The roles of Cross & Boyd

[Mantis]

What are they??

For me they both should be playing lock down roles first and foremost and then working off there opponents when they opportune time arises.

To me it looks pretty much that they are both playing head to head roles, but neither have the attacking skills to really hurt the opposition.

Are there roles being played as I see them? If I am correct should there roles be re-defined such that they give our midfield a more accountable edge to it?

[The Coon Dog]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Yap, agree that we should have a more accountable midfield. Carlton pantsed us at the stoppages & last week no one was within cooee of McVeigh. Allow Harvey that latitude this week & he'll have a picnic.

The 2 you mentioned are the best bets to play the lockdown role, just look back to the job Boydy did on Kerr earlier this year.

[Topdog]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Some have mentioned that we have perhaps been trying to teach Cooney to be more accountable whilst our finals spot is guaranteed. It makes a lot of sense and I personally think that Eade likes to teach his players during games a lot.

This year we have seen around 10 players play literally every position on the ground (bar CHB and FB).

[Go_Dogs]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

What are they??

For me they both should be playing lock down roles first and foremost and then working off there opponents when they opportune time arises.

Exactly. I've harped on about this many times over the last 12 months after 2007 saw them both move away from more defensive roles. We need at least one of them doing the lock down thing.

I'm content with Ray being the other lockdown player.

But yes, Boyd and Cross are both at their best when they're not letting their direct opponent any freedom.

[Mofra]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

This year we have seen around 10 players play literally every position on the ground (bar CHB and FB).

Cooney certainly has - including at least one ruck contest at both a centre bounce & throw in.

Eagle has been thrown around alot more as well.

[Bornadog]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Cross hasn't got the pace to go with many of the elite midfielders. He is your classic in and under player at packs, stoppages, centre bounces. I agree that Boyd is the ideal lock down player and Ray has done a good job for us in the past. Eagle has been used in that role more this year. Gone are the day where Eagle is running at full pace along the wing, bouncing and carrying the ball.

[LostDoggy]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Cross hasn't got the pace to go with many of the elite midfielders. He is your classic in and under player at packs, stoppages, centre bounces. I agree that Boyd is the ideal lock down player and Ray has done a good job for us in the past. Eagle has been used in that role more this year. Gone are the day where Eagle is running at full pace along the wing, bouncing and carrying the ball.

Agree bornadog. Boyd can be used in a lock down role. Crossy is our new Westy. Not quick enough to run as a tagger but very handy at the bottom of packs at stoppages.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

As said above, one of them needs to play the lockdown role if we're going to be a contender - for mine, it's Boyd.

At times, Boyd struggles a little bit when he's not given a specific role. He can win the ball, there's no doubt about that, but Boyd's at his best when he's told to negate a quality opposition player AND work off them when we have the footy. He does this very well, I'm not sure why we haven't used him in this type of role more often. If it's because we're 'saving' it for the Finals, I can understand to some degree, but I think it's important to warm Boyd up for this sort of role and play him on Harvey this week.

In the Finals, Boyd v Mitchell & Boyd v Bartel are the type of match-ups I would be looking for. He's developed into a very good player Boydy, but as said, our midfield desperately needs to refine it's defensive skills. Crossy needs to pay close attention to his man, but I don't think we would want both of them tagging - Cross has to win the ball for us but contain his direct opponent, which usually, he does OK.

[1eyedog]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

What are they??

For me they both should be playing lock down roles first and foremost and then working off there opponents when they opportune time arises.

To me it looks pretty much that they are both playing head to head roles, but neither have the attacking skills to really hurt the opposition.

Are there roles being played as I see them? If I am correct should there roles be re-defined such that they give our midfield a more accountable edge to it?

Yep I discussed this in another post, our lack of midfield defensive pressure and that opposition mids are getting on top of us. Boyd and Crossy need to forget about being top line mids and do the roles they do so well, applying pressure, winning hard ball when they can stopping opposition guns, Boyd in particular id fantastic at this, probably our best stopper now. Leave the glitz and glamour to Cooney to and Griff.

[Rocket Science]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Yep I discussed this in another post, our lack of midfield defensive pressure and that opposition mids are getting on top of us. Boyd and Crossy need to forget about being top line mids and do the roles they do so well, applying pressure, winning hard ball when they can stopping opposition guns, Boyd in particular id fantastic at this, probably our best stopper now. Leave the glitz and glamour to Cooney to and Griff.

Improved accountability is something we simply must get right in the lead-up to September otherwise we risk being a soft touch...as already said, both Cross and Boyd can play this role well and should be deployed in this fashion as the situation requires, but they're also our best distributors out of traffic, particularly in the absence of Westy.

One attribute shouldn't come at the absolute expense of the other...They can serve us well while simultaneously 'distributing' and 'pressuring', but agreed we need a little more emphasis on the latter.

[Mantis]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

And their roles are too....

[GVGjr]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

The coach assigns the roles and he should expect the players to adhere to them. It seems to be that Eade wants them as primarily free running players which isn't working against the more accountable teams. North are very good at assigning players specific roles.

[Mantis]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

The coach assigns the roles and he should expect the players to adhere to them. It seems to be that Eade wants them as primarily free running players which isn't working against the more accountable teams. North are very good at assigning players specific roles.

Which doesn't work because their decision making and skill level are the pits.

They both have hearts as big as Phar Lap, but sometimes that doesn't mean too much.

[GVGjr]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

Which doesn't work because their decision making and skill level are the pits.

They both have hearts as big as Phar Lap, but sometimes that doesn't mean too much.

So Eade needs to redefine their roles within the side because they aren't going to get a whole lot better skill wise.

I have always thought that Cross could be a good HBF because he is a very good mark for his size.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: The roles of Cross & Boyd

I have always thought that Cross could be a good HBF because he is a very good mark for his size.

Probably a little slow to play off half back, doubt he's ever actually 'won' a foot race, and even though he's a strong mark we've got enough 'ordinary' disposal coming out of the backline as it is.

I agree their roles need to be changed though, because they both turn the ball over by foot far too often - especially Cross - whilst opposition midfielders are generally having a field day.

As good as Crossy's hands are, Westy is by far the best in the business and we sorely miss him right now.