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Filling the hole left by Jake Lever’s injury

PaulRB
PaulRB
in Melbourne Demons

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You don't need to be super tall to play the intercept role, but you need a good footy IQ.

Doedee at Adelaide is playing it at 188cm.

I haven't seen enough of Joel Smith, but my guess is they either give him a go as Lever's direct replacement, or Hibberd takes over the role.

Frost may come in, but I certainly can't see him playing as the intercept defender.

Edited by ProDee

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    6 minutes ago, ProDee said:

    You don't need to be super tall to play the intercept role, but you need a good footy IQ.

    Doedee at Adelaide is playing it at 188cm.

    I haven't seen enough of Joel Smith, but my guess is the either give him a go as Lever's direct replacement, or Hibberd takes over the role.

    Frost may come in, but I certainly can't see him playing as the intercept defender.

    Only 188cm, that surprises me...

    As I posted earlier Josh Gibson played the same role at Hawthorn at 189cm and they seemed to go ok.

    Howe does similar at Collingwood.

    I think Smith could be a good option. Has speed, good overhead, good leap...only thing is does he have the footy IQ for the role?

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    As many have mentioned, it doesn't have to be a like for like replacement. 

    The worries are the five options (Wagner, Frost, Smith, Keilty and Hunt) lack the composure to play the Lever role. The disposal of Frost, Hunt and Wagner is inconsistent as well.

    Hibberd isn't good enough in the air to step into the role. If he was we could bring Hunt back.

    I have a feeling they will go back to Wagner.

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    48 minutes ago, dee-tox said:

    As many have mentioned, it doesn't have to be a like for like replacement. 

    The worries are the five options (Wagner, Frost, Smith, Keilty and Hunt) lack the composure to play the Lever role. The disposal of Frost, Hunt and Wagner is inconsistent as well.

    Hibberd isn't good enough in the air to step into the role. If he was we could bring Hunt back.

    I have a feeling they will go back to Wagner.

    Hope not

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    Try not to disturb existing players from the roles they are currently playing.

    They are doing this with their eyes closed at the moment.

    I have read that the only open day of training is on Friday.

    I believe that the day/s of closed training will have 3 guys playing levers role.

    The one who does this the best gets the nod.

    The 3 who are in the box seat are Frost, Smith and Wagner.

    If Tim Smith doesn't pull up well, Pedo should be his replacement, although having a Weideman playing against them again could be good.

    Billy Stretch has been BOG 3 out of the past 4 games in the VFL (although a shocking kick, unless he has ironed that out.)

    So if someone needs a rest he is a good replacement.

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    8 hours ago, TGR said:

    I think us MFC supporters (especially our FD) overrate Lever and underrate Frost.  Brian Taylor elevated Stringer to AA-status, and I reckon, did the same with Lever.

     

     

    Good opportunity for Frost now.  He needs to ignore the groans of the simpletons when he gets caught HTB, and continue to grow and take risks.

     

     

     

     

    The idea that Brian Taylor could elevate anyone to All-Australian is rather... interesting.

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    7 hours ago, ProDee said:

    You don't need to be super tall to play the intercept role, but you need a good footy IQ.

    Doedee at Adelaide is playing it at 188cm.

    I haven't seen enough of Joel Smith, but my guess is they either give him a go as Lever's direct replacement, or Hibberd takes over the role.

    Frost may come in, but I certainly can't see him playing as the intercept defender.

     

    Does the intercept defender need to be a tall? i.e. if Hibberd is to fill this role, does he need to play on a taller player also? Surely Frost can come in & still be accountable on a tall, without being required to have great footy IQ.

    I understand the opposition will try to force Hibberd to be accountable, but I think we'd be able to cope.

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    1 hour ago, Mach5 said:

     

    Does the intercept defender need to be a tall? i.e. if Hibberd is to fill this role, does he need to play on a taller player also? Surely Frost can come in & still be accountable on a tall, without being required to have great footy IQ.

    I understand the opposition will try to force Hibberd to be accountable, but I think we'd be able to cope.

    I don't believe they need to be a giant but they've obviously got to be able to hold their own in the air. Also they have to have the strength to go one on one or have the strength and power to impact and spoil in the air. 

    If you are going to be played as the intercept defender you need footy IQ to choose the moments when or when not to run off your man or where you are protecting space. Personally I think that is where Frost has been pretty bad in the past and gets lost ball watching. You need to know when to go to a certain contest, when to drop deeper behind play, how to hold your position in the zone and not get lost by ball watching or following the play. If it was just about Frost being accountable and locking down one on one I'd assume he'd be capable, but it's not just one on one defending which I believe is the problem. Also I think the intercept defender needs to be a safe set of hands so to speak and Frost is far from safe with the ball in hand.

    Hibberd can probably play the role but it will take away from what he is good at in my opinion. His strength is his distribution and running off half back as well as winning the ball at ground level. I'm not sure he's our best option in the air and I don't know if he plays tall so to speak.

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    2 hours ago, Mach5 said:

     

    The idea that Brian Taylor could elevate anyone to All-Australian is rather... interesting.  incredibly weird and if true an indictment of the AA process.

     

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    Don't mind this from Greeny.

    I'd certainly give Weids a go at CHB for Casey for a few weeks. I think he'd hold a lot of marks he gets his hands on up forward and his clean handballing and tackling would be useful. It would help his kicking under pressure and second efforts as well.

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    13 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

    Don't mind this from Greeny.

    I'd certainly give Weids a go at CHB for Casey for a few weeks. I think he'd hold a lot of marks he gets his hands on up forward and his clean handballing and tackling would be useful. It would help his kicking under pressure and second efforts as well.

     

    Can not imagine Weideman playing as a key backman.  Just doesn't look like it would suit him.

    But Jetta was reinvented as a gun back, T Mac as a gun forward.  So I am open to anything and I will back the coaching staff in all the way on whatever they try.

    Edited by Petraccattack

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    8 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

     

    Can not imagine Weideman playing as a key backman.  Just doesn't look like it would suit him.

    But Jetta was reinvented as a gun back, T Mac as a gun forward.  So I am open to anything and I will back the coaching staff in all the way on whatever they try.

    I think he should be tried down back, suspect he has all the tools needed to be a mobile intercept back, depends if he can read the play back there. He doesn’t mind tackling people but we need to give him time there to prove he can play the role. 

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    1 hour ago, Petraccattack said:

     

    Can not imagine Weideman playing as a key backman.  Just doesn't look like it would suit him.

    But Jetta was reinvented as a gun back, T Mac as a gun forward.  So I am open to anything and I will back the coaching staff in all the way on whatever they try.

    A lot of key forwards learn their craft as a back. Think back to Nick Reiwoldt, David Netiz, the G train all spent time back to master their craft. 

    I just dont think putting Weid in as a intercept back would be a smart move, he would need to take more of a one on one defensive role allowing hibberd to play the intercept role. 

    The thing I do love about Weid is he gives a contest can bring the ball to ground, and competes when it does hit the deck, also seems to be a clean kick on both sides. 

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    35 minutes ago, GCDee said:

    A lot of key forwards learn their craft as a back. Think back to Nick Reiwoldt, David Netiz, the G train all spent time back to master their craft. 

    I just dont think putting Weid in as a intercept back would be a smart move, he would need to take more of a one on one defensive role allowing hibberd to play the intercept role. 

    The thing I do love about Weid is he gives a contest can bring the ball to ground, and competes when it does hit the deck, also seems to be a clean kick on both sides. 

    different game back then GCD. It used to be the semi soft position if there ever was such a thing in AFL. But these days,  with the forward press youve to be really competitive  at ground level too,  and Im just not convinced re Weid and that part of his game. Love to be wrong on this though. 

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    2 hours ago, Wells 11 said:

    different game back then GCD. It used to be the semi soft position if there ever was such a thing in AFL. But these days,  with the forward press youve to be really competitive  at ground level too,  and Im just not convinced re Weid and that part of his game. Love to be wrong on this though. 

    yep ... in the even older days HBF was where a young player often debuted....It was not considered a vital position unlike say CHB.

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