The Minson forward line experiment

**Go_Dogs** · 24-02-2008, 10:36 AM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

I feel we have to persist with Minson at full forward. He has the size, strength and for a bloke his size, reasonable mobility. All we should be expecting of Will at this stage is to provide a contest in those situations where the ball is bombed into the forward line, and providing the occasional lead and mark. He has proven he can do this in the past in brief patches, although without setting the world on fire. For mine though, he's the most likely to make a reasonable crack at it this year, and we just need to be patient.

**dog town** · 25-02-2008, 03:42 PM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

Minson and Wight are both learning new roles and it is too early to be overly critical of them. The way they have applied themselves and the way they have attacked the footy could not have been better so that is encouraging. Minson actually looked quite good at times but lacked a little bit of polish and confidence to top off his game.

It seems that we have adopted a bit of North's long kicking game and we are getting the ball in quickly and long. I dont neccesarily agree with that style but if we are going to play that style then I think our biggest concern is finding some crumbers to feed off Minson and co. In both games so far we have been murdered at the fall of the ball in our forward line. It is not something we have a natural abundance of because of the precision passing style we have previously played with. Aker, Coons and Higgins are proven crumbers around goal but two of them are needed further up the ground and one of them is still a child. I really believe that this could be a major issue for us if we continue with this modified game plan. It may also be a case of the players still adapting to it and not quite getting to the right spots just yet.

**Bornadog** · 14-01-2009, 10:01 AM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

Originally posted by Dogs 24/7

What did everyone think of Minson up forward?

Were there some good signs and he just has a lot of learning to do or is the experiment a risky one?

Where will Minson play in 2009? I think he will still have stints up forward but as Grant, Cordy etc start to learn the game, Minson may end up purely as an interchange player, rotating with Hudson.

**Sockeye Salmon** · 14-01-2009, 12:40 PM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

Originally posted by bornadog

Where will Minson play in 2009? I think he will still have stints up forward but as Grant, Cordy etc start to learn the game, Minson may end up purely as an interchange player, rotating with Hudson.

His role will stay exactly as it is until Hudson retires and Minson takes over as no. 1 ruckman (at least until Cordy or Roughead take his spot).

**Bornadog** · 14-01-2009, 12:43 PM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

Originally posted by Sockeye Salmon

His role will stay exactly as it is until Hudson retires and Minson takes over as no. 1 ruckman (at least until Cordy or Roughead take his spot).

I tend to agree, however, its not ideal. We need him and Hudson to take more contested marks, whether up forward or around the ground

**The Pie Man** · 14-01-2009, 12:49 PM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

Originally posted by bornadog

I tend to agree, however, its not ideal. We need him and Hudson to take more contested marks, whether up forward or around the ground

Which is why I'm starting to think he may struggle to make it as a consistent senior player. Maybe tradebait if both Cordy & Roughead come on well in 2 years. I love him though, not easy to write. Needs the mits working overhead to succeed

**Bulldog Revolution** · 14-01-2009, 03:42 PM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

Minson should feel a bit more at home in the forward line this year and hopefully will play better as a result of last years experience

**Desipura** · 14-01-2009, 04:04 PM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

Originally posted by Bulldog Revolution

Minson should feel a bit more at home in the forward line this year and hopefully will play better as a result of last years experience

Too much of a one trick pony for my liking (contested marks) and does not take enough of them. Does not have the agility to get away from his opponent and take a mark on a lead.

A true forward can take contested and uncontested marks and when they are struggling they lead long and hard to try and get into the play. Minson when he is struggling in the fwd line, either goes in the ruck or is benched.

I hope I am wrong however I cannot see how he can dramatically improve his forward work. He does not have an appetite for goals, he may be able to clear the path for others to get into the play ie Welsh, Johnno and possibly Grant.
You can only do so much with the ability you have been given.

I hope he has improved his stamina so he can ruck more than 10 minutes at a time as his grunt work is very good as shown in the final against Sydney.

**LostDoggy** · 14-01-2009, 04:07 PM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

Originally posted by Mofra

Shame Skipper is injured. He is Grant's height, heavier, has sharper reaction times & can take contested marks.
Skipper is also quite aggresive these days - would be interesting to see how pre-season set-ups would work fit Skipper.

The fact they gave Skipper another contract makes me think he fits in the plan somewhere??

I always thought he could have a shot at FF but just needed the confidence.
He'd got plenty of others knocking on the door now so if he can't pull his finger out in 2009 he's GAWN.

**The Bulldogs Bite** · 14-01-2009, 04:53 PM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

Originally posted by bc013

The fact they gave Skipper another contract makes me think he fits in the plan somewhere??

I always thought he could have a shot at FF but just needed the confidence.
He'd got plenty of others knocking on the door now so if he can't pull his finger out in 2009 he's GAWN.

Skipper was simply retained for back up. If one of Hudson/Minson are struck with injury, Skipper can fill a role. Cordy, Roughead, Mulligan & Shaw were never going to be ready for '09, so it was a sensible move by the club to keep him on the list for another season.

**Sockeye Salmon** · 14-01-2009, 05:01 PM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

Originally posted by The Bulldogs Bite

Skipper was simply retained for back up. If one of Hudson/Minson are struck with injury, Skipper can fill a role. Cordy, Roughead, Mulligan & Shaw were never going to be ready for '09, so it was a sensible move by the club to keep him on the list for another season.

We had a straight choice - Skipper or Street as back up.

**Bornadog** · 14-01-2009, 08:35 PM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

I thought Minson had a great second half of the season especially in the ruck, and in fact played really well in the finals. Too bad he missed a couple of easy goals against the Cats, as the result may very well have been different.

**MrMahatma** · 15-01-2009, 03:55 AM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

I thought it was OK - but if you look at the numbers - 20 odd goals from a ruckman changing through FF and also on the bench, you'd take it. If he was 100% FF that would've been around the 40+ goals. Not bad really.

**Go_Dogs** · 15-01-2009, 08:13 AM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

Originally posted by MrMahatma

I thought it was OK - but if you look at the numbers - 20 odd goals from a ruckman changing through FF and also on the bench, you'd take it. If he was 100% FF that would've been around the 40+ goals. Not bad really.

I'm not sure on the actual numbers, but he would have been one of the highest goal scoring rucks for the season I imagine.

**Bulldog Revolution** · 15-01-2009, 10:34 AM

Re: The Minson forward line experiment

Originally posted by Desipura

Too much of a one trick pony for my liking (contested marks) and does not take enough of them. Does not have the agility to get away from his opponent and take a mark on a lead.

A true forward can take contested and uncontested marks and when they are struggling they lead long and hard to try and get into the play. Minson when he is struggling in the fwd line, either goes in the ruck or is benched.

I hope I am wrong however I cannot see how he can dramatically improve his forward work. He does not have an appetite for goals, he may be able to clear the path for others to get into the play ie Welsh, Johnno and possibly Grant.
You can only do so much with the ability you have been given.

I hope he has improved his stamina so he can ruck more than 10 minutes at a time as his grunt work is very good as shown in the final against Sydney.

For many of the points you make I view his forward work as having enormous scope for improvement.

His contested marking can clearly improve and his conversion rate around goal. I think he did start to get a little more of the ball on the lead but thats another area he can improve. If I remember correctly he took a nice mark out in front of his face on the lead against Geelong in the prelim.

He's never going to be our go to forward, but he can still be part of the solution.

To develop the key forwards our side lacks we are going to have to blood players. I view Minson as having been blooded as a key forward in 2008. It was really the first time he was played as a forward for any length of time. He's still a work in progress but I'm hopefully he will have some more dominant games in 09

The Minson forward line experiment

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