Michael Hibberd was unfit when he came to the club and, missed the first month of 2017, but got himself sorted and was excellent for the remainder of the season.

He looked out of sorts from the moment Lever came into the side in 2018 as he was shuffled into a more defensive role that stifled his ability to win the ball and setup attacks from half back. His form improved slightly when Lever was injured, then he missed a month of footy, and never really got going again.

This year his form has been putrid. He has never been quick, but looks like he is running in wet cement at present. His kicking is a 50/50 proposition at best. He is one of the worst culprits at being fourth or fifth up in a contest, leaving his man unattended at the base of the pack. He is being isolated by opposition teams and exploited on an all too regular basis.

Most significantly he has lost all ability to defend in a one-v-one situation. His positioning and timing are non-existent. He is easily nudged out of the way, even by smaller opponents, and far too often loses touch with his man.

With only 126 AFL games to his name, his body should be in reasonable nick but he is 30 before the start of next season. Was 2017 an aberration and he is just a serviceable player quickly coming to the end, or is there something that we can fix to return him to his best football?

If I was coach I'd be tempted to throw Hibberd forward this week and try to reset him with a different role. Petracca can play midfield or defence and try to find some more football.

Jesus. Maybe we should send Nev forward....

Opponents have been quick to get in Hibberd's face, and he lacks the pace to beat them into space.

I was thinking the same thing Friday night, he’s form has been well below his 2017 season. The down fall of having a breakout year as he did in 2017 is that sides find ways to shut your strengths down, Hibberds is his ball use & over lap run. I think sides have worked out to corral his left side as he has no right foot. You wouldn’t think this would be the cause of such a dramatic form lose but couple this with our defence been all at sea, you look at his 2017 stats and is a stark reminder how good he can be.

Don’t think he can play forward, just got to hope he can turn it around. Problem is he hasn’t played great footy for over 12 months.

 

 

Edited April 8, 20196 yr by JV7

Needs to play wing.  TMac to go back until May +/- Lever come back.

 

FCS, Goodwin is giving roles (Lewis +1 in 2017/18; and Jones wing) on reputation.  The wing is super-important with 6/6/6 and requires speed there.  Also Hibberd swinging around on his left gets the ball I50 quicker and deeper, and avoids Mick McGuane's trampoline zone that he referred to last week in the HUN.

 

If Jones keeps playing, he must re-invent himself in the back-half taking over Lewis' role.  Jones is too slow to be a wingman in the current game.

2 minutes ago, TGR said:

If Jones keeps playing, he must re-invent himself in the back-half taking over Lewis' role.  Jones is too slow to be a wingman in the current game.

Jones is done im afraid.. he offers nothing at all, and the he set the scene on Friday night with the very first entrance into the 50 with along non descript bomb, because he is to slow to take the extra 2 steps and look a up and find a target.. it happens all the time.

The problem is we wont drop him so we have to carry him as he has carried us for a very long time so it makes it even harder.. its the worst possible scenario for Goody. Can you drop a captain.. i dont think so, but when Lewis comes back in, we will be the slowest side in the comp. FACT.

 

Imagine having Jones, Jetta, Lewis in your back half.

 

 

He’s escaped almost all scrutiny but I would say he’s one of the worst performers in the team when you consider what he’s capable of doing.  

He’s being exploited one-on-one and cannot compete in the air.  His confidence looks shot and his kicking, which used to be a weapon, is a liability at the moment.

The reality is, in the absence of Lewis, he should be one of the leaders holding our backline together.; but on current form, he’s a long, long way off.

In one contest on Friday night, the ball was on its way in to the forward line.  Hibbo had 5 m gap (trailing) his opponent.  As things we building and the ball was one kick away, Hibbo sagged off a further 5 m.  Ball kicked to his man.  He mad a last mad dash to close the gap and was easily outmarked.  If he had have been body on body, the player would not have even been an option.  This was just terrible craft.  He may want to only jump for the intercept marks, but he has to be accountable to his man.  Trailing and splitting off when Essendon were 1 kick away was inept.

His biggest weapon is his dash and his long kicking from wing to the forward line. The guy makes space numerous times on the outer wing only to be ignored by our lack of switching. When the ball is eventually turned over he does a mad scramble back to the last line of defence in his usual terrier manner often finding himself out of position. 

He’s not the only defender struggling in what seems like disorganised chaos back there. 

Edited April 8, 20196 yr by Dee Zephyr

There's an organised chaos ?? 

16 minutes ago, buck_nekkid said:

In one contest on Friday night, the ball was on its way in to the forward line.  Hibbo had 5 m gap (trailing) his opponent.  As things we building and the ball was one kick away, Hibbo sagged off a further 5 m.  Ball kicked to his man.  He mad a last mad dash to close the gap and was easily outmarked.  If he had have been body on body, the player would not have even been an option.  This was just terrible craft.  He may want to only jump for the intercept marks, but he has to be accountable to his man.  Trailing and splitting off when Essendon were 1 kick away was inept.

Thats because we are zone defending and guarding space, its beyond ridiculous when we cant do it.. you say its poor craft, it might be, but its poor coaching.

34 minutes ago, Tony Tea said:

Opponents have been quick to get in Hibberd's face, and he lacks the pace to beat them into space.

If Hibberd lacks pace, give me your opinion on the speed of Jones and Lewis.

Heading down the same path as what Bernie Vince last year.

When is he out of contract?

I’m 

Just now, dazzledavey36 said:

Heading down the same path as what Bernie Vince last year.

When is he out of contract?

That’s a bit of an extreme view. 

Vince was 34 and Hibberd is out of form amongst 12 other players 

46 minutes ago, Demon3 said:

Jones is done im afraid.. he offers nothing at all, and the he set the scene on Friday night with the very first entrance into the 50 with along non descript bomb, because he is to slow to take the extra 2 steps and look a up and find a target.. it happens all the time.

The problem is we wont drop him so we have to carry him as he has carried us for a very long time so it makes it even harder.. its the worst possible scenario for Goody. Can you drop a captain.. i dont think so, but when Lewis comes back in, we will be the slowest side in the comp. FACT.

 

Imagine having Jones, Jetta, Lewis in your back half.

 

 

Jones might and should be dropped but the club don’t have guts to do it unless our season becomes an irrecoverable disaster. Of courses it will be too late then. If so he might then pick a farewell tribute game in round 23. Hibberd IMO is going through a bad patch and might be carrying some niggles and can turn it around. 

Edited April 8, 20196 yr by america de cali

I'd like to see him on a wing before casting judgement on his capacity over a career

42 minutes ago, buck_nekkid said:

In one contest on Friday night, the ball was on its way in to the forward line.  Hibbo had 5 m gap (trailing) his opponent.  As things we building and the ball was one kick away, Hibbo sagged off a further 5 m.  Ball kicked to his man.  He mad a last mad dash to close the gap and was easily outmarked.  If he had have been body on body, the player would not have even been an option.  This was just terrible craft.  He may want to only jump for the intercept marks, but he has to be accountable to his man.  Trailing and splitting off when Essendon were 1 kick away was inept.

If Hibbo is body on body, then how to we get significant rebound?  Supporters have to look at both aspects of the game.

2 minutes ago, Demons11 said:

I’m 

That’s a bit of an extreme view. 

Vince was 34 and Hibberd is out of form amongst 12 other players 

No,

Not only is he out of form but he's rapidly declining in speed and his ball use has gone to absolute [censored]. His disposal average has dropped significantly from last year.

He is like every other player that starts to hit that 30 year old mark. He has peaked and i cant see much improvement throughout this year.

7 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Heading down the same path as what Bernie Vince last year.

When is he out of contract?

We are a slow side to begin with.  Let me get this straight.  Most supporters are still blinded the need for Lewis' leadership; and some want to get rid of Hibberd delist Frost.

I don't think we get it.  I don't think our list management 'got it' either 2 years ago, but then again their defence might be in the pre-6/6/6 era.

This all becomes a moot point if what a poster said on one of the other forums that McCartney has been working the defense boys harder than would normally be expected this time of year which fits (in my eyes) with just how extra (they’re are slow as it is) slow the boys all look down back atm

Really hoping this changes soon because we are currently looking down a very dark hole

5 minutes ago, —coach— said:

This all becomes a moot point if what a poster said on one of the other forums that McCartney has been working the defense boys harder than would normally be expected this time of year which fits (in my eyes) with just how extra (they’re are slow as it is) slow the boys all look down back atm

Really hoping this changes soon because we are currently looking down a very dark hole

I honestly think thats the biggest cop out ever. Not a dig at you btw.

5 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I honestly think thats the biggest cop out ever. Not a dig at you btw.

Well it is and it isn’t. Depending on what type of fitness work you are doing it can seriously inhibit your game day performance

1 minute ago, —coach— said:

Well it is and it isn’t. Depending on what type of fitness work you are doing it can seriously inhibit your game day performance

Until we can confirmed facts that they are being overworked, at this stage i just feel it is a cop out. These guys are paid sporting professionals and should be versatile to change in training programs.

Besides, training reports we have had on here is there hasn't been nothing out of the ordinary in terms of preparation or doing a heavy extra work load etc.

He’s fitter this year than previous. Had a good summer running up a group not in the lesser group.

But he looks like a guy who used to have pace to beat opponents and now doesn’t. And it’s a fair point to say he plays his best footy as an attacking back and has to defend deeper because we don’t have anyone other than Jetta who can win a one on one.

He isn’t getting space to balance up so is bombing the ball. He isn’t getting put in to space either because we don’t clear it wide with kicks or handballs.

Some more talent around him and proper midfield defensive work should help but yeah he’s a concern

2 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Until we can confirmed facts that they are being overworked, at this stage i just feel it is a cop out. These guys are paid sporting professionals and should be versatile to change in training programs.

Besides, training reports we have had on here is there hasn't been nothing out of the ordinary in terms of preparation or doing a heavy extra work load etc.

Don’t disagree with you on any of the points above. Particularly the point of that they are paid professionals. It’s always frustrated me that a person getting paid 300k+ could ever be so bad at a closed skill such as set shot kicking for goal. I mean if you said to me I’ll give you half a mil if you can kick 80% of your set shots through two sticks I can guarantee you I would learn how to do it real quick, yet so many AFL footballers struggle with it.