Training 2025 Pre-Season /// THEY’RE BACK! /// QLD “relationship building & hard work” camp is early December

[Ruckle]

"Syd Jackson Medal".

Never change Ralphy!

f***N HELL thats poor, I know its not really a shock but heck...

 

[Sphynx]

Glad to see they have come to their senses with Dawson going back to his natural role where he has excelled, was lunacy and a complete waste of 4-5 VFL games playing him there.

Comben moving forward I don't agree with personally.

He's an above average forward imo and a potential AA CHB. Intercepters generate just as much scoring as good key forwards these days anyway AND he improves the defence.

Personally, I'd be building the backline around a Comben, Dawson and Logue setup.

Corr can move to depth imo, for the betterment of the list. God knows we finally need some depth in positions.

I'd be targeting one of Shanahan, Sims, Whitlocks etc as the Darling replacement.

My prediction is we will see Charlie move back within the first 5-6 games of the season.

 

[toepoker]

Once again the juxtaposition of "Jon Ralph" and "analysis" rears it's ugly head

 

[sacrilecious]

Once again the juxtaposition of "Jon Ralph" and "analysis" rears it's ugly head

A true oxymoron

 

[shinboner magic]

Glad to see they have come to their senses with Dawson going back to his natural role where he has excelled, was lunacy and a complete waste of 4-5 VFL games playing him there.

Comben moving forward I don't agree with personally.

He's an above average forward imo and a potential AA CHB. Intercepters generate just as much scoring as good key forwards these days anyway AND he improves the defence.

Personally, I'd be building the backline around a Comben, Dawson and Logue setup.

Corr can move to depth imo, for the betterment of the list. God knows we finally need some depth in positions.

I'd be targeting one of Shanahan, Sims, Whitlocks etc as the Darling replacement.

My prediction is we will see Charlie move back within the first 5-6 games of the season.

Has Chom really had a long stint playing forward , to see good he can be as a forward

 

[Ichiro #51]

Glad to see they have come to their senses with Dawson going back to his natural role where he has excelled, was lunacy and a complete waste of 4-5 VFL games playing him there.

Comben moving forward I don't agree with personally.

He's an above average forward imo and a potential AA CHB. Intercepters generate just as much scoring as good key forwards these days anyway AND he improves the defence.

Personally, I'd be building the backline around a Comben, Dawson and Logue setup.

Corr can move to depth imo, for the betterment of the list. God knows we finally need some depth in positions.

I'd be targeting one of Shanahan, Sims, Whitlocks etc as the Darling replacement.

My prediction is we will see Charlie move back within the first 5-6 games of the season.

I tend to agree with this.

Dawson/Chom/Logue is a much more balanced trio with two genuine talls in Dawson and Chom with Logue playing as the third tall.

 

[justroyal]

Tbh

All 3 ofDawson, Chom and Logue sounds good either forward or back

 

[Mute Point]

Has Chom really had a long stint playing forward , to see good he can be as a forward

This^
He's proven already that he can play back & should only improve with games, experience, fitness base, etc
We have so many holes to fill & now we've filled one, why would you want to move him to another position?

 

[kool kangas]

Seeing Chom, Larkey and Darling forward would be something to look forward to next season to see how well they play together but l still think that Choms best position is CHB. However l read somewhere that said North will be playing Chom forward, so a functioning 3 pronged tall attack would worry other clubs as well as having Zuurhar, Duursma, Curtis lurking around also as well as Parker and even Konstanty who we got as a pressure forward.

 

[The Nostradamus]

This^
He's proven already that he can play back & should only improve with games, experience, fitness base, etc
We have so many holes to fill & now we've filled one, why would you want to move him to another position?

Agree rather him back for now with logue and Corr, chom gets to be the interceptor

Darling, larkey up front with teakle who pinch hits ruck

And in 2 years time we can always consider chom replacing darling if we don’t trade in or draft a KPF

 

[Shinboner1]

Tbh

All 3 ofDawson, Chom and Logue sounds good either forward or back

chom, logue, dawson and dawson sounds better

 

[Sphynx]

This^
He's proven already that he can play back & should only improve with games, experience, fitness base, etc
We have so many holes to fill & now we've filled one, why would you want to move him to another position?

Exactly this.

When a player so clearly fits a position like a glove, why move him? Particularly when intercepting key backs are SO important and valuable.

He had unanimous praise throughout the footy industry almost every week.

I reckon he's a 35 goal a year forward. It's not bad, but i think he's a chance to be a 2+ AA if he stays at CHB, particularly when we start progressing as a side and he can be more attacking in that role.

I think he's got some issues playing as a forward as I stated during the year. I think he struggles with a defender on his back shoulder, he has a tendency to run under the ball, he's not as strong in the air and he's specifically a bit weak on the lead. He's also not a good kick for goal at all.

He is twice the player in the air when he comes from behind and doesn't have a direct opponent, which of course is always going to be easier, but his timing etc is infinitely better. He uses his body well and has natural intercepting instincts.

He runs too hard at the ball when as a forward, he tries to always mark it at full pace or is a bit unbalanced and a bit of Bambi on ice. He's more composed when he doesn't feel like someone is bearing down from behind and he can move back into space and balance himself rather than forward to it constantly.

For every Carlton game, you get the Geelong game, where he was frozen out and had 5 touches and his lowest rated game for the year. We simply can't afford one of our best players to get shut out by game conditions like that (and it will be far more frequent as a key forward), especially as he had 4 or more intercept marks for 12 consecutive weeks at CHB and was ultra consistent. He can't get shutout in that role. He's always going to be an elite factor in the game.

As good as that Carlton game was, it didn't even come close to his highest rated game of the year. He had about 4-5 others at almost double the rating at CHB. That's the benchmark he has set as a defender and I don't think he can match it as a forward. So we have a net loss.

Along with Mac Andrew, those two were pretty much the two best U/23 key defenders in the league last season.

 

[berniemccarthy]

The plan was always to play him back to get continuity into his body, then move him forward again.

I sh@t myself when he goes down. Never seen a bloke hit the deck as dangerously from seemingly innocuous positions so often.

 

[zoomba23]

Exactly this.

When a player so clearly fits a position like a glove, why move him? Particularly when intercepting key backs are SO important and valuable.

He had unanimous praise throughout the footy industry almost every week.

I reckon he's a 35 goal a year forward. It's not bad, but i think he's a chance to be a 2+ AA if he stays at CHB, particularly when we start progressing as a side and he can be more attacking in that role.

I think he's got some issues playing as a forward as I stated during the year. I think he struggles with a defender on his back shoulder, he has a tendency to run under the ball, he's not as strong in the air and he's specifically a bit weak on the lead. He's also not a good kick for goal at all.

He is twice the player in the air when he comes from behind and doesn't have a direct opponent, which of course is always going to be easier, but his timing etc is infinitely better. He uses his body well and has natural intercepting instincts.

He runs too hard at the ball when as a forward, he tries to always mark it at full pace or is a bit unbalanced and a bit of Bambi on ice. He's more composed when he doesn't feel like someone is bearing down from behind and he can move back into space and balance himself rather than forward to it constantly.

For every Carlton game, you get the Geelong game, where he was frozen out and had 5 touches and his lowest rated game for the year. We simply can't afford one of our best players to get shut out by game conditions like that (and it will be far more frequent as a key forward), especially as he had 4 or more intercept marks for 12 consecutive weeks at CHB and was ultra consistent. He can't get shutout in that role. He's always going to be an elite factor in the game.

As good as that Carlton game was, it didn't even come close to his highest rated game of the year. He had about 4-5 others at almost double the rating at CHB. That's the benchmark he has set as a defender and I don't think he can match it as a forward. So we have a net loss.

Along with Mac Andrew, those two were pretty much the two best U/23 key defenders in the league last season.

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

 

[King Corey]

With Sphynx on this one, Comben looked so much more natural at CHB.

He excites in forward trials but something feels unconvincing about him being able to hold down a KF post week in, week out.

Whereas he just looks right as a patrolling tall defender. +1 keep him there.

Reminds of Drew who can play any tall role but just looked right as a key forward.

 

[JGreezy]

Exactly this.

When a player so clearly fits a position like a glove, why move him? Particularly when intercepting key backs are SO important and valuable.

He had unanimous praise throughout the footy industry almost every week.

I reckon he's a 35 goal a year forward. It's not bad, but i think he's a chance to be a 2+ AA if he stays at CHB, particularly when we start progressing as a side and he can be more attacking in that role.

I think he's got some issues playing as a forward as I stated during the year. I think he struggles with a defender on his back shoulder, he has a tendency to run under the ball, he's not as strong in the air and he's specifically a bit weak on the lead. He's also not a good kick for goal at all.

He is twice the player in the air when he comes from behind and doesn't have a direct opponent, which of course is always going to be easier, but his timing etc is infinitely better. He uses his body well and has natural intercepting instincts.

He runs too hard at the ball when as a forward, he tries to always mark it at full pace or is a bit unbalanced and a bit of Bambi on ice. He's more composed when he doesn't feel like someone is bearing down from behind and he can move back into space and balance himself rather than forward to it constantly.

For every Carlton game, you get the Geelong game, where he was frozen out and had 5 touches and his lowest rated game for the year. We simply can't afford one of our best players to get shut out by game conditions like that (and it will be far more frequent as a key forward), especially as he had 4 or more intercept marks for 12 consecutive weeks at CHB and was ultra consistent. He can't get shutout in that role. He's always going to be an elite factor in the game.

As good as that Carlton game was, it didn't even come close to his highest rated game of the year. He had about 4-5 others at almost double the rating at CHB. That's the benchmark he has set as a defender and I don't think he can match it as a forward. So we have a net loss.

Along with Mac Andrew, those two were pretty much the two best U/23 key defenders in the league last season.

Your issue with him as a forward is very fixable with experience. He has sky-high potential as a forward. He looked absolutely freakish for a stretch against Carlton. That could become more consistent with time.

His high intercept numbers papered over some weaknesses as an actual defender.

I don't think that an intercept marking defender is as valuable the type of forward that he could be, which is more than a pure goal kicker.

 

[perplexed]

Your issue with him as a forward is very fixable with experience. He has sky-high potential as a forward. He looked absolutely freakish for a stretch against Carlton. That could become more consistent with time.

His high intercept numbers papered over some weaknesses as an actual defender.

I don't think that an intercept marking defender is as valuable the type of forward that he could be, which is more than a pure goal kicker.

I'm with you on this. In defense he struggles one-on-one. I think a forward / ruck role suits him and allows him to play with more intensity, which is one of his biggest strengths. He just looks more natural as a forward with the way he attacks the ball. It also means we don't have to watch Teakle try to ruck.

 

[JGreezy]

I'm with you on this. In defense he struggles one-on-one. I think a forward / ruck role suits him and allows him to play with more intensity, which is one of his biggest strengths. He just looks more natural as a forward with the way he attacks the ball. It also means we don't have to watch Teakle try to ruck.

If you watch his defensive highlights he is marking it like a gun CHF, just at the wrong end.

I don't think that he's getting intercept marks like a Tom Stewart, who reads the play and positions himself in advance. Comben is just a marking force who takes everything within 25m of himself.

The best value for that is up forward, where he warps the game with his gravity because every backman is shitting themselves and looking for him, rather than holding structure. Not standing in the backline, intercepting hack kicks.

 

[Makeshift Park]

Exactly this.

When a player so clearly fits a position like a glove, why move him? Particularly when intercepting key backs are SO important and valuable.

He had unanimous praise throughout the footy industry almost every week.

I reckon he's a 35 goal a year forward. It's not bad, but i think he's a chance to be a 2+ AA if he stays at CHB, particularly when we start progressing as a side and he can be more attacking in that role.

I think he's got some issues playing as a forward as I stated during the year. I think he struggles with a defender on his back shoulder, he has a tendency to run under the ball, he's not as strong in the air and he's specifically a bit weak on the lead. He's also not a good kick for goal at all.

He is twice the player in the air when he comes from behind and doesn't have a direct opponent, which of course is always going to be easier, but his timing etc is infinitely better. He uses his body well and has natural intercepting instincts.

He runs too hard at the ball when as a forward, he tries to always mark it at full pace or is a bit unbalanced and a bit of Bambi on ice. He's more composed when he doesn't feel like someone is bearing down from behind and he can move back into space and balance himself rather than forward to it constantly.

For every Carlton game, you get the Geelong game, where he was frozen out and had 5 touches and his lowest rated game for the year. We simply can't afford one of our best players to get shut out by game conditions like that (and it will be far more frequent as a key forward), especially as he had 4 or more intercept marks for 12 consecutive weeks at CHB and was ultra consistent. He can't get shutout in that role. He's always going to be an elite factor in the game.

As good as that Carlton game was, it didn't even come close to his highest rated game of the year. He had about 4-5 others at almost double the rating at CHB. That's the benchmark he has set as a defender and I don't think he can match it as a forward. So we have a net loss.

Along with Mac Andrew, those two were pretty much the two best U/23 key defenders in the league last season.

I agree with everything you're arguing about Chom.

On the basis of his proven aptitudes at AFL level, he's an elite intercepting CHB. And we should make the most of that.

The only thing that gives me pause for thought is how that role works in the overall team structure.

What I mean by that is... maybe using him as a genuine swingman, one who could genuinely play either forward or back on the whims of the selection panel from week to week, maybe having that unpredictability in Clarko's toolkit could be more valuable to North's competitive edge than giving the opposition certainty every week that they'll be lining up their KPFs against him.

 

[shinboner magic]

Also chom was learning on the job with an out of form corr at the beginning of the year , k. Dawson who isn’t really up to it , biggie who has been delisted and then kid Dawson.
Let’s see how he goes with Logue as support for an extended period

 

[The Law]

no to chom forward. can't stay fit there.

Reminds me of the tarrant situation. Couldn't stay fit as a forward. Swung back and should have been multiple AA. Chom is no different.

 

[Junk yard]

no to chom forward. can't stay fit there.

Reminds me of the tarrant situation. Couldn't stay fit as a forward. Swung back and should have been multiple AA. Chom is no didifferent.

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.

 

[hellas_johnny]

can see chom starting back but thhen by mid season dawson takes his spot and chom ends up forward. if it does happen our i50 pressure would be way better then this year having both darling and chom down there.

 

[DunderHead]

I reckon we know Chom can play back. This is them working out if he can play forward. We’re not winning the premiership this year. We need to continue to lock in players, and lock in positions.

 

[the big lebowski]

Round 1 Chom will need to play back

Naughton - Logue
Darcy - Chom
JUH - Corr

Round 2 against the Dee’s send him forward

Petty - Logue
JVR - Corr

If your want to play Dawson as well you can. Though I would be surprised.

Point is maybe settling Chom isn’t possible this year?

Darling gives us enough cover to keep him back if needed.