Four-tall forward line

[Mofra]

It's madness! Four talls will never work... until it does?

Our forward set up right now seems to be going pretty well - one of Bruce, Naughton or English seems to take charge every week.
Traditionally, four talls makes a team too "top heavy" but what does that mean? A lack of defensive pressure because talls are meant to be slow, which allows the opposition to take the ball out of our F50 more easily.

Well, I actually think it can work. Naughton is either our best at applying ground ball pressure, or damn close to it. English is surprisingly ok at the ground ball game too, as you'd expect from a guy who was predominantly a midfielder throughout his junior career. We have in fact played four talls together occasionally this year is you consider Bont is Chris Grant's height.

Of course, the rolled-gold developing elephant in the room is Marra. He's quick - seriously quick - looks agile, and will likely press for gametime in the back half of the season. I think his pace would actually work in the F50 which admittedly isn't completely settled with McNeil not a lock and a resting mid often played there too. Where that leaves Hannan when fit I'm not sure, but does anyone else think four talls (provided a couple of them are lightning) could work?

In the 70s they said four quicks at test level would never work. Then along came the Windies...

[bulldogtragic]

And Richie Richardson (Josh Schache).
The older Viv Richards (Weightman)
Plus Carl Hooper (Vandermeer)

If you’re just that *!*!*!*!ing good offensively, and rotated within a good game plan, then the rule book is just something to leave on the coffee table.

If Weightman comes good, we’ll have 4 players in our forward line who have recorded under or about 2.8 seconds over 20m. If they apply the pressure with the speed, then not only are we too tall for defences, we are about the leagues quickest pressuring forwards. Plus, we are not talking Street, Morgan, Wight & Skipper. They are, a number one pick freak, a guy who kicked 10 the other week, a kid who got extended out to 7 years almost immediately and a ruck who is showing great craft as a very tall leaping contested mark forward. And a former pick 2 tall forward with elite endurance if he gets back in.

I hope the 4 tall playbook is already written.

[Bulldog Joe]

I think Naughton, in particular, makes a lot more things possible.

Despite his size he gets to the ground ball as well as anyone you could play. His recovery from a marking contest is just a level above everyone else. He is also explosively quick with the strength to burst through any tackle if the said tackler is not properly balanced.

The scary thing is if Marra is at all similar we have the small forwards in the bodies of high fliers.

That certainly allows Bruce and English to play traditional big forward roles. While they may be found out for mobility against the rebounding defenders the cover given by the others makes us dangerous.

Tidy up the conversion and we may be almost unstoppable.

[jeemak]

I stood at ground level at the scoreboard end on the weekend and was able to get up pretty close to the likes of Naughton as he did his thing. He's a complete freak show physically, and I don't think I've seen anyone at his height with his mix of pure bulk, strength and power at only 21 years of age.

With him being so capable as a ground level player it takes some of the pressure off but we still need to figure out how to be more effective once the ball hits the ground, because we're not always going to have the aerial dominance coupled with both the missed and converted opportunities we enjoyed last week.

I suspect when Jamarra comes in he'll be a bit like Rankine was last year. Way too good to be left alone but easily blown off due to a lack of conditioning, and we need to be realistic about what we expect from him at ground level in his first few seasons.

While I agree that Naughton, English and Bruce are all functioning well together, we're lucky that they are because everyone else in the forward line is leaving a bit to be desired and we're going to be exposed if one or two of the former three mentioned players don't have great games weeks in a row. So instead of introducing more talls I think we need to see what we can do about making the smaller specialist forwards more consistent contributors and more potent, as bringing in another tall won't help us do that and remedy a slump in the taller guys we have performing well right now.

[Mofra]

While I agree that Naughton, English and Bruce are all functioning well together, we're lucky that they are because everyone else in the forward line is leaving a bit to be desired and we're going to be exposed if one or two of the former three mentioned players don't have great games weeks in a row. So instead of introducing more talls I think we need to see what we can do about making the smaller specialist forwards more consistent contributors and more potent, as bringing in another tall won't help us do that and remedy a slump in the taller guys we have performing well right now.
Mitch Hannan was brought in to be that pacy defensive forwardline option - at 190cm he very capable overhead too.
It's the pace of the guys we bring in more than the height that's important, but I think the cattle we have on our current list means that four talls will be in the mix for selection at times. Hannan or JUH will certainly be quicker than Mitch Wallis

[bornadog]

Mitch Hannan was brought in to be that pacy defensive forwardline option - at 190cm he very capable overhead too.
It's the pace of the guys we bring in more than the height that's important, but I think the cattle we have on our current list means that four talls will be in the mix for selection at times. Hannan or JUH will certainly be quicker than Mitch Wallis

As another poster mentioned, Vanda, McNeil and Scott have pace and have brought that ground pressure in the forward 50 even though they haven't kicked many goals. This has complimented the big forwards and why we can afford to have so many playing at once.

[DOG GOD]

I’ve got a feeling Wallis may struggle to get his position back. Playing 3 talls, we need pace within that 50. McNeil has shown this and is probably the guy keeping Wallis out of the team. With Hannan and Jamarra coming through, both with more pace, it’s gonna be a struggle for Wally I feel.

[bornadog]

I’ve got a feeling Wallis may struggle to get his position back. Playing 3 talls, we need pace within that 50. McNeil has shown this and is probably the guy keeping Wallis out of the team. With Hannan and Jamarra coming through, both with more pace, it’s gonna be a struggle for Wally I feel.

Can Wally reinvent himself again and play a different role?

[bulldogtragic]

Can Wally reinvent himself again and play a different role?

Midfielder, tagger and now a forward in his career. At this rate he’d need to reinvent himself as The Thin White Duke and raise money for the club as a David Bowie tribute act. That’s his best bet for reinvention, I can’t see him being able to pull off being Ziggy. I don’t see a spot in the 23 if not a forward. He should be able to dominate in the vfl, so I’m sure he’ll get time to shine.

[Mofra]

Can Wally reinvent himself again and play a different role?
I'm not sure what roles are left for him sadly. Slow players need to be huge inside mid beasts (Cunnington) otherwise they just don't have a position

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Yes, I'm fearful for Wally's future in our side. Short of reinventing himself again in another role, I just don't see how he fits in up forward with our current setup.
I hope he can find a position, he's a quality person who personifies Bulldog spirit, but short of reinventing, we may need to manage him well and help him find another club where his skillset gives him more opportunity.
It really pains me to see a died-in-the-wool Bulldog move to another club, but I just don't see a clear path back for him.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Hannan could be an important inclusion when he's fit enough to play.

I was a bit 'take it or leave it' with his recruitment, but looking at our strengths (and weaknesses) he's a ready made guy who can offer us something that our other smalls can't.

Hannan and Vanda give us a bit of excitement and zip that we haven't had previously.

I'm still partial to JJ playing forward and seeing if we can make that work too. JJ isn't a great defender and that area of the ground has been covered by the likes of Daniel, Dale, Williams, Crozier, Duryea and even Richards when he returns. I think it allows us to use JJ elsewhere and whilst I haven't really rated JJ as a winger or HFF, he offers us more than McNeil or Scott.

A forward line consisting of Naughty, English, Bruce, Vanda, Hannan and JJ is pretty exciting with a heap of marking power and a ton of pace.

[hujsh]

Could Wally go down the Boyd route of being a HBF (yes I know the last thing we need more of)?

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Could Wally go down the Boyd route of being a HBF (yes I know the last thing we need more of)?

If he's good enough then yes.

Despite some good form, our defenders still don't defend 1-v-1 well. Wallis is rarely getting beaten in a contested situation so it's worth a thought.

I think it's a good suggestion.

[comrade]

We have half a dozen players with a much better skill set than Wally in line for a half back position. It’s forward or bust for him.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

We have half a dozen players with a much better skill set than Wally in line for a half back position. It’s forward or bust for him.

The problem is the majority of those players are the same - i.e. rebounders who aren't good defensively.

If 2016 Boyd was on our list, he'd be a walk up start.

If Wallis can read the play and position himself accordingly, I could see him playing a similar role.

[bornadog]

The problem is the majority of those players are the same - i.e. rebounders who aren't good defensively.

If 2016 Boyd was on our list, he'd be a walk up start.

If Wallis can read the play and position himself accordingly, I could see him playing a similar role.

Just like when his Father Steve went from midfield to HBF, and he was very good

[comrade]

The problem is the majority of those players are the same - i.e. rebounders who aren't good defensively.

If 2016 Boyd was on our list, he'd be a walk up start.

If Wallis can read the play and position himself accordingly, I could see him playing a similar role.

I don't think Wally is half the player Boydy is, unfortunately. Quicker, better at ground level, better foot skills, just better.

The days of the slow yet big hearted nuggety backman, with questionable foot skills, is over and that's all Wally would be, imo. I think Adz will end up there in a year or too, as he does strike me as someone capable of making a Boyd like transition.