Prediction 2017 Round 1 Starting 22
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Nick Riewoldt wasn't a huge goal kicker especially considering the Saints were dominant for a few years, but will go down as one of the better forwards of his time. Close would do well to model his game on him as they both have similar attributes. Sometimes it's not all about goals or else Green would still be a Lion.
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Close showed he can kick a bag at AFL level. I wouldn't be too worried as long as he keeps his work rate up, taking marks tackling etc the goals will come. I for one have been very surprised by his development as to be perfectly honest I really didn't see much in him and always wondered how he was still on the list.
Nunez
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Credit to the Lions for signing him up for an extra 3 years when they did and backing his development.
I agree that he's coming along, and that he might be the first picked of our four young talls at present, but I reckon the jury's still out on being able to kick a bag. I don't place too much credence in the 4 he kicked against Carlton, given their defensive lineup that day. Also never more than 4 in the NEAFL (which could admittedly be attributed to the midfields he's played with down there).
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For some reason he still feels compelled to set the mark after taking a mark. Why; I'll never know...
Why did Matthew Lloyd toss the grass when player under the roof at Etihad?
Because he's a wanke_r.
theteamtobeat
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That midfield worries me as most of them don't run both ways to help out our young inexperienced defenders like the best teams in the comp do. I hope our inexperienced players down back don't get slaughtered like they did last season.
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winged1
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Really young side
Gibbo_88
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For some reason he still feels compelled to set the mark after taking a mark. Why; I'll never know...
I'd say he's learnt that he needs to stick with a routine, some people need it, some don't. Quite a few key forwards have a set routine once they are within goal range.
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Can't see Smith playing round 1. Still very much a developing player with a lean build, sure you can give him a go in JLT series but not during the actual season.
Martin is a top 5 ruck in the league by himself, and that's his speciality. The idea of playing all your kids and having an incredibly young side rarely works out, all the good clubs develop their teams by having a good balance between youth and leadership/experience (with the obvious exception of GWS).
Nonetheless, Smith should be playe sometime during the season. if it was up to me let Martin play 19-20 games solo this year, and give him a rest in the remaining games with Smith stepping up. You ensure a better seasonal performance and growth of Archie.
Not having a go, but if Brisbane keeps losing and choosing young unproven players over players that are quite elite (Martin), then not only young draftees wouldn't want to stay at Brisbane, even potential star recruits would look for another AFL team to join.
Martin is a top 5 ruck in the league by himself, and that's his speciality. The idea of playing all your kids and having an incredibly young side rarely works out, all the good clubs develop their teams by having a good balance between youth and leadership/experience (with the obvious exception of GWS).
Nonetheless, Smith should be playe sometime during the season. if it was up to me let Martin play 19-20 games solo this year, and give him a rest in the remaining games with Smith stepping up. You ensure a better seasonal performance and growth of Archie.
Not having a go, but if Brisbane keeps losing and choosing young unproven players over players that are quite elite (Martin), then not only young draftees wouldn't want to stay at Brisbane, even potential star recruits would look for another AFL team to join.
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Ummm he's already played regular season games last year and acquitted himself quite well. As for the highlighted part, this is absolute crap. Noones choosing one over the other, they'd be playing together, something which plenty of teams do quite well without their players leaving. What a load of drivel.
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I am assuming this is directed at me?
BigFooty: taking a comment and making a completly new statement out of it
I am not writing him off at all, not even sure where you saw that tbh. I am saying that as a forward, he needs to score goals. That is one of the main criterias for being a forward. He seems to be doing most other things fairly well (defensive pressure, disposals, tackling etc) but he still needs to help with the scoreboard. Yes he produced shots on goals, but if he can't kick accurately, then what is the point.
In saying that, l still believe Close should be in our team as the number 1 KPF. Freeman, although looked pretty good with his defensive tackling. Big increase in what he was performing last year
Not aimed at you, more a general theme with a few people that I've seen around here. Your posts on close more got me thinking about it again which made me look into it for my own interests to see how he compared.
IIRC, he was named in our bests (if not BOG) in both his debut and his second game?
Beyond all that, Stef is great at a few things but I'm not convinced that centre taps are one of them. If Archie follows his current trajectory for much longer I think he'll win the hit-outs much more often than not. And, with the young forwards and backs that we have, centre clearances will be worth their weight in gold.
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Yep I agree I honestly didn't think Archie would come this far and he keeps improving out of sight. There's still a few deficiencies in his game but if they improve (which I think they will his improvement rate from year to year has been outstanding) then we have a genuinely elite young ruckmen on our hands. I honestly think Martin is a touch overrated and with the way the game is going tap ruckmen are back in a big way. Wouldn't at all be surprised (and hope) that Archie takes over the mantle as number 1 ruck this year.
Yeah, I agree with nearly all of this. Archie is a little way from the finished product, but I now think he's more likely to succeed than not. At this point I don't think we'd be speculatively gifting him games so much as rewarding performance and improvement.
On Stef, I'm not sure I think of him as overrated, but I do think his style of play can be a little bit wasted in a team that struggles with the fundamentals.
I am sure the club will be very conscious to continue Archie's development and he will get games both sharing the ruck with Martin and a few games on his own when they rest Martin. Smith is turning into a pretty decent ruck technician but his around the ground work still leaves a lot to be desired.
Martin is a bit of the opposite. He is one of the top 5 around the ground rucks but is actually pretty poor in the ruck itself. He is certainly not one to give the mids nice clean taps to work with. He does okay neutralising the taps around the ground but his centre square work is some of the worst you will see from starting rucks in the AFL.
Martin is a bit of the opposite. He is one of the top 5 around the ground rucks but is actually pretty poor in the ruck itself. He is certainly not one to give the mids nice clean taps to work with. He does okay neutralising the taps around the ground but his centre square work is some of the worst you will see from starting rucks in the AFL.
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I don't think Smith needs to get too much better around the ground to make it, just needs to get to more contests and have more of an impact aerially. Very much in the Mumford/Minson/Naitanui mould with his impact in contested situations. Wins the ball himself, but will also make it easier for our mids by creating space and bullying opposition mids as he learns more.
If you've got one of the top 3-4 rucks in the comp and he can run all day solo in the ruck, why would you not use that weapon.
As much as it hurts, if we end up using Martin forward this year, just so Archie can develop (Archie definitely can't go forward), I would have preferred to see Martin traded for an actual forward and let Smith just ruck.
Just don't think there's room for both of them in the same team. Both of their games will suffer.
As much as it hurts, if we end up using Martin forward this year, just so Archie can develop (Archie definitely can't go forward), I would have preferred to see Martin traded for an actual forward and let Smith just ruck.
Just don't think there's room for both of them in the same team. Both of their games will suffer.
Len S
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Most good teams have 2 good ruckman,and it helps if one can go forward,as the Doggies and Hawks have shown.Apart from that,injuries are always on the cards..Roughead being out for the next 8 to 12 weeks.I think we can use both our blokes.
Yeah, the Lions should instead recruit speculative failed forwards who miraculously turn into elite ruckman.
Archie's a gun - he's come from a long way behind and still has work to do, but he's got the right attitude and gave up a lot to take this on. He'll make it.
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