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Posted

Didn't see a thread already, so...

Sam Edmund reporting we have some interest in the GC forward.

 

 
 
6 minutes ago, rpfc said:

What are his dimensions?

190cm/90kg forward. Very much in the Fritsch/Gunston mold with a little more body strength. 

Have liked what I've seen from him in a few GC games I've watched over the last couple of years. He single handily tore Collingwood apart at the G a couple of seasons ago.

Has a good pair of hands.


Too small to be a KPF 

1 minute ago, Sydee said:

Too small to be a KPF 

Maybe with Gawn anchored to the square we won’t be able to fit another KPF in other than a CHF (JVR, TMac, Brown) and the rest have to be speedy pressure forwards or medium talls that can pressure too.

 

Do yourself a favour and re-watch the Collingwood V GC game in May 2021.

Ripped up that game of football with 11 marks, 4 goals and a Charles brownlow vote. 

1 minute ago, rpfc said:

Maybe with Gawn anchored to the square we won’t be able to fit another KPF in other than a CHF (JVR, TMac, Brown) and the rest have to be speedy pressure forwards or medium talls that can pressure too.

Earlier this year I was a fan of Gawn spending more time in F50 but he was pretty poor there this season IMO.

His kicking is unreliable (that's being extremely generous) and his ability to compete once the ball hits the ground is not great which is understandable for someone his size. 


Reminds me a bit of our former player Tim Smith

Looks good at VFL level, can take a grab, but isn't quite big enough to be a KPF at AFL level.

Isn't consistent enough at AFL level to be an answer to our forward half woes.

 

Good contested mark? 

Would need a fair bit of body strength to be appealing. 

11 minutes ago, Sydee said:

Earlier this year I was a fan of Gawn spending more time in F50 but he was pretty poor there this season IMO.

His kicking is unreliable (that's being extremely generous) and his ability to compete once the ball hits the ground is not great which is understandable for someone his size. 

I don’t agree with it, I just agree with @old55 that the Grundy recruitment (or equivalent ruck) means Gawn is nearing the end and we are moving him to FF for his dotage. And that we need to then construct a forward line around that.

If Gawn’s going forward then we need 2 mobile marking targets + Fritsch.

The 2 we have on the list are McDonald and JVR. A kid and a spluttering Datsun.

Makes sense to add someone in the middle of that age range to provide cover.

Corbett’s best strength is as an old school lead up CHF. That’s not as popular as it used to be but if we want to use JVR or T Mc to add that to our ball movement then Corbett’s good depth at it.

2 hours ago, Demon Jack said:

190cm/90kg forward. Very much in the Fritsch/Gunston mold with a little more body strength. 

Have liked what I've seen from him in a few GC games I've watched over the last couple of years. He single handily tore Collingwood apart at the G a couple of seasons ago.

Has a good pair of hands.

Plays like big.

From the get go next year JVR and Tmac should be spearheading our attack. 

BBB get your knee right and earn your spot back.

Edited by YesitwasaWin4theAges


29 minutes ago, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

Plays like big.

From the get go next year JVR and Tmac should be spearheading our attack. 

BBB get your knee right and earn your spot back.

BBB is toast and shouldnt be playing again imo

10 minutes ago, Tracca said:

BBB is toast and shouldnt be playing again imo

100% agree with this, i would be having the chat to BBB, thanks, but your done. 

1 hour ago, Tracca said:

BBB is toast and shouldnt be playing again imo

Ben is 29 not 35 and has been made to play in a way that completely disadvantages him.

He is a lead up FF, who has been made to go to the pocket and sit under a long bomb, while 3 opposition defenders hang off him, jump all over him, push him, grab him, chop his arms and spoil him, with his resting ruckman also coming into the contest and making an even bigger mess of it.

This is all designed to create a contest, where the assumption is that our brilliant small forwards will crumb and goal in the chaos and if not, then apply enough pressure to maintain the ball in our F50.

How could any key forward succeed in that predictable mess?

Get him back to playing his game, have the other forwards also make space and create options and commit to relentless pressure.

Oh and play a second key forward, so that not all the tall defenders are all over Ben and we have other marking options.

 

Edited by Redleg

2 hours ago, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

Plays like big.

From the get go next year JVR and Tmac should be spearheading our attack. 

BBB get your knee right and earn your spot back.

Therein lies the problem.

He has a degenerative knee issue that has to be maintained and is only going to get worse not better.

Can anyone see him fit and firing at the business end of 2024 which is when his contract expires?

I really rate Josh Corbett, he's the right age, good for his size and a decent kick we could pick up for a good trade.

Let's not forget Jason Dunstall was only 188cms, so height isn't everything.

BBB did what we needed and helped win us our first flag in 57 years, even with injury clouding his performance.  A solid preseason should get him right hopefully.


19 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Ben is 29 not 35 and has been made to play in a way that completely disadvantages him.

He is a lead up FF, who has been made to go to the pocket and sit under a long bomb, while 3 opposition defenders hang off him, jump all over him, push him, grab him, chop his arms and spoil him, with his resting ruckman also coming into the contest and making an even bigger mess of it.

This is all designed to create a contest, where the assumption is that our brilliant small forwards will crumb and goal in the chaos and if not, then apply enough pressure to maintain the ball in our F50.

How could any key forward succeed in that predictable mess?

Get him back to playing his game, have the other forwards also make space and create options and commit to relentless pressure.

Oh and play a second key forward, so that not all the tall defenders are all over Ben and we have other marking options.

 

whilst I agree with you he is a lead up ff, our gamestyle is not and has not been for the past 2 years.

We need a pack marking forward which BBB is not. we need someone ferocious in the air, which BBB is not, we need someone with some mongrel.... which BBB is not.

I still dont rate him,  hes got no strength for a 200cm forward, this however could be because of his knee, im not sure.

We're talking about trying to prolong Gawn's career with the acquisition of Grundy, it would be nice if we could find someone to supplement and prolong BBB's career as well. 

38 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Ben is 29 not 35 and has been made to play in a way that completely disadvantages him.

He is a lead up FF, who has been made to go to the pocket and sit under a long bomb, while 3 opposition defenders hang off him, jump all over him, push him, grab him, chop his arms and spoil him, with his resting ruckman also coming into the contest and making an even bigger mess of it.

This is all designed to create a contest, where the assumption is that our brilliant small forwards will crumb and goal in the chaos and if not, then apply enough pressure to maintain the ball in our F50.

How could any key forward succeed in that predictable mess?

Get him back to playing his game, have the other forwards also make space and create options and commit to relentless pressure.

Oh and play a second key forward, so that not all the tall defenders are all over Ben and we have other marking options.

 

Ben’s knee might be 65. North thought he was cooked. Anything he does from now is a bonus.

We aren’t going to suddenly start lacing our kicks. Quick movement and long kicks is about the best most sides can do, and hopefully get 1 on 1’s.

It work last year, Brown’s a better high mark than he gets credit for. No doubt  having Tom McDonald helped take the load off at chf too. Even late this year though Brown would be dangerous for a half and contributing then tailing his opponent in the second half. 

But if Grundy/Gawn replaces Jackson then we need mobility from the key forwards. The ruck becomes the bomb target and the other forwards need to be mobile.

 

Ben Brown would benefit from kicks coming in low and fast and being able to compete 1 out against his opponent. I'm not sure anyone would thrive with the ball being dumped on their head and six defenders hanging off them.

Age aside, is Josh Corbett really an upgrade on Mitch Brown?

1 hour ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Therein lies the problem.

He has a degenerative knee issue that has to be maintained and is only going to get worse not better.

Can anyone see him fit and firing at the business end of 2024 which is when his contract expires?

Nope. Can see him making an impact next year at the pointy end if we manage him a bit better than we did this year. This might mean we give him a bit more time off at the start of the year


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