Why doesn't Tom Boyd lead?

[1eyedog]

Like ever! Is he being wasted as a get out clause? I understand our smalls benefit from having him there and we have a glut of leading mid-sized forwards but he's quick for his size and could surely offer more than a stand and deliver type.
P.s. love Tom Boyd!

[westdog54]

Two things:

There were a couple of occasions lady night where he made good hard leads up the wing to give us an potion chiming out of defence, and on both pains he used the ball very well. So it's wrong to say he never leads.

I don't mind him staying at home as it's the part of his game that, in my view, needs the most work. He's never going to ferry any love from the umpires so he needs to start winning the wrestling matches. He needs to use that hulking frame of his to get free and put the dukes up, because when he does that he generally clunks the mark.

[1eyedog]

True he does provide a target further up the ground. I mean a leading full forward type. ARe teams closing down space in D50 that much that it makes it very hard to lead?

[ledge]

He is getting his hands on it but dropping a few, but holding them more often and his body strength will start to come next year after each pre season as his body muscles up and he matures.
He gets in the right positions to mark and bodies his opponent well, problem is he is up against seasoned full backs, but he still managed to get the better of them at times. He is only 19 !

[westdog54]

True he does provide a target further up the ground. I mean a leading full forward type. ARe teams closing down space in D50 that much that it makes it very hard to lead?
When you get a chance to look down the ground it certainly seems that way.

[bornadog]

True he does provide a target further up the ground. I mean a leading full forward type. ARe teams closing down space in D50 that much that it makes it very hard to lead?
GWS certainly clogged up our forward line yesterday especially after quarter time. Most of the game was actually played in our forward half. This didn't give Tom many options.

However I do know what you mean about leading. I think he is still learning the game.

[1eyedog]

Kicking it on his head seems low percentage to me as he always has a 2 on 1. I guess the key is quick ball movement through the middle of the ground. Even when we do this and isolate him he still plays a contested style rather than looking to create separation.

[bulldogtragic]

As Red Gum says: He's only 19.

[GVGjr]

He will be a far better player when he leads hard and commands that they kick it to him.

[always right]

He's not quick off the mark and struggles to get separation......which is why he seems to be better on a longer lead further up the ground. He also seems to be easily frustrated by the grappling of defenders and seems to get a bit caught up in the wrestle. I expect as his large frame gets much stronger he will simply shrug off defenders in much the same vane as Tom Hawkins.

[1eyedog]

As Red Gum says: He's only 19.

Isn't leading one of the first things you learn as a FF at junior level? Every coach teaches it. I haven't seen one successful lead out of attacking 50 so far ala Jack Riewoldt. Agreed his reading of the play will develop but the complete lack of, as GVGjr says, hard leading must be part of the game plan surely i.e ensuring the best defender / 3rd defender up cannot affect the contest. There's no doubt Stringer has benefited from his inclusion.

[bulldogtragic]

Isn't leading one of the first things you learn as a FF at junior level? Every coach teaches it. I haven't seen one successful lead out of attacking 50 so far ala Jack Riewoldt. Agreed his reading of the play will develop but the complete lack of, as GVGjr says, hard leading must be part of the game plan surely i.e ensuring the best defender / 3rd defender up cannot affect the contest. There's no doubt Stringer has benefited from his inclusion.

Not necessarily if your 10cm and 20kgs more than other kids. My guess is he's playing under instruction to create space for others, or spoil to crumbers. It seems to be working if that's the plan.

[Twodogs]

He's being held a lot too. Quite often yesterday the ball would be coming in and the fullback would have his arm around Tom or even a fair chunk of his jumper. An umpire would be standing 15 metres away watching and not seeing what thousands of us could see from up to 150 metres away.

[Webby]

For me, Boyd's great value is his ability to take on multiple tall defenders and rarely being out marked. With our current structure, i think it suits our smaller crumbing fleet to have those contests closer to goal.

In time, i think he'll get on his skates and come out a bit. In fact, with Will and Roughie potentially resting up forward, we may see Boyd coming up the ground a bit more often. However i strongly suspect he'd have been instructed to present himself inside the 30m arc more often than not to this point in time.

[ledge]

Imagine if Stringer played yesterday and Stringer got the best Backman , Boyd would have had a field day , losing Stringer and Crameri can be detrimental to who plays on who in the forward line.

[ratsmac]

It's an interesting question. Maybe he has been told to stay deep as long as he can to get the ball to the square. If he clunks it well and good but if he doesn't 99% of the time he brings the ball to ground where we have a couple decent crumbers.

He does have to develop the art of leading though. Fitness plays a big part in this. Nick Diver Riewoldt is very smart at leading and it's his multiple leads that works defenders over with pure gut running. Tommy needs to build up his fitness before we see him master this art. As others have stated he is still only 19 so there's plenty of time

[Flamethrower]

That part of his game will develop with time.

If you watch his game closely it is significant how often he is the one to get first hands on the ball in a pack marking situation. With a few preseasons under his belt, Tom is going to hold most of those as he develops his upper body strength.

[stefoid]

He may be camped in the goal square by design.

[Twodogs]

He may be camped in the goal square by design.


Tom tries to draw as many defenders deep to him so Stringer and Dickson can roam around the half forward line unmolested is the ploy from what I can see. Yesterday even Roughy was taking advantage of the free spaces about 40-50 metres out from our goal that keep opening up as defenders run back to take position to block any movement from Boyd.

[boydogs]

This frustrates me with Redpath as well. Even if you can't get separation, at least direct the kicker to kick it in front of you instead of on your head, inviting a 3rd man up to come over the top whilst you are flat footed.

If his role is to bring the ball to ground, he will do a much better job of that if he gets a running jump at the ball

[LostDoggy]

I agree that it must be a game plan.

[Greystache]

I think it's part of the plan. The coach wants him to draw defenders deep inside 50m to create space for other players like Dickson and Stringer to lead into, and if they can't find space then we have an outlet to bring the ball to ground and provide an opportunity for us to crumb goals or lock the ball in, along with taking the occasional pack mark.

We'll start to see him lead more as he gets fitter and can put in more 2nd and 3rd efforts, but for now we just want him to give the forward line structure.

[Happy Days]

I think it's part game plan and part Tom playing to his strengths. He is so strong in one on one contests that it is the avenue through which he is most likely to contribute. But as we have noted he is perhaps a touch slow, and has a tendency to drop marks when he is at full acceleration.

Tom is likely to play better if used as a stay at home forward, and therefore likely to contribute better to the team.

[1eyedog]

Tom is obviously our only true key forward capable of taking big contested pack marks, makes sense. Crameri, Stringer, Grant and Dickson are all leading players or kick goals in general play.

[Twodogs]

Tom is obviously our only true key forward capable of taking big contested pack marks, makes sense. Crameri, Stringer, Grant and Dickson are all leading players or kick goals in general play.


I think out of those players that Grant is the best tradional type leading forward. Dickson is a clever forward, strong overhead Mark who runs to the right spots and nails 9 shots out 10. Stringer is a miracle man and is a Gary Ablett type of forward-fast, strong as a bull, likes to go for the big mark, see ball get ball then kick a goal who can change a game in 15 minutes of devastation. Crameri is good in a contest, strong overhead, is very good at drawing a free kick like Johnno was and is usually pretty consistent.

I like that combination. I think they compliment one another well. It means that Tom can stay close to goal as a clear and present danger.

[1eyedog]

I think out of those players that Grant is the best tradional type leading forward. Dickson is a clever forward, strong overhead Mark who runs to the right spots and nails 9 shots out 10. Stringer is a miracle man and is a Gary Ablett type of forward-fast, strong as a bull, likes to go for the big mark, see ball get ball then kick a goal who can change a game in 15 minutes of devastation. Crameri is good in a contest, strong overhead, is very good at drawing a free kick like Johnno was and is usually pretty consistent.

I like that combination. I think they compliment one another well. It means that Tom can stay close to goal as a clear and present danger.

Or, as some pundits know it, the Harrison Ford effect.

[stefoid]

But he is such a good long kick for goal and he should be really hard to stop 1:1. I really hope he turns out to be a CHF. Will be a waste to park him in the goal square long term. There are plenty of giant lumoxes that can create a contest and clunk the occasional pack mark if thats all we require. Play two rucks and rest one at FF if it comes to that.

[jeemak]

One word - Fitness.

He does lead, but not very often, and never repetitively. He'll get fitter, and he'll lead more. Just like he'll get stronger and he'll take more marks.

He's still a fat kid (by AFL standards) getting used to trying not to be a fat kid whilst he's still a little bit fat. Once he's not a fat kid (by AFL standards), and a fit kid (by AFL standards) he'll do a lot more of the athletic stuff.

[1eyedog]

But he is such a good long kick for goal and he should be really hard to stop 1:1. I really hope he turns out to be a CHF. Will be a waste to park him in the goal square long term. There are plenty of giant lumoxes that can create a contest and clunk the occasional pack mark if thats all we require. Play two rucks and rest one at FF if it comes to that.

Perhaps Redpath can fill this role? Leads well and kicks well, more of a Jason Dunstall type minus the 1200 goals.