Tweet
Adam Goodes is the most multi dimensional player to have ever played Australian Football. The only player in living memory who is even comparable is Anthony Koutoufides (who couldn't really play ruck). Kouta was moved into the forward line by necessity late in his career and in my opinion broadly failed in the role.
Now perhaps if Goodes lost the mobility or fitness etc to play the multi dimensional role there might be an argument for moving him to a pocket. And perhaps if we were really struggling for tall forwards, and had a surplus of really skilful midfielders, there might be an argument for plugging the forward gap.
But look at what we have. We have an almost proven big athletic forward who does his best work between 40m and 60m from goal in Jesse White. We have a proven, if ageing, lead up forward who has done his best work in a three pronged forward line in Daniel Bradshaw. And we have a monster of a bloke with massive hands and enormous talent who must at the very least attract a serious tall defender in Dan Currie. Now there is not a club, except perhaps our own, who have sufficient "tall" defenders to cover those match ups.
In addition, to complement these big blokes, you can take your pick out of Bevan, Moore, TDL, Vez, McGlynn, Jack to gather crumbs and provide defensive pressure inside 50m.
And this leaves Goodes to do what he does best, play awesome footy wherever he is needed, be it midfield, wing, loose in defence, or even as a mobile HFF. If endurance is an issue, then have him and ROK swap on the bench in the same Ruck Roving type role. Again, we have a plethora of smaller grunty ball winners to do the heavy lifting inside.
But please, please don't turn the most multi dimensional footballer the game has seen into a one dimensional forward. He is far more effective as a utility.
BTW, this is not a comment on his pre-season form, which is always pretty questionable, and which I haven't seen. Nor is it a broader criticism of Roosy, whose efforts in 2005 will never be forgotten and to whom I remain eternally grateful.
Now perhaps if Goodes lost the mobility or fitness etc to play the multi dimensional role there might be an argument for moving him to a pocket. And perhaps if we were really struggling for tall forwards, and had a surplus of really skilful midfielders, there might be an argument for plugging the forward gap.
But look at what we have. We have an almost proven big athletic forward who does his best work between 40m and 60m from goal in Jesse White. We have a proven, if ageing, lead up forward who has done his best work in a three pronged forward line in Daniel Bradshaw. And we have a monster of a bloke with massive hands and enormous talent who must at the very least attract a serious tall defender in Dan Currie. Now there is not a club, except perhaps our own, who have sufficient "tall" defenders to cover those match ups.
In addition, to complement these big blokes, you can take your pick out of Bevan, Moore, TDL, Vez, McGlynn, Jack to gather crumbs and provide defensive pressure inside 50m.
And this leaves Goodes to do what he does best, play awesome footy wherever he is needed, be it midfield, wing, loose in defence, or even as a mobile HFF. If endurance is an issue, then have him and ROK swap on the bench in the same Ruck Roving type role. Again, we have a plethora of smaller grunty ball winners to do the heavy lifting inside.
But please, please don't turn the most multi dimensional footballer the game has seen into a one dimensional forward. He is far more effective as a utility.
BTW, this is not a comment on his pre-season form, which is always pretty questionable, and which I haven't seen. Nor is it a broader criticism of Roosy, whose efforts in 2005 will never be forgotten and to whom I remain eternally grateful.
Comment