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Hate to be the damp squib in between home finals and star re-signings but I reckon we (and by that I mean RWO) need to solve this dilemma before we can call the 2010 flag our own.
We've seen stats that suggest we're #16 in the comp for goals from frwd 50 turnovers and while I recognise that there is more than one way to win a flag, the current AFL standard bearers, the Pies, just happen to be absolutely freakn brilliant when he comes to forcing the ball to stay in its F50.
Watching the weekend's game, if the Dockers hadn't been able to springboard attacks from their HB line, I'm not too sure how they would have scored a goal.
Here's how I would rate our current forward players on the "lock-the-bloody-ball-in" scale (out of 5):
Jess - 2 For a mobile big bloke should be better than this - I remember his superb second effort tackle on Hurley vs BOmbers - why don't we see this more often?
TDL - 1 Was particularly poor at this on the weekend - should be better and will have to be if he expects to get a game more regularly
Moore - 2 Once again, should be better - he's not fast but he reads the play well, but allowed Broughton to run off him too much last week
Goodes - 2 To be fair, if you're going to use one of your prime midfielders to "rest" at CHF, you can't expect him to be chasing as well - but does use his footy smarts to get to the right positions
Pyke/Mummy 1 - not really their job but did love Mummy's efforts in Q4 this week
Shaw/Bevan 3 - might save the 2010 season for these guys if they show they can kick a goal as well
Kirk/Bolton/McGlynn 4 - our best, there is a real sense of urgency and desperation in how they go about defending their space in the forward 50
Just seems to me an easy way for us to score some goals rather than the generally hard slog we require. What options do others think we have to improve this? Do others think it's actually a major issue? I think a Rohan or possibly even Vespa (who did this well in his short stint in the seniors) would be good ins for this purpose.
We've seen stats that suggest we're #16 in the comp for goals from frwd 50 turnovers and while I recognise that there is more than one way to win a flag, the current AFL standard bearers, the Pies, just happen to be absolutely freakn brilliant when he comes to forcing the ball to stay in its F50.
Watching the weekend's game, if the Dockers hadn't been able to springboard attacks from their HB line, I'm not too sure how they would have scored a goal.
Here's how I would rate our current forward players on the "lock-the-bloody-ball-in" scale (out of 5):
Jess - 2 For a mobile big bloke should be better than this - I remember his superb second effort tackle on Hurley vs BOmbers - why don't we see this more often?
TDL - 1 Was particularly poor at this on the weekend - should be better and will have to be if he expects to get a game more regularly
Moore - 2 Once again, should be better - he's not fast but he reads the play well, but allowed Broughton to run off him too much last week
Goodes - 2 To be fair, if you're going to use one of your prime midfielders to "rest" at CHF, you can't expect him to be chasing as well - but does use his footy smarts to get to the right positions
Pyke/Mummy 1 - not really their job but did love Mummy's efforts in Q4 this week
Shaw/Bevan 3 - might save the 2010 season for these guys if they show they can kick a goal as well
Kirk/Bolton/McGlynn 4 - our best, there is a real sense of urgency and desperation in how they go about defending their space in the forward 50
Just seems to me an easy way for us to score some goals rather than the generally hard slog we require. What options do others think we have to improve this? Do others think it's actually a major issue? I think a Rohan or possibly even Vespa (who did this well in his short stint in the seniors) would be good ins for this purpose.
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