2009 Forward Structure

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

The Intra Club in Tassie got me thinking about what the coaches might be aiming for as a forward line.

I oringially thought 4 talls, a rotating mdifielder type e.g. Crawf, Bateman, Lewis and a small crumber i.e. Rioli.

With Stokes doing so well and playing in the same team as Rioli in the Tasie game, maybe it's the four talls, currently Buddy, Boyle, Roughie and Willo with the two members of the mosquito fleet, leaving our midfielders to fill positions on the bench rotating through the middle and getting a shot up forward if Rioli and Stokes are getting beaten. Those two can then join the mdifield rotation.

That way Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis, Crawf and Sewell would start on the ground in the midfield, potentially with the fantastic depth of Young, Bateman and Clarke/Tuck/Muston on the interchange.

What do people think?

 

[markr]

The big question is whether we play our HFFs as midfielders like last season. If we do we're left with four forward slots, of those we'll play three talls and a small who will need to tackle like hell to try and help hold the ball in if it hits the deck.

The problem with Willo is that he doesn't put on the defensive pressure that we require from the small player, so you need to consider him one of the talls. Although from some reports he may end up playing as one of our HFFs?

 

[Hawks 08]

Thorp, Roughead, Rioli
Stokes, Franklin, Williams

 

[Easy Slips Catch]

By the end of the season it will be:

Rioli Thorp Boyle
Willo Buddy Ossie

Ossie must play there to give the forwardline some teeth. Roughie can play both ends. Down back he gives the whole side a lift in class.

 

[Hawkers Hero]

I have been thinking about the forward line alot and the more I do the more I become convinced we wont go back to the 'box' for another year.

IMO with the number and *potential* quality of our forwards we could well play a traditional 6 man forward line with 3 talls, a mid and 2 smalls.

The only problem I see with not having the resting mid on the flank is that you are two mids short (if stokes and rioli are the smalls) on last year and with arguably our greatest attribute being the ability to run out games that could hurt us.

My end of season forward line will probably look like;

Resting Mid - Thorp - Franklin
Rioli - Boyle - Williams

The above obviously assumes that Roughie will go back, but if he doesn't then I would expect that he will be Thorps place with Boyle moving out to CHF.

 

[hodge = gun]

HF: Franklin Thorp Hodge
F: Williams Dowler Rioli

 

[play2win]

it is soooo hard to predict these things but.......

i also think the box may not be the way to go this year. a team needs to change to avoid becoming stagnant and predictable. so saying that, i think we will see some changes over the season in the forward line to put some chaos into the mix.

i also wouldn't mind picking the forward line as a horses for courses type thing - we have the numbers/forwards to go both tall and small and it fits well with developing the list and keeping the automatic selections fresh.

we already have 1 automatic inclusion with willo and new possibilities in rioli/stokes and maybe dew. considering this clarko may try what essendon did in the first half of the season and include the explosive runners/defenders around the forward line to maintain pressure and keep the ball in the forward line. i think this is a real possibility for the start of the year when we are down a couple of our starting mids. but also being mindful that these guys are young, and will struggle to run out games let alone play in the 22 for the whole season.

 

[cradle of filth]

HF: Cyril Rioli, Mitch Thorp, Cameron Stokes
F: Mark Williams, Lance Franklin, Tim Boyle/Beau Dowler

Roughead will be moved to defense

 

[Roughie]

I am more interested in the formation. Will we still use the box? or will we set up a forward line that will benefit our smalls at getting at our talls feet? From there it will be easier to pick our forward line. I also hope Roughie stays up forward!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Scribe]

According to most of the posters on the Hawthorn boards, our forward line will probably look like this

HF---space----THORP------space
FF---THORP---THORP-----THORP

Alternatively, in a box formation:

THORP-------THORP

THORP-------THORP

Another option could be a 3 tiered staggered KPP formation

THORP

THORP

THORP

with THORP & THORP to crumb coming of a HBF

Q. How many senior possessions has Thorp amassed in his illustrious career?
A. 5 (divide by 2 because against Richmond) = 2.5

Could be the next Courtney Johns.

 

[kirbatron]

Dowler -- Boyle -- Franklin -- Thorp

Rioli -- Dew -- Roughead -- Williams

Osbourne - the loose man in the forward line.

It's slightly crowded atm, but expect this to be fairly accurate.

 

[bigmick]

Dowler -- Boyle -- Franklin -- Thorp

Rioli -- Dew -- Roughead -- Williams

Osbourne - the loose man in the forward line.

It's slightly crowded atm, but expect this to be fairly accurate.

thats actually pretty good.... keep this up and my faith might be restored in big footy posters

 

[lethalselbow]

Rioli and Stokes both playing in the Hawthorn forward line in 2008?

Tell 'em they're dreaming.

Great as it sounds, if i see those two on the park together I'd say we've got lots of injuries or we've lost too many games and can't make the 8 and are testing out new setups for '09.

I think the setup might be more traditional.

Boyle -- Franklin -- Dew

Osbourne -- Roughead -- Williams

 

[Roughie]

Rioli and Stokes both playing in the Hawthorn forward line in 2008?

Tell 'em they're dreaming.
Great as it sounds, if i see those two on the park together I'd say we've got lots of injuries or we've lost too many games and can't make the 8 and are testing out new setups for '09.

I think the setup might be more traditional.

Boyle -- Franklin -- Dew

Osbourne -- Roughead -- Williams

They would have to be dreaming because Stokes is a rookie and cannot play Home And Away games unless senior listed for a long term injury list.

 

[Tonka]

The Intra Club in Tassie got me thinking about what the coaches might be aiming for as a forward line.

I oringially thought 4 talls, a rotating mdifielder type e.g. Crawf, Bateman, Lewis and a small crumber i.e. Rioli.

With Stokes doing so well and playing in the same team as Rioli in the Tasie game, maybe it's the four talls, currently Buddy, Boyle, Roughie and Willo with the two members of the mosquito fleet, leaving our midfielders to fill positions on the bench rotating through the middle and getting a shot up forward if Rioli and Stokes are getting beaten. Those two can then join the mdifield rotation.

That way Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis, Crawf and Sewell would start on the ground in the midfield, potentially with the fantastic depth of Young, Bateman and Clarke/Tuck/Muston on the interchange.

What do people think?

On the whole our midfielders do not make good forwards.

We have some midfielders who can play a bit at half-forward. We need to balance the team with half-forwards who can play a bit in the middle.

So yeah I agree with your new thinking. From descriptions Rioli and Stokes appear the types we need. Whether they are good enough ...

Also, the second member of the proposed mosquito fleet wouldn't have to push the surplus midfielder playing at half-forward out of the 18. We could have him on the bench player.

Either way I think the need is there for the mosquito fleet you have talked about - in goal crumbing, defensive pressure and adding greater pace to the team.

 

[Gold Member]

I don't think Dewy will play forward. AC will look to use his precise delivery to hit up targets.

If this fails he can just have a ping from the centre circle!


2009 may be back to traditional six man forward setup. AC and Pelco spent enought time studying recent premiership teams and surely the keys are FF and CHF, the box will be back-up. We will be able to adapt on the fly.

My guess.


Rioli - Rough - Ossie

Williams - Thorp - Franklin



Rioli = mercurial crumber
Rough = pack marks/pack breaker
Ossie = defensive fwd
Williams = good lead + excellent pass skills
Thorp = yet to prove but commands attention
Franklin = lead up better kick outside 50m


fcvk what to do with Boyle, Dowls, Stokes...

 

[Hawkers Hero]

^^ well you could replace Osbourne with Stokes/Boyle.

Seriously if Ossie is in our forward line in 2009 the Hawks will have gone backwards.

3 talls, 1 mid and 2 crumbers/defensive fwds is the go

 

[Roughie]

^^ well you could replace Osbourne with Stokes/Boyle.

Seriously if Ossie is in our forward line in 2009 the Hawks will have gone backwards.

3 talls, 1 mid and 2 crumbers/defensive fwds is the go

Yeah I agree, Stokes and Rioli both have good defensive abilities ( I would rate Stokes' tackling abilities higher though) and both are good on the attack also. Unfortunatly Osbourne is a one trick pony, who I believe isnt even that good as a defensive forward.

 

[Stard Picket]

I don't think Dewy will play forward. AC will look to use his precise delivery to hit up targets.

I disagree with playing Dew down back I think opposition coaches will target Dew with a fast running forward who will be able to run off him all day. I think he would be more suited up HF so if his opponent runs off him the hawks are able to direct rebound ball through Dew and use his immaculate delivery into the forward line or at goal.

 

[noosa hawk mad]

Like the idea of Hodgey resting forward my forward line would be.

Hodge Thorp Buddy
Willo Roughead Rioli.. Options up Clarkos sleeve Boyle,Dowler,Ossie,Dew,Bailey,Stokes..

 

[fishbowl]

Thorp, Roughead, Rioli
Stokes, Franklin, Williams

With Dew and Hodge being adept at reading the ball off the packs, they can float around the 50s and wings and picking up the stray crumbs.

With a forward line like this, we need to win the midfield battle. It is imperative we win in the middle and move it quickly so there is no flooding back as we can really hurt teams with lots of targets.

Boyle can play up the field like Johnny Barker used to do. Roughead is the 'stay at home' forward because of his size and lack of mobility.

Franklin's freakish talent and ability, he can be let loose and given a licence to do what he wants inside the 50 or even start him on the edge of the center square and clear the ball out of the center and give it to him on the run from 50.

The possibilities are endless.

Thorp can play that 'third forward' like Tony Hall did.

 

[playaplaya]

to hard to tell with the line up,

HFF: Franklin CHF: Thorpe HFF: Williams

FF: Boyle/ Dowler FF: Roughead FP: Roli / Stokes


I Believe Dowler Will Come Good " For Some Reason " It Just Something about the kid.

By 2010, Crawford Retires, Boyle Traded, Dawson Pushing Senior Selection Early 2010, Ladson Struggling, Williams, Franklin Superstars.

Croad 240+ Games
Hodge 140+ Games
Mitchell 100+ Games
Bateman 100+ Games
Brown 100+ Games
Franklin 90+ Games
Lews 90+ Games
Roughead 90+ Games
Swell 80+ Games
Birchell 70+ Games
Gilham 50+ Games
Ellis 50+ Games
Bailey 40+ Games
Dawson 40+ Games
Thorpe: 40+ Games
T.Tuck 35+ Games
Muston 30+ Games
Whitecross 30+ Games
Renouf 30+ Games
Dowler 30+ Games
Roli 25+ Games
Stokes 15+ Games

By My Calculations that is a great mix of expeirence.

Ill Give 2010 Line up a shot

BP : Brown FB: Croad BP: Gilham

HBF: Hodge CHB: Renouf HBF: Birchell

Wing: Whitecross Centre: Lewis Wing: Muston

HFF: Franklin CHF: Thorpe HFF: Dowler

FP: Roli FF: Roughead FP: Willams

Ruck: M.Bailey RR: Ellis R: Mitchell (Captain)

Bench:
T.Tuck, Z.Dawson , Bateman, Swell

Emg:
Stokes, R.Campbell , Kennedy

Dawson to Change with Renouf at CHB to allow a change with Bailey in the Ruck.

Your Thoughts?