How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

[stefoid]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

Keep doing what we are doing and play him in bursts.

I agree with the poster who said we need to move the ball on quickly without turnovers -- thats going to do more for our goal scoring than any amount personel changes.

[LostDoggy]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

Johnson
Murphy
Akermanis
Higgins

4 of our 6 best forwards from last year are out or were playing injured today - I can't think of any team that could lose that much firepower and not have it effect their gamestyle.

I think taking Mooney, Hawkins, Johnson and Chapman out of the Geelong side would radically change the way they play, ditto Roo, Kosi, Milne & Schneider out of the Saints.

Totally agree Mofra, I was only thinking this yesterday. Last year we had fit and in form forwards - this year, Baz is trying to do it on his own. Weren't Johnno and Aker our highest goalkickers last year? Yes, Aker is down on form, but to have at least 2 of these guys on the park, fit and ready to go would be a bonus.

[Greystache]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

There is a bloke named Jones that should get a call up to play centre half forward. Apart from Lake, he is one player that knows how to take an overhead mark. He is no less ready than Williams who we have carried to 40 odd games due to his physical capabilities if nothing else.
Yes I know Jones is not 100kgs, he has a footy brain and has been in the system over 12 months. Grant got a game when he first started, Jones should at least get a game this week.

Dont worry what the club website says, he'd be easily mid 90's. His arms aren't greatly developed yet, but he has a big frame and is quite big through the legs.

Having watched Jones regularly I'm not opposed to bringing him in at some stage, but that's more about giving him a taste than fixing our structure. I think hypothetically if he played on the weekend he'd end up with about 7-8 possesions and maybe a goal or two, but I think there'd be 2 or 3 big contested marks in there.

I agree we looked so much more dangerous with two big marking forwards down there, opposition teams simply can't double team both Lake and Hall at the same time, and one on one they'll routinely win in a marking contest. But until Williams can actually play as a key defender and hold his own against a player with some degree of talent the point is moot.

[Mantis]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

I agree we looked so much more dangerous with two big marking forwards down there, opposition teams simply can't double team both Lake and Hall at the same time, and one on one they'll routinely win in a marking contest. But until Williams can actually play as a key defender and hold his own against a player with some degree of talent the point is moot.

With Hahn unable to compete in the air and Hill & Grant not physically strong enough we were very one-dimensional until Lake went forward.

With Merrett still misisng for Brisbane and with Staker and Maguire as the key defenders we almost have to roll the dice this week with the hope that our mids can win enough ball and Williams & Morris can hold Brown & Fev.

[Bornadog]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

Lake could be replaced by Robert Murphy. Sounds strange, but really Morris and Williams are our lock down defenders and Lake is a floating 3rd man up, which Murphy is more likely to be successful at than as a CHF when underdone

Williams isnot good enough yet to hold down the backline. Morris is too short for a KPP

[Desipura]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

With Hahn unable to compete in the air and Hill & Grant not physically strong enough we were very one-dimensional until Lake went forward.

With Merrett still misisng for Brisbane and with Staker and Maguire as the key defenders we almost have to roll the dice this week with the hope that our mids can win enough ball and Williams & Morris can hold Brown & Fev.

Maguire might not be fit to play this week, he came off with an injury to his foot. Big dice to roll expecting Williams & Morris to stop Fev & Brown.
If Rought comes in, he can pinch hit at CHF.

[Greystache]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

With Hahn unable to compete in the air and Hill & Grant not physically strong enough we were very one-dimensional until Lake went forward.

With Merrett still misisng for Brisbane and with Staker and Maguire as the key defenders we almost have to roll the dice this week with the hope that our mids can win enough ball and Williams & Morris can hold Brown & Fev.

It is tempting, and it's not as if we can't change back should it be going awry, but something tells me we'll err on the side of caution (just for something different!)

Also is it just me or do you think it's worth playing Grant (assuming he's not suspended) deep inside 50m as a pacy crumbing forward? I know that's not what we drafted him for and not what he'll be in the long term, but at the moment he's the only genuinely quick player, who's good below his knees, who has some goal sense, and will chase and apply defensive pressure we have. He also has the bonus of being good overhead should he be isolated one on one with a small defender.

[Mantis]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

Also is it just me or do you think it's worth playing Grant (assuming he's not suspended) deep inside 50m as a pacy crumbing forward? I know that's not what we drafted him for and not what he'll be in the long term, but at the moment he's the only genuinely quick player, who's good below his knees, who has some goal sense, and will chase and apply defensive pressure we have. He also has the bonus of being good overhead should he be isolated one on one with a small defender.

No.

We have very few of our forwards who are willing to work hard up the ground and as Grant is he has to continue in this role. Amongst many things in my Saturday morning 'rant' I asked for Stack, Hill and Grant to get on their bikes and to work up the ground... They didn't do this at all well.

[LostDoggy]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

I think we need to seriously consider Lake playing forward this week. Here's Brisbane's team from last week:


Brisbane Lions
B: Ashley McGrath, Matt Maguire, James Hawksley
HB: Travis Johnstone, Joel Patfull, Tom Collier
C: Justin Sherman, Sam Sheldon, Jared Brennan
HF: Todd Banfield, Jonathan Brown, Jack Redden
F: Luke Power, Brendan Fevola, Brent Staker
Foll: Mitchell Clark, Amon Buchanan, Michael Rischitelli
I/C: Daniel Rich, Simon Black, Matthew Leuenberger, Tom Rockliff


With Maguire looking like being out for a long period and also Mcgrath doing a hamstring it puts a massive whole in there already depleted backline. Merritt is still 2 weeks away from returning.

Patful would have to play on Hall, Who plays on Lake? If we can manage to dominate the midfield which we should. Lake + Hall could cause some massive issues for that backline. They will alsmot need to use Brennan as a CHB.

[jazzadogs]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

I think we need to seriously consider Lake playing forward this week. Here's Brisbane's team from last week:


Brisbane Lions
B: Ashley McGrath, Matt Maguire, James Hawksley
HB: Travis Johnstone, Joel Patfull, Tom Collier
C: Justin Sherman, Sam Sheldon, Jared Brennan
HF: Todd Banfield, Jonathan Brown, Jack Redden
F: Luke Power, Brendan Fevola, Brent Staker
Foll: Mitchell Clark, Amon Buchanan, Michael Rischitelli
I/C: Daniel Rich, Simon Black, Matthew Leuenberger, Tom Rockliff


With Maguire looking like being out for a long period and also Mcgrath doing a hamstring it puts a massive whole in there already depleted backline. Merritt is still 2 weeks away from returning.

Patful would have to play on Hall, Who plays on Lake? If we can manage to dominate the midfield which we should. Lake + Hall could cause some massive issues for that backline. They will alsmot need to use Brennan as a CHB.

In that scenario, it would have to be Morris on Fev and Williams on Brown. Everitt to come in and play on Staker.

It's a very tough decision for the MC, and not one that will work every week. It's good to have plan b's and c's, but I'd prefer to get our Plan A to work first.

[Mantis]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

It's a very tough decision for the MC, and not one that will work every week. It's good to have plan b's and c's, but I'd prefer to get our Plan A to work first.

Plan A I would think would have the following line-up on current form (Hahn being out of form) and with no injuries:

HF: Higgins, Murphy, Grant
F: Johnson, Hall, Hill

Back-up from Aker, Ward, Gia and maybe Hahn.

With the bolded players likely to miss we need to to look at other options which include Lake playing forward.

[jazzadogs]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

Plan A I would think would have the following line-up on current form (Hahn being out of form) and with no injuries:

HF: Higgins, Murphy, Grant
F: Johnson, Hall, Hill

Back-up from Aker, Ward, Gia and maybe Hahn.

With the bolded players likely to miss we need to to look at other options which include Lake playing forward.

Yep, good point. I didn't really think about that aspect of 'Plan A'...I was more referring to our delivery into the forward line, pressure etc, which we should be putting most of our efforts into improving.

But if we don't have a decent forward line that won't matter that much anyway.

[LostDoggy]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

Keep doing what we are doing and play him in bursts.

I agree with the poster who said we need to move the ball on quickly without turnovers -- thats going to do more for our goal scoring than any amount personel changes.

Agree with this post. He needs to be used as a surprise packet; I think he would struggle if left there permanently.

[LostDoggy]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

Agree with this post. He needs to be used as a surprise packet; I think he would struggle if left there permanently.

We need a swingman to play Lake up forward in bursts, and Hahn is not the man for the job. A classic modern day utility is Everitt, who could do a job up forward (no worse than Hahn, surely!) but also swing around with Lake (with some backline reshuffling) if needed.

[Hotdog60]

Re: How do we cover Lakes absence down back?

I'll throw this thought out there, what about trying Williams on the forward line. Tommy can take a mark overhead, a couple of games back he had a ping from 50 and it was just off line. He might prefer to lead up to the ball and he could have the defensive mind set as well.

Just a thought.