Strapping Young Lad
Moderator
- Apr 19, 2006
- 101,009
- 253,798
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
- Other Teams
- Storm, Spurs, Socceroos
- Moderator
- #18,956
2024 Picks
2025 Picks
2025 Picks
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
When teams are bombing it long in the last 10 minutes of a close final, you want someone like Lake (Barrass) down there. Allows us to throw Sic forward.For years we have been obsessed with getting someone who "can play on the gorillas". That was why we aimed at Ben McKay and even Ratugolea (which I could not believe). Ever since we got Brian Lake we have always thought we were short in this area. As it turns out, Ben McKay's disposal is terrible and is not worth the coin he gets at Essendon.
And these days, there just aren't any gorilla forwards left. Hawkins is done and all of the other big key forwards are more athletic running types like Cameron, Kings. No-one really threatens to kick 7-8 goals anymore and the system won't allow it. As it stands, our guys are good enough to compete against the remaining gorillas and then just run off. Last Sunday was a great example - Tex Walker, Thilthorpe and Himmelberg - all really big and when they did not mark it, we just waltzed out of the backline repeatedly and put 19 goals on them.
Curnow and McKay might be the only real marking types left, but I don't believe the gorilla defender is as important as it was in history. Worried we might disturb the current balance, while the defence is hardly conceding anything as it is.
In short, concerned that we don't need Barass, especially given the likely cost.
Are we in front or behind?When teams are bombing it long in the last 10 minutes of a close final, you want someone like Lake (Barrass) down there. Allows us to throw Sic forward.
Huge changes at 7
Can’t afford to lose Frost even if we get Barrass.
Will need him as backup.
Battle or Sicily could easily go forward. Injuries happen. Players lose touch or get old.Couldn’t play all of Battle, Frost, Scrim, Barrass and Sic in defence would absolutely destroy our rebound and ground level game. The moment the ball hits the ground we’d be toast.
Even having 4 on the field at once would be pushing it.
Are you fabricating extreme scenarios just to play the victim?I can already see the media reports in the offseason now. "Hawthorn was linked with Barass, Battle, Perryman, and Smith but only got 3 of those signed. Despite their premiership from an 0-5 start, their rebuild is clearly a failure and Sammie Mitchell must be worried they aren't a destination club. Trade Period Grade: D+"
WHERE IS THE ORANGE FONT!Are you fabricating extreme scenarios just to play the victim?
Jfc
Sent from my SM-G990E using Tapatalk
Sicily going forward is a negative. He’s too good a defender to move. Battle could play forward but he’s also a much better defender.Battle or Sicily could easily go forward. Injuries happen. Players lose touch or get old.
Its really not an issue
Sent from my SM-G990E using Tapatalk
I couldn't disagree more, but play on.Sicily going forward is a negative. He’s too good a defender to move. Battle could play forward but he’s also a much better defender.
Having them all on the list is good from a depth perspective. Not so much all on the field.
I knew I'd forgotten someone, damn! Bench?
Barrass to play the Lake role of deepest Defender.Barrass is a different kind of defender to Frost. Barrass is much better in the air and is calmer with ball in hand, but I don't think has the athleticism or pace to man-mark someone like Frost has been.
We are already strong in the air with Sicily, Scrimshaw and Weddle playing in defence. If we add Battle too then there's another taller defender who is great in the air. But outside of Frost and a recovering Blanck we don't have a real stopper back there.
I wonder how we will fit them all in? Certainly we will be dominant in the air if we somehow have Barrass, Sicily, Scrimshaw, Battle and maybe Weddle all back in defence.
Edit: further to the above, when WCE were a top side and won the 2018 flag they had Schofield playing as a stopper, with Barrass and McGovern (especially) intercepting.
Maybe the idea is to keep Frost at FB, and have Barrass playing CHB?
Sicily isn't a FF/KPF.Sicily to FF. He would easily kick 50 Goals next year. Dear and Chol can’t do it on their owown
More like his back gives up given he can struggle to get out of bed with it.Barass is 29 yrs old in October.
So he's 30 yrs old after one season with us (if we trade for him). If he gets a couple of injuries then Bob's your uncle.
I have really enjoyed the development of HH at BH this season. I think he will be the one who jumps out next season as the big improver.Imagine if our 2023/2024 off seasons end up being:ygf4
Mass, Ginni, Chol, Watson, McCabe, Dear, Battle & Barrass.
Add Meek, Frenchie and Weddle to the previous year.
Doing wonders for this list in a very short amount of time.
Sicily isn't a FF/KPF.
He could possibly play the Gunston role & can definitely exploit a mismatch when he floats forward, but a KPF he isn't. At best, he'd be the 3rd Forward to Dear + Chol, not the FF.
Hawkins retiring would free up some coin, and how many of Danger, Blicavs, Guthrie, Tuohy, Rohan, Stanley, Duncan or Bews will play on next season?
He's a gun and I still believe he'll be worth a top 10 pick.I don't think he has enough impact though. He rarely wins a contested ball and there's very little damage from his possessions.
At the moment he is taking conservative options but he's really reliable. Can relax any time he's got it - you know he'll use it.I don't think he has enough impact though. He rarely wins a contested ball and there's very little damage from his possessions.
Burnt by the trading of Crazy Clarko.The negavity here is a little surprising (I understand some of the arguments)
I reckon the list management team has plenty of credit, and all due diligence re medical etc will be done. Trading and FAs were part of the plan at this point after years of drafting.