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Forward Line 2021

Dees2014
Dees2014
in Melbourne Demons

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5 hours ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

Or Fritsch to the lead up forward/wing.  He dominated at the end of 2019  in that role. Best footy hes ever played.

Then he went forward  late ( belatedly By Simon ) and Has been averaging about 4 shots for goal per game. IMO that's his position to score gaols for us and needs to solve his accuracy issues pronto. 
We need Every born forward up front to hurt the opposition. 

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    8 hours ago, old dee said:

    The Weid in place of TMac you have to be kidding. IMO the only way he gets back in if injuries happen.

    Agree OD Tommy is more versatile and moves around and is hard to stop being in the game! 

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    As I mentioned the other day,  Fritsch needs to somehow take his shots on far less angles. Essentially every set shot he’s taken this year has been on a very challenging angle. Name me a player in the league that would consistently nail the set shots that Fritsch takes.

    Having said that, his marking on the lead has been outstanding and he’s too viable a target to not be in our best 22.

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    16 hours ago, Dees2014 said:

    Here’s my thoughts...

     

    FF:    Spargo.     Brown.     Jackson

    HF:    Kossie.      Weid.       Melsham

    With Tmacd now back to close to his 2018 form, clearly he deserves a spot. Apparently, the plan preseason was to play him on the wing should his form warrant it. Whilst this is a good idea, l think we should consider having him on the ball since he is the best endurance runner at the club, and also a good kick/mark. Jackson also needs to be encouraged to back himself in his marking. We have seen just flashes of what he is capable of, which is very exciting. Oh yes, and we need to teach him to kick!!

    This I think turns the forward line from our biggest weakness into one of our biggest strengths, and could just about turn us into a top two side.

     

    I would replace Tmac with Melksham

     

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    15 hours ago, dl4e said:

    Fritch Brown Weed

    Kossie TMAC Sparrow

    Jackson and Spargo on bench. Putting Jackson at this stage of development as a forward is a waste of space. He looks much better in the ruck.

    Hopefully after injuries subside no more fwd players are gifted games anymore with competition making them work harder.

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    It is going to be very interesting to see how BBB and the Weed (if he gets a game) perform with the new manning the mark rule 

    Without doubt there is more space to lead into for forwards and less pressure on the player delivering inside F50

    Both these factors have resulted in higher scoring and more freedom for forwards

    Neither BBB or Weed are contested mark beasts - they are much better on the lead and with space in front of them where they can use their speed and reach

    BBB in particular is arguably going to benefit more than just about any other key forward with these changes - I'm hoping so anyway

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    Will be interesting to see what the next month brings with BBB starting to train again.

    Injuries and form will no doubt play a part.

    At the moment TMac is doing the job. Someone needs to outperform him or they play twos.

    As for the small and medium forwards they are going great guns at the moment bar Fritta's set shot kicking.

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    I think there's a tendency when examining the forward set up to just divide them into "talls and smalls" and go by the old "two and four" maxim, as if talls have the turning circle of the Titanic and the smalls are the only nimble crumbers and pressure players.

    Rather than just height, mobility is a consideration as well as ability on the ground. TMac (since trimming down and getting fitter), Jackson and Weideman are all very mobile. Jackson is also very athletic, good below his knees and with development has the ability to play like a midfielder.

    I think the two and four "tradition" could get thrown out the window.

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    16 hours ago, roy11 said:

    Bayley has taken 9 marks inside the forward 50 after 2 games. Harsh to give him the boot even if his kicking a little off. 

    I'm not suggesting dropping him. But just to put Bayley's kicking into context. Let's take Levi Casboult, a renowned great making yet horrible kicking forward. His goal accuracy (including failed to score) in 2020 was 45.7%. Bayley only managed 42.3%. This isn't a little off radar to start the year it's a long running pattern. Infact Casboult's career average is (marginally) higher than Fristch 48.4% vs 47.3%. 

    Bayley has started first 2 weeks of this year with 9 shots for just 3 goals. Anyone who thinks he is a good shot for goal is kidding themselves. 

    Edited by ArtificialWisdom

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    1 hour ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

    As I mentioned the other day,  Fritsch needs to somehow take his shots on far less angles. Essentially every set shot he’s taken this year has been on a very challenging angle. Name me a player in the league that would consistently nail the set shots that Fritsch takes.

    Having said that, his marking on the lead has been outstanding and he’s too viable a target to not be in our best 22.

    He's always lead to the pocket and I think that is a strength. Needs to increase his goal kicking accuarcy by around 15% to 1.5 goals average per game.

    The mistake we make is in thinking he can be a 70 goal forward

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    Aside from one, I think all of Fritsch’s shots on the weekend were gettable angels. He just choked on the kicks. It’s 100% in his head. One came off the side of his boot

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    16 hours ago, Pickett2Jackson said:

    I would have Weidemann in the team ahead of Fritsch.

    Weid kicked 19 goals 8 behinds last season.

    Fritsch has kicked more behinds than goals last year and this season.  Hes becoming a coach killer.

    They are not competing for the same spot.

    You can only have two of LJ, Weed, Brown or TMac. Rotations could see 3 of them in the same side but at least one has to play at Casey.

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    This is the first time in a long time that we have genuine competition for places.

    Nobody can rest on their laurels. No one will be gifted games ala Melks last year. You don’t want to be dropped from this team at the moment because it won’t be easy to get back in. If you’re in the 2’s you know you have to work hard, be professional and be ready to take your chance if it presents itself.

    Nothing like competitive tension to keep everybody hungry and on their toes.

    Great position to be in and bodes well for the rest of the season.

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    3 minutes ago, Cheesy D. Pun said:

    They are not competing for the same spot.

    You can only have two of LJ, Weed, Brown or TMac. Rotations could see 3 of them in the same side but at least one has to play at Casey.

    Agree.... it's a good problem to have and if all 3 perfrom one of TMac or Weid will be traded at the end of the year which will further strengthen the team.

    What are the odds of both TMac annd the Weid performing.... not that great... but one can hope

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    I still believe Weideman and Brown are fighting for the same spot in this team. Weideman is a distant second in that race.

    McDonald has done more than enough so far to hold his spot for the foreseeable future. I'm not convinced by Jackson as a forward, other than if we can exploit a height mismatch. Same goes for Gawn.

    Fritsch needs to lead in front of goal, but his kicking is sure to come good at some point.

    Pickett is a certainty. Neal-Bullen and Spargo are probably fighting for one spot if we are keen to rest Petracca or one of the other mids forward.

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    Assuming all our talls are fit and in form, we are going to have to play 3 key forwards because Ben Brown, TMac and Weideman are all good quality AFL players and Jackson will be a star.

    While Fritsch has been finding the ball inside 50 on the lead, he has been failing to convert and I think Brown will take over his role as full forward and will be very difficult to stop.  I would look at using Fritsch on the non Langdon wing.

    Weideman, TMac and Jackson are both mobile enough to play up the field but I think we can only play two. I am a huge fan of Jackson but I can see him being squeezed out if we go for our best side. In saying this, there will always be injuries and a need to rest players.

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    6 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

    Assuming all our talls are fit and in form, we are going to have to play 3 key forwards because Ben Brown, TMac and Weideman are all good quality AFL players and Jackson will be a star.

    While Fritsch has been finding the ball inside 50 on the lead, he has been failing to convert and I think Brown will take over his role as full forward and will be very difficult to stop.  I would look at using Fritsch on the non Langdon wing.

    Weideman, TMac and Jackson are both mobile enough to play up the field but I think we can only play two. I am a huge fan of Jackson but I can see him being squeezed out if we go for our best side. In saying this, there will always be injuries and a need to rest players.

    Fritsch doesn’t have the tank or the game to play in a wing. I’d leave Brayshaw on the thin side and let him be. He’s going alright for a guy who missed the preseason. 

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