Croft

[Rusty12]

Watching the development of Croft has been interesting.

The athlete is developing really well, no complaints.

The footballer, and I don't think it is his or anyone's fault, but I am no clearer on his role on an AFL team.

My early opinion is a Tom Lynch type, or a new kind of hybrid pressure half forward, who happens to be 2m plus. VDM with a growth spurt.

Whatever it is, I don't think it will be a strict deepest key position type.

[azabob]

No chance as an intercept defender? Similar to Mac Andrew?

[jazzadogs]

No chance as an intercept defender? Similar to Mac Andrew?

I see his athletic profile as similar to Blakey, from the limited game time I have seen.

Agree that his position is unclear, but I don't think it's time to worry yet. Hopefully by the end of this season it's a bit clearer...I mean six months ago I thought there was no chance we would need him as a tall forward because we had three long termers there...

[Rusty12]

No chance as an intercept defender? Similar to Mac Andrew?

Like it, maybe. Would love to see him play that role in the VFL for 6 weeks and see.

[Uninformed]

Like it, maybe. Would love to see him play that role in the VFL for 6 weeks and see.

How has he been going at VFL level?

[FrediKanoute]

I think persist with him as a forward. Forward craft, especially for a tall is hard to learn and develop. We will always have a need for a tall forward as injuries etc will curtail the ones we have now from time to time and you want that pressure on them to perform. Agree he is not ready yet, but hopefully will be as the year progresses.

[Hotdog60]

How has he been going at VFL level?

Not much of a sample size with the byes but he's been ordinary.

[Dazza]

I'm still not sure why he hasn't been developed as a key back for a variety of reasons.

The main being that we badly need a young star KPD and he athletically fits the profile perfectly.

[GVGjr]

I'm still not sure why he hasn't been developed as a key back for a variety of reasons.

The main being that we badly need a young star KPD and he athletically fits the profile perfectly.

There might be a few considerations.
1) If Marra is lost to us it may suit us to try Croft forward.
2) We might have some faith that Busslinger comes good and JOD will make progress.
3) He's not showing an aptitude for the role
4) We haven't found his best position.

We should know by the end of the season

[doggies ftw]

He’s a unique player so no need to pigeon hole him into any spot on the ground IMO, I honestly think the coaches have no idea at this stage and probably won’t until he fully develops. If he fills out like his old man - which I thought he had no chance of doing coming into the league with that body shape but tbh is already starting to fill out more than I expected - then maybe he can go deep and be an absolute nightmare on the lead. If he doesn’t fill out and is always wiry I think I like him high, he has elite athleticism and no point stifling that by playing him deep, let him run.

i don’t think he has the skills or ground ball game to be a genuine wing option or Blakey clone though, maybe outside of a few runs there to change it up. So at this stage I’m thinking high HF, getting up the ground to be a marking target and then using his speed back to goal to get in over the back. Also has great natural aggression in the contest at ground level so genuinely can apply defensive pressure - all 3 of Croft, Naughty and Darcy are quite incredible with their defensive game for talls so that will really help.

basically just a support utility tall alongside Naughty & Darcy for mine, with the added value of being able to throw him back to cut off attacks with his intensity, aggression & closing speed - when we’re really under pressure in defence or roll him up to a wing when we’re struggling to clear defensive 50 consistently etc

but yeah this could drastically change depending on his development. I don’t think we’ll know the full scope of Crofty for a good 3-4 more years

[Miti-Dog5]

From what I've seen so far, he seems very similar to Blicavs, the tall that can cover the ground better than most, and pinch hit wherever we need him to.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

There might be a few considerations.
1) If Marra is lost to us it may suit us to try Croft forward.
2) We might have some faith that Busslinger comes good and JOD will make progress.
3) He's not showing an aptitude for the role
4) We haven't found his best position.

We should know by the end of the season

Where do you see his best position G?

I really haven't seen much of him, but nothing has screamed natural forward to me yet.

[GVGjr]

Where do you see his best position G?

I really haven't seen much of him, but nothing has screamed natural forward to me yet.

I really have no idea, I suspect the back line but while at times he looks good at training he's done bugger all in nearly all games.

[Aidan7557]

I really have no idea, I suspect the back line but while at times he looks good at training he's done bugger all in nearly all games.

I think some players are better at AFL level then VFL. Watched a fair bit of the VFL games and he mainly plays deep forward. Get him out on that open grass and watch him go to work. "Does 400's for fun"

[Bigdog]

He reminds me more of an athlete than a footballer which is strange given his pedigree.

Athletes can thrive in a strong system. Its hard to get a gauge on where his at in the vfl as the structures are pretty poor. Especially when we are rolling out teams with 14-15 vfl players that are part time footballers.

I usually watch the vfl games on the app not live. Id like to pay closer attention at a game to assess his running patterns and defensive efforts.

From what I can tell at training and on tv is his defensive work appears very good for a man of his size.

I also think his much more suited to playing high up the ground than deep pushing back to goal.