Doyle

[footyhead]

Goodes was looking very dangerous in the forward line early last year, but then he missed a couple of easy ones and every one got on his case and he obviously got on his own case.
He did Screw up a bit in the foward line last year, but it is also the only time he actually looked briliant (like a brownlow M!).
I still think his best position is somwhere in attack.
If he could gain confidance in front of goal, he could still be a very potent option going forward. I think he can do it.

[Sanecow]

Put him somewhere where he doesn't have to jump or run in anything other than a straight line. Perhaps he could open the batting.

[jenky28]

Originally posted by Ruckman
Good Point. I think Midaro is correct the more ruckmen you have in a team the less grass burners etc.




For the hypothetical team below (which includes the ruckmen as robbieando suggests . . .

Crouch Schauble Bolton
Barry LRT Kennelly
Mathews Williams McVeigh
N Davis Hall O'Keefe
Schneider O'loughlan Ball

Jolly Bolton Kirk

Goodes Maxfield Doyle Fosdike

Leaving aside whether you prefer Ablett to Fosdike or Buchanan to Schneider or whatever.
As you can see in order to include all this height you have to exclude several running players with first grade experience including Nicks, Saddington, Bevan, Buchanan, Fixter, Ablett and Spriggs.

Let alone the youngsters. The forward line possibly also looks a little slow. So I suspect that we will never play 3 ruckman or if we do we'll run severly short of running power.

Personally i agree that 3 talls all competing for similar positons on the field will mean 1 will miss out. Saddington will most likely be put in the bak half so lrt will prob miss out considering saddington is a tall who can also play forward i would say ball and jolley would be the starting 22 front runners!! We lack pace already and we want more ruckman??

[Bleed Red Blood]

FB; Bevan Schuable Mathews

HB: Barry James C Bolton

C; Goodes Kirk Kennelly

HF; O'Keefe Hall Davis

FF; O'Loughlin Saddington Doyle

R; Jolly Williams Bolton J

B; Nicks Maxfield Ball Crouch

E; McVeigh Roberts-Thompson Fosdike

With the forward line though, O'Keefe, Davis, Hall and O'Loughlin are very good below there knees.

The problem with our forward line last year, imo, was lack of height.

In the final against St Kilda for example, Maguire played in the ruck because we didn't have a third tall for him to play on. I think it was Hudghton on Hall and Penny on O'Loughlin, this allowed Maguire to ruck releasing Blake into the forward line.

We need Saddington and Doyle/Jolly/Ball in the forward line.

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by Sanecow
Perhaps he could open the batting.

Don't think he has the technique. His weight transfer is slow and his stance is a little open. The swinging ball would trouble him... Paul Williams would make a good opening bat

[chammond]

Originally posted by Jeffers1984
I want to see goodes at his most damaging position and that is in the middle (rover/Ruck Rover/ruck)....we have to make the most of his unique ability.

That makes the most sense to me.

Goodes is a matchwinner when played on the ball. I know Roos doesn't want him at centre bounces, but if his knees are right he'd surely have to be playing at least half the game as a follower . . . . and hopefully a good piece of each game at full-forward where he can also be damaging.

As far as I'm concerned, that has to be a given for us to win the flag in 2005.

And it means that at most only two of Ball, Jolly and Doyle will play each week.

[robbieando]

Originally posted by footyhead
If he could gain confidance in front of goal, he could still be a very potent option going forward. I think he can do it.

But so did Eade and to a lesser extent Roos. Its a belief that has hurt Goodes before and one which robs the side of his impact though the middle. Plus I don't think his form at the start of the season in the forward line before the knee injury was as good as you make it out to be. He was dropping plenty of marks which is a huge sign as to why he should be kept out of the forward line.

Playing forward full time doesn't suit his style of play, he needs to play a loose role in the ruck/midfield, where he won a Brownlow and Rising Star Award. As a forward he was all over the shop and produced some really poor form. Once Roos took over from Eade and moved him out of the forward line, his form went from average to Brownlow winner in less than 18 months.

With him hopefully back to close to full fitness we need to play him where he has the most impact and the forward line isn't that spot and nor for that matter is in defence. Play him in his best position and allow him to have the impact on the team which nearly got us to a Grand Final in 2003.

[footyhead]

ruck or rover ?
If it's ruck Roos will have to swallow his pride and go back on his word (when you think about it, it was probably silly of Roos to make that statment)

[robbieando]

Originally posted by footyhead
ruck or rover ?
If it's ruck Roos will have to swallow his pride and go back on his word (when you think about it, it was probably silly of Roos to make that statment)

He said UNLESS the ruck rules are changed then Goodes won't play in the ruck again. By the look of things the ruck rules will be changing for next season, so Roos won't have to swallow his pride.

Still thinking about it, expecting a St Kilda fan to see logic is probably silly.

[footyhead]

? ?

[NMWBloods]

Goodes = ruck rover!!

[footyhead]

That's what I think he should be with an emphasis on going forward and attack.
But has he ever actually played that position ?

[NMWBloods]

Well, I guess to some degree that's what he did in 2003, except he did the tap work as well.

I'm guessing he could do tap work aroun the ground, particularly at boundary throw ins. However, perhaps he doesn't need to - he was pretty good at gathering the ball from the ball in/up, although he may not be quite as good if he's not actually contesting it.

Still, it will give him licence to wander around the ground and gather possessions at will, which is what he is good at.

[footyhead]

Thats basically what everbody seems to want for goodes, iE him to be off the leash and just to run around and be as un- accountable and as damaging as possible.
It is great when it works. But he kind of needs a role, cos every player has a bad day. If you have a role IE Ruckman, then you can say well "he had a bad day in the ruck, but at least he mad a couple of nice takles or took some great marks" ect ect.
It seems to me that he needs just a little bt of responsibility to bring out the flare in him.

[NMWBloods]

I think that is a good point - I think he needs a reasonably well defined 'role', however I don't think that role should centre around accountability.