Where to play Caleb Windsor?

[cam.noble1 31]

Just wanted to have a chat on where Windsor could possibly be playing this upcoming season. At the open training at Casey, we saw Windsor hanging around with the backline practicing as the CHB. With Judd Mcvee expressing interest that he wants to become one of Melbourne's future star mids and also Trent Rivers moving into the middle after the call up due to Trac's injury. Could this mean we might see Windsor run off the half backline as he also begins his development to becoming a midfielder? Also acquiring Harry Sharp that hopefully can get game time on a wing too we would have to rotate Caleb off seeing as Langdon is our primary winger. Could this be a potential move???

[leave it to deever 17,593]

I see him pretty much as a winger in a permanent role.

He is one player that I'm keen to see play.

I think he will be one of our future stars.

Off topic , I'm keen to see what Disco does this year. I hope we see him dominating up forward.

And I'm enthusiastic about young Brown too.

Edited January 27 by leave it to deever

[whatwhat say what 23,468]

i think it's been pretty well established that he's transitioning into a half back rebounder in 2025

think max holmes

[Ollie fan 3,638]

From the very limited time we saw Judd McVee in the midfield, I thought he looked like a great HBF. 
 

At least while Kozzy is out, and with Chandler injured and Spargo not progressing as hoped, we will start the season very short of small forwards. I think we should play Sharp there at the start, and have Windsor on the wing where we know he is a star. And I don't see him as a midfielder, any more than Robbie was - his pace, skill and disposal make him an ideal wingman which is a very important position.

[binman 44,558]

3 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

i think it's been pretty well established that he's transitioning into a half back rebounder in 2025

think max holmes

Yep, i reckon its a lock Windsor will play as a running half back that has license to run and carry from our defensive half. 

Perfect for the role - leg speed, good decision maker and whilst his kicking wasn't quite as good as i hoped (and perhaps i'm being a bit unfair) he is still an above average kick.

Will be super important to how we transition the ball i think.

And as i noted in another thread, his leg speed will be critical in terms of defending turnovers because like Mcvee he has the wheels to get back, whereas May, Lever, Tmac and Petty don't.

Max Holmes is good comparison.

I reckon another is how Goody used Hunt in 2018 - ie a run and carry half back flanker. Hunt's issue in that role was his kicking was poor and we often gave it back, exposing us on turnover (in part because if Hunt turned it over he often did so when well up the field meaning we were often one down in defence).

I cant see Mcvee playing anything but occasional midfield minutes. I suspect he, and Bowey (and possibly Salem) will be tasked with taking on the high risk kicks from the back half that open up opponents and are key to the transition game (think Kitty Coleman, Nick Daicos etc).  

My query defensively is who will take the role defending oppo small forwards. It's been an issue for us since Jetts had his brilliant 2018 season.

I have hopes AMW will become that player, but there might not be a spot for him - in which case Bowey, Mcvee and even Salo will have to share the role. 

Edited January 27 by binman

[Redleg 41,961]

My favourite position for him would be on the dais with his teammates, at the end of the 2025 GF.

[Travy14 2,032]

He is clearly going to the half back.  This is where kids learn the game now.  Picking up the pace and how the game flows.

He will end up on ball, think Rivers progression.

[dazzledavey36 55,909]

Saw nothing in the the last few games in Judd McVee that suggest he'll do well as a midfielder.

Not everyone needs to be turned into a midfielder. He's a gun half back flanker that's shut down some of the best small forwards in the game in his short career so far.

Leave him there.

[Ollie fan 3,638]

16 minutes ago, Travy14 said:

He is clearly going to the half back.  This is where kids learn the game now.  Picking up the pace and how the game flows.

He will end up on ball, think Rivers progression.

Personally, I think he is nothing like Rivers. He is not a big strong body, and if he tries to muscle up too much it might affect the qualities he has.

15 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Saw nothing in the the last few games in Judd McVee that suggest he'll do well as a midfielder.

Not everyone needs to be turned into a midfielder. He's a gun half back flanker that's shut down some of the best small forwards in the game in his short career so far.

Leave him there.

 Completely agree.

[Sir Why You Little 37,313]

An attacking runner off Half Back. A position we have lacked his Angus went down

i don’t think Salem is up to it anymore…

[Deemania since 56 6,763]

4 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

I see him pretty much as a winger in a permanent role.

He is one player that I'm keen to see play.

I think he will be one of our future stars.

Off topic , I'm keen to see what Disco does this year. I hope we see him dominating up forward.

And I'm enthusiastic about young Brown too.

Windsor  -  wingman give somewhat of a free licence to roam half-back flank to forward zone, depending on the match circumstances. He'd eat the coverage required, is potent and has the smarts. A Stanley Alves, in my opinion.

[58er 6,819]

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Saw nothing in the the last few games in Judd McVee that suggest he'll do well as a midfielder.

Not everyone needs to be turned into a midfielder. He's a gun half back flanker that's shut down some of the best small forwards in the game in his short career so far.

Leave him there.

So minding an opponent, beating him one on one, frequently finding the football, sprinting away from your opponent, passing to your teammate about 2/3 of your possessions and covering up and assisting your teammates in defence when required. 

If the above is not what is required in the midfield from your midfielders I don’t know what is. Judd does all this without fuss and is the ultimate team man. 

Now DD36 please tell me why. Juddy couldn’t play in the midfield? 

Teamwise. I would be happy for Judd to stay at half back for the teams benefit but please give him a go for the Clubs future and another player we could use in cameos in the most important part of the ground.

Speaking of the centre and ball bounce and start of the game plus the shortest distance to the forward area and goals I would only play THE DUKE in this position in a Chad Warner role. He would straighten us up, pass to the forwards and use his pace and multiple skills  and kick IMO 15/20 goals this season.

In other words Caleb can do what he does on the wing but play the premier mid role controlling our ball movement as a most dangerous player in our team. It will be a game changer trust me. 

Lingers is still on one wing and either Bowser Sharp or Pup might be appropriate for the other. 

I still can’t think that Windsor will be as effective as a half back compared to a centreman in our team. 

We are also well off for half backs that can be trained to run and carry without the need to deploy The Duke away from our most telling place on the ground to punish and impact our opponents on a consistent basis. 

This  move would have an even greater impact on our performance than the moves of Riv on the ball or Disco up forward.

And Goody’s reputation will go forward as our results are improved by these tweaks in our team line up. 

 

[Demon Disciple 12,453]

FF for mine. Really give the opposition coach something to think about 😝

[demon3165 2,833]

I will have to wait and see, but I wouldn't have Salem in my side time to move him to Casey.

[58er 6,819]

1 minute ago, demon3165 said:

I will have to wait and see, but I wouldn't have Salem in my side time to move him to Casey.

He’s been training well and is fit. Last year  he was compromised by his fitness and if he returns fit he is an asset. 
You are simply stating your opinion based on his form at the end of 2024. Each season should be judged on its own not penalised for the previous year. 

Clarry is in the same position and won’t be penalised with his training back towards his top form. 

[rpfc 28,920]

I wouldn’t bother pushing him to HBF but if we have this sharp kid earmarked for the other wing to Langdon then ok. 

He will be behind most contests unless they specifically try to release him to the outside of them so he will rarely use his speed from the HBF into space. 

He will learn a lot.

As an aside, if it means more Rivers in the mids that’s great, if it means McVee in the mids I don’t really see it.

[Dingo 1,170]

Keep him on the wing.He was great last year - in his first year - so why put him in a new position? Don’t confuse the boy.
If it ain’t broke… ..

[58er 6,819]

2 minutes ago, Dingo said:

Keep him on the wing.He was great last year - in his first year - so why put him in a new position? Don’t confuse the boy.
If it ain’t broke… ..

It’s that he has shown he has elite ability and players with that should be in an important position hence my desire for centre as opposed to the wing.

Also he will be used extensively if played at half back for outside running and delivering the ball down the ground. What a waste not using his running ability rpfc!! 

[The end is nigh 447]

All for the development. Having secondary positions in the kit bag helps allow the coaches to pull moves whether it be to expose a match up or to cover an injury. 
I can still see Windsor playing a wing role after a sub is made to give some extra run, but mostly I believe he will have a role to play on the speedier hff’s of the comp. 

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,272]

Would rather him on the wing than half back, but definitely open minded to see how he goes down back. I can recall he turned the ball over a bit in year 1 so he needs to get that out of the game if he’s playing a quarter back type role from HB.

A no to McVee in the guts. I know it was a one game sample size but they gave him a full game (or mostly full game) in the middle against Collingwood late last year and he couldn’t crack double figures in disposals, while the Daicos brothers probably had 85 between them.

Edited January 27 by Bring-Back-Powell

[CHF 2,817]

Windsor is a quality footballer. 

His first season was exceptional as he played on the wing. He has good vision and balance and always seems to have plenty of time to play the ball. His execution sometimes left a little to be desired, but that is understandable given his level of experience. 

I have no problem having a look at him in defence as long as the coaching team are proactive in response.

I recall Fritsch having a run in defence some seasons ago and it was very clear from the first couple of games that he was being played out of position but he was persisted with for some time before he was moved. I do not want to see that happen with any other player.

Have a look at Windsor back there by all means. When assessing the success of the move, there also needs to be an assessment of the player slotted into his wing position. Overall we need to see a team improvement in the moves.

 

[adonski 12,942]

Our hand is forced to an extent to play Windsor off half back given the durability issues of Salem and Boweys lack of progression (im still a big Bowey believer)

I'm excited by the idea of Windsor having half dozen or more extra touches a game by playing back instead of wing, but I don't like the idea of losing his goal kicking from the wing role

Hopefully Xavier Linday proves a weapon off half back and can release Windsor back to a wing or even inside mid role longer term

We should be a quicker side next year with Windsor's development as well as Lindsay and Sharp in the mix

Edited January 27 by adonski

[demon3165 2,833]

4 hours ago, 58er said:

He’s been training well and is fit. Last year  he was compromised by his fitness and if he returns fit he is an asset. 
You are simply stating your opinion based on his form at the end of 2024. Each season should be judged on its own not penalised for the previous year. 

Clarry is in the same position and won’t be penalised with his training back towards his top form. 

I am not basing my opinion on the end of 24 so I don't know how you got that opinion.

[Ollie fan 3,638]

If Windsor was played as a centreman, as suggested above, I believe he would be monstered in the first 5 minutes and would be at risk of serious injury problems. He is slightly built, which is an asset to his pace and agility, and could not withstand having 4 or 5 players landing all over him on packs constantly.

 

Yes, the midfield is a key to performance but we have outstanding experienced players there, and at least one real emerging star in Rivers. The wing is also vital - as Langers has shown got some time now, never more than in 21.

[Roost it far 9,624]

Windsor, McVee, Lindsay, Salem, Bowey, Sharp, Billings and Sparrow need to find homes on the HBF and wing. I see Windsor and McVee running off HB and Lindsay as an interchange with those 2. The others are looking for a home on the wing. Salem is the interesting one for mine. He's easily best 22 when humming but his position is under threat if he pops a hamstring and Lindsay gets on a roll. Sharp can play HHF and Bowey can play through the HB/Wing, Sparrow can maybe take a wing roll or HF/Mid/Interchange. He'll really need to lift this year if he wants to be best 22. Langford may well push him out. From all reports Billings is fit and running well at training. He's had a year in our system and there's no doubt he has talent. Currently I see him at Casey but always happy to be proven wrong. Not convinced he loves our contested game. Lindsay is the interesting one for me. The thought of a classy left footer gracing the HB/Wing region excites me no end. Isn't that just the player we've been crying out for? The inclusion of Lindsay, Windsor and Langford could just turn us back into a serious threat.