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Small forwards - what are our trading and draft options?

Pates
in Melbourne Demons

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2 hours ago, X Factor said:

I see that we are going after Jamie Elliott.   Thats all well and good, but we need 3 or 4 legitimate small forwards, not just one.    Look no further than Richmond who have about 5 capable small forwards.

So why are we signing up plodders who will give us nothing (ie. Adam Tomlinson)  when we are desperate for legitimate crumbing forwards with speed and flair?   Where is the excitement?

It is obvious that this club is not serious about winning and has no clue how to assemble a list.

Is that you Eddie Betts???

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    • Shocked 1
    31 minutes ago, Superunknown said:

    The better response would have been not to ban MB in that current guise.

    Not sure what you are saying. Tenses are all muddled. 

    Can you please clarify.

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    26 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

    Is that you Eddie Betts???

    Would loved to have gotten Eddie for a year or two.  All three of Betts, Elliott and Papley are what we needed, and we wont get any of them.

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    2 hours ago, X Factor said:

    I see that we are going after Jamie Elliott.   Thats all well and good, but we need 3 or 4 legitimate small forwards, not just one.    Look no further than Richmond who have about 5 capable small forwards.

    So why are we signing up plodders who will give us nothing (ie. Adam Tomlinson)  when we are desperate for legitimate crumbing forwards with speed and flair?   Where is the excitement?

    It is obvious that this club is not serious about winning and has no clue how to assemble a list.

    yeah right

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    1 hour ago, binman said:

    I also wonder what sort of person goes to the effort of creating multiple user names with the sole aim of creating angst and silly discussions. If there isn't some medical condition that explains such a desire it i have no doubt there soon will be  - Trollopothy perhaps?  

    I think it is just plain old stupidity

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    •  
    1 hour ago, X Factor said:

    Would loved to have gotten Eddie for a year or two.  All three of Betts, Elliott and Papley are what we needed, and we wont get any of them.

    Agree.

    Of course we won't get Betts, Elliott or Papley  because we are just a shocking, woeful hopeless club that does nothing but rain misery down on its pitiful yes man supporters when it's not bending over at trade time! 

    Wait what's happening to me? I'm infected!!!!

     

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    4 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

    Richmond's team:
    2 ruckmen - Nank and Soldo
    2 key forwards - Lynch and Riewoldt
    3 lock down defenders - Grimes, Astbury, Broad
    1 intercept defender - Vlastuin
    3 rebounding defenders - Houli, Short, Baker
    2 wings - Caddy, Ellis
    3 inside mids: Prestia, Cotchin, Graham (Ross)
    3 forward/mids: Edwards, Lambert, Martin
    1 pacey defensive forward - Castagna
    2 small forwards - Rioli, Bolton

    Is one part of the puzzle bigger than the other?

    Our shopping list should be: 
    - Outside run
    - Midfield pace
    - Half back skill
    - Tall depth
    - Small pressure forwards
    - Extra goal kicking option

    It's highly unlikely we get all of those fully fixed in one off season, most premiership teams aren't perfect yet alone teams rebounding from 17th. But starting from the midfield deficiencies with trades and then using draft picks to fill the other needs probably isn't a bad idea. Remember Richmond kicked off their bounce back with Nankervis, Caddy and Prestia traded in.

    Let's do what we have completely abandoned.  Go back to the draft and select the best talent; and don't be seduced by quick fixes and recruiting big names on big dollars.

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    4 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

    We need more tall defenders.

    Agree. Can never have enough tall defenders. 

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    5 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

    The taller the better.

    They should turn Maxy into a defender. And Preuss. And Bradtke.

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    3 hours ago, Grimes Times said:

    3 lock down defenders - May, Frost, Petty

     

    If Petty moves back after the promise he showed as a forward at the end of the season, the fans should revolt.

    A 19 year old KPF with ability.  They dont grow on trees, and we finally have one.

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    I’m thinking we definitely need small forwards. No idea if Chandler or Bedford will make it. I think if we split the pick we’ll draft Weightman. 

    Not sure why we wouldn’t be looking at Butler. 

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    On 9/25/2019 at 11:14 AM, X Factor said:

    I see that we are going after Jamie Elliott.   Thats all well and good, but we need 3 or 4 legitimate small forwards, not just one.    Look no further than Richmond who have about 5 capable small forwards.

    Range the last legit small forward we had just retired and prior to that it was the Wiz nigh on two decades ago?  And you just rock up round these parts askin for three or four huh!?  Get a grip big fella....ya hear me!? GET A GRIP!

    shaking star trek GIF

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    • Haha 1

    The game waxes and wanes in terms of trend. For some time is was 'contested ball', recently a lot of the talk is about small forwards. Yes, we need some, but probably only one or two - as long as they're quality. I'd prefer a balanced set-up as opposed to moving too far in any one direction; two tall forwards, two mobile utilities, two fast crumbing forwards.

    Current state of the list, best 3 in each role as the list currently stands:

    Tall Forwards: T.Mac, Weideman, Petty?

    Utilities: Fritsch, Petracca, Melksham

    Crumbing: Help Required, More Help Required, Lockhart?

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    Our style of footy is bash it in long and hope. How many times have we generated an opportunity only to fail to crumb or miss the snap? We get the ball in more than enough times to win more games, but as many have rightly pointed out, we lack the small forwards necessary to carry out our gameplan. Manufacturing goals out of a forward scramble takes real footy skill; it's almost an instinctive, innate talent of the type best emphasised by Cyril. Garlett was okay at it, but never wanted to go anywhere near a hard ball. Elliott is a similar player, but is more like a little big man as he relies more on marking than crumbing. At least the footy dept is targeting our obvious weaknesses, run & carry and small forwards. Either way, we need more players who can threaten to score. Oppositions sat on our few threats this year. Spread out those threats and we unsettle opposition defences. Do that, run & carry the ball in deep, then kick straight, combine those additions with our hard ball core and we are a top eight lock. 

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    With it sounding like we may have missed Elliott, I'd be keen to hear what @Pennant St Dee thinks of the small forward talent coming out of WA this season. Traditionally an incredibly strong state for crumbers and electrifying forwards.

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    On 9/26/2019 at 1:23 PM, TRIGON said:

    The game waxes and wanes in terms of trend. For some time is was 'contested ball', recently a lot of the talk is about small forwards. Yes, we need some, but probably only one or two - as long as they're quality. I'd prefer a balanced set-up as opposed to moving too far in any one direction; two tall forwards, two mobile utilities, two fast crumbing forwards.

    Current state of the list, best 3 in each role as the list currently stands:

    Tall Forwards: T.Mac, Weideman, Petty?

    Utilities: Fritsch, Petracca, Melksham

    Crumbing: Help Required, More Help Required, Lockhart?

    Yes, Lockhart. 

    Absolutely needs to be groomed for the role of small forward now, and I believe with a proper pre-season with the club we’ll see some great stuff from him next year.

    I just watched some clips of him (including his first goal, which was a classic piece of small forward play) and knowing that he did what he did with us this year with a perfunctory preparation at best, I’m full of genuine optimism we could have our next gun small forward right under our nose  

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    I'll throw something out there. Luke Reynolds has just played in the winning Grand Final for Glenelg in the SANFL. (It's been a long, long wait!). He kicked 53.19 for the season and was second to Liam McBean in the SANFL goal kicking. He's a strong mark and doesn't miss too often, particularly in comparison to our woeful kicking this year. (And last year as well. I was rewatching last year's final with the Cats the other day, and even though we won, we kicked something like 10 behinds on the trot! You wouldn't normally get away with that too often.) He was rookied by Carlton in 2014, and I have no idea why they let him go, but maybe he was immature then. He's 24 now, so he's not a spring chicken, but he's not too old to bother with. I reckon he might be worth another go in the big time. This time he might be mature enough to appreciate what he missed out on last time, and grab the opportunity with both hands. Lots of ifs and buts, but it's just a thought. 

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    2 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

    Ben Keays might be worth discussing.  Had a great 2018 but behind Charlie Cameron.  Now available after Lions delisting.  

    they delisted him!? wow

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