Our Forwards Going Into 2019

[Eastdog]

This is an area that has been a struggle for us even in our premiership year but how do we see our forward line going into the 2019 season. I think in 2018 there has been lots of upside in the likes of Billy Gowers, Josh Schache and Fergus Greene up there. Both have been taking some strong marks inside 50. Also good to see guys like Jack Macrae, Mitch Wallis, Josh Dunkley, Marcus Bontempelli scoring goals as well.

I think in the latter part of the season our ball movement from half back through the middle has been very good but still we can struggle at times to take full advantage inside 50. Inaccurate kicking as well need to be addressed and improved over the off season.

Discuss.

[Rocket Science]

Hang on, we have forwards?

[hujsh]

Hang on, we have forwards?

We do have players who occasionally start forward of the stoppage and might also try to run back into that space so the rest of our team have someone to attempt to kick at instead of just handing it over to the opposition.

If you look closely on the television you can occasionally make them out but you really need to be at the game if you want to see them.

[DOG GOD]

As long as we continue to long bomb into our 50 and being outmarked by opposition defenders, we will struggle to show any consistsancy. We need a well oiled machine. Fwds who work hard to make space required. We need schache or Boyd to take a major step in the “contested mark” category, and a small clever fwd (like a Luke Ryan).

Also, having 2-3 mids/hff who can pinpoint a kick to the chest from outside 50 is also very much required. Kelly please

[bornadog]

As long as we continue to long bomb into our 50 and being outmarked by opposition defenders, we will struggle to show any consistsancy. We need a well oiled machine. Fwds who work hard to make space required. We need schache or Boyd to take a major step in the “contested mark” category, and a small clever fwd (like a Luke Ryan).

Also, having 2-3 mids/hff who can pinpoint a kick to the chest from outside 50 is also very much required. Kelly please

For the year we were 9th overall for marks inside 50 - so not as bad as some clubs

[Mofra]

Contested marks are pretty rare at AFL level - I'd much rather have a clever forward who can get separation from their opponent.
Statistically, Fergus Greene was very good at this late in the year.
Another year into Schache wouldn't hurt.

Personally I'd like us to look at one more mature forward. Lloyd or Townsend from Richmond would be gettable as I don't; have much faith in Dickson getting on the park consistently next year if we do retain him.

[DOG GOD]

For the year we were 9th overall for marks inside 50 - so not as bad as some clubs

And that really surprises me Bornadog, considering the amount of times I’d wat h our games only to see us kick it straight to the opposition. That just goes to show our fwd 50 entries aren’t a problem, it’s just the execution.

[bornadog]

Contested marks are pretty rare at AFL level - I'd much rather have a clever forward who can get separation from their opponent.
Statistically, Fergus Greene was very good at this late in the year.
Another year into Schache wouldn't hurt.

Personally I'd like us to look at one more mature forward. Lloyd or Townsend from Richmond would be gettable as I don't; have much faith in Dickson getting on the park consistently next year if we do retain him.

I am a big pass on Lloyd and I don't know much about Townsend. If they were any good they would be playing seniors.

[WBFC4FFC]

Contested marks are pretty rare at AFL level - I'd much rather have a clever forward who can get separation from their opponent.
Statistically, Fergus Greene was very good at this late in the year.
Another year into Schache wouldn't hurt.

Personally I'd like us to look at one more mature forward. Lloyd or Townsend from Richmond would be gettable as I don't; have much faith in Dickson getting on the park consistently next year if we do retain him.

Think this is the aim, especially with the suggestion that Redpath will no longer be around.

Hope to see Boyd up there a bit more too, with English becoming a regular Ruck in 2019.

[Greystache]

And that really surprises me Bornadog, considering the amount of times I’d wat h our games only to see us kick it straight to the opposition. That just goes to show our fwd 50 entries aren’t a problem, it’s just the execution.

We get a lot of inside 50s, so by default we take an average number of marks. Our goals per inside 50 is the worst in the league.

The fact than outside of a couple of players even when we do take a mark we're no chance of kicking a good doesn't help.

[Axe Man]

I am a big pass on Lloyd and I don't know much about Townsend. If they were any good they would be playing seniors.

Such a simplistic view. We wouldn't have Gowers if that was the criteria for recruiting recycled players, he was delisted from Carlton for goodness sake, must be useless!

Lloyd has talent and Townsend was fantastic in the finals last year. Just because a player can't get a regular game, especially at a strong club with hardly any injuries, doesn't mean they don't have something to offer. The 25th player on Richmond's list is probably better than the 25th player on our list.

[Go_Dogs]

Potentially our forward line looks good heading into 2019, but a lot of it is getting improvement from everyone which is far from a given. We have the following players (assuming Dahl leaves):-

Dunkley
Gowers
Dickson
Picken
Wallis
Dale
Schache
Boyd
Lynch
Greene
McLean
Richards

And others we can rotate through (I'm possibly missing an obvious one.....) - we have a lot of options, plenty of improvement and quite a few players who are capable of 3+ shots on goal a game.

[hujsh]

Such a simplistic view. We wouldn't have Gowers if that was the criteria for recruiting recycled players, he was delisted from Carlton for goodness sake, must be useless!

Lloyd has talent and Townsend was fantastic in the finals last year. Just because a player can't get a regular game, especially at a strong club with hardly any injuries, doesn't mean they don't have something to offer. The 25th player on Richmond's list is probably better than the 25th player on our list.

Another way to look at it is our 7th best forward vs theirs.

[josie]

Dickson might reach 100 games....does anyone know if his son plays footy and if he is promising youngster?

The flexible mantra will I think help us. Mids rotating through forward line, confusing the opposition. Dale and Richards are reasonably quick, Lynch and Williams evasive and decent kicks. Bonti and Dunks and Schache and Jong good grabs and at least Schache is reasonably reliable kick for goal. Hopefully Boyd can bring ball to ground and act as a decoy for others, also if he is rucking less he might mark and kick better than recent times. The future is looking quite bright. Agree another smart, smaller forward might be useful. However a speedy inside/outside mid is I reckon a higher priority.

[GVGjr]

Did Bailey Williams do enough in limted chances to be regarded as a potential forward for next season?