Why can't we develop a key forward? [Archive]

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Dogmatic

01-05-2014, 01:52 PM

For over a decade we have been trying to find a key forward, and, even over the past 20+ years we really haven't developed a decent one besides Chris Grant.

We have had high draft picks as well as a number of trades come in to fill the void but we have never been successful besides some mature proven players that have come in at certain stages. Yet in that time clubs like Essendon have had Salmon, Lloyd, Lucas, Carlisle (Despite his form slump), Hurley etc. Geeloong have had Ablett, Brownless, Stoneham, Mooney, Hawkins.

It can't be just the players we have picked, it has to be our inability to develop key forwards.

We've always been able to develop ruckmen such as Wynd, Darcy, Minson where other clubs can't seem to....such as Hawthorn who has always traded in mature ruckmen such as Salmon, Rhen, Everitt, McEvoy

Are certain clubs incabable at developing certain types of players?

Remi Moses

01-05-2014, 02:44 PM

It's the big issue.
I think one aspect is crap luck in not Beeing bottom when a gun becomes available, a certain Sam Reid would be nice ( Ben also)
Bad choices more than coaching IMHO.

chef

01-05-2014, 02:47 PM

Agree, I dont think we haven't been bad at developing them. We just can't seem to draft them.

bornadog

01-05-2014, 03:32 PM

It's the big issue.
I think one aspect is crap luck in not Beeing bottom when a gun becomes available, a certain Sam Reid would be nice ( Ben also)
Bad choices more than coaching IMHO.

Sam Reid was available to all clubs as he was picked up around 30 something.

Generally you are right. eg. we went for Griffen and Williams instead of Buddy and Roughead.

Yet in that time clubs like Essendon have had Salmon, Lloyd, Lucas, Carlisle (Despite his form slump), Hurley etc. Geeloong have had Ablett, Brownless, Stoneham, Mooney, Hawkins.

Salmon was the 1980's as was Ablett, Brownless and Stoneham

Geelong are lucky with Hawkins a father/son, and Mooeny was recruited from North not developed by Geelong.

The past decade that you are talking about, many clubs have not been able to produce top line forwards.

Axe Man

01-05-2014, 03:41 PM

I think you will find that most of the current top key forwards in the league are either first round draft picks, father sons (Cloke, Hawkins, Brown), or are Jeremy Cameron (snaffled pre-draft by GWS).

Very rarely have we had the opportunity to draft these players in the past 10 or so years (Jack Riewoldt and Buddy the obvious exceptions off the top of my head).

You could argue that we should have traded up the draft order but nobody likes trading away top players and we could just as easily have ended up with a Gumbleton rather than a star.

Remi Moses

01-05-2014, 04:07 PM

I think most experts had Griffen ahead of Franklin or Roughy.
If we had 2 and 5 I'd imagine it would have been Roughy or Buddy.

bornadog

01-05-2014, 04:27 PM

I think most experts had Griffen ahead of Franklin or Roughy.
If we had 2 and 5 I'd imagine it would have been Roughy or Buddy.

Agree, I would still take Griffen. We are unlucky with Williams and his injuries, but could have been anything. Has missed about 100 games.

Dogmatic

01-05-2014, 05:10 PM

The past decade that you are talking about, many clubs have not been able to produce top line forwards.

I take your point, however, i'm not just talking about 'top line' key forwards.....we haven't even been able to develop anyone into a mediocre to good key forward such as Jay Schultz, Chris Dawes, Ty Vickery, Quinten Lynch, Ian Perrie

bornadog

01-05-2014, 05:14 PM

Dogmatic

01-05-2014, 05:17 PM

I wonder when was the last time we developed a key forward who kicked 30+ goals in a season?

Axe Man

01-05-2014, 05:23 PM

I wonder when was the last time we developed a key forward who kicked 30+ goals in a season?

Danny Del-Re?

Dogmatic

01-05-2014, 05:30 PM

Danny Del-Re?

I don't know the answer but it's depressing to think it could be Danny Del're

30 goals in a season isn't a big ask.....i'm not asking for Wayne Carey.....just produce somebody who can hold down a key forward spot and slot 30 goals a season.

In saying that....i'm not writing off Liam jones yet....he's the best we've got at the moment and he has talent, we just need him to keep improving.

bornadog

01-05-2014, 05:34 PM

Season
Leading Goalkicker
Goals

1925
Allan Hopkins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Hopkins)
40

1926
Les Chapple (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Chapple)
Allan Hopkins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Hopkins)
42

1927
Les Chapple (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Chapple)
32

1928
Alby Morrison (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alby_Morrison)
50

1929
Alby Morrison (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alby_Morrison)
50

1930
Alby Morrison (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alby_Morrison)
48

1931
Alby Morrison (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alby_Morrison)
36

1932
Les Dayman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Dayman)
37

1933
Alan Rait (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Rait)
59

1934
Alby Morrison (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alby_Morrison)
46

1935
Jack Ryan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_F._T._Ryan)
25

1936
Arthur Olliver (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Olliver)
37

1937
Arthur Olliver (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Olliver)
39

1938
Charlie Luke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Luke_(Australian_footballer))
44

1939
Charlie Page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Page)
31

1940
Charlie Page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Page)
52

1941
Allan Collins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Collins_(Australian_rules_footballer))
35

1942
Norman Ware (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Ware)
51

1943
Allan Collins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Collins_(Australian_rules_footballer))
40

1944
Bill Wood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Wood_(footballer))
51

1945
Joe Ryan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Ryan_(Australian_rules_footballer))
37

1946
Bill Wood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Wood_(footballer))
52

1947
Bill Wood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Wood_(footballer))
75

1948
Bill Wood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Wood_(footballer))
41

1949
Arthur Olliver (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Olliver)
28

1950
Bill Wood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Wood_(footballer))
45

1951
Charlie Sutton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Sutton)
Alby Linton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alby_Linton)
23

1952
Roger Duffy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Duffy_(Australian_rules_footballer))
20

1953
Jack C. Collins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_C._Collins)
50

1954
Jack C. Collins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_C._Collins)
84

1955
Jack C. Collins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_C._Collins)
60

1956
Max Cross (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Cross)
52

1957
Jack C. Collins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_C._Collins)
74

1958
Jack C. Collins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_C._Collins)
49

1959
Ray Baxter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Baxter)
42

1960
Ray Baxter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Baxter)
37

1961
Ted Whitten (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Whitten)
35

1962
Ted Whitten (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Whitten)
38

1963
George Bisset (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Bisset_(footballer))
Merv Hobbs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merv_Hobbs)
16

1964
George Bisset (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Bisset_(footballer))
Ted Whitten (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Whitten)
46

1965
Merv Hobbs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merv_Hobbs)
24

1966
Kevin Jackman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Jackman)
28

1967
George Bisset (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Bisset_(footballer))
27

1968
Ted Whitten (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Whitten)
36

1969
George Bisset (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Bisset_(footballer))
45

1970
George Bisset (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Bisset_(footballer))
45

1971
Bernie Quinlan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Quinlan)
48

1972
Laurie Sandilands (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurie_Sandilands)
39

1973
Laurie Sandilands (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurie_Sandilands)
34

1974
Laurie Sandilands (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurie_Sandilands)
50

1975
Laurie Sandilands (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurie_Sandilands)
47

1976
Kelvin Templeton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelvin_Templeton)
82

1977
Kelvin Templeton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelvin_Templeton)
40

1978
Kelvin Templeton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelvin_Templeton)
118

1979
Kelvin Templeton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelvin_Templeton)
91

1980
Kelvin Templeton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelvin_Templeton)
75

1981
Jim Edmond (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Edmond)
Shane Loveless (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_Loveless)
25

1982
Simon Beasley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Beasley)
82

1983
Simon Beasley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Beasley)
69

1984
Simon Beasley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Beasley)
61

1985
Simon Beasley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Beasley)
105

1986
Simon Beasley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Beasley)
88

1987
Simon Beasley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Beasley)
73

1988
Simon Beasley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Beasley)
82

1989
Adrian Campbell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Campbell)
21

1990
Chris Grant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Grant)
51

1991
Doug Hawkins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Hawkins)
38

1992
Danny Del-Re (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Del-Re)
70

1993
Danny Del-Re (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Del-Re)
36

1994
Chris Grant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Grant)
71

1995
Richard Osborne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Osborne)
53

1996
Jason Watts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Watts)
44

1997
Simon Minton-Connell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Minton-Connell)
43

1998
Paul Hudson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Hudson_(Australian_rules_footballer))
61

1999
Paul Hudson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Hudson_(Australian_rules_footballer))
51

2000
Rohan Smith (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohan_Smith)
42

2001
Brad Johnson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Johnson_(Australian_rules_footballer))
48

2002
Nathan Brown (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Brown_(Australian_footballer,_born_1978))
57

2003
Nathan Brown (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Brown_(Australian_footballer,_born_1978))
56

2004
Luke Darcy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Darcy)
Jade Rawlings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jade_Rawlings)
30

2005
Brad Johnson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Johnson_(Australian_rules_footballer))
42

2006
Brad Johnson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Johnson_(Australian_rules_footballer))
74

2007
Brad Johnson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Johnson_(Australian_rules_footballer))
59

2008
Brad Johnson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Johnson_(Australian_rules_footballer))
50

2009
Jason Akermanis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Akermanis)
43

2010
Barry Hall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Hall)
80

2011
Barry Hall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Hall)
55

2012
Daniel Giansiracusa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Giansiracusa)
28

2013 GIA 36

bornadog

01-05-2014, 05:36 PM

Crameri leading so far with 14 this season. At this rate could kick 50

1eyedog

01-05-2014, 05:37 PM

I take your point, however, i'm not just talking about 'top line' key forwards.....we haven't even been able to develop anyone into a mediocre to good key forward such as Jay Schultz, Chris Dawes, Ty Vickery, Quinten Lynch, Ian Perrie

But Schultz, Dawes and Lynch no longer player at the clubs that 'developed' them. Schultz was terrible at Richmond, Dawes was just ok at Collingwood and Vickery is way out of favour with the coach. The jury is out on Jones and we thought Grant may have been a key forward but he's not. We flopped with Walsh and have been unlucky with Williams.

It ain't easy getting a great key forward unless you have a pick between 1-3 IMHO and we used these on Griff and Cooney.

bornadog

01-05-2014, 05:41 PM

But Schultz, Dawes and Lynch no longer player at the clubs that 'developed' them. Schultz was terrible at Richmond, Dawes was just ok at Collingwood and Vickery is way out of favour with the coach. The jury is out on Jones and we thought Grant may have been a key forward but he's not. We flopped with Walsh and have been unlucky with Williams.

It ain't easy getting a great key forward unless you have a pick between 1-3 IMHO and we used these on Griff and Cooney.

If we were smart enough we would have chased Schultz. We went for Dawes but he preferred Melbourne.

1eyedog

01-05-2014, 05:45 PM

If we were smart enough we would have chased Schultz. We went for Dawes but he preferred Melbourne.

Schultz turned out to be a far better player at Port and I reckon we dodged a bullet with Dawes to be honest. We are that desperate that we considered Gumbleton the year before and put forward a 3 year deal, talk about dodging bullets. It comes down to a bit of luck more than anything even if you have a pick between 5-10.

A Henderson would do wonders for us. A good versatile performer, nothing more nothing less. I'm not unsold on Roughead playing CHF one day but that's never going to happen until we get another good key back. It would almost be worth going after Frawley so Roughead could play forward but not at 800k a season.

bornadog

01-05-2014, 05:54 PM

Schultz turned out to be a far better player at Port and I reckon we dodged a bullet with Dawes to be honest. We are that desperate that we considered Gumbleton the year before and put forward a 3 year deal, talk about dodging bullets. It comes down to a bit of luck more than anything even if you have a pick between 5-10.

A Henderson would do wonders for us. A good versatile performer, nothing more nothing less. I'm not unsold on Roughead playing CHF one day but that's never going to happen until we get another good key back. It would almost be worth going after Frawley so Roughead could play forward but not at 800k a season.

Agreed on Dawes and Gumbleton. In fact we probably wouldn't have had Crameri if we had traded for one of those. I think Crameri is a steel at 25 years old.

I don't know how Carlton managed to get Henderson from Brissie.

Ozza

01-05-2014, 05:56 PM

Henderson would be terrific - but remember he was a number 8 pick himself - and fortunately enough for Carlton, they were able to secure him in the Fevola deal.

We went for Grant in that draft at pick 5.

Success stories from that draft include Dangerfield at 10 (imagine having him!), Rioli (12), Ebert (13) and Harry Taylor (17).

chef

01-05-2014, 06:25 PM

I don't know how Carlton managed to get Henderson from Brissie.

Crazy Vossy.

LostDoggy

01-05-2014, 06:25 PM

Carlton basically got Hendo and Brock Mclean for Fev............free money! Brissy gave the Blues a first rounder as well which they traded to Melbourne for Mclean.

bornadog

01-05-2014, 06:27 PM

Crazy Vossy.

Trying for that elite forward makes you do crazy things :p

Mofra

01-05-2014, 07:06 PM

We had Pods under our nose for years - he could have been more than serviceable, and cheap.

Perhaps we'll try our arm with a mature ager? If it takes 50 games to develop a player, and a tall may not play in their first season or two, you're looking at a 6 year investment for "serviceable". It's a huge cost, and even the kids who look promising early often end up in other parts of the ground (ie Minson, Skipper, Lake)

lemmon

01-05-2014, 08:51 PM

To be fair Henderson didn't look much at Brisbane and has only really found his form after being sent back

Remi Moses

01-05-2014, 09:37 PM

To be fair Henderson didn't look much at Brisbane and has only really found his form after being sent back

Little bit tough judging a young KPP on just a few games.

lemmon

01-05-2014, 10:04 PM

Little bit tough judging a young KPP on just a few games.

Just looked it up then, thought he was at Brisbane longer than two seasons

Dancin' Douggy

01-05-2014, 10:39 PM

This years draft my friends............this years draft.

The bulldog tragician

01-05-2014, 11:01 PM

1eyedog

01-05-2014, 11:27 PM

Those stats on Johno amaze me all over again. What an amazingly consistent and productive forward he was to have so regularly topped our goal kicking. I know it didn't deliver the ultimate success, but that short speedy forward line for most of the Eade era was just so much fun to watch, so hard for others to match up on, and it used to seem so easy for them to put on an 8 goal burst.

The year that Johnno won the AA captaincy was equal best that I have seen from a Bulldogs player. He played power forward at just a touch under 6 feet tall and weighing in under 85 kgs. His contested marking was as good as I've seen. He was Ablett Senior-like that year.

bulldogtragic

02-05-2014, 04:42 AM

If we are going to kick ourselves for anything, we should have moved heaven and earth to get into the Judd trade and grab Kennedy somehow. Who knows, if Buddy goes to GWS we get Patton...

I think our problem, at least for some period, was trying to land a 200cm player or KPF who was an athlete first and foremost. It was a philosophy to recruitment that didn't turn out to a great one. And then beyond that we persisted with some too long, I never thought much of Skip and less of Wight. I always hoped that Stevey Tiller would make it, but if guess he was one of the unlucky ones who didn't get a long contract extension for being tall and could run.

Alas, it's list management and drafting more than coaching or development. In another dimension no GWS or GCS we've got Harbrow with Bob at HBF, Ward as captain and Patton and/or Cameron and/or Boyd and another few top liners and were toasting who ever was at the helm. I think our big issue is not dropping to the bottom of the ladder to get a pick 1 or 2 type dead set gun. We dropped off the end of 2012 and came good end 2013 and we didn't get a draft reward for 4 game wins in 22. I'm expecting pick 3 or 4 this year and I'm very hopeful about us hopefully getting a good KPF at this pick.

Ozza

02-05-2014, 09:51 AM

If we are going to kick ourselves for anything, we should have moved heaven and earth to get into the Judd trade and grab Kennedy somehow. Who knows, if Buddy goes to GWS we get Patton...

I think our problem, at least for some period, was trying to land a 200cm player or KPF who was an athlete first and foremost. It was a philosophy to recruitment that didn't turn out to a great one. And then beyond that we persisted with some too long, I never thought much of Skip and less of Wight. I always hoped that Stevey Tiller would make it, but if guess he was one of the unlucky ones who didn't get a long contract extension for being tall and could run.
Alas, it's list management and drafting more than coaching or development. In another dimension no GWS or GCS we've got Harbrow with Bob at HBF, Ward as captain and Patton and/or Cameron and/or Boyd and another few top liners and were toasting who ever was at the helm. I think our big issue is not dropping to the bottom of the ladder to get a pick 1 or 2 type dead set gun. We dropped off the end of 2012 and came good end 2013 and we didn't get a draft reward for 4 game wins in 22. I'm expecting pick 3 or 4 this year and I'm very hopeful about us hopefully getting a good KPF at this pick.

I guess Steve's only other problem was that he couldn't play!

Axe Man

02-05-2014, 10:39 AM

I guess Steve's only other problem was that he couldn't play!

He also wasn't tall enough to be a key position player at 191cm.

LostDoggy

02-05-2014, 11:22 AM

Alas, it's list management and drafting more than coaching or development. In another dimension no GWS or GCS we've got Harbrow with Bob at HBF, Ward as captain and Patton and/or Cameron and/or Boyd and another few top liners and were toasting who ever was at the helm. I think our big issue is not dropping to the bottom of the ladder to get a pick 1 or 2 type dead set gun. We dropped off the end of 2012 and came good end 2013 and we didn't get a draft reward for 4 game wins in 22. I'm expecting pick 3 or 4 this year and I'm very hopeful about us hopefully getting a good KPF at this pick.

^^^
This, we were in the sweet spot for high draft picks right when we didn't want to be, we were also the hardest hit of any club with the expansion clubs taking gun players (Harbrow was less gunnish when he got GC but gun nonetheless). They should have said that if CG took one off you GWS couldn't, how other clubs got away unscathed still really irritates me.

Sure we got Macrae for Ward, and he is a star (still take Ward any day). But all we got for Hardbrow ended up being a dweeb at best in the form of the Sherminator.

Maddog37

02-05-2014, 11:25 AM

Adelaide copped it pretty hard from the new teams too.

Scorlibo

02-05-2014, 11:35 AM

^^^
This, we were in the sweet spot for high draft picks right when we didn't want to be, we were also the hardest hit of any club with the expansion clubs taking gun players (Harbrow was less gunnish when he got GC but gun nonetheless). They should have said that if CG took one off you GWS couldn't, how other clubs got away unscathed still really irritates me.

Sure we got Macrae for Ward, and he is a star (still take Ward any day). But all we got for Hardbrow ended up being a dweeb at best in the form of the Sherminator.

The biggest problem with losing both Harbrow and Ward was that they are in the right age bracket to improve our team right about now. In drafts from 04-07, we have only Griffen, Higgins, Wood and Grant as regular senior players. If we still had Everitt, Ray, Harbrow and Ward we would be improving more quickly than we currently are.

bornadog

02-05-2014, 12:17 PM

The biggest problem with losing both Harbrow and Ward was that they are in the right age bracket to improve our team right about now. In drafts from 04-07, we have only Griffen, Higgins, Wood and Grant as regular senior players. If we still had Everitt, Ray, Harbrow and Ward we would be improving more quickly than we currently are.

Big gap in the 100 to 150 games bracket

Mofra

02-05-2014, 12:36 PM

This years draft my friends............this years draft.
If they make it (big if) that will help us in 2018... perhaps.

I'm all for selection one (if available) but I'd be happy with a late pick on an established VFL/SANFL player who can contribute now, "barely servcieable" is a low benchmark but may just be enough given what we have on the list now.

Eastdog

02-05-2014, 02:10 PM

Eastdog

02-05-2014, 02:12 PM

Big gap in the 100 to 150 games bracket

Yeah that's a big problem for us. We have a lot of older very experienced players in the side along with every young players starting out but which give us some great excitement.

bornadog

02-05-2014, 02:15 PM

Would have been great to have those players still in our side.

I don't think many supporters would want Ray and Everitt.

Eastdog

02-05-2014, 02:22 PM

I don't think many supporters would want Ray and Everitt.

Why though BAD as they have been not too bad since leaving us would you say.

bornadog

02-05-2014, 02:25 PM

Why though BAD as they have been not too bad since leaving us would you say.

I really don';t want to have a debate on Everitt. He is now at his third club and he is just travelling ok.

LostDoggy

02-05-2014, 02:35 PM

Farren took a while but has really become a useful runner from HB through the wing. We got Jordy Roughead for him essentially which is a KP win for once.

BulldogBelle

02-05-2014, 02:43 PM

Mantis

02-05-2014, 02:45 PM

Farren took a while but has really become a useful runner from HB through the wing. We got Jordy Roughead for him essentially which is a KP win for once.

Farren is still a very limited & frustrating player.

Re: OP - Was Grant really a gun power forward as stated? Gun player no doubt, but I never really classed him as a power forward.. Maybe I'm just being pedantic.

Scorlibo

02-05-2014, 02:45 PM

Farren took a while but has really become a useful runner from HB through the wing. We got Jordy Roughead for him essentially which is a KP win for once.

It was Liam Jones who we may have missed out on (because we took Roughead first, and presumably would have taken him at 32 also). Jury it still out I suppose, but it's important to remember that in that trade we also gave up pick 48 - it was an upgrade, not a straight swap. I would have liked to have kept Farren, he's a genuinely good player now.

Remi Moses

02-05-2014, 02:53 PM

Farren Ray's been reasonable at Stkilda, kicking is still an issue.
Everitt can't play one on one ( although he has a KP size) they're not players who would make a difference to our ladder position
Ward and Harbrow are big losses

bornadog

02-05-2014, 03:31 PM

Was Chris Grant really a gun power forward as stated? Gun player no doubt, but I never really classed him as a power forward.. Maybe I'm just being pedantic.

Why not, one of the all time great CHFs

Eastdog

02-05-2014, 03:34 PM

Why not, one of the all time great CHFs

Absolutely he was a great player and even after he did his knee he still played an important role down back for us.

Remi Moses

02-05-2014, 04:25 PM

Chris Grant was the best Forward in the 97 98 period.
Admittingly Carey had a big injury at the time, but Chris was the best key forward in that time .
Probably the best key back before that as well

1eyedog

02-05-2014, 05:55 PM

Why not, one of the all time great CHFs

Yep and a power forward. Memories of him steaming out of the goal square nearly killing blokes in packs. Also one of the best one on one marks I've seen.

bornadog

02-05-2014, 05:57 PM

Yep and a power forward. Memories of him steaming out of the goal square nearly killing blokes in packs. Also one of the best one on one marks I've seen.

17 years old and kicked 50 odd goals, still an AFL record. Boy would love another one of him now.