5 key defenders

[GVGjr]

With the recruitment of Liam Jones, a likely move of Josh Bruce to the back line along with Ryan Gardner, Alex Keath and Tim O'Brien already in place the match committee will have some work to get this right.

This might even be complicated a bit further given we've preferred to play 2 tall defenders and a more versatile 3rd tall.
Will we play 3 taller defender or stick with 2?

Who do you think will be part of the preferred set-up?

[Dry Rot]

And which end do you see Darcy playing?

[GVGjr]

And which end do you see Darcy playing?

I have him as a forward but he might also be used as a defender.

[whythelongface]

They are 5 key defenders by definition but are they really all key defenders? Jones, Gardner and Keath are key defenders but Bruce is not by any stretch whilst O’Brien is an unproven intercept defender. On paper it seems quite a decent defence but there are some glaring issues.

Jones - obviously being 12 months out of the game will take time to find his form and fitness. Sounds like he is training the house down and appears to be on an upward trajectory. Still some concern.

Keath- was carrying injuries last year and looked slow. Maybe with Jones he is freed up and plays more that intercept player. Reads the game well and is good overhead.

Gardner - our best defender. Has shown significant improvement. Can he take the next step to become top class? There is hope and we need him to.

Bruce - injuries, fitness and not having played defence at the top level (for a long period) are concerns. Maybe a handy back up and swing man.

O’Brien- to me just a back up player in the event of injury. Don’t expect much.

The bolter Darcy - will play some ones but mainly twos during the year. May play some defence but mainly forward during his developmental phase.

In answer to the question I think we will play 3 key defenders in general but this may change depending on whom we play and the situation. Thus generally the line up will be:

B Duryea Jones Keath
HB Dale Gardner Richards

Daniel may play some defensive time but seems to targeted for more on ball time. Williams will play some defense but may play further up the ground as well. Treloar played HB last year but hopefully plays more in the centre. Cleary is a work in progress and may play an odd game or two.

We may have 3 key defenders selected each week and possibly rotate throughout the game with Keath spending less time on the park than Jones and Gardner.

[jazzadogs]

With the recruitment of Liam Jones, a likely move of Josh Bruce to the back line along with Ryan Gardner, Alex Keath and Tim O'Brien already in place the match committee will have some work to get this right.

This might even be complicated a bit further given we've preferred to play 2 tall defenders and a more versatile 3rd tall.
Will we play 3 taller defender or stick with 2?

Who do you think will be part of the preferred set-up?

I'm not sure I put TOB in the same group as the other 4. Hes 193cm and the others are all 198+. He is a taller defender, but he's not a key defender.

I think Jones, Keath and Gardner will all be viewed as best 22, but I'm not convinced we can play all 3 even if one is a designated interceptor.

For comparison, the prelim final teams backlines:
- Tom McCartin 193cm, P McCartin 195, Rampe 188. Nick Blakey is 195cm as well which is crazy.
- Henry 192, Kolo 193, De Koning 204. Also have Blicavs 198 and Stewart 190.
- Andrews 202, Gardiner 192, McStay 195 (listed as a def but I thought he was playing forward?)
- Moore 203, then Howe 190 and Maynard 189 playing tall

So there is huge variety in setups and roles. If Gardner and Jones (or Keath) can lock down allowing Keath (or Jones) to float around and intercept, that is a potential game changer for us. We then still have room for one smaller lock down type, and two running half backs.

[GVGjr]

I'm not sure I put TOB in the same group as the other 4. Hes 193cm and the others are all 198+. He is a taller defender, but he's not a key defender.

I think Jones, Keath and Gardner will all be viewed as best 22, but I'm not convinced we can play all 3 even if one is a designated interceptor.

For comparison, the prelim final teams backlines:
- Tom McCartin 193cm, P McCartin 195, Rampe 188. Nick Blakey is 195cm as well which is crazy.
- Henry 192, Kolo 193, De Koning 204. Also have Blicavs 198 and Stewart 190.
- Andrews 202, Gardiner 192, McStay 195 (listed as a def but I thought he was playing forward?)
- Moore 203, then Howe 190 and Maynard 189 playing tall

So there is huge variety in setups and roles. If Gardner and Jones (or Keath) can lock down allowing Keath (or Jones) to float around and intercept, that is a potential game changer for us. We then still have room for one smaller lock down type, and two running half backs.

He does provide that more 3rd tall option. Can we play player 3 genuine tall defender or will be play 2 and someone like TOB?

[jazzadogs]

He does provide that more 3rd tall option. Can we play player 3 genuine tall defender or will be play 2 and someone like TOB?

Even if he is playing as a third tall/interceptor, he is still competing with Jones and Keath who could probably play the role better. He is definitely fourth in line, and could be even behind Bruce by the end of the pre-season.

I don't think that he does anything better than Jones/Keath/Gardner, to justify playing ahead of them.

[GVGjr]

Even if he is playing as a third tall/interceptor, he is still competing with Jones and Keath who could probably play the role better. He is definitely fourth in line, and could be even behind Bruce by the end of the pre-season.

I don't think that he does anything better than Jones/Keath/Gardner, to justify playing ahead of them.

No doubt that TOB is behind in the pecking order but I do think he offers a point of difference to the likes of Jones, Bruce and Keath in that he is a lot quicker and more athletic. Hopefully we don't need to use him that much but I'm okay with the fact that we have him especially given the age and potentially the injury profile of 3 of our key defenders because there area few questions marks on their ability to get through a season. I think he is competing more with Gardner.

[jazzadogs]

Is there something you've seen at training that makes you believe he will get games next year? Because his form last year doesn't give me much confidence that he is good enough.

[GVGjr]

Is there something you've seen at training that makes you believe he will get games next year? Because his form last year doesn't give me much confidence that he is good enough.

No, not at all. He's been rehabbing in every one of the training sessions I have seen but he is close to returning to full training as is Gardner.

I think he could benefit from having Jones and a better and fitter version of Keath around him if he does crack it for a game.

[soupman]

I'm not sure I put TOB in the same group as the other 4. Hes 193cm and the others are all 198+. He is a taller defender, but he's not a key defender.

I think Jones, Keath and Gardner will all be viewed as best 22, but I'm not convinced we can play all 3 even if one is a designated interceptor.


I think he counts. I think we have tried in the past to run with a three "tall" setup, but the third tall is typically an intercept type who is good in the air but not necessarily 190cm+. Think Wood, or Crozier in the past, I guess Khamis is a similiar type.

Aside from one general defender the rest of our defenders tend to be rebounding types. So unless we roll him into that general defender category then he has to be assessed with the talls, of which he is probably the worst of them depending on Bruce.

[weltschmerz]

I'd play Khamis or even Raak over O'Brien any day.

[bornadog]

So who gets the gig as our two main tall defenders? Jones, Keath or Gardner?

[GVGjr]

I'd play Khamis or even Raak over O'Brien any day.

I get the angst with O'Brien but both boys appear to have been groomed as forwards for the 2023 season.

[GVGjr]

So who gets the gig as our two main tall defenders? Jones, Keath or Gardner?

My guess is we will go into as many games as we can with the 3 of them playing and Gardner being the ones that plays on a variety of players in terms of size etc. Bruce might also be a surprise and I'm not sure who gets squeezed out then.

[jazzadogs]

My guess is we will go into as many games as we can with the 3 of them playing and Gardner being the ones that plays on a variety of players in terms of size etc. Bruce might also be a surprise and I'm not sure who gets squeezed out then.

I think Bruce and Keath are competing for one position - their body type, strength, agility is similar. I am glad we are training Bruce as our back up for the big Hawkins types - even if it doesn't work, at least we've tried to have a plan.

I think Gardner and Jones will play together unless injury or team balance become an issue. O'Brien probably is our next option if one of them breaks down, but it's hardly inspiring. I would prefer that we kept developing Khamis there as well - Jones, Keath, O'Brien and Bruce are likely gone within a couple of years, so to me our succession plan is better with Buku, Cleary and Busslinger all being groomed for the role.

[jeemak]

O'Brien needs some continuity after what was probably a difficult year in attempting to adjust to how we play, set up, and run. For better or worse, due to personal we play a pretty technical game that requires a lot of concentration and run from our defencive talls. If he's been in the rehab group and missed a lot of team/ system based training then he's probably going to take a bit of time to get into things again.

I think given Gardner's athletic ability we can go with the three talls in he, Keath and Jones. I'm a bit worried about our mid-sized defencive stock as I'm not as enamoured with Khamis as others seem to be, and with Crozier down a yard a lot rests with Richards to stand up and improve again. Williams is still capable of helping out, but I want to see how he develops on a wing.

What we do with Bruce is anyone's guess. I don't really see him as a defender irrespective of training to date, but Bevo has made me look silly in the past when it comes to swinging an over 30 back to revatalise a career, so let's see how it goes - if it actually happens.

[Mofra]

I think Gardner and Jones will play together unless injury or team balance become an issue.
This is my take too - and the third 'tallish' player won't be a KPD, but a designated interceptor.
With Khamis playing forward this pre-season, there are 3 guys on our list capable of playing an interceptor role (all with question marks) - Sam Darcy (raw, missing a chunk of pre-season) Keath (body) O'Brien (meh-ness).

I'd guess Keath gets a crack at purely intercepting because he has done it at Adelaide, with Sam stepping in if/when Keath needs resting or is injured. Bonus being Sam can swing forward and can use the ball well.

[GVGjr]

This is my take too - and the third 'tallish' player won't be a KPD, but a designated interceptor.
With Khamis playing forward this pre-season, there are 3 guys on our list capable of playing an interceptor role (all with question marks) - Sam Darcy (raw, missing a chunk of pre-season) Keath (body) O'Brien (meh-ness).

I'd guess Keath gets a crack at purely intercepting because he has done it at Adelaide, with Sam stepping in if/when Keath needs resting or is injured. Bonus being Sam can swing forward and can use the ball well.

Keath should get the opportunity of playing that role but I think Gardner can also make the transition.

I think we will need the extra KPD depth this year so having Bruce, TOB and Darcy available to fill in when needed will be a huge bonus.