So, where do the talls play?

[Go_Dogs]

Tom Campbell - seems we want to play him as a ruck/forward. Ideally he's a long term replacement for Minson, but I think we'll try to fit him in somewhere in the shorter term too, most likely as a semi-permanent forward.

Ayce Cordy - seems better suited to a forward role, with some time in the ruck at this stage. Played 12 senior games in 2012, so would be looking for more again this year.

Jarrad Grant - has been moved around a bit, but forward will always be his best spot. Played 13 games last year and will be looking to play every game in 2013.

Liam Jones - also a forward, although I wonder if he doesn't start to kick on if we should trial him as a defender? Played 12 games last year and will also be looking for more in 2013.

Lukas Markovic - played as a defender and can't see that changing. Not sure where he fits in exactly, but may play a few games now Lake is gone?

Will Minson - will still play as number 1 ruck next year, can't see it changing.

Fletcher Roberts - played down back to good effect late in the year in seniors and had a good game up forward for Williamstown in the finals. Not sure where we see him playing, but I think we've got more room down back?

Jordan Roughead - well, going to be trialled at FB. Played some good roles there towards the end of the year although could still ultimately end up a ruck/forward. Going to be interesting to see how he goes down back in 2013.

Michael Talia - will be a defender and can see him adding a number of games to his tally of 4 from last season.

Tom Williams - another who it's hard to know, talk he'll spend some time forward again but we know he can also fill a role down back.

By my way of thinking we've therefore got:

Forwards:

Campbell
Cordy
Grant
Jones
Roberts(?)
Williams(?)

Backs:

Markovic
Roughead
Talia
Roberts(?)
Williams(?)

Is our balance looking OK? Do we need to play Williams down back, particularly if Murphy goes forward and Morris doesn't come back, to give us some experience down that end?

How are we going to develop our tall forwards? We can't play them all in the same team (although we have tried to) but all need more game time.

Anyone care to have an attempt at how our forward and defence will structure up as far as the key position players?

[Dogs 24/7]

Nice piece on analysis there Griff. Would this be the tallest list we have ever had?
It might be the reason why we didnt promote Austin.
A few of the boys just need to add some muscle.

Roughead is the one thats being asked to step up and be a key defender. If it works then it helps us work out where the other guys slot in

My guess is that Markovic is there to cover the guys like Roughead and Roberts and to cover a move of Williams to the forward line.

[Go_Dogs]

Thanks Dogs 24/7. We might have been slightly taller last year with Lake/Panos/Hill/Mulligan on the list, but we've really got a number of young talls who haven't played much. I think you're right that it would've been a consideration regarding Austin being upgraded.

It's a bit of a juggling act because we need to get experience into the lot of them and they'll all want to play each week, but it needs to be managed because we can't play 4 giants all 200cm tall and hope to have enough run.

Given Markovic isn't a great mover I wonder if he is the one who misses out down back and up forward perhaps good form is rewarded and we have to continue to rotate different options over the course of the season.

[Dogs 24/7]

I think Markoivc become very much a back up and is probably destined to be more of a Williamstown player. Hes done OK though when asked to play on some good opponents. Good guy to have on the list but he mioght not play more than 12 games.

[wimberga]

Agree with Dogs 24/7 - Can see Markovic providing good cover but will most likely be behind Roughy and Talia for a KPP post.

And not to try and hijack this thread, but how does this affect our chances/motives for picking a player like Membrey/O'brien/Shaw/Wood with pick 22?

[dog town]

Macca did lots of the development work with Scarlett, Harley, Taylor and all of the Geelong backline especially early days. It looks like we are going for the same sort of model. Pick a bunch of young guys, stick them in and get them playing together. I think he is really backing himself in to develop the likes of Talia, Roughead and Roberts. It is not a bad mix if they all develop well.

[Dry Rot]

By my way of thinking we've therefore got:

Forwards:

Campbell
Cordy
Grant
Jones
Roberts(?)
Williams(?)

Backs:

Markovic
Roughead
Talia
Roberts(?)
Williams(?)



Good OP and ditto your lists. That's the logical place to put them.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I have real doubts about Jones and Cordy, and arguably Grant plays like a tall short forward if you know what I mean. Someone else posted somewhere that Cordy was positionless and I reckon Jones should be trialled at CHB.

That leaves our tall forwards as:

Campbell
Roberts(?)
Williams(?)

[bornadog]

I still prefer Williams at CHB, he has played his best footy there and he is still relatively young. Whilst he played a couple of good quarters this year, he really isnot the answer to the forward line.

I was impressed with Roberts playing in the forward line for Willi, so he may be suited there.

[always right]

I still prefer Williams at CHB, he has played his best footy there and he is still relatively young. Whilst he played a couple of good quarters this year, he really isnot the answer to the forward line.

I was impressed with Roberts playing in the forward line for Willi, so he may be suited there.

Yes he's played his best footy in defense but to be fair he's really only payed in defense until last year. The little I saw of him playing forward suggested that it's worth persevering with him there.....perhaps not every match but where we have the right match ups.

[Stevo]

Macca did lots of the development work with Scarlett, Harley, Taylor and all of the Geelong backline especially early days. It looks like we are going for the same sort of model. Pick a bunch of young guys, stick them in and get them playing together. I think he is really backing himself in to develop the likes of Talia, Roughead and Roberts. It is not a bad mix if they all develop well.

I think a lot of people don't appreciate the work that McCartney did with a number of players at the Cattery. Lets hope that his identification and develepoment of the talent at the Kennel reaps some rewards for us in the short term.

[Stevo]

Yes he's played his best footy in defense but to be fair he's really only payed in defense until last year. The little I saw of him playing forward suggested that it's worth persevering with him there.....perhaps not every match but where we have the right match ups.

He's a senior player in this side now and I like the idea that we should be able to use him in what ever position suits the club on game day.

He might not do a Brent Crosswell type run from the forward line to the back line so save the day but I think we should be able to get him playing both ends of the ground.

[Mofra]

I wouldn't class Grant as a tall - he plays as a quick/small forward more than anything else.
I don't think we can play Campbell in the same side as Minson - too similar for me.

[w3design]

In response to Griff's challenge as to how we structure down back and up forward.
First I would say it depends a fair bit on who, and what kind of players we draft. I do not see any key talls we might [?] draft having a big influence next year, that is unless we do as I personally am hoping, and pick a medium tall leading forward. Some one like Membrey could slot into this equation, and thereby influence a lot of these options.

I would see Marko playing a back up/relief type role only. That is unless Mos fails to come up.
We have 3 tall kids down back, and you can hardly expect them to all stand up for 23 rounds to be fair. Even without injuries Roughy and Talia are likely to need a break here or there. Playing full time key back is a big ask for young players.
Fletch. R I see as being a swing man this year, mainly down back, but potentially swapping with Tom W at FF if he is injured , or required to play down back on occasions where we have to play against N Riewoldt, or Buddy F. types.

Campbell I would also see as a backup option rather than a first choice player next season, unless Cordy is unavailable or not showing the improvement I think we are all hoping to see from him in 2013.


So I guess this is something like I would see our forward and back halves looking, without any unknown draft inclusions:

FB line Cross Roughy Morris

HB line Higgins Talia Picken

HF line Dahlhaus Jones Murphy

FF line Dickson Williams Cordy

Fletch R would be my first choice sub down back, while Dylan Addison would be bench/forward option.
Coony I would also see spending a fair bit of his time as a forward.

For Grant to get a regular gig in the side for mine would require for him to stop trying to do the spectacular/clever [ look away hand passes etc] and concentrate on getting some ball himself, and stop relying on others to get and give, and become far more involved in the nuts and bolts of the basic game week in and week out.
Gia I am afraid I can only see as regular sub, unless he finds some way to turn the clock back 2-3 years.

[always right]

Love Crossy but going to a back pocket at this stage of his career? I hear those nippy small forwards licking their lips as I type.

[Sedat]

Love Crossy but going to a back pocket at this stage of his career?
Brady Rawlings was very effective in this role late in his career and he had the turn of foot of a Clydesdale.

[bornadog]

Brady Rawlings was very effective in this role late in his career and he had the turn of foot of a Clydesdale.

How would Cross go as a Ling/Picken type?

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Good OP and ditto your lists. That's the logical place to put them.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I have real doubts about Jones and Cordy, and arguably Grant plays like a tall short forward if you know what I mean. Someone else posted somewhere that Cordy was positionless and I reckon Jones should be trialled at CHB.

That leaves our tall forwards as:

Campbell
Roberts(?)
Williams(?)
I agree with your thoughts on Cordy and Jones and still to be convinced about Grant as well. Campbell and Roberts look to be the best options as key forwards with Roughead and Williams in the two key defensive posts. Markovic could take an opposition's third tall forward.

[Mofra]

Brady Rawlings was very effective in this role late in his career and he had the turn of foot of a Clydesdale.
Cross's best asset is his endurance. I don't see the logic in robbing him of using that asset by playing him in the back pocket.

[Sedat]

Cross's best asset is his endurance. I don't see the logic in robbing him of using that asset by playing him in the back pocket.
I actually agree with you - I wouldn't want to see him stationed in the BP for the remainder of his career. Just used the Rawlings example as one such successful experiment with a similar player (one-paced, not penetrating by foot, big accumulator) in that role.

Someone mentioned a while ago that Crossy could be a very effective lead-up pseudo CHF option for us. He can make repeat lead after lead, he is great overhead, he instinctively knows where to get to the drop of the ball. He could make a passable impersonation of a 184cm Nick Reiwoldt (minus the douche-bag tendancies of course).

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Someone mentioned a while ago that Crossy could be a very effective lead-up pseudo CHF option for us. He can make repeat lead after lead, he is great overhead, he instinctively knows where to get to the drop of the ball. He could make a passable impersonation of a 184cm Nick Reiwoldt (minus the douche-bag tendancies of course).

It's not the worst idea but Cross would seriously struggle with separation, he isn't a creative player (hesitates with ball in hand) and would be burned on the rebound badly.

I think once Cross can't contribute enough in the midfield, he'll be done.

[Ghost Dog]

I actually agree with you - I wouldn't want to see him stationed in the BP for the remainder of his career. Just used the Rawlings example as one such successful experiment with a similar player (one-paced, not penetrating by foot, big accumulator) in that role.

Someone mentioned a while ago that Crossy could be a very effective lead-up pseudo CHF option for us. He can make repeat lead after lead, he is great overhead, he instinctively knows where to get to the drop of the ball. He could make a passable impersonation of a 184cm Nick Reiwoldt (minus the douche-bag tendancies of course).

That someone has to be kidding. Gives us absolutely now defensive chase whatsoever.

[kruder]

Good OP and ditto your lists. That's the logical place to put them.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I have real doubts about Jones and Cordy, and arguably Grant plays like a tall short forward if you know what I mean. Someone else posted somewhere that Cordy was positionless and I reckon Jones should be trialled at CHB.

That leaves our tall forwards as:

Campbell
Roberts(?)
Williams(?)


Forward line looks scary with Jones and Cordy in it. Cordy needs to spend more time in the ruck as I see its his only chance to make it. I really liked Williams as that lead up forward and would like to see Roberts have a crack down there.

I just hope the next batch of forwards we draft have football smarts like Dickson just a natural forward.