Positions, outside the box

[Ghost Dog]

Perhaps Jordan Roughead down back is not that radical, seeing as he played most of his junior career down there. But to many of us, myself included, the success of that move came as a complete surprise. Williams in the forward line was another surprise.

Thinking outside the box, which creative positional changes would you like to see? Throw a few curve balls.

Liberatore - small forward
I guess his bloodlines suggest midfielder, but his kicking is the best of the hard nuts - Wallis, Smith and himself. Has a good tank and the mongrel for it.

Tom Young - Half forward
This bloke looks absolutely cool under pressure. Bit more of an option in the air than Tutt, but not slow around the ground either.

[GVGjr]

Good thread GD.

Over the last couple of weeks I've wondered if Jarrad Grant should be tried as a half back for a few games. One player to beat and to use his athleticism to try and create some play.

I wonder if he has the tank to do it and if his skills are good enough though.

[westdog54]

Good thread GD.

Over the last couple of weeks I've wondered if Jarrad Grant should be tried as a half back for a few games. One player to beat and to use his athleticism to try and create some play.

I wonder if he has the tank to do it and if his skills are good enough though.

Tank? Yes. Skills? Definitely. Decision making ability? That's where I have my doubts.

As Picken has shown in the last few weeks, you need to make sharp decisions in traffic if you're going to play off half back. I'm not sure Jarrad fits that category.

[GVGjr]

Tank? Yes. Skills? Definitely. Decision making ability? That's where I have my doubts.

As Picken has shown in the last few weeks, you need to make sharp decisions in traffic if you're going to play off half back. I'm not sure Jarrad fits that category.

Can't argue with your logic. Risky at best.

[Ghost Dog]

Tank? Yes. Skills? Definitely. Decision making ability? That's where I have my doubts.

As Picken has shown in the last few weeks, you need to make sharp decisions in traffic if you're going to play off half back. I'm not sure Jarrad fits that category.

Westdog - He might adjust. Long term, it's a question of how to get the best out of him.
on his skills, he does have an odd ball drop don't you think? I'd say it wouldn't work out much worse than Picken, who I have no faith in at all down back ( big fan otherwise ).

GVG - Looked good spotting up Stringer ( but won't get that kind of space in the firsts ).
His build is not far off Bob Murphy I suppose, who made half back his own.

[LostDoggy]

Markovic - second ruck and forward to create a contest. We need a strong Mitch Hahn replacement given the inexperience of our forward line.

[Ghost Dog]

Nice one elephant man - I can see that, with Dahl and Tutt going for the crumbs.

[Hotdog60]

Easton Wood, Half forword flank/wing. Has good speed runs in straight lines and can roost a descent ball and might be a hard matchup. Also gives us a defensive forward.

[Maddog37]

Tom young as an on baller.

Liam Jones at CHB.

[DragzLS1]

Grant off half back would work but needs to spend some time with murph over the next 12months so he can learn. Murph doesn't get space and time, he creates it for himself and then executes, don't see why grant can't learn how to.

Great thread! Some good ideas soo far

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Tutt HBF.

[bornadog]

Pearce to the forward line

[The Underdog]

Pearce to the forward line

Looked good down there last week for Williamstown.

[LostDoggy]

Boyd on a half forward flank, license to run to half back. Pressure all day, keep it in and bomb to the top of the goal square when he needs to bomb, have someone there at all times.

[Mofra]

I'm a big fan of playing players to their strengths.

Cross - hard leading forward. Has the tank to run all day and is very good overhead for his size.
Opens the F50 up as well as he'd be disciplined enough to stick to the running patterns to isolate our forwards one on one rather than our midfield bombing to a developing Cordy against two experienced defenders.

Also takes Cross out of the inside midfielders rotation so Libba/Wallis/Smith spend more time in the middle which is where they will play most of their career.

[Ghost Dog]

Mofra we saw Daniel take some terrific marks today. He judges the flight really well.

[lemmon]

Not saying I don't agree but is Crossy up forward an improvement on Gia? Looks like a swap between one slow moving half forward for another, and at least Gia has proven forward nous and a decent leg

[Greystache]

Not saying I don't agree but is Crossy up forward an improvement on Gia? Looks like a swap for between one slow moving half forward for another, and at least Gia has proven forward nous and a decent leg

Cross is a multiple effort player, Gia is a one effort player (or even zero if it's not an attacking situation), for this reason alone I think he can offer a bit more forward at this point. Similar to when Williams played forward just continually presenting up the ground to help our ball movement could make Cross a useful option.

[LostDoggy]

Picken as a replacement small forward for Gia.

Give Pearce a go as a shut down defender/tagger.

[KT31]

Picken as a replacement small forward for Gia.

Give Pearce a go as a shut down defender/tagger.

Not sure its out of the box, but it just needs to be done.

[Bulldog Joe]

I like Cross as the lead up forward idea. He may not be quick but he keeps giving and he has just about the safest hands at the club. Would be terrific if we then had a runner coming past for the handball.

[Mofra]

I like Cross as the lead up forward idea. He may not be quick but he keeps giving and he has just about the safest hands at the club. Would be terrific if we then had a runner coming past for the handball.
I do question whether he'd get separation from his opponent at the start of the quarter, but chances are the opposition will try and put a rebounding defender on him to exploit a lack of pace.

Cross will work his opponent into the ground and leave him too tired to rebound effectively. We did concede alot of red time goals last year and Cross is the ultimate "red time" player - if he kicks 20 goals for the year, I'd expect 95% of them would be in the last few minutes of the quarter.

Cross is actually a decent kick, he just lacks the kicking instinct as an inside midfielder - playing forward would force him to kick it more.

[Dry Rot]

I assume that the spirit of this thread is that we don't have to worry about where we pull players from.

Dalhaus, back pocket. Use his speed and defensive work.

Griff HBF where he started.

Jones CHB.

Picken defensive forward.

[bornadog]

Clay Smith to forward pocket and work with Jones.

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[Dancin' Douggy]

I'm a big fan of playing players to their strengths.

Cross - hard leading forward. Has the tank to run all day and is very good overhead for his size.
Opens the F50 up as well as he'd be disciplined enough to stick to the running patterns to isolate our forwards one on one rather than our midfield bombing to a developing Cordy against two experienced defenders.

Also takes Cross out of the inside midfielders rotation so Libba/Wallis/Smith spend more time in the middle which is where they will play most of their career.

Great idea Mofra. We know he's a great competitor and good overhead.
We do have a glut of similar types in the midfield.
The only question would be his goal kicking.
Or are you thinking of him more as a link man?

[Ghost Dog]

Grant to the midfield. Hird made it as a skinny midfielder. Maybe he can have his mojo teased out of him by repeated contests.

[comrade]

Grant > forward pocket playing on small, attacking defenders

Redpath > 2nd ruck/big lug up forward (not now obviously, only if he proves he's not a spud)

Tutt > half back

Picken > forward pocket

[Ghost Dog]

Bump
Well if we must play Boyd, as it seems we must, then why not give Griffen a go as a forward? At least we would get some defensive chase out of him.

[azabob]

Bump
Well if we must play Boyd, as it seems we must, then why not give Griffen a go as a forward? At least we would get some defensive chase out of him.

Griffen would be wasted down there. Doesn't seem a natural forward. If we were going to put a midfielder down there Cooney appears a better option.

[Ghost Dog]

Griffen would be wasted down there. Doesn't seem a natural forward. If we were going to put a midfielder down there Cooney appears a better option.

Not full forward. Half forward. He can kick the leather off the thing.

[hujsh]

It's a shame that when Jones is having a bad game or the team isn't getting the ball down forward much that we don't give him a spell in the ruck or at CHB. If he can get involved in the game, get a bit of confidence up, maybe work on his endurance, which by some reports still wasn't that flash pre-season, then at least he can take something positive out of the match. It'd be more constructive than subbing him out of the game

[LostDoggy]

Murphy - midfield. We desperately need a good user and thinker in at centre bounces. Someone other than Griffen and Cooney that can spread and break lines. No more Boyd, Cross and Picken blind kicks out of packs to 3 opponents

Edit - I've actually think Crossy's use of ball this year has been much improved