LRT out 'til at least round 7

[reigning premier]

So our backline may well look like this

B: C Bolts Barry Dempster
HB: Kennelly Richards Malceski

Bit to slow wouldn't you think??? In both rebounding and defending

I mean Kennelly can run off a bit as can the Eski. Barry's a bit more of an oppurtunist rather than a great runner. Dempster, Richards and Bolts aren't likely to be running down or off anyone.....

Think we need someone to keep up with an agile attack....

[liz]

Bit to slow wouldn't you think??? In both rebounding and defending

I mean Kennelly can run off a bit as can the Eski. Barry's a bit more of an oppurtunist rather than a great runner. Dempster, Richards and Bolts aren't likely to be running down or off anyone.....

Think we need someone to keep up with an agile attack....

What are you proposing instead then? I'd have thought that as a tallish group of defenders, there's probably not a better rebounding group in the league than Kennelly, Dempster, Barry, Richards and Bolton. The first two are very quick in an absolute sense, while the others are mobile and quickish for their height.

Ideally you'd probably put a small in there - Crouch is the obvious choice when he becomes available. But there's little wrong - rebound wise - with that group of talls. The issue is more that they could get exposed on height / strength.

[Jeffers1984]

Bit to slow wouldn't you think??? In both rebounding and defending

I mean Kennelly can run off a bit as can the Eski. Barry's a bit more of an oppurtunist rather than a great runner. Dempster, Richards and Bolts aren't likely to be running down or off anyone.....

Think we need someone to keep up with an agile attack....

We have no Crouch, Schneider and Bevan for the first few rounds of the season. I don't see any small (apart from the rookie Jack) who could fill their shoes.

Even saying that, Eski Kennelly and C Bolts aren't slouches at all down back. Even Dempsters closing speed is fairly good.

I see no other option apart from Laidlaw who is yet to play a game.

[reigning premier]

What are you proposing instead then? I'd have thought that as a tallish group of defenders, there's probably not a better rebounding group in the league than Kennelly, Dempster, Barry, Richards and Bolton. The first two are very quick in an absolute sense, while the others are mobile and quickish for their height.

Ideally you'd probably put a small in there - Crouch is the obvious choice when he becomes available. But there's little wrong - rebound wise - with that group of talls. The issue is more that they could get exposed on height / strength.

I never proposed anything... I just said it was too tall and too slow. As per my above, yes, Kennelly can run off a bit, but Barry is more of a runner if they let him. Richards, Dempster, forget it.

But seeing as you asked......

Buchanon into the back line.... Davis into the corridor.... Reg into the fwd line...

[reigning premier]

We have no Crouch, Schneider and Bevan for the first few rounds of the season. I don't see any small (apart from the rookie Jack) who could fill their shoes.

Even saying that, Eski Kennelly and C Bolts aren't slouches at all down back. Even Dempsters closing speed is fairly good.

I see no other option apart from Laidlaw who is yet to play a game.

I agree.... We are missing pace in our backline at ATM with the loss of Crouch & Bevan. We xseem to have a plethora of fwds but are pretty much throwing anyone into the back line at this stage.

And I hate to say it, but we've almost got too many talls!!

[liz]

Richards, Dempster, forget it.


Buchanon into the back line.... Davis into the corridor.... Reg into the fwd line...

Buchanan would be wasted in the backline IMO. His best asset - amongst many - is his uncanny ability to deliver accurately into the forward line from shortish distances. He is probably better than anyone else in the team at pinpointing a short pass into a crowded forward line.

Dempster is not slow of foot. He's tagged the likes of Daniel Wells and even outsprinted him at times. I'd confidently back him to outrun Bevan and I don't think he'd lag behind Crouch by too much.

And Richards is more than adequately paced for his size.

I agree with you that ideally we need a smaller player in the back half, though I don't think Monty is it. But I think you're unfairly maligning the footspeed of that taller group.

[reigning premier]

Buchanan would be wasted in the backline IMO. His best asset - amongst many - is his uncanny ability to deliver accurately into the forward line from shortish distances. He is probably better than anyone else in the team at pinpointing a short pass into a crowded forward line.

Dempster is not slow of foot. He's tagged the likes of Daniel Wells and even outsprinted him at times.

And Richards is more than adequately paced for his size.

It's your opinion, and your entitled to it.

But I'll have a fifty on Wells out sprinting Dempster and go double or nothing on Davey if you're interested.

[ROK Lobster]

RO'K for CHB.

[reigning premier]

RO'K for CHB.

Not bad. Has a bit of pace . But still need someone crumbing around I think.

[Sanecow]

The backline for the finals was:

B: Richards, Barry, Malceski
HB: Kennelly, Roberts-Thomson, C. Bolton

I don't see that putting Dempster in for LRT will result in an alarming increase in backline height or decrease in speed. Schneider or Crouch (when fit) will obviously slot in occasionally on smaller / faster opponents and Jolly may end up back there on taller opponents but it's not that different from last year.

[reigning premier]

The backline for the finals was:

B: Richards, Barry, Malceski
HB: Kennelly, Roberts-Thomson, C. Bolton

I don't see that putting Dempster in for LRT will result in an alarming increase in backline height or decrease in speed. Schneider or Crouch (when fit) will obviously slot in occasionally on smaller / faster opponents and Jolly may end up back there on taller opponents but it's not that different from last year.

And the result was????

[hammo]

And the result was????

I'm not sure what you're on about either to be honest.

The backline can hardly be blamed for the grand final loss. Yes we need a small down there but to say that a back line containing Kennelly, Malceski, Barry and C Bolton et al is too slow is just plain ridiculous.

We had the best defensive record in the AFL last year with essentially the same backline!

[reigning premier]

I'm not sure what you're on about either to be honest.

The backline can hardly be blamed for the grand final loss. Yes we need a small down there but to say that a back line containing Kennelly, Malceski, Barry and C Bolton et al is too slow is just plain ridiculous.

We had the best defensive record in the AFL last year with essentially the same backline!

Essentially the same back line but not the same. Yep. We have a good back line, no doubt. And no, not blaming them for our "failing to win" ..

However, as you said, we need a quick small down there. I don't think anyone is arguing that fact!

[hammo]

However, as you said, we need a quick small down there. I don't think anyone is arguing that fact!

It would be handy but not essential. West Coast don't really have a small crumbing forward and Dempster can "play small" if required. Remember C Bolton played on Farmer in the Prelim so he can play small also. If things get desperate, McVeigh is capable of playing down back.

[barry]

Arent we forgetting our key small backman who always makes it into the the Best and Fairest.

One B. Matthews.