Training 2025 Off-Season & Preseason reports and discussion

[The Chad and I]

Finn has played in the forward line when he has been assigned a player to run with (eg. Daicos).

By all means you can ask Sam and the coaching staff why they’ve continued to play Finn as a midfielder.

Initially as a negating one and now with a bit more offensive licence.

Nash’s performance at AFL level improved once he was settled in a discrete role, rather than being tried in multiple positions by Clarkson.

Neither of those guys have the forward nous required to play there full time.

Still- it’s not like our coaches know what they’re doing though….is it.

Finn could def play as a high hf like an extra midfielder.
And he does hit the scoreboard when given that chance.
But if you see hff as being like Breust or Gunston, then he's not gonna come close to that.
You're right, he doesn't have that level of forward craft, and tbf very few do.

 

[HedgeFund]

Finn could def play as a high hf like an extra midfielder.
And he does hit the scoreboard when given that chance.
But if you see hff as being like Breust or Gunston, then he's not gonna come close to that.
You're right, he doesn't have that level of forward craft, and tbf very few do.

Fair enough.

However, if he is playing up high as an extra midfielder then he isn’t an “alternative big bodied forward line option” to those small forwards.

Also he wouldn’t be expected to hit the scoreboard, which is fine given he has only kicked 10 goals in 45 games (0.22gls / game)

I mean seriously that’s hardly “impacting the scoreboard” worth replacing a natural small forward like Ginni (28 goals in 2024) / McDonald (28) / Watson (25).

 

[peetoo]

Is HH a Smokey as a forward in the right circumstances?

All these concerns could be moot if gunston and bruest come into the season in the best shape they could be

 

[TheFourPillars]

Is HH a Smokey as a forward in the right circumstances?

All these concerns could be moot if gunston and bruest come into the season in the best shape they could be

Gunston is running on top of the ground. Breust is being managed

 

[brad sue well]

Gunston is running on top of the ground. Breust is being managed

Would be great to see HH be given forward time at BH. Perhaps during a time he would otherwise be on the bench, old fashioned rest up forward.

 

[TONYC3163]

Pre-season - where players mainly train and form - will be interesting.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Is HH a Smokey as a forward in the right circumstances?

All these concerns could be moot if gunston and bruest come into the season in the best shape they could be

I don’t want to even think of the circumstances for him to be played as a forward.

Catastrophic injury list would be it.

 

[The Chad and I]

Fair enough.

However, if he is playing up high as an extra midfielder then he isn’t an “alternative big bodied forward line option” to those small forwards.

Also he wouldn’t be expected to hit the scoreboard, which is fine given he has only kicked 10 goals in 45 games (0.22gls / game)

I mean seriously that’s hardly “impacting the scoreboard” worth replacing a natural small forward like Ginni (28 goals in 2024) / McDonald (28) / Watson (25).

He has played at least half of those games as a "hard tagger".
But even 1 goal every 4 games for a mid is actually not too bad.

How many games with multiple scoring shots?
2024 - 3 out of 13 (3 of which were as the sub)
2022 - 2 out of 16 (2 of which were as the sub).

so 5 games out of 45 he has had multiple scoring shots.
Not bad for a guy who has been told, literally, to focus only on shutting down his opponent, for at least half the games played.

When Finn is played up forward or given licence to attack, he is actually quite effective.