I think so. Or Fitzy off the bench. Or Watts off the bench. He could play anywhere. Swing him back or forward depending on the momentum of the game. While I'd rotate Fitzy him between the wing and forward 50.

I love him for his leadership and clear love of the club, but I don't rate Grimes' disposal at all. Turnover machine. I know he hasn't had a lot of experience, but I'm never comfortable when he has the ball in his hands. I'd play him off the bench too.

Why, thought posters on this site did not like downhill skiers....if Malthouse can't get him to play, who do you think could?

Roos.

If he was to keep kicking goals and averaging 2-3 a game he would not be a back-up for anyone.

That would make him a forward who kicks between 50 and 75 goals a year.

That would make him the first forward picked bar no one.

Yes, Fitzpatrick is doing well at the moment, but do you think he would be kicking as many goals with Clark in the forward line too? Also, will he be selected ahead of Clark and Hogan next year?

Obviously not in Clark's case, and as I've stated previously, only if Hogan doesn't come on as we hope. If Hogan takes some time to adjust, Fitzpatrick may see game time early in the season.

Please.....IF, a big IF, Clark gets back and into any semblance of his previous forward form, he should never ruck again save for the odd boundary contest deep forward.

Don't people see (i) how valuable he is a s a big forward, and (ii) how vulnerable he is to foot trauma?

I suppose the issue is that we went after Clark as a forward who can ruck. If he can't ruck it will certainly change the structure of the forward line. Unless Hogan part-times in the ruck (I don't think this will be the case), it will be difficult to see how Clark, Dawes and Hogan fit into the same forward line.

How so?

The fact that he has never been given he opportunity to settle in one position. It has been discussed many times over the years on this site.

I'm just looking forward to watching Fitzy collect his Brownlow medal at the end of next season, matter of fact the way things are going he's a chance for this year; isn't he?

Way to get ahead of yourself.

I'm just looking forward to watching Fitzy collect his Brownlow medal at the end of next season, matter of fact the way things are going he's a chance for this year; isn't he?

Way to get ahead of yourself.

Fingers crossed he can back it up this weekend against the Cats.

If that happens, I reckon your sarcasm should wane a little.

The fact that he has never been given he opportunity to settle in one position. It has been discussed many times over the years on this site.

A player who has been unable to settle in one position hasn't shown his coach enough in any of the positions in which he's been tried. I think apportioning blame to coaches is a cop-out.

FB: Terlich - Frawley - Garland

CHB: Grimes - McDonald - Clisby

C: Watts - Viney - Fitzpatrick

CHF: Howe - Dawes - Sylvia

FF: Hogan - Clark - Blease

FOLL: Gawn - FA Pickup - N Jones

INT: Trengove - Kent - Toumpas - ND Pick 2

Something like this?

look's very solid

but i'd start Trengove on the wing and Fitzpatrick on the bench...

Rotate Fitzpatrick with Dawes, Hogan, Clark and Watts

but we need to remember!

it's going to very rare that we get Hogan, Clark, Dawes and Watts all fit and playing in the same team.

I remember with Jurrah and Aussie, it was rare getting them to play together

I can't believe that there are people on here that want to trade Fitzy after we have put in the hard yards and he is just starting to show us how good he could be. FFS, what gets into some people.

My daughter, a hard marker, finally relented last weekend and told me that she wanted to take back all of the derogatory things she had said about Fitzy in the past. She is now on his bandwagon!

A player who has been unable to settle in one position hasn't shown his coach enough in any of the positions in which he's been tried. I think apportioning blame to coaches is a cop-out.

You can see it how you like, but I don't consider it a cop out at all - how can it be a cop out when it is the coach, not the player, who makes the positional decisions? It is difficult to show much in any one position when a player is moved from one position to another on a week by week basis between stints in the 2's and when not being played purely in a tagging roie (this is what happened under both Daniher and Bailey). Dunn showed his first real signs of settling last year when he was given a good run in the backline by Neeld.

Edited July 12, 201312 yr by hardtack

I can't believe that there are people on here that want to trade Fitzy after we have put in the hard yards and he is just starting to show us how good he could be. FFS, what gets into some people.

My daughter, a hard marker, finally relented last weekend and told me that she wanted to take back all of the derogatory things she had said about Fitzy in the past. She is now on his bandwagon!

Great that he showing signs. We have plenty of 193cm+ tall forwards. We even have a couple of guys who can play forward and ruck a bit.

The MFC needs midfielders.

That's the crux of it.

Edited July 12, 201312 yr by rpfc

I can't believe that there are people on here that want to trade Fitzy after we have put in the hard yards and he is just starting to show us how good he could be. FFS, what gets into some people.

I can't believe people don't understand the argument for trading him. We have a surplus of tall forwards, tall forwards are in demand. We need midfielders, we could trade him for a midfielder.

I can't believe people don't understand the argument for trading him. We have a surplus of tall forwards, tall forwards are in demand. We need midfielders, we could trade him for a midfielder.

I know we need midfielders. Tall forwards are in demand because they win games for you. With Clark's recent history, I wouldn't be counting on him. Watts will not be a key forward. Having Hogan and Dawes as key forwards with Fitzpatrick and Clark who can double as credible ruck options is a future I do not want to give up.

All this excitement over Fitzpatrick's last 2 games has seen some people attempt to bend reason and fit all these forwards into this hypothetical future team...

I think we also need to remember that GWS will be needing to cu down their list and will likely have a few very capable young mids leaving. We should be looking to them for possible targets for midfielders. I think we should keep Fitzy and continue to develop him and if we ever get to the stage where we are challenging for top finals spots and we still have a surplus then we can look at trading one of them for a GUN mid. He hasn't reached his full potential yet so we likely would't get a GUN at the moment just a good mid which isn't going to help us all that much in the short term.

I want him kept. He is a quick, mobile, versatile, young ruckman/key position player, who can also kick goals. He is part of our future, not our past.

If you want to trade big men Jamar is available. He has none of Jack's qualities.

Too late...

Yeah, I'm not a big wrap for Yarran. I remember a couple of seasons back when our good mate Greg Denham labelled him a champion, a little soon for that talk I would have thought. Some poor caller got howled down for disagreeing, imagine that.

If Yarran could get his work rate up and get more involved in the contest he could be value, a bit like Motlop at the Cats but there are a few too many if's for me at the moment.

"If Yarran could get his work rate up and get more involved in the contest he could be value", Don't we have a few of those ?? Why look for them outside our club ?? Just saying

Yeah, I'm not a big wrap for Yarran. I remember a couple of seasons back when our good mate Greg Denham labelled him a champion, a little soon for that talk I would have thought. Some poor caller got howled down for disagreeing, imagine that.

If Yarran could get his work rate up and get more involved in the contest he could be value, a bit like Motlop at the Cats but there are a few too many if's for me at the moment.

"If Yarran could get his work rate up and get more involved in the contest he could be value", Don't we have a few of those ?? Why look for them outside our club ?? Just saying

love him

he has style and grace, but got off on the wrong foot with MM, ratten loves him and had the bloke playing good off the hbf

don't worry, our backline feeding him will take it directly to FF and every body in the team would enjoy that

what do we trade for him, mmmmm dunno

Im seriously glad some of you muppets aren't in charge of our playing list.

Why, thought posters on this site did not like downhill skiers....if Malthouse can't get him to play, who do you think could?

I think Malthouse is playing psychological games with him now, as we speak, to try to tame him....

imo, malthouse recognises his huge talent & is trying to iron out his weaknesses... if you can get ontop of these players issues, they can become Matchwinners in finals.

.... see Barassi, re Brent Crosswell, Baker, et al.... tame the beast & make it work for you !

.....our beast, our cultural beast that has caused our perennial failure, is we fail to tangle with that dragon... our leaders of the last 15 years have not had the guts, to step into the cauldron & fight the dragon,,, to win it over to our side... we are,,, perennial conservatives, to our demise.

Edited July 12, 201312 yr by dee-luded

All this excitement over Fitzpatrick's last 2 games has seen some people attempt to bend reason and fit all these forwards into this hypothetical future team...

Definitely bending rpfc. But it's just a bit of fun. But also interesting to consider what the game might look like in 5 or 10 years. The MFC have been so reactive over the years in terms of the trends of the game. It would be great to be seen as an innovator and a trend setter. The mobility and the depth of mobility in our tall department is genuinely unique. Why not try to exploit that?

look's very solid

but i'd start Trengove on the wing and Fitzpatrick on the bench...

Rotate Fitzpatrick with Dawes, Hogan, Clark and Watts

but we need to remember!

it's going to very rare that we get Hogan, Clark, Dawes and Watts all fit and playing in the same team.

I remember with Jurrah and Aussie, it was rare getting them to play together

I wasn't listing a best 22 or a future 22 but simply one deliberately loaded with a plethora of skilled, mobile talls if for no other reason than to see what it looks like on paper. Would love to see what it would look like on a footy field too!

Why, thought posters on this site did not like downhill skiers....if Malthouse can't get him to play, who do you think could?

For what it's worth, if I could play football and had to be coached by Malthouse, I doubt I'd respond well to what appears to be his coaching style. Perhaps he's different to the view he exposes to the outside world, but I find him terse, grumpy and unforgiving. Wouldn't get the best out of me.

For what it's worth, if I could play football and had to be coached by Malthouse, I doubt I'd respond well to what appears to be his coaching style. Perhaps he's different to the view he exposes to the outside world, but I find him terse, grumpy and unforgiving. Wouldn't get the best out of me.

Me neither ldvc, but then my best is long long past