dee-luded 2,959]

This is a good thing to think about now. It means there is yet one more spot open for a Blease or a Tapscott or Strauss, Gysberts, Bail, Maric, in the shuffle of best 21.

It's all good!

[dee-luded 2,959]

Actually thursday week. 7.00PM live on Fox 2 for those with Foxtel. SEN and AFL site for those who don't.

What about catching it at the Bentleigh club?

[beelzebub 23,390]

Junior respersented tru leadership on teh ground... there are others who will take the opportunity to step up.. Some big shoes...but doable.

Sorry..is Bruce going really a loss ?? Not being facetious.. just his job is ably covered !!

[DeeSpencer 26,273]

Bruce I'm not worried about. We have options for the half back flank and we'll just play the next best footballer we have in his role. One thing I'll say is thought I don't ever want to move Grimes from half back.

Junior though we will miss for his shut down roles. Who's going to tag for us now, especially in the tagging roles where you still get your own ball which was Junior's specialty.

I'm not sure we need a designated tagger but we need at least 1 midfielder capable of shutting down elite players.

Moloney and McKenzie - lack the physical attributes to tag anyone but fellow hard men

Sylvia and Davey - Are too dangerous with the ball

Trengove - Probably better physically than Moloney and McKenzie, could be an option for some players

Scully - the best option for tagging speedy players, did the job on Hill whilst still getting ball

Jones - didn't get the job done at all when given jobs this year.

Dunn - has 'done' the job well in the past, probably my first choice with Petterd returning to the forward line

Gysberts - Not super quick and not a great tackler on exposed AFL form, probably better continuing to develop him as a clearance player backing up Moloney, McKenzie and Jones.

Bail - physically a good runner and good tackler, might be worth a go

Strauss - probably not suited

Blease - probably not fit enough

Bennell - rather his speed with the ball

Jetta - I like him in the midfield but does he have the endurance and speed

[Harrisonrules 273]

We have plenty of young talented players who would kill for the chance to cover the roles these guys played. I'm not too worried. It might hurt a little but our list is strong and we will keep getting stronger.

It's also about professional experience around the club, pre season training, pregame preparation. Jettisoning so much experience in the last few years is an issue. One of the intangibles of the game. I don't think its a non issue, but how much no one can really say. As the year progresses its theexperienced bodies that stand up, young players are inclined to fade.

[ox_5 163]

Moloney and McKenzie - lack the physical attributes to tag anyone but fellow hard men

What is it that you think McKenzie lacks in comparison to Jnr? I think his physical attributes are spot on for a shut down role, but I wouldnt want to use him in one because it would remove his bottom of the pack clearance ability.

[45HG 1,559]

Actually thursday week. 7.00PM live on Fox 2 for those with Foxtel. SEN and AFL site for those who don't.

But how many days is that Red'?

[satyricon 267]

Bruce I'm not worried about. We have options for the half back flank and we'll just play the next best footballer we have in his role. One thing I'll say is thought I don't ever want to move Grimes from half back.

Junior though we will miss for his shut down roles. Who's going to tag for us now, especially in the tagging roles where you still get your own ball which was Junior's specialty.

I'm not sure we need a designated tagger but we need at least 1 midfielder capable of shutting down elite players.

Moloney and McKenzie - lack the physical attributes to tag anyone but fellow hard men

Sylvia and Davey - Are too dangerous with the ball

Trengove - Probably better physically than Moloney and McKenzie, could be an option for some players

Scully - the best option for tagging speedy players, did the job on Hill whilst still getting ball

Jones - didn't get the job done at all when given jobs this year.

Dunn - has 'done' the job well in the past, probably my first choice with Petterd returning to the forward line

Gysberts - Not super quick and not a great tackler on exposed AFL form, probably better continuing to develop him as a clearance player backing up Moloney, McKenzie and Jones.

Bail - physically a good runner and good tackler, might be worth a go

Strauss - probably not suited

Blease - probably not fit enough

Bennell - rather his speed with the ball

Jetta - I like him in the midfield but does he have the endurance and speed

I asked Josh Mahoney at an end of year function where he thought Bail's future may lie......and he said in a tagging role, as he has the strength and the engine, plus enough skill and goal kicking threat to make the opposition player accountable in defence........

[rpfc 28,906]

I asked Josh Mahoney at an end of year function where he thought Bail's future may lie......and he said in a tagging role, as he has the strength and the engine, plus enough skill and goal kicking threat to make the opposition player accountable in defence........

That makes sense.

He has the engine for it and the smarts to run the other way and make the 'star' he is on accountable the other way.

That was Godfrey's great issue. Endurance and fight, but no brains and an awful kick.

[e25 5]

The thing with Bail is that he has such a good engine and runs to space so well, a tagged player would have problems keeping with him when we manage to get the ball.

I really like that option for Bail.

[Rogue 585]

^ I think it's Bail's best chance of getting a spot in our best side.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

Bar injury I expect my boy Bail to be starting 18 every week. Just my opinion. When he came over from the QAFL he had a reputation of stepping up to whatever level he was playing at. Already he has shown that at senior level.

The thing I like best about him is the confidence that he possess along with all of the other physical tools. He wants the ball in his hands.

[AllenIsLord13 1]

It's also about professional experience around the club, pre season training, pregame preparation. Jettisoning so much experience in the last few years is an issue. One of the intangibles of the game. I don't think its a non issue, but how much no one can really say. As the year progresses its theexperienced bodies that stand up, young players are inclined to fade.

I agree - how quick we forget! Bruce gone, and within 24hours the entire [online! ie not truly representative] Deez fanbase has jumped off him like Shawn Michaels dumping Marty Jannety through a barbershop window!

Everyone here is pretty big on predictions, ie the complete unknown...Gysberts, maybe - he bolted out of the gates, then came back to earth with a thud! Bail got some good garbage stats but is still untested. Tapscott and Blease done nothing. Morton has been promising that "next year is his year!" for past 3 years! Dunn finally started showing some flashes...

But reality is, for better part of last 3 years, what we KNOW is that its ONLY been Green, Davey & Bruce! Models of consistency in faces of adversity AND the last link to times when, y'know, used to finish in the top 8!

He will be missed, regardless of the unbridled optimism we have in our list every year...

[ox_5 163]

Everyone here is pretty big on predictions, ie the complete unknown...Gysberts, maybe - he bolted out of the gates, then came back to earth with a thud! Bail got some good garbage stats but is still untested. Tapscott and Blease done nothing. Morton has been promising that "next year is his year!" for past 3 years! Dunn finally started showing some flashes...

Gysberts came back to earth with a thud? He got injured, not dropped for poor form.

Bail got garbage stats? Do you actually watch our games? You call his stats garbage in a thread about Bruce?

I would take 1 of Bails possessions instead of 5 of Bruce any single day of the week.