Interesting this has come up after a game in the wet, when I thought they dominated the game v Collingwood and were a key part of the reason we won.

Definitely not worried about this, but I do believe Max is a better option both forward and behind the ball rather than in the centre square.

3 hours ago, leucopogon said:

One thing I hate about Gawn's game this year is his propensity to grab the ball out of the ruck and hack a high kick straight up the chimney or at best to the edge of the centre square. What's the point of the midfield if not to tap it to them and get the ball moving quickly away from the contest and deep inside 50 while the forward line is one on ones due to 6-6-6?

Gawn hasn't been a great centre bounce tap ruckman in at least 5 years. He gave up jumping at bounces (for good reason) so his taps are mostly predictable. 

Now he's ageing and struggles to provide any useful defensive pressure from the centre bounce (remember the days of him laying desperate tackles on mids?).  

His handballing/decision making has also gone to slop.

So if the opportunity is there for him to grab it and guarantee we win the clearance then I'm all for him taking it.

The reality is he shouldn't be taking so many centre bounces. He had 15 to Grundy's 8 against Geelong. It was 11-10 on King's Birthday. Even 50/50 is probably too many for Max unless Grundy can't find any cohesion with the mids. He's got so much more burst and skill to contribute at ground level.

13 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

The reality is he shouldn't be taking so many centre bounces. He had 15 to Grundy's 8 against Geelong. It was 11-10 on King's Birthday. Even 50/50 is probably too many for Max unless Grundy can't find any cohesion with the mids. He's got so much more burst and skill to contribute at ground level.

agreed, grundy's centre bounce work is excellent

worth remembering that against geelong grundy went off the ground for 20 mins for hia, hence why grundy was used less around contest for a prolonged period

 

Edited June 27, 20231 yr by whatwhat say what

1 hour ago, SFebes said:

There's no way we got Grundy and pay him what we do to play one quarter every week. I like the outside of the box thinking though, but can't see it happening.

Quote posibly more time.  Even two or so if Gawn needs the assist early or Grundy replaces a tall forward having a mare / injury.  Even across HB if a Lever or Tomo needed replacing.

Occasionally you could swing them and have Grundy open proceedings.  Gawn then gets to be partially managed from the previous week if he's been banged up a little and needs to keep things short & sweet for a quarter or so.

Can be done and would work a treat imv.

This also keeps both of them pretty fresh.  Ruck work a biach on the body every week.

Works for Goodwin & the two players as well.  It's just an adjustment to the way you play them.  Not an admission of failure at all.

Edited June 27, 20231 yr by Demon Dynasty

Gawn forward….Grundy Ruck.  We need someone who can take a mark foward of centre, Grundy can take the middle of the ground.  Both of them rucking is not working, Gawns game has been subdued since both of them have played.

Makes sense to me. If Petty ain't going to be there, we need someone. It's really not working at the moment.

In 21 , we had Bbb, Tmac, Fritta and Jackson.

Now we just have Fritta and a young Jvr.

Fritta is not a tall and Jvr doesn't have a big body like Tmac.

I hope Bbb gets a run this week.

Eventually I see Jvr as a chf and hopefully we can recruit a big ff .

In the meantime I think we have Bbb, Fritta, Smith and Jvr.

If Bbb doesn't work than Petty.

We are atm playing just one tall in Jvr and while Jvr has a great leap, he's not a " big tall" at 193cm.

So Max or Grundy there , when not rucking makes sense.