https://i.postimg.cc/MGDyrZZt/Screen...550-Chrome.jpg
Printable View
Wrong, with us he plays as a lock down defender. Previously he was an intercept defender. Prior to his injury against Melbourne his figures were pretty good.
I assume you knew all that so the tone of your comment is coming from a desire to ridicule and not simply pure ignorance.
Others here managed to explain the reason for getting O’Brien. I was in error thinking we wanted a key defender and had not realised we were after a Wood replacement.
Ah so role and position in the team can be a consideration? Yet you when you thought he was a key back recruit (a lockdown defender like Keath is now) possessions mattered and now that people are saying he's a Wood replacement (an intercept defender historically though not great at it recently) it doesn't?
Isn't that the wrong way around?
Yep Cordy should actually be playing Wood's role as the third tall (even though Wood has played multiple roles this year). Keath, Gards, Cordy (O'Brien) is the way I see it with Wood a break glass in case of emergency depth player. As a third tall O'Brien is an upgrade on Cordy due to his athleticism and superior ability under a high ball.
I do feel sorry for Cordy because he's had to do a lot of heavy lifting over the past few years through no fault of his own but in this time we've had a good look at him and he is deficient in too many areas to continue to be played. He's competitive but slow and has little to no confidence under a high ball. He tries hard to maintain shape but is too prone to brain farts and he provides no benefit with his disposal. Hopefully O'Brien can bring some surety in this role and can mirror Cordy's desperation. Would be a win for us.
O'Brien has some key physical attributes that I like and I hope a change of clubs and Bevo's guidance can turn him into an effective player for us.
I think O'Brien more addresses our inability to find good young key defenders (or really even try that hard).
The key defenders we have drafted of late have been:
2020-Nil
2019-Keath (trade)
2018-Gardner (MSD)
2017-Trengove (Trade), Naughton (Draft)
2016-Young (Draft), NMM? (Draft)
2015-Collins (Draft), Adams (Draft)
Ideally we would be able to turn to our list and have one waiting for more opportunity. We don't, and if we draft one it is unlikely they will be good to go in their first year (plus we don't know if they will even be available to draft). I prefer the idea of having a young tall we can give the opportunity to but O'Brien is a much more practical selection.
I mean really O'Brien is replacing Youngs spot in the squad, and since we were reluctant to play Young anyway it seems he doesn't need to do much to be an upgrade.
So, our key defensive stocks are now:
Keath
Gardner
Schache (swing man)
Cordy
O’Brien
Darcy (who knows, maybe he goes back? Like Naughty went forward)
It seems a reasonable mix of types and sizes to get the job done. Not elite, but I’m really keen to see how Schache can go (if we do that) as we suddenly have quite a bit of flex and a better user down there.
Does O’Brien play a similar role to Lever? Roughly same height and O’Brien is a decent mark who can read the play well and intercept. Obviously not in the same class as Lever but can see similarities. Continue to work on Gardner and Schache in the off season and we have a decent defensive unit with a number of options.
We will probably need Schache up forward but at least this gives us options prior to, and when, Bruce returns.