7 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

We are stacked with potential key forwards.  

JVR. Progressing but still young.  Ruck relief at the moment as well. Needs to be a one grab player. 

Jefferson. Drafted at 1st round pick 15 in 2022 draft.  JT put a hope on him. Two years at Casey as expected but needs to show more and hopefully debut in 2025. 

Turner and Petty.  Natural defenders.  Turned forwards.  Good judge of marks.   Both showed intermittent form. 

Fullarton. Ruck? Forward? Recruited as a ruck/forward.  Appears Dees think he is neither as not given chances when vacancy arrived. 

Kentfield.  Big. Raw.  Low probability but given a chance.  

JVR 'one grab' depends on whether you have a gorilla hanging all over you.

Jefferson....I have see a bunch of twigs with more meat on them than when Jefferson was drafted, they needed to build him up, now man size and I know for a fact he was told to start using it, hence the better end to the season.

Turner and Petty, swing players, some teams only have one who can maybe do that, we are blessed with two, 3 if you count Tommy Mc

Fullarton no regular AFL football, needs to improve, which he knows, has already seen what happened to Schache.

Kentfield big and aggressive, just needs a full preseason, his progress, junior football, WAFL, VFL in less than a year, each a step up,

Edited October 17, 2024Oct 17 by Satyriconhome

5 hours ago, Dee*ceiving said:

A key forward like Carey lifts and straightens up a midfield 

And Brown was supposed to do that, until the ball movement changes it won't make any difference even if we had Dunstall at full forward..

It’s unbelievable the pies are looking at Membrey whilst we sit in our hands thinking  that defenders will become fwds! For last 3 seasons we have traded in zip 

Edited October 17, 2024Oct 17 by Demonsone

It would be good if the mids lowered their eyes and our forwards led out that would help.
I would also like to see us get Membrey for structure but based on what TL said that won’t happen. 

I really hope the forward line works next season because we a blowing our opportunities for another flag. 

Please please please play Petty back back BACKLINE. Look at his pre-draft highlights, he's a natural. 

22 hours ago, monoccular said:

A once in a generation player.  

We are so fortunate to have so many 'once in a generation' players in the AFL currently. 😉

On 17/10/2024 at 15:01, monoccular said:

A once in a generation player.  

I watched the 2021 GF (again) last night.  He really was next level.

On 17/10/2024 at 22:26, DemonOX said:

It would be good if the mids lowered their eyes and our forwards led out that would help.
I would also like to see us get Membrey for structure but based on what TL said that won’t happen. 

I really hope the forward line works next season because we a blowing our opportunities for another flag. 

In some of the early rounds of 2024 it did look as if mids were delivering lower into the forward line (Windsor particularly), but this just stopped and reverted to norm.   Maybe a new midfield coach would help?  

Edited October 19, 2024Oct 19 by monoccular

On 18/10/2024 at 12:23, demonzz said:

Please please please play Petty back back BACKLINE. Look at his pre-draft highlights, he's a natural. 

I reckon he is  swingman

Was a natural forward against Richmond and North in 23

On 17/10/2024 at 10:35, Redleg said:

Agree. There was no one else available to us, except maybe the untried Wade Derksen, who the Giants refused to discuss.

Jeffo, Kentfield and imo Verrall, are others who may make it and I am bullish on Jeffo and Verrall, but just don't know enough about Kentfield, who from all reports should improve dramatically ( hopefully ) after a full pre season with us and having settled in Melbourne.

Also agree that Jefferson is a natural marking forward, hopefully gets his body right for early ‘25, Kentfield from all accounts is a big bodied forward with a bit of aggression about him but he’s just turned 19, so pretty young. Will Verrall at 200cm could be the wild card and be our Jacko replacement ruck/fwd.

On 19/10/2024 at 20:35, monoccular said:

In some of the early rounds of 2024 it did look as if mids were delivering lower into the forward line (Windsor particularly), but this just stopped and reverted to norm.   Maybe a new midfield coach would help?  

What about a NEW forward coach? Font blame the mids all the time it’s Goody’s problem and if he festive it this year then he should be replaced as we won’t win silverware, 

10 hours ago, DeeZone said:

Also agree that Jefferson is a natural marking forward, hopefully gets his body right for early ‘25, Kentfield from all accounts is a big bodied forward with a bit of aggression about him but he’s just turned 19, so pretty young. Will Verrall at 200cm could be the wild card and be our Jacko replacement ruck/fwd.

I had high hopes for Verrall early days but I’m not sure he has the mobility required to impact in the same way LJ does - could just be that he needs to build a better fitness base - I guess we will see this season if he progresses or stagnates 

Kentfield is the one that has the size and the aggression required to be a key forward - does he have the skills and football IQ to match ? Hopefully he can surprise us all. 

Im thoroughly peeezd of we didn't go after Membrey!

5 hours ago, picket fence said:

Im thoroughly peeezd of we didn't go after Membrey!

You'd be more peeezd of if we got him and he kept Jeffo out of the side 

Just to illustrate how intense the competition is for mature-bodied forwards is at the moment, Darcy Fogarty just signed a fresh contract taking him through to 2031 when he'll be 32 years old.

He just had his best season, with 41 goals from 23 games, as well as 1.4 contested marks and 1.7 marks inside 50 per game. It is the only time he's cracked 40 goals in a season.

Those numbers aren't exactly bringing the house down (and are only about 15% ahead of Van Rooyen despite the extra 4 seasons to build a key forward's body) but the value of even a generally competent forward target is so great it earned a six year contract into the twilight years.

We need to pick up 2 big bodied mids(one definitely) . Kozzie needs to remain a forward , none of this mid time [censored]. 

Petracca can play forward not FF or CHF as he is a bit short. Turner will make it as a key forward. Petty may make it as a forward , still the jury is out on this. The small forwards could come from Chandler , Sparrow, McAdam possibly Bowey and K.Brown. Mids :- Oliver, new guys , Langdon , Windsor , McVee and Rivers . 

On 17/10/2024 at 11:42, Queanbeyan Demon said:

I haven't the time right now to read the whole thread - but YTF we didn't chase Darling and Parker is totally beyond me. So many pluses and so few downsides to both of them.

Parker, Perhaps.,Darling, hell no. Way past his best 

I think the whole "Melbourne doesn't have a forward line" thing has been done to death as is now at a point where it's a myth. While JVR was younger and he probably needed a chop out the argument was there and it was frustrating that Benny Brown's knees were so cooked he could only manage a couple of games before it became too much (I actually also think we couldn't managed it better but that's another story).

I now think that JVR is in a position to be able to take the spearhead role, with Turner as larger mid-size forward, Melksham and Fritta as mid-size forwards, and Koz and Chandler playing the small pressure forward roles. Petty MAY come into play as a forward as well but I really think we should be looking at ways to getting him back as a defender. I can picture a world where Petty starts the season in the forward line and ends it down back.

In short (IMO) the need was there 1-2 years ago, the need isn't there now. We need to focus on getting our midfield gelling again, winning the clearances, and hopefully a fresh pair of eyes on the forward line will give a new dynamic to us.