End of Season - Trade Targets

[1eyedog]

Every team ( decent ones) don't have a small crumbing forward .
Sydney and Geelong have midfielders who play forward, and numerous players play both.

McGlynn and Stokes predominantly play forward. As do most others on GG's list. I can't remember seeing Garlett or Thomas in the middle either, maybe once or twice but that's it. Blair and Rioli spend a bit of time there. Milne would be another that rarely goes into the middle and then there's Betts who struggles away from goal.

[The Doctor]

McGlynn and Stokes predominantly play forward. As do most others on GG's list. I can't remember seeing Garlett or Thomas in the middle either, maybe once or twice but that's it. Blair and Rioli spend a bit of time there. Milne would be another that rarely goes into the middle and then there's Betts who struggles away from goal.

Fair enough but is Nahas what we really need?

[Remi Moses]

McGlynn and Stokes predominantly play forward. As do most others on GG's list. I can't remember seeing Garlett or Thomas in the middle either, maybe once or twice but that's it. Blair and Rioli spend a bit of time there. Milne would be another that rarely goes into the middle and then there's Betts who struggles away from goal.

Nahas never plays through the middle and that's a reason he doesn't play .
No to 23rd players

[Mofra]

Ben McGlynn? Mathew Stokes? Cyril Rioli? Lindsay Thomas? Luke Dahlhaus? Hayden Ballantyne? Jake Neade? Jeff Garlett? Jarryd Blair?

Ballantyne is a genuine small forward, ditto Thomas, but all of the others have had varying degrees of midfield time.

B-Mac is on record as saying he prefers versatile types who can play a couple of roles in the side, hence Dahl often playing high enough forward to be a pseudo midfielder anyway.

Truth be told I don't know why we are linked with Nahas - Hunter is super-agile and is a smart player, he will be best 22 sooner rather than later. I'd expect him to play 10+ games next year.

[Topdog]

Stokes has played a heap of midfield this year.

[boydogs]

Ballantyne is a genuine small forward, ditto Thomas, but all of the others have had varying degrees of midfield time.

B-Mac is on record as saying he prefers versatile types who can play a couple of roles in the side, hence Dahl often playing high enough forward to be a pseudo midfielder anyway.

All other things being equal, of course he does. But footy isn't cricket - you don't get the same advantage by having someone who can play multiple roles, as they can only play one of them at any given time. I would be more worried about whether they are any good, not whether they can be average in another part of the ground as well. Exhibit A: Andrejs Everitt

Truth be told I don't know why we are linked with Nahas - Hunter is super-agile and is a smart player, he will be best 22 sooner rather than later. I'd expect him to play 10+ games next year.

We're looking at a forward line of Campbell, Jones, Grant, Stringer and Crameri - that's not the mosquito fleet of 5 years ago. Is Hunter the type who can read the ball off the pack then breakaway and snap around the corner? Dahlhaus can, but Gia is on the way out and Higgins isn't explosive enough. I think we need to add some pace to our forward line, Nahas may not be the answer but I think he would do well in our side with the amount of ball directed to tall marking players.

[Remi Moses]

I don't get where your coming from ?
Players play everywhere in this era. Nahas has been tried and failed at Richmond, and under the feet of Riewoldt . Just watching Cyril on the half back flank!

[Mofra]

All other things being equal, of course he does. But footy isn't cricket - you don't get the same advantage by having someone who can play multiple roles, as they can only play one of them at any given time.

So team flexibility isn't an advantage? The ability to add an extra midfield rotation doesn't help the team? B-Mac (and probably every coach in the land) would disagree with you.

I would be more worried about whether they are any good, not whether they can be average in another part of the ground as well. Exhibit A: Andrejs Everitt

Currently best 22 for the reigning premiers, who can play lock-down or re-bounder, tall or medium. An excample that certainly doesn;t help your argument

We're looking at a forward line of Campbell, Jones, Grant, Stringer and Crameri - that's not the mosquito fleet of 5 years ago. Is Hunter the type who can read the ball off the pack then breakaway and snap around the corner? Dahlhaus can, but Gia is on the way out and Higgins isn't explosive enough. I think we need to add some pace to our forward line, Nahas may not be the answer but I think he would do well in our side with the amount of ball directed to tall marking players.

Disagree with your team list - Campbell is no certainty as a forward and many believe he is better suited to the no 1 ruck role (myself included). Stringer will run through the middle at times based on everything B-Mac's said, so again he's versatile.
Grant plays as a virtual small forward at times and yes I do believe he is a quick player, and Crameri is a massive "if" at this stage but is also very quick. We do tend to rest a midfielder/running type forward as well.

You can't quote the need for pace and use Gia's retirement as an example - his timetrials are measured on a sundial. Hunter certainly is a smart player, and if I had to choose between him and Nahas I'd take Hunter 100%.

[boydogs]

So team flexibility isn't an advantage? The ability to add an extra midfield rotation doesn't help the team? B-Mac (and probably every coach in the land) would disagree with you.

I said it was an advantage.

Currently best 22 for the reigning premiers, who can play lock-down or re-bounder, tall or medium. An excample that certainly doesn;t help your argument

Everitt was a disappointment, hence why he was traded. Sydney would probably be happy with the outcome of that trade but the point remains that rating someone in the draft or a trade based on their flexibility first and foremost is misguided.

Disagree with your team list - Campbell is no certainty as a forward and many believe he is better suited to the no 1 ruck role (myself included). Stringer will run through the middle at times based on everything B-Mac's said, so again he's versatile.
Grant plays as a virtual small forward at times and yes I do believe he is a quick player, and Crameri is a massive "if" at this stage but is also very quick. We do tend to rest a midfielder/running type forward as well.

You can't quote the need for pace and use Gia's retirement as an example - his timetrials are measured on a sundial. Hunter certainly is a smart player, and if I had to choose between him and Nahas I'd take Hunter 100%.

I'm not saying Gia creates the hole, I'm saying he doesn't fill it, so we agree on that.

If we don't end up with 4-5 players 190cm+ in the forwardline then we are probably OK with Dahlhaus, but if we do we need Hunter or someone else lower to the ground in there with them.

You may remember earlier in the year posters suggesting we had found a home for Clay Smith up forward, I'm open to that but I'm convinced we need someone there to fill that role.

[LostDoggy]

Nahas will be a handy addition to the Footscray vfl side next year

[Mofra]

You may remember earlier in the year posters suggesting we had found a home for Clay Smith up forward, I'm open to that but I'm convinced we need someone there to fill that role.

In Smith's absence we have Addison and at times Cross there - seems we favor a contested ball animal up forward, and we do seem to kick plenty of goals from contests. The consideration of Crameri, development of Stringer - there's a case for calling one of our forward six the "contested" forward. I'm not sure that leg-speed is a prerequisite for this role either.

If we want to add a small forward, then fine - but I don't want us to trade for a mediocre one when we don't have an absolute pressing need, as small forwards can often be found cheap at the end of the draft - Betts was a PSD pick, Dahl was a rookie, Milne was a rookie, Davey was a rookie, McGlynn was a rookie at the Hawks then part of a package deal to the Swans.

[jeemak]

I don't see a need for Nahas with Dahlhaus and Hunter working their way into careers that will be balanced between midfield duties and forward duties. Hrovat is going to have to get games somewhere too.

We also have Dickson being quite quick and very smart with the loose ball. Added to him, we have Grant with an ability to play small.

As for Higgins, I can't wait to see him with fitness operating in a functioning and effective forward line. I think we often forget that Higgins has for a few years since Johnson retired been seen as either our most dangerous forward or our second most dangerous forward. With Grant, Jones, Hunter, Dahlhaus, Crameri (potentially), Hrovat and Dickson running around in our forward line or through the middle, Higgins is going to be one of a number of problems the opposition have to deal with when facing a rounded forward line.

Stringer will be a utility, midfielder and forward. Once his fitness improves and he can spend more time in the middle of the ground, I don't think there'll be too many concerns about his talent being to generalised by being a jack of all trades. Just wait for it, he's going to be an accumulating game changing monster in the middle of the ground. The fact he'll be able to provide a couple of goals up forward when trying to break a tag will be a bonus.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

It's a good point re: Higgins.

His best years were when he was surrounded by extremely talented players around him (ie. Johnson, Aker, Murphy, Gia in 2009) and prior to that you could include Robbins around 06/07 when he first played.

Higgins struggles to cope with tags or quality defensive pressure as a number one or two target, but he gives really good value as that 4th-6th option. His '09 finals series was quite good for reasons similar to these. He was also very good in the 08 PF v Geelong, when Johnson/Aker/Gia/Hahn etc. would command most of the attention.

The biggest question is whether Higgins can be fit enough for long enough. He's (almost) as bad as Williams in that regard.

At least we've been able to develop a few forwards. This way, we aren't so reliant on Higgins returning and playing a significant role. If he stays fit, great. If not, we're building a good side without him.

[boydogs]

In Smith's absence we have Addison and at times Cross there - seems we favor a contested ball animal up forward, and we do seem to kick plenty of goals from contests. The consideration of Crameri, development of Stringer - there's a case for calling one of our forward six the "contested" forward. I'm not sure that leg-speed is a prerequisite for this role either.

The small forward has always been a defensive chasing and tackling asset, battling at ground level to lock the ball in. Speed helps with this.

If we want to add a small forward, then fine - but I don't want us to trade for a mediocre one when we don't have an absolute pressing need, as small forwards can often be found cheap at the end of the draft - Betts was a PSD pick, Dahl was a rookie, Milne was a rookie, Davey was a rookie, McGlynn was a rookie at the Hawks then part of a package deal to the Swans.

That's fine, I just get frustrated seeing players discounted solely because they are only good in one position, or when it is suggested players who show something in one position should be played somewhere else, like this:

Stringer will be a utility, midfielder and forward. Once his fitness improves and he can spend more time in the middle of the ground, I don't think there'll be too many concerns about his talent being to generalised by being a jack of all trades. Just wait for it, he's going to be an accumulating game changing monster in the middle of the ground. The fact he'll be able to provide a couple of goals up forward when trying to break a tag will be a bonus.

Posters have been saying the exact same thing about Higgins since he came to the club.

[jeemak]

Posters have been saying the exact same thing about Higgins since he came to the club.

I'm a little confused.

Higgins was a revelation as a first year player, jumping for marks and creating opportunities for himself and others prior to doing his elbow. Since then he's had one of the most horrible runs with injuriy and illness of any player to play for us. Even throughout that time, he's still been considered one of our most dangerous forward play makers by opposition clubs.

Stringer came to us severely underdone, after a junior career where he was considered talented enough to be the best one or two players in his draft year on the back of midfield and forward dominance, but hampered by a shocking injury. It's up to the club and Stringer himself to build his fitness (over three or four preseasons) and be in a position to be the utility we desperately need.