Training 2025 Pre-Season - Standards are currently being driven

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Your issues with him as a defender can also be worked on with more than 13 games in the position.

He's played as a forward most of his life.


He doesn't need to be an absolutely elite stopper in that role, once we have 2 other qualities defenders around him. The priority should be to develop Dawson as the #1 defender and Logue as the #2 lockdown defender and then release Comben as the interceptor, the way all of Melbourne, Collingwood and Brisbane have done with Lever, Moore and Andrews over the years. GWS have started doing it with Taylor also as Buckley has taken the #1 stopping role at various points.

I disagree regarding your last point.

There's only about 3 key forwards (Cameron, Curnow and Hogan) I'd take over the best key defenders (Taylor, Andrews, McGovern, Moore) in the league if I had the choice. As those key defenders generate as many scores and prevent as many scores as any B+/A grade forward the way the game is played these days.

He was already operating on Taylor and Andrews level for over 3 months statistically. I don't think he ever achieves anywhere near the Curnow and Cameron level as a forward personally.

This reminds me very much of the early discussions with Collingwood fans and Darcy Moore. Sure he'd be an OK forward, but he's potentially an absolutely elite key defender (i.e the best intercepting key defender in the league).

I think that you're conflating a good intercept marker with good intercept defender.

Edit: but maybe this is for the Comben thread
 
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I feel this is a watershed year. I honestly can see us winning anywhere between 2-12 games.

I can see clarko weaving his magic but also crumbling from all the pressure of what's happened.

I can see LDU staying or going.

I can see Chom playing fwd or back.

I can see us using pick 2 on FOS or trading it for talls.

Whatever happens, if we get more ticks then crosses, I wouldn't want to sleep on us as early as 2025.... many have mentioned it, but there is 4 or 5 games we win with parker/daniel/darling.

Whatever happens, gonna be a hell of ride!
12 wins would definitely be a watershed year but I’m thinking that 2 wins might be closer to waterboarding
 
Sheez looks bigger, as is Powell.

Tucker is a unit.

Powell looks great. The younger blokes all seem to have come back bigger which bodes well.

Duursma looks happy, hope that tracks to a big preseason. Reckon he’d feel he’s got something to prove after a rocky first season (albeit with some nice highlights).
 
Do we have a net loss if it means we have a tall, mobile target to kick to inside 50 not named Larkey? How many times over the last few years have we gone long inside 50 in blind hope that someone would mark it? How many times have opposition defences tag-teamed Larkey with the knowledge that other talls in our 50 are ineffectual spuds? How many times has LDU broken through only to execute one of his floating punts into our 50?

I think it doubles the effectiveness of the forward line immediately. Pink is crap, Teakle is crap except when you kick it to him in a stationary position, Darling is a stopgap who may or may not shit the bed on-field. Comben provides a presence in the air, defensive pressure, and general athleticism. Imagine having key forward reinforcement that wasn't recruited from hard rubbish. Larkey will be licking his lips.

Let Corr, Logue and Wawson handle the defensive stuff. Remember, Logue's no slouch in the intercept mark department either. Backline might be better for Comben individually, but for team-wide benefit, I don't think it's a contest

I wholeheartedly agree. Not saying he's wasted down back but he is wasted down back. Whilst it's important (no doubting the Egyptian when it comes to those nearly of age), we have experience and cover for which we've traded and drafted. Whilst we have Larkey and Darling up front, ie: Larkey and a cooker. I'm really happy for him to play forward as it makes our team soooo much better on paper, if he doesn't work out we can always put him at CHB.
 

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He's nothing like Tarrant. Tarrant was a great defender, Comben is not. He will no doubt get better but some of his one on one defence and general decision making was terrible, his intercept marking however was great.
clearly i was talking about a forward that swings back due to injuries. No part of my comment meant playing style.

I still think Chom could get AA honours playing on the 2nd of 3rd tall and continually zoning off. Similar to Jake Lever.
 
Powell looks great. The younger blokes all seem to have come back bigger which bodes well.

Duursma looks happy, hope that tracks to a big preseason. Reckon he’d feel he’s got something to prove after a rocky first season (albeit with some nice highlights).
Didn’t notice BGZ, which one was he?
 
Darcy Moore is a poor 1v1 defender, but an elite interceptor who has a massive impact on games.
I really see Chom in that role, as that's where he can become elite. Especially getting to finally pair up with Logue, and only having to take the 3rd tall forward he'll be a lot less exposed defensively.

Can't see him being better than a 6/10 forward, while he has the potential to be 9.5/10 interceptor.

Long term backline of Shotgun Dawson taking the best/biggest forward. Logue taking the number 2 and Chom as the interceptor, looks promising.
 
Darcy Moore is a poor 1v1 defender, but an elite interceptor who has a massive impact on games.
I really see Chom in that role, as that's where he can become elite. Especially getting to finally pair up with Logue, and only having to take the 3rd tall forward he'll be a lot less exposed defensively.

Can't see him being better than a 6/10 forward, while he has the potential to be 9.5/10 interceptor.

Long term backline of Shotgun Dawson taking the best/biggest forward. Logue taking the number 2 and Chom as the interceptor, looks promising.
Darcy Moore's defensive stats are actually pretty solid. He's just not the guy that's designed to play on the monster key forwards. Very good at impacting contests zoning off his man when he's at his best.

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Clearly it helped last year having Pink/Teakle playing forward alongside Larkey to provide a bit more structure. I think it would be silly not try Chom and Darling alongside Larkey, gives us a different dynamic of forward targets. Hopefully would make us a bit less Larkey focussed and open up some easier avenues to goal.

In the end if it's not working out can easily swing him back into defence and try to further develop there.
 

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