Forward Structure

[Mountain Man]

Why do we not have a forward structure?

For some years we have had an working back line. There are different skills and body types and talent and experience factors in the players used, but they mostly support each other, make reasonable decisions and work the ball out of defense.

It is disappointing to read the comments so far this year which seem to imply that we have not used the off season or the NAB Cup/practice matches to establish a similar working forward structure. It seems there is no better plan going into 2012; which was a criticism on this site at the start of 2011.

[wolftone57]

Yes it is a worry that we haven't been able to lock in a forward structure that is working. I think that is why Lamb was brought in today and he performed quite well. I would like to see him play a full game and see how he goes. He is incredibly clever except sometimes his mind gets ahead of the footy (fumble in the last already spent ball). Pretty good kick, I thought he would eat that kick in the last but kicked a point. I did notice that nobody lead so they must have thought he had it. They tried Everitt as FF today at different points, all the last quarter. The coaches need to make a decision soon.

[Derryn23]

Totally agree. The kick it long and bomb it into the forward 50 is not going to work this season. We are better off holding onto possession and finding a target 'a la 2005-06' game plan. We simply don't have a forward line which can lead and hang onto this type of delivery. Let's face it, there is no genuine support for Reid. If we are trialling Everitt in the forward line one game out from rd 1 then obviously we are in trouble. Where was Morton? This guy has potential we just need to persist with him. Now that the reserves game got cancelled today it's unlikely any real changes will come into the team which barely got across the line today from last years wooden spooner! This means no Morton or White. Ok, Rohan has a rolled ankle - best to rest him and O'Keefe as they then get another two weeks off due to the split rd 1. Jed Lamb is the obvious replacement for Rohan, this still doesn't help Reid up front. Take a gamble and throw big Jesse up front to get him into form against GWS!
Longmire and Kinnear best be looking at Taylor Walker at seasons end, he's the perfect fit for us and he's a restricted free agent.

[wolftone57]

Derryn to play Lamb will help Reid as it provides a different option on the forward line the same as Morton does. They are both mid size forwards. LRT was playing FF in the first half (the part that I saw 2nd Quarter). He kicked a couple but it doesn't work for me. Everitt was playing a very different role that of the leading FF in the vein of a MacKenna or Modra. Modra used to take flying leaps I know and Everitt has been known to take the occasional leap. In the short term it might work, I am not sure over the long term.

I have been watching the NAB GF and the Crows and Eagles are far more fluent than us. They waste the ball far less and are far more accurate in front of goal. We need to look at these teams and say how do we compare so far? I'm afraid not so well! Our delivery needs to tighten up and the kick ins are too sloppy. Head space needs to be right and some players just aren't quite there yet even though they have improved.

[swansrob]

What genuine power forwards are available next year, as free agents or out of contract? I think that's what we need - a genuine and Reid as our cornerstones in the forward line, with a couple of smaller, pacier guys crumbing the packs. Walker, Betts and Garlett kicked more than 150 goals between them last year - we need guys who can do that to match the top teams.

[wolftone57]

What genuine power forwards are available next year, as free agents or out of contract? I think that's what we need - a genuine and Reid as our cornerstones in the forward line, with a couple of smaller, pacier guys crumbing the packs. Walker, Betts and Garlett kicked more than 150 goals between them last year - we need guys who can do that to match the top teams.

Small forwards like Garlett & Betts we don't need but we do need a bigger, either mid size or tall forward, to step up. Either that or go all out for Walker next year as he is Limited Free Agency. But with Spang coming back and if we can get a few games into Lamb, Morton and maybe big Tommy we may have the goods right here.

[Rod_]

What did TDL do? He must have done something as he is no longer part of the forward line plans?

ROK will be back.

I am interested in see Lamb / Walsh getting a game or 2 with Goodsy and Reid..

Therefore we are still trying to grow a forward line from scratch..

Hope we get a good one by August..?


Rod_

[GongSwan]

The problem is complicated by the interchange rule, with only three on the bench, how do u carry a second ruckman if not in the forward line. When HAll was playing he used to do ruckwork in the forward 50, and we had two ruckmen in the team as well. You can't seriously expect Mumford to ruck 100% of the game?????? There has to be some sort of compromise in the forward structure, because the back six must remain as steady as we possibly can make it, unless u can find a midfielder who can hold his own in the ruck. Even if we can find a big FF type, for him to be really useful he will have to live there and we will then have to carry a second ruck in the pocket or thereabouts. I think before you start looking for a FF find a second ruck, or risk losing the hitouts and clearances, and therefore losing games. Our forward structure at this point consists of Reid and a bunch of midfielders who rotate thru the forward line for a bit of a rest, with Goodes spending more time in the forward line now, and more as he gets toward the end of his playing days. With the players we have this year, personally I think we would be well advised to go with a plan of LRT/White as second ruck and forward and stick to it until they either get better or find a better way to cope with the interchange restrictions. If we can get 40 goals out of Reid, 40 out of Goodes 20 o 30 out of Mcglynn, the running midfielders will do the rest, this is the way the game is evolving, the specialist FF or the specialist ruckman will before long be a thing of the past

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Longmire and Kinnear best be looking at Taylor Walker at seasons end, he's the perfect fit for us and he's a restricted free agent.

Wishing doesn't amke it so . . .

http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=130821

. . . if it did we'd be celebrating our 7th flag in a row this year

[Cheer_Cheer]

I really think that White should have spent more time up forward during the Bank Cup.. He has bea disappointment but we must persist.. Hawkins came good for the Cats in the finals last year.. I
see them as quite similar.. Hopefully something clicks with him sooner rather than later..

[Hartijon]

I really think that White should have spent more time up forward during the Bank Cup.. He has bea disappointment but we must persist.. Hawkins came good for the Cats in the finals last year.. I
see them as quite similar.. Hopefully something clicks with him sooner rather than later..

Hawkins came good before the finals and always showed more than White ever has.This Forward structure thread has Deja Vu written all over it. We have the same problem as 2011 just different names in 2012. Still looking for a saviour.Still no settled line up. The options are to bomb away to a one on one resting ruckman or a pack buster and have crumbers there to snare goals or chip the ball down till we can find a marking option in the forward 50 or try to develop a FF who can lead,mark and goal which means having an open forward line. Currently we are doing all 3 in the NAB cup and GC game which I guess is fair enough.My solution is Goodes to CHF and develop Reid as FF, Its radical but might be a Permiership move.

[sfan]

The forward line is a real problem still. Not settled at all. Too much is being expected of Reid. He still has a lot to learn and will be double teamed all year. We need to find another key forward to spread the load. If Reid cant get 2-3 goals each week we will strugle to get 100 points. I think Reid needs to play close to goal and lead from there. Aby more than 35 meters from goal and he is doubtful.

Goodes is needed has a roaming player so who is it going to be. Spangher is big enough. White does not have any self belief. Morton is a flanker type at his 3rd club. TDL has been unseen this preseason. Everitt dropped a lot of marks he should have taken yesterday.

[Mountain Man]

In relation to a forward structure, think the placement of a resting ruckman is one issue; the other is the emphasis on defensive pressure.

It seems to me OUR 'game plan' has evolved so that the prime objective is to make a very fast transition to get the ball into the forward 50 without time for opposition crowding.

That is fine when we win turnoverball, AND we have a the speedy Rohan or Jetta thereabouts to take on the opportunity. That plan would involve a very open forward line with the aformentioned stationed permanently on the wings/half forward positions.

If there is no quick turnover, then we are left with 'bomb it long' and we look awkward and mount no defensive pressure.

I am not 'bashing up' Longmire and the coaches, but it seems to me the advantages of us establishing how we want to play the forward 1/2 would outweigh the disadvantages of 'being predictable'.

[Swanner]

Dejavu

The forward line is a real problem still. Not settled at all. Too much is being expected of Reid. He still has a lot to learn and will be double teamed all year. We need to find another key forward to spread the load. If Reid cant get 2-3 goals each week we will strugle to get 100 points. I think Reid needs to play close to goal and lead from there. Aby more than 35 meters from goal and he is doubtful.

Goodes is needed has a roaming player so who is it going to be. Spangher is big enough. White does not have any self belief. Morton is a flanker type at his 3rd club. TDL has been unseen this preseason. Everitt dropped a lot of marks he should have taken yesterday.

I think plan A was Morton, white and Walsh but none did enough. Everitt has been pretty good for us when given a chance. Problem is the coaches keep only playing him in one spot for half a match and send him down back. White is gone he just doesn't get into the right spots and has had heaps of chances.

For mine it is lrt and everitt supporting Reid with the smalls, mcglynn, Rohan, okeefe. We also rotate Goodes, Mumford, Bolton, mcveigh.

[liz]

I am not 'bashing up' Longmire and the coaches, but it seems to me the advantages of us establishing how we want to play the forward 1/2 would outweigh the disadvantages of 'being predictable'.

I get the impression the coaches understand that being less predictable is key. Comments from Longmire in the post-match conferences suggest he has been a little bit frustrated with indeterminant long bombing.

In terms of the forward structure, I don't think we will get a real sense of how good it is (or whether it even exists) until the delivery forward improves. Long, quick kicking is a valid tactic at times but our midfielders have been spectacularly bad at times at kicking it to anything vaguely approaching the advantage of one of our forwards. When it is a quick kick out of the middle you kinda accept that it is pot luck who reads it best. But when the ball is being carried through the middle or down the wings, our players need to get a bit smarter about how they kick the ball. Jetta, Bird and (based on last season, ROK) are three of the worst culprits of banging the ball on the boot without even looking at what is ahead.