Small forward

[BIG JIM 508]

G'day guys just been thinking melbourne should really try and draft or trade for a top class crumbing forward. The small forward is a hole in our list in my opinion we have davey who is getting older by the day and might have 1 or 2 good years left we also have bennel and lawrence who are yet to make an impact at AFL level but a really good small forward is a very important player in the make up of a really good team. Stephen milne is a good example of a top class small forward he has 490 goals next to his name as a small forward he plays the role perfect.Having been sitting at the feet of Nick riewoldt and getting in the right spots for the last 8-10 years. Melbourne has Jack watts and mitch clark who will bring the ball into the hot spots for a small forward so we must get a really good quality small forward. We must make the most of this rebuild and a small forward is one role that's open for the next 5 years at our club. I have not seen much of lawrence but bennel is a fairway of in my view does anyone have thought on who is out there at other clubs or coming through the tac cup who can fill this really important role? Cheers.

[Demon_JB 1,385]

I agree, but we are still crying out for that classy Trengove clone within the midfield. The next 'super' draft will be a very interesting one.

[BIG JIM 508]

I agree but we have room in the cap i think? to maybe trade for one

[drdrake 3,178]

What we lack in a small forward we make up with mid size forwards Howe, Jurrah, Sylvia, Green, Petterd, Dunn are very good at ground level and in the air. The problem in the past is we needed these players to play tall and key forwards, from the training I have seen an dthe set up from Saturday night we will have three talls up forward in Clark, Watts and Martin/Jamar. Davey, Blease will play the quick small forward roll this year. Our trading/drafting focus needs to be on midfielders and small/mid defenders these are the biggest holes in our list at the moment.

[BIG JIM 508]

What we lack in a small forward we make up with mid size forwards Howe, Jurrah, Sylvia, Green, Petterd, Dunn are very good at ground level and in the air. The problem in the past is we needed these players to play tall and key forwards, from the training I have seen an dthe set up from Saturday night we will have three talls up forward in Clark, Watts and Martin/Jamar. Davey, Blease will play the quick small forward roll this year. Our trading/drafting focus needs to be on midfielders and small/mid defenders these are the biggest holes in our list at the moment.

Yeah i still think a small fast forward is a must have and sammy could play this role.

[Chook 15,013]

Liam Jurrah is just about the best crumber you will find. I'm pretty confident that as long as we keep a forward-line with one of Mitch Clark, James Sellar, Mark Jamar or Stefan Martin in it, Liam will fill that role perfectly.

[Hells Gates 505]

Ah this topic again...

What we need is elite midfield class. From what I've seen personally Jack Viney isn't going to bring that, he will bring other things but not class.

This draft is one of the most important in our history, get it wrong and dreams could be lost, that's how crucial it is.

Personally I'd put a small forward on the back burner until the next year if we still need it, we just need classy elite midfielders desperately.

By the way who are Geelong, Collingwood & West Coast 'small' forwards who boot a lot of goals...??

Small forwards are so hit and miss and not many make it, Milne is one in many candidates. I think our draft picks this year should not be compromised and we need the class and I'd seriously be starting to think strongly on where our ruck stocks are heading. But these views are only mine.

Edited February 27, 2012 by Hells Gates

[Dinosaur Rover 197]

What we lack in a small forward we make up with mid size forwards Howe, Jurrah, Sylvia, Green, Petterd, Dunn are very good at ground level and in the air. The problem in the past is we needed these players to play tall and key forwards, from the training I have seen an dthe set up from Saturday night we will have three talls up forward in Clark, Watts and Martin/Jamar. Davey, Blease will play the quick small forward roll this year. Our trading/drafting focus needs to be on midfielders and small/mid defenders these are the biggest holes in our list at the moment.

I agree with this and additionally Davey and Blease have the pace to put serious run down defensive pressure on opposition defence as they attempt to counterattack.

[Demon Disciple 12,180]

If the weekends game was anything to go by, Bennell should be kept as far away from the backline as possible.

He has a great burst on him, is agile and is capable of doing some good things in close. Give him a decent run (along with Lawrence at some point throughout the year) as playing the crumbing forward.

[Craig Drinker 179]

What we lack in a small forward we make up with mid size forwards Howe, Jurrah, Sylvia, Green, Petterd, Dunn are very good at ground level and in the air. The problem in the past is we needed these players to play tall and key forwards, from the training I have seen an dthe set up from Saturday night we will have three talls up forward in Clark, Watts and Martin/Jamar. Davey, Blease will play the quick small forward roll this year. Our trading/drafting focus needs to be on midfielders and small/mid defenders these are the biggest holes in our list at the moment.

Totally agree that we need a crumbing small forward with pace.It stood out like the proverbial in the NAB cup 1st round.

What options do we have if Davey gets injured?

[hardtack 10,555]

Liam Jurrah is just about the best crumber you will find. I'm pretty confident that as long as we keep a forward-line with one of Mitch Clark, James Sellar, Mark Jamar or Stefan Martin in it, Liam will fill that role perfectly.

I was about to say the same thing re Jurrah (same could almost be said of Howe). Another thought that will probably get me howled down is the possibility of Jones playing such a role... with Magner being a good chance to be promoted from the rookie list and being able to fill a similar midfield role, and with Jones showing last season that he is not too bad a shot on goal from inside the 50 (I know he is not a speedster, although he is a little deceptive when it comes to speed - def not slow), then just maybe... (duck and cover)

Edited February 27, 2012 by hardtack

[Hells Gates 505]

Totally agree that we need a crumbing small forward with pace.It stood out like the proverbial in the NAB cup 1st round.

What options do we have if Davey gets injured?

Jurrah, Jones, Jetta, Bennell, Blease, Nicholson?

[Arsene Wenger 72]

In the 2012 draft, we'll have access to top notch crumbing forwards in Dayle Garlett or Ben Kennedy, maybe both.

Possible solution if we dont trade all the compo picks.

[BIG JIM 508]

Ah this topic again...

What we need is elite midfield class. From what I've seen personally Jack Viney isn't going to bring that, he will bring other things but not class.

This draft is one of the most important in our history, get it wrong and dreams could be lost, that's how crucial it is.

Personally I'd put a small forward on the back burner until the next year if we still need it, we just need classy elite midfielders desperately.

By the way who are Geelong, Collingwood & West Coast 'small' forwards who boot a lot of goals...??

Small forwards are so hit and miss and not many make it, Milne is one in many candidates. I think our draft picks this year should not be compromised and we need to class and I'd seriously be starting to think strongly on where it's ruck stocks are heading. But these views are only mine.

Geelong = stokes 165 goals,varco 113 goals even Johnson 363 goals plays this role

Collingwood= krouker 137 goals,blair 33 goals,beams 61 goals

Westcoast= LeCra 234 goals,nicoski 61 goals and now josh hill 75 goals

Carlton= Betts 215 goals,Garlett 99 goals

As you can see all the top sides have good pressure small forwards i do think jurrah could be good at this role to if he gets his pressure up this year. Cheers

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Aussie was going to be our small forward for the next 5-10 years I watched the brisbane melbourne game from last year on fox and bloody hell he looked fit solid and quick and his skills and decision making were spot on. After watching that game two things stood out 1: Thank god we have Mitch clark he racked up that many touches against us 2: I bloody miss Aussie.

[simma02 53]

G'day guys just been thinking melbourne should really try and draft or trade for a top class crumbing forward. The small forward is a hole in our list in my opinion we have davey who is getting older by the day and might have 1 or 2 good years left we also have bennel and lawrence who are yet to make an impact at AFL level but a really good small forward is a very important player in the make up of a really good team. Stephen milne is a good example of a top class small forward he has 490 goals next to his name as a small forward he plays the role perfect.Having been sitting at the feet of Nick riewoldt and getting in the right spots for the last 8-10 years. Melbourne has Jack watts and mitch clark who will bring the ball into the hot spots for a small forward so we must get a really good quality small forward. We must make the most of this rebuild and a small forward is one role that's open for the next 5 years at our club. I have not seen much of lawrence but bennel is a fairway of in my view does anyone have thought on who is out there at other clubs or coming through the tac cup who can fill this really important role? Cheers.

You'll find we already have one. Sam Blease will fill that role and if Aaron Davey pulls his finger out he can fill the role also.

[drdrake 3,178]

Geelong = stokes 165 goals,varco 113 goals even Johnson 363 goals plays this role

Collingwood= krouker 137 goals,blair 33 goals,beams 61 goals

Westcoast= LeCra 234 goals,nicoski 61 goals and now josh hill 75 goals

Carlton= Betts 215 goals,Garlett 99 goals

As you can see all the top sides have good pressure small forwards i do think jurrah could be good at this role to if he gets his pressure up this year. Cheers

Green 331

Sylvia 105

Davey 152

Jurrah 81

Howe 18(from 11 games)

Our Small/mid size forwards are as good as any club in the AFL, the problem we had is David Neitz retired and we haven't had a good tall forward since.

[rjay 24,973]

Geelong = stokes 165 goals,varco 113 goals even Johnson 363 goals plays this role

Collingwood= krouker 137 goals,blair 33 goals,beams 61 goals

Westcoast= LeCra 234 goals,nicoski 61 goals and now josh hill 75 goals

Carlton= Betts 215 goals,Garlett 99 goals

As you can see all the top sides have good pressure small forwards i do think jurrah could be good at this role to if he gets his pressure up this year. Cheers

I think we have enough coverage with the small forward brigade if you consider LeCras, Nicoski, Johnson and co as small forwards. I guess the classic small forwards are Betts and Milne and both of these guys struggle in the big games, is it them or is it the role that becomes redundant in these games. I would rather have a Chapman, Johnson, Lecras, Didak, Bartel type who are goal kickers also capable of some time in the midfield. In Trengove, Howe, Jurrah, Petterd, Davey, Blease and co I think we are developing this. So to me a bit of run and class in the mids will be important for us, in the next draft there are players like Toumpas who is already a senior premiership player in the SANFL who will probably be available to us according to draft pundits and Haynes very quick tall mid but probably gone by our pick.

[Bay Riffin 1,475]

Geelong = stokes 165 goals,varco 113 goals even Johnson 363 goals plays this role

and why isn't Jurrah able to provide the same as a Varcoe and Stokes? a better player as well.

Guys, a small forward is the least of our concerns at present. We desperately need a couple of top class midfielders through the next draft. We will get Viney but i also reckon we go for the next O'Meara in the GWS mini-draft with our compo picks. Either that or just use our picks without trading and hope for a Jimmy Bartel around that pick. We also need an extra tall to come through from T McDonald, Davis, Sellar, even Cook to help out Frawley in the backline. I am more confident on the that side of things.

Sure up those areas and blokes like Tapscott, Jurrah, Davey and Blease could play the small forward role.

[Hells Gates 505]

Geelong = stokes 165 goals,varco 113 goals even Johnson 363 goals plays this role

Collingwood= krouker 137 goals,blair 33 goals,beams 61 goals

Westcoast= LeCra 234 goals,nicoski 61 goals and now josh hill 75 goals

Carlton= Betts 215 goals,Garlett 99 goals

As you can see all the top sides have good pressure small forwards i do think jurrah could be good at this role to if he gets his pressure up this year. Cheers

Thankyou for taking the time to do that, but alot of the players you have mentioned are either midfielders or mid sized forwards which we have plenty of to develop.

I have taken those players you mentioned and put in their average goals per game(which is quite underwhelming & suprising) and also their height.

With the exception of Lecras & Johnson who are not small forwards but mid sized then I think we should maybe develop what we have considering we have so many. Bear in mind this thread is about small forwards.

Height: Games: Goals: Average:

Lecras 183cm 100 234 2.34 Very good record but a mid sized forward/midfielder now.

Hill 185cm 66 75 1.13 Mid sized forward

Nicoski 188cm 112 61 0.54 Mid sized forward who plays most of his footy in the midfield now

Krackouer 176cm 125 137 1.09 Very good small forward who can turn a game, but still only averages 1 goal per game.

Blair 174cm 36 33 0.91 He is a small forward but spends alot of time out of the team also.

Beams 186cm 59 61 1.03 Mid sized forward and also spends alot of time on sidelines.

Stokes 177cm 111 165 1.48 Good small forward when on the park, no doubting his ability.

Varcoe 180cm 100 113 1.13 Holds down a midfield position now as rover, started as a small forward.

Johnson 189cm 175 363 2.07 At 189cm is hardly a small forward, is a freak, Jurrah is our Steve Johnson.

Betts 173cm 144 215 1.49 Quality forward who is improving every year, Davey could match this no worries.

Garlett 180cm 54 99 1.83 I dont know much about him to comment.

Jurrah 188cm 35 81 2.31 Not a small forward but heres his record.

Out of all these there are only a few 'small" forwards in which Id probably only take Stokes.

We definetly need more goals out of our mid fielders and a lift from all our mid-sized forwards, we need a lot more goals from Watts, Petterd, Howe & Green to kick more accurately.. If this is the case and either of the small forwards we have now develop & chip in we will have no worries about setting the scoreboard on fire. Then add Clark also.

My typing didnt work but Im sure you can all read between the lines here!

Edited February 27, 2012 by Hells Gates

[Hells Gates 505]

Green 331

Sylvia 105

Davey 152

Jurrah 81

Howe 18(from 11 games)

Our Small/mid size forwards are as good as any club in the AFL, the problem we had is David Neitz retired and we haven't had a good tall forward since.

Exactly.

[daisycutter 29,622]

Geelong = stokes 165 goals,varco 113 goals even Johnson 363 goals plays this role

Collingwood= krouker 137 goals,blair 33 goals,beams 61 goals

Westcoast= LeCra 234 goals,nicoski 61 goals and now josh hill 75 goals

Carlton= Betts 215 goals,Garlett 99 goals

As you can see all the top sides have good pressure small forwards i do think jurrah could be good at this role to if he gets his pressure up this year. Cheers

you left off the "pest"

[BIG JIM 508]

Thankyou for taking the time to do that, but alot of the players you have mentioned are either midfielders or mid sized forwards which we have plenty of to develop.

I have taken those players you mentioned and put in their average goals per game(which is quite underwhelming & suprising) and also their height.

With the exception of Lecras & Johnson who are not small forwards but mid sized then I think we should maybe develop what we have considering we have so many. Bear in mind this thread is about small forwards.

Height: Games: Goals: Average:

Lecras 183cm 100 234 2.34 Very good record but a mid sized forward/midfielder now.

Hill 185cm 66 75 1.13 Mid sized forward

Nicoski 188cm 112 61 0.54 Mid sized forward who plays most of his footy in the midfield now

Krackouer 176cm 125 137 1.09 Very good small forward who can turn a game, but still only averages 1 goal per game.

Blair 174cm 36 33 0.91 He is a small forward but spends alot of time out of the team also.

Beams 186cm 59 61 1.03 Mid sized forward and also spends alot of time on sidelines.

Stokes 177cm 111 165 1.48 Good small forward when on the park, no doubting his ability.

Varcoe 180cm 100 113 1.13 Holds down a midfield position now as rover, started as a small forward.

Johnson 189cm 175 363 2.07 At 189cm is hardly a small forward, is a freak, Jurrah is our Steve Johnson.

Betts 173cm 144 215 1.49 Quality forward who is improving every year, Davey could match this no worries.

Garlett 180cm 54 99 1.83 I dont know much about him to comment.

Jurrah 188cm 35 81 2.31 Not a small forward but heres his record.

Out of all these there are only a few 'small" forwards in which Id probably only take Stokes.

We definetly need more goals out of our mid fielders and a lift from all our mid-sized forwards, we need a lot more goals from Watts, Petterd, Howe & Green to kick more accurately.. If this is the case and either of the small forwards we have now develop & chip in we will have no worries about setting the scoreboard on fire. Then add Clark also.

My typing didnt work but Im sure you can all read between the lines here!

Nice work but i think you get the point i was making that all the top sides have players who play the modern small forward role which is cruming and pressure and getting to the right spots i to think jurrah could take this role but his pressure to date is bad for afl level no dobt he has the skill and neeld should get him going in this area even petterd is very good at his pressure and tackling sometimes so hope neeld will fix this but i still think we could look around to fill this role. Also think we might be a lot better in this area now we have a coach that really does no what the forward press is. Bailey said we had one but i went to every game and never saw it.

[Hells Gates 505]

Nice work but i think you get the point i was making that all the top sides have players who play the modern small forward role which is cruming and pressure and getting to the right spots i to think jurrah could take this role but his pressure to date is bad for afl level no dobt he has the skill and neeld should get him going in this area even petterd is very good at his pressure and tackling sometimes so hope neeld will fix this but i still think we could look around to fill this role. Also think we might be a lot better in this area now we have a coach that really does no what the forward press is. Bailey said we had one but i went to every game and never saw it.

Yeah mate I get ya, good work with the stats I was just adding to them. Jurrah should have a good year. But I think Aaron Davey is our man - he can sure match if not out do those that we've talked about.

Bailey said alot of things though didnt he....

[1858 285]

Our needs aren't mutually exclusive.

We definitely need some more midfield class but I agree we need that 1 small crumber who interacts with the taller players who can bring the ball to ground. Jurrah is good at playing that role at times but he also offers more than that so to pidgeon hole him in that role is unnecessary given our options. Surely with a 2nd round pick or a trade we could get someone in who can perform that role in an acceptable dedicated fashion. Short players who can go in and under inside forward 50 are an asset as they put their opponents under pressure not to give away head high frees and they garner more value out of the talls and add more options to their play.