My 2c - Forward line

[mrtwister 652]

Surely I'm not the ony person who noticed that we bombed the ball in to our forwards even more than we normally do today. It was like we have given up on all our structure and patterns and just decided "Bugger it. Let's just bomb it in and see what happens." Now I know the argument in defence of our forwards (no pun intended) is that there just isn't enough quality entries from our mid field but I don't think that was the case today. We had plenty of F50 entries, even in the 4th Q, but that was when it was obvious that we seemed to have no plan at all. Now bombs are fine if you're bombing into a pack of 4 or 5 with a couple of crumbers, but not into a pack of 8 with 12 crumbers.

Now I know we have had plenty of posters screaming for a big forward target and I agree we probably need one. But as we don't have one at this stage, why aren't we doing what we can with what we have to see who can flourish from such a structure. So who is there? Watts isn't 'gangbusters' enough to do it. Sylvia is too short. Jurrah and Howe are too slight. Jamar is too slow. Martin is too light. Green is too easily manipulated out of position. For me, Dunn is or only option. IMO, Dunn has a decent set of hands, he hits up a lead pretty well, he keeps his feet and he can take a few defenders down with him. And as a plus, the guy has a good, reliable, long kick for the occasions when noone gets in his way and he marks 45m out. Sure he does some dumb things but you have to take the bad with the good.

With Dunn as the leading forward, the pinch hitters that try and cut off leads will certainly be glancing over their shoulder and inevitably feeling the repurcussions of getting in the way. But it would also allow Jurrah, Trengove, Sylvia and (insert small forward here) to crumb. Howe (or Petterd) can be a second leading option or can be left with plenty of space to tuck in behind, one out with a sitting duck at the top of the square. It would only take a couple of goals early on for Dunn to be picked up by their best defender which should allow the others to free up a little. As for Watts, he should be heading upfield from CHF to deliver the ball into the 50. He's good around the middle of the ground in transition. Otherwise, he should be running his guy back into the contest so he can be an additional gatherer off the pack.

I know there are plenty of Dunn knockers on Demonland. Plenty want to get rid of him and the others would argue that he's not a long term player so don't play him. But, as I mentioned, let's use him while he is ours and see how our young guys benefit from having a presence to work off. That way, the club knows if spending some dosh, or trading some talent for a power forward will be worth it. I think we missed him today. We needed someone hitting some leads, banging some bodies, drawing a pack to knock over. We didn't have a single player in our forwards who could draw enough attention to themselves.

Where does our captain fit in with all of this? I don't know.

Edited August 21, 2011 by mrtwister

[Gouga 566]

Seriously? Dunn has been on our list for seven, yes, seven years. He has had his chances and has failed to deliver time and time again. If we select Dunn to play the key forward role you describe above, what is going to change from the countless other useless games Dunn has played?

I know times are tough, but we dont need to go completely backwards. Our forward future is Cook, Howe, Jurrah, Petterd, Watts.

[Gippy Dee 48]

You would prefer Dunn over Martin?

Big Stef is certainly not 'slight', and compared to Dunn is a monster.

I think you're playing the wrong card game sonny.

I also can't remember The last time Dunn took a contested grab.

Dunn s nothing more than a flanker who can also play a pinch hitting tag. Nothing more.

Gippy

Edited August 21, 2011 by Gippy Dee

[DeeSpencer 25,510]

Dunn is the answer. Oh [censored] me dead.

You can't have a forward line set up with a whole bunch of midsized talls. Sometimes it works beautifully and you get a good mismatch, but what you really need is a set up the complements each other.

You may have noticed Sylvia got a tonne of footy and kicked 5 goals mainly because he got the right spots today and did some clever crumbing work. We need another small forward to do the same, and then need our talls to get to the right spots as well.

In simple, we need structure.

[mrtwister 652]

You would prefer Dunn over Martin?

Big Stef is certainly not 'slight', and compared to Dunn is a monster.

I think you're playing the wrong card game sonny.

I also can't remember The last time Dunn took a contested grab.

Dunn s nothing more than a flanker who can also play a pinch hitting tag. Nothing more.

Gippy

Yes I'd prefer Dunn as a key forward as Martin already has a role in the team.

I never said that Dunn had to be a good contested mark, just a good pack smasher. If you read carefully, I suggested that when noone gets in his way and he marks the ball.........

At no point have I suggested he would be a permanent key forward. Just suggesting that trialling such an idea might be a little more beneficial than 'high and hopeful'

Edited August 21, 2011 by mrtwister

[mrtwister 652]

In simple, we need structure.

Agreed. But we don't. And with an interim coach who has 2 games left we aren't about to get one. So I am suggesting something simple with what we have to work with. Of course if we'd rather just hope Green, Howe or Sylvia can take hangers, that's fine too I guess.