Should Bruce head back to the Backline?

[bornadog]

We know Bruce has played in the backline at initially GWS and for a short while at Saints, till they decided they needed someone up forward. We know we need a big backman, to play the gorillas etc. Gardner has only had 6 or so games, and to me looks a bit light weight to take on the role.

So the question is do we leave Bruce where he is and try and develop some rapport with Naughton, or do we send him back to defense and work with Keath etc.

[Happy Days]

The backline, more like the back of the line am I right?

Bruce got cooked by Lever in the air yesterday who has been woeful all season, and in spite of his admittedly whole hearted efforts he doesn't have the athleticisim to help keep the ball pinned in the forward line, a direction the rest of our selections seem to indicate we're moving towards.

I don't think I've ever really been in on him but I'm pretty much all the way out now. Merely trying in the ruck and a single big mark in defence aren't enough.

[Topdog]

No he shouldn't. He has been absolutely terrible but moving him to the backline doesn't help us.
Drop him and let him get some form and confidence from the scratch matches

[Remi Moses]

He’s been a big flop and terribly disappointing
Can’t sugar coat it
He looks like he’s carrying weight and I thought he was more mobile at stkilda
Needs to invest in some ASICS and get some km’s in

[soupman]

Not sure Bruce to the backline is the answer for him.

He has struggled to halve contests up forward, and is really rather immobile as a player. I fear that in defence he would be limited to only the big slow power forwards (admittedly the guys we struggle on, ie Dixon, Hawkins etc) and I don't think he is a natural spoiler or intercept mark, more the launch yourself at it and hope you clunk it type.

He remains the biggest disappointment of the season, and I maintain my position that he is not giving us anything at full forward that Fletcher Roberts couldn't. How we fix that I don't know, but it doesn't involve him continuing to get praise almost exclusively for his role as the "decoy forward", which just seems to involve him not getting the ball while someone else plays well. I guess him showing he could have some sort of positive impact in the ruck yesterday was positive, but if he isn't clunking it up forward (which he isn't at all) then it seems his best attribute he is bringing including in the the ruck is that he is chunky.

[SonofScray]

No. Not mobile enough.

He needs to get cracking in the role we brought him in for, performances so far have really let himself down. To emphasise where he is currently at, if the NM game never happened I'd say he is going only marginally better than the time we brought Aaron James over to the club.

[GVGjr]

We drafted him as a key forward and to me he has to start contributing in that role. As SoS mentioned, take away the North Melbourne game and he's had an underwhelming season and he isn't justifying his big pay cheque.
I get why dropping him probably isn't a story we want discussed in the media but we aren't sending a good message for team selection to the balance of the squad at the moment.

[bornadog]

We drafted him as a key forward and to me he has to start contributing in that role. As SoS mentioned, take away the North Melbourne game and he's had an underwhelming season and he isn't justifying his big pay cheque.
I get why dropping him probably isn't a story we want discussed in the media but we aren't sending a good message for team selection to the balance of the squad at the moment.

I personally don't think it is the answer to send him back. Maybe he should be dropped for more than a week, and let him fight his way back.

[GVGjr]

Not sure Bruce to the backline is the answer for him.

He has struggled to halve contests up forward, and is really rather immobile as a player. I fear that in defence he would be limited to only the big slow power forwards (admittedly the guys we struggle on, ie Dixon, Hawkins etc) and I don't think he is a natural spoiler or intercept mark, more the launch yourself at it and hope you clunk it type.

He remains the biggest disappointment of the season, and I maintain my position that he is not giving us anything at full forward that Fletcher Roberts couldn't. How we fix that I don't know, but it doesn't involve him continuing to get praise almost exclusively for his role as the "decoy forward", which just seems to involve him not getting the ball while someone else plays well. I guess him showing he could have some sort of positive impact in the ruck yesterday was positive, but if he isn't clunking it up forward (which he isn't at all) then it seems his best attribute he is bringing including in the the ruck is that he is chunky.

While we won't drop him, the only real answer is to make him earn his spot because he is right down on form and we just need to find an answer for him. This whole decoy forward and 2nd banana cop outs being offered doesn't amount to much more trying to lower expectations on him. Lets throw him into the ruck because it's a low expectation role and it saves having to use Dunkley and Macrae there

[anfo27]

I think we do need 2 big boys up forward so the thought has some merit. I'm not convinced with Gardner & we refuse to play Trengove or Young. I think if Schache was knocking the door down then you could consider it at least but with just scratch matches i've got no clue what the hell is going on with anyone not in the team.

[GVGjr]

I think we do need 2 big boys up forward so the thought has some merit. I'm not convinced with Gardner & we refuse to play Trengove or Young. I think if Schache was knocking the door down then you could consider it at least but with just scratch matches i've got no clue what the hell is going on with anyone not in the team.

I think Young being named as an emergency the last 2 weeks means he's right in the mix. Trengove will only play if there are a few injuries which is a bit of a shame. You would have to think Schache is a bit off the mark with the MC at the moment

[boydogs]

Think he just needs to work himself into some fitness and form

[Vred]

We gave Bruce a 4 year contract, Nick Riewoldt is on record saying that 'Bruce isn't the most active during the off season and comes back fairly unfit' - For me, I'm writing him off for this year, Covid, 2020, all that bullshit, but if next year even resembles somewhat of a normal season, and Bruce doesn't put in the work during the offseason KNOWING that we're picking up JUH than for me that'll signal a true sign of laziness.

Bruce ain't gonna get fit in the next few games, and he isn't going to play downback, he was MEANT to be another target inside forward 50, with a proper offseason if he doesn't come back fit and ready to go than we can show him the door and he SHOULD get the Trengove treatment, specially with JUH, Young, Naughton and Schache trying to all fight for the same spot.