Its the forward line stupid

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

I'm very happy we got Pickett as a genuine small forward was long overdue but unless Tom McDonald can get his foot right and return to his 2018 form our forward line is easily bottom four.

[dazzledavey36 54,984]

People are forgetting that we have Mitch Brown who is about to start training with us.

A 196cm tall forward with a mature body and experience will help also. 

Weideman, McDonald, Brown, Jackson and Petty are goos handy talls. (Goodwin confirmed on sen that he will be training with the forwards over the summer)

 

[old dee 23,797]

1 hour ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

You can argue about poor delivery but the fact is we got plenty of ball inside 50 last year but were unable to convert it into scores.

With Hogan gone and Garlett injured or lacking form we hoped for a 2018 repeat from Tmac and improvement from Weid. Neither eventuated.

Petracca was a plus.

So where do we improve?

Further development from Petracca  and again, hopefully a fit Tmac can do the business. Hopefully Melksham is also injury free and can reproduce that raking and accurate kicking.

Petty maybe a forward. Fritsch and Hannan have shown a bit so hopefully some consistency and an injury free run.

Jackson ? Big wraps on him but he's only a kid so it's a bonus if he shows much in first year.

Pickett? A kid and small but potentially just what we need - crumber, tackler and x factor.

Weid ? [censored] if I know what to expect but he can't survive on potential much longer.

 

So there we go - hope, potential and maybees !!!

Go Dees!!

 

Not a bad summation there Bbo. I think to expect a big contribution from Jackson in year one maybe expecting a bit much.

However we should see Pickett gives us some help down there, could he possibly give less than Spargo?

The Weid, yep last year for him, it is put up or on your bike IMO. If he cannot kick 30+ goals in 2020 then I am afraid he is not an AFL level talent.

[DeeSpencer 25,720]

47 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

People are forgetting that we have Mitch Brown who is about to start training with us.

A 196cm tall forward with a mature body and experience will help also. 

Weideman, McDonald, Brown, Jackson and Petty are goos handy talls. (Goodwin confirmed on sen that he will be training with the forwards over the summer)

 

I’m hoping after a couple of months as a useful mature body training with us we forget about Mitch Brown too. Unless we reassign him to somewhat necessary backline depth. 

If Petty, Weid and Jackson can’t offer more than him we are in trouble. 

[binman 43,104]

2 hours ago, Fat Tony said:

I am a bit disappointed to hear that Joel Smith is training with the backs. I would like to see him play forward, as I actually think a smaller forward line including McDonald, Smith, Fritsch, Melksham, Petracca and a small forward could be our best combination.

I agree on Smith. Curious decision if that is how they go. Potentially makes it harder for him to cement a spot in the team.

On a related note in the Sen interview goody made it clear they have petty pencilled in as a forward. Curious also given I think he played all his junior footy and first year with us as defender.

But as goody notes he has great hands and can really clunk them, which is a pretty important attribute for a kpf.

[Accepting Mediocrity 1,418]

2 hours ago, old dee said:

The Weid, yep last year for him, it is put up or on your bike IMO. If he cannot kick 30+ goals in 2020 then I am afraid he is not an AFL level talent.

I think I'm in the minority, but I still hold high hopes for the Weed. Has the traits you look for in a key forward - tackles to hurt, good set of hands and is a lovely kick of the footy. Had a shocker in 2019, but wasn't on his own there.

He's still only 22 and played 31 games. Admittedly, we'd want to see solid improvement in 2020, but his best footy is still a few years away yet. 

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

8 minutes ago, Accepting Mediocrity said:

I think I'm in the minority, but I still hold high hopes for the Weed. Has the traits you look for in a key forward - tackles to hurt, good set of hands and is a lovely kick of the footy. Had a shocker in 2019, but wasn't on his own there.

He's still only 22 and played 31 games. Admittedly, we'd want to see solid improvement in 2020, but his best footy is still a few years away yet. 

Weideman's  problem is unless the ball is delivered to him on a platter in front of his eyes then he really can't do much else.

 

[Bitter but optimistic 22,241]

2 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Weideman's  problem is unless the ball is delivered to him on a platter in front of his eyes then he really can't do much else.

 

I have a concern about Weid’s ability to read the play.

To paraphrase Captain Blood -  He’s not where the ball’s at 

[DeeSpencer 25,720]

33 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Weideman's  problem is unless the ball is delivered to him on a platter in front of his eyes then he really can't do much else.

 

 

28 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

I have a concern about Weid’s ability to read the play.

To paraphrase Captain Blood -  He’s not where the ball’s at 

That's why I want to see him play CHB, it will take him to the ball.

He's got great hands at ground level, is a really nice field kick and can lay a crunching tackle at times. The most underrated thing about his final against the Cats was how good he looked as an extra mid when in the ruck.

If he doesn't start the season well as a forward then get Petty in - who seems to have some natural ability to lead up and keep front position - and send the Weid down back. 

[rpfc 28,526]

Our forwardline in 2018 was greater than the sum of the parts and that was because we were functioning through turnovers. We pressured and won ball back in our forward half.

The cattle is not quite right; injured, young, one dimensional, out of form for periods...

I am a big believer in structure and that can really help; we should create a central contest with numbers to the footy that was constantly coming through our mids. Pickett will assist to some degree, but we have to forget about the ‘indIvidual’ style of lead up 1-1s we strangely had with that cattle.

But yeah, we are not too 4 unless McDonald is healthy and Gawn can rest forward.

And forget about Jackson making a meaningful impact in 2020...

[Pates 9,660]

40 minutes ago, rpfc said:

And forget about Jackson making a meaningful impact in 2020...

I'm personally not expecting a whole lot from Jackson in 2020, I think he'll play some good games, might even have an absolute cracker where he kicks say 3 goals or something but for the most part I think he'll be developing at Casey.

Pickett similarly I'm not expecting him to be incredible, but I think his injection of pace, excitement, and pressure on defenders will make a wider difference to the team. His stats may well look on the low end come the end of the year but it's my hope that bringing something different to the forward line will help bring it all together.

[rjay 24,950]

10 hours ago, Accepting Mediocrity said:

Jackson almost certainly won't have any meaningful impact for a few years yet.

I think he will impact early in his career as young Curnow did at Carlton.

Jackson is a taller version, just might have more tricks & surely a bit smarter...

 

[Macca 16,981]

15 hours ago, rjay said:

I think they will...if you look at how the class of 2018 went there's no reason these 2 can't make an impact.

I reckon all 3 draftees will be in the team by round 2 rjay.  Plus Tomlinson & Langdon.

Baker comes in as well possibly to add some more pace.  My reckoning is we're going to see a very different side in 2020.   We are not going to see the 2018 model again and the 2019 model was largely forgettable

Time to change things up and let's face it,  we've really got nothing to lose by taking risks.  So there's no risk by default.

HF:  Melksham   T-Mac     Fritsch

F:       Pickett     Jackson   Jones

I've got Petracca up around the ball but more so the stoppages.  It's time to find out how good a player he can become.

 

Edited November 29, 2019 by Macca

[Adam The God 30,272]

10 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

I'm very happy we got Pickett as a genuine small forward was long overdue but unless Tom McDonald can get his foot right and return to his 2018 form our forward line is easily bottom four.

Agreed, but I think we need to get far more creative with our set up. Think Richmond 2017. Over a single pre season, they managed to completely rejig their forwardline and the only gun they had was Riewoldt, so they built around him, added Caddy and then a bunch of speedy contributors.

I'm not suggesting this is necessarily our best way forward (we don't have enough pace), but we certainly need to play to a better/different forward system. One that enables forwards to create space (and quick ball movement will help with this), but also enables us to play predictable football so that everyone is on the same page.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

9 hours ago, A F said:

Agreed, but I think we need to get far more creative with our set up. Think Richmond 2017. Over a single pre season, they managed to completely rejig their forwardline and the only gun they had was Riewoldt, so they built around him, added Caddy and then a bunch of speedy contributors.

I'm not suggesting this is necessarily our best way forward (we don't have enough pace), but we certainly need to play to a better/different forward system. One that enables forwards to create space (and quick ball movement will help with this), but also enables us to play predictable football so that everyone is on the same page.

Smith and Fritsch could be the x-factor we need because they are both so mobile and have great leaps.

[Adam The God 30,272]

4 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Smith and Fritsch could be the x-factor we need because they are both so mobile and have great leaps.

Fritsch could be yes. Smith isn't a footballer. He's an athlete. Maybe he can bring some pressure in the forwardline, but his decision-making leaves a bit to be desired. All opinion of course.

[Soprano661 15]

Melksham being fully fit will help - curtains for weid after this year, but surprisingly he looks way bigger in the training photos I’ve seen. 

[spalding 1,128]

I reckon Frisch will kick 40+ goals if they play him forward for the full year. He’s a smart footballer and a tough match up.

[old55 23,613]

22 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

 

That's why I want to see him play CHB, it will take him to the ball.

He's got great hands at ground level, is a really nice field kick and can lay a crunching tackle at times. The most underrated thing about his final against the Cats was how good he looked as an extra mid when in the ruck.

If he doesn't start the season well as a forward then get Petty in - who seems to have some natural ability to lead up and keep front position - and send the Weid down back. 

I like the idea of Weid and Petty swapping roles.  I think Weid could be very good as a tall back. FWIW I still have faith in him as a forward but with Petty and now Jackson he's got competition for a spot there.

OMac will be in the starting 22 as a key back, but if he can't turn around his form this year then we've got a vacancy there and Weid would be very good I think.

[Accepting Mediocrity 1,418]

17 hours ago, rjay said:

I think he will impact early in his career as young Curnow did at Carlton.

Jackson is a taller version, just might have more tricks & surely a bit smarter...

I'd love to hope so, but statistically it's unlikely. Even Curnow took until his 3rd year before he averaged more than 1 goal per game. 

The only 2m talls I can recall having any real impact early on were Joe Daniher and Ben King. Jackson looks an incredible athlete, but raw footballer to me. I'd be surprised if he cements his place in the team before the first 'Trade Jackson' thread crops up.

[old dee 23,797]

On 11/29/2019 at 4:06 PM, Bitter but optimistic said:

I have a concern about Weid’s ability to read the play.

To paraphrase Captain Blood -  He’s not where the ball’s at 

Sadly I think another one of Jacks comments fits here. " Don't get where the ball aint"

[old dee 23,797]

18 hours ago, Macca said:

I reckon all 3 draftees will be in the team by round 2 rjay.  Plus Tomlinson & Langdon.

Baker comes in as well possibly to add some more pace.  My reckoning is we're going to see a very different side in 2020.   We are not going to see the 2018 model again and the 2019 model was largely forgettable

Time to change things up and let's face it,  we've really got nothing to lose by taking risks.  So there's no risk by default.

HF:  Melksham   T-Mac     Fritsch

F:       Pickett     Jackson   Jones

I've got Petracca up around the ball but more so the stoppages.  It's time to find out how good a player he can become.

 

Seriously Jackson at FF by round 2! 

From what I understand he has never played at FF. I also understand his marking is average.

Second round 2021 is perhaps a chance but he would need to play blinders in the preseason to be in the team round 2 in 2020.

I will be astounded if he plays in the senior side this side of July 2020 and he will only get a game if two things happen.

- He plays way better than most expect in 2020.

- He plays because existing players are injured / hopelessly out of form.

He is a junior Ruckman who has much to learn about playing against the big boys.

 

Edited November 30, 2019 by old dee

[FlashInThePan 1,893]

I think Fritsch and Milkshake are going to be the key to our forward line. Fritsch is just an awesome decision maker and really hard to match up on. People forget how pivotal Melky was for us in 2018, he led the league for goal assists and effective kicks inside 50, we really missed that in 2019. Having Langdon is going to make a difference also, his run and carry will lead to greater penetration with entries into the forward 50.

I’m expecting TMac to be back to his old self, I just don’t know what to expect from Weed I’m just hoping, but if he doesn’t fire I suspect Petty will take it on or Jackson will get his chance early.

I suspect Smith will play the Frost role in the back half. He can play tall and he is super fast, not too sure about his kicking but if he is playing frost’s role then the bar for disposal has been set pretty low.

Bedford, Kozzie and Spargo to compete for the small forward role.

Petracca to play a predominantly midfield role and take it to the next level.

[John Demonic 5,808]

Jackson will play 20 games up forward. He's the height and weight of Ben Brown. Absolutely ready to go.

 

[John Demonic 5,808]

3 hours ago, spalding said:

I reckon Frisch will kick 40+ goals if they play him forward for the full year. He’s a smart footballer and a tough match up.

I just hope he doesn't spoil 20, flying for the mark when TMac, Weid & Jackson have best position, allowing an easy crumb to his opponent for a rebound out the back. One of two slights i have on his game.

Edited November 30, 2019 by John Demonic