Player Watch #30: Charlie Comben - defender or forward? CC T5 in the AFL for avg.intercept marks p/game - re-signed until end of 2027

[Heaps of fun]

I'm in the minority with this view clearly;

But an elite intercepting CHB with modern game plans is far more important than a second tall forward that kicks even 40-50 goals a season, or even more.

So much scoring is generated and prevented from them and they are absolutely priceless.

Comben's intercept stats are not normal and not even replaceable more than likely.

Teams spend years and years looking for a key defender that can intercept like Lever, Moore, Andrews and Taylor. Comben is on that tier.

That level of defender almost always correlates with teams that win Premierships and/or come very close.

Think Rance, Scarlett, Harry Taylor, Brian Lake etc.

Very rarely is an elite defender playing in a terrible side, they propel their sides up the ladder, quickly.


There's plenty of elite forwards playing in shit sides in history, look at Larkey....

I think this is all true but you also have to do the best with what resources you have. Comben forward allows us the most high quality players in the side playing closest to their best positions since Comben is so much better than our next CHF and Logue is a very good intercept mark with Corr or one of two Dawsons taking dangerous opponents.

 

[Hojuman]

Lougue stays on the park, we've seen glimpses of what W.Dawson & Hardeman can do................leave him forward.

Trainor's a KDB yeh ? Take him.

 

[lockheed]

This year looks the have been a learning year.

Maybe he is just really good at football.

I imagine a game where we Glendinning him and just station him at one end fo the ground. This week that would be an interesting choice where he plays CHB,CHF,CHB,CHF. and that is his game.

Maybe he is talented enough to context switch that much in the modern game.

Especially on days when there was a very strong wind, Pagan would often use the same tactic with Carey.

 

[Sphynx]

I think this is all true but you also have to do the best with what resources you have. Comben forward allows us the most high quality players in the side playing closest to their best positions since Comben is so much better than our next CHF and Logue is a very good intercept mark with Corr or one of two Dawsons taking dangerous opponents.

Logue and Corr are nowhere near the intercept defender Comben is.

In fact, Comben as a forward will be way closer to Teakle or others we put forward than what Logue or Corr are to Comben the defender.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

We need to clone him.

Whilst his first half was awesome, we massively missed his intercept marks, particularly where he chops them off about 70 out from the oppo goal up the wing.

Clarko tried to employ Jackson in the role, but it didn't quite come off.

We should be targeting a forward, not a defender at the end of the year.

He's still a better defender.

This is kind of on Clarkson. Chom forward worked well when the midfield competed and was winning.

As soon as we were getting smashed in the middle, he should have been sent back.

Our best performances this year still featured massive swings of momentum where our midfield recovered from applying manic pressure. These 8 minute blocks are perfect for Chom to notice the change in mood and take himself back there to stem the tide.

We saw yesterday that he can have a quasi-Carey effect on general play. Let him use his good instincts to feel the game and respond.

 

[Shermanator]

I'm in the minority with this view clearly;

But an elite intercepting CHB with modern game plans is far more important than a second tall forward that kicks even 40-50 goals a season, or even more.

So much scoring is generated and prevented from them and they are absolutely priceless.

Comben's intercept stats are not normal and not even replaceable more than likely.

Im definitely in the Defender line with you Sphynx

Apart from the 3 (very good) first half goals he went missing in the 2nd half, which isn't unusual for a CHF whose midfield is getting belted.

When he plays CHB he's in the game all the time and is as good as any Backman in the comp.

If we want more KPF's, we can split our first rounder and grab both Whitlock and Gerreyn if we want.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Logue and Corr are nowhere near the intercept defender Comben is.

In fact, Comben as a forward will be way closer to Teakle or others we put forward than what Logue or Corr are to Comben the defender.

Don't agree with that. Logue was very good intercepting last year, not Comben's level but not as far behind as Comben is compared to Teakle or Pink forward.
Also, Comben the AFL forward is still untested in my view. Not enough data to say how good he could be.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Can't ignore the fact that Comben gets dismantled in defensive 1v1s. That could improve but so can his forward craft.

 

[Sphynx]

This is kind of on Clarkson. Chom forward worked well when the midfield competed and was winning.

As soon as we were getting smashed in the middle, he should have been sent back.

Our best performances this year still featured massive swings of momentum where our midfield recovered from applying manic pressure. These 8 minute blocks are perfect for Chom to notice the change in mood and take himself back there to stem the tide.

We saw yesterday that he can have a quasi-Carey effect on general play. Let him use his good instincts to feel the game and respond.

I agree with that.

I have no problem with Clarko using him to **** with the opposition, which he clearly did to great effect yesterday.


Carlton would have planned all week to mitigate Comben behind the ball, to plan for Larkey and Teakle, they were a tall defender short and we had a mismatch most of the game.

He needed to move him forward and back more. It would have played havoc particularly with Teakle in the ruck if Comben moves to CHB.

As Teakle moving into the ruck generally has correlated with a negative clearance effect. Carlton got on runs each time Teakle rucked and Xerri was off the ground. Comben would help mitigate that.

Xerri might need to rest deep forward more in this example.



Charlie had a very promising game, but lets stop pretending this was the Duck out there. He went largely missing for the second half. He had 2 kicks and a handball with no marks in the last half.

A 8 disposal, 2 contested mark and 3 goal game isn't irreplicable for a second key forward.

 

[CURVE]

Twelve months ago, he was an injury prone prospect with potential, now we're wishing we had two of him.

 

[Only Forwards]

Charlie had a very promising game, but lets stop pretending this was the Duck out there. He went largely missing for the second half. He had 2 kicks and a handball with no marks in the last half.

A 8 disposal, 2 contested mark and 3 goal game isn't irreplicable for a second key forward.

Which is why I said it needs more than a single game to judge.

 

[Sphynx]

Don't agree with that. Logue was very good intercepting last year, not Comben's level but not as far behind as Comben is compared to Teakle or Pink forward.
Also, Comben the AFL forward is still untested in my view. Not enough data to say how good he could be.

He's a long way behind him.

Logue was 32nd in the league in intercept marks last year.

Comben is #1 in the AFL this season if you remove his games playing forward.

The 32nd ranked key forward this season is Daniel Turner/Jeremy Finlayson/Calshear Dear.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

I agree with that.

I have no problem with Clarko using him to **** with the opposition, which he clearly did to great effect yesterday.


Carlton would have planned all week to mitigate Comben behind the ball, to plan for Larkey and Teakle, they were a tall defender short and we had a mismatch most of the game.

He needed to move him forward and back more. It would have played havoc particularly with Teakle in the ruck if Comben moves to CHB.

As Teakle moving into the ruck generally has correlated with a negative clearance effect. Carlton got on runs each time Teakle rucked and Xerri was off the ground. Comben would help mitigate that.

Xerri might need to rest deep forward more in this example.



Charlie had a very promising game, but lets stop pretending this was the Duck out there. He went largely missing for the second half. He had 2 kicks and a handball with no marks in the last half.

A 8 disposal, 2 contested mark and 3 goal game isn't irreplicable for a second key forward.

I’m more referring to the impact he had on momentum. We have had the midfield ascendency in most the games of the last 6 weeks about 60% of the time. In those times, we really haven’t been able convert that dominance into scoreboard pressure. Chom forward in the second quarter helped us capitalise on in fully.

The fourth against Melbourne; the first half against Freo; the first 3/8ths of the Collingwood game and the first half of the GC game are the only times we have done that outside of Sunday’s match.

I am completely in the CHB camp btw. But when the midfield is running hot, swing him forward.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

He's a long way behind him.

Logue was 32nd in the league in intercept marks last year.

Comben is #1 in the AFL this season if you remove his games playing forward.

Logue is a better one-on-one defender which probably comes from strength and experience being 3 years older.

 

[Heaps of fun]

I agree with that.

I have no problem with Clarko using him to **** with the opposition, which he clearly did to great effect yesterday.


Carlton would have planned all week to mitigate Comben behind the ball, to plan for Larkey and Teakle, they were a tall defender short and we had a mismatch most of the game.

He needed to move him forward and back more. It would have played havoc particularly with Teakle in the ruck if Comben moves to CHB.

As Teakle moving into the ruck generally has correlated with a negative clearance effect. Carlton got on runs each time Teakle rucked and Xerri was off the ground. Comben would help mitigate that.

Xerri might need to rest deep forward more in this example.



Charlie had a very promising game, but lets stop pretending this was the Duck out there. He went largely missing for the second half. He had 2 kicks and a handball with no marks in the last half.

A 8 disposal, 2 contested mark and 3 goal game isn't irreplicable for a second key forward.

It's easy to say that but no one else has done it this year.

 

[Heaps of fun]

He's a long way behind him.

Logue was 32nd in the league in intercept marks last year.

Comben is #1 in the AFL this season if you remove his games playing forward.

How are Teakle and Pink going for goals a game?

 

[Sphynx]

How are Teakle and Pink going for goals a game?

Teakle is almost a goal a game ruck/forward.

These are the only other players with his level of hitouts and goals per game or more.


Your view on Comben also applies to Teakle, I'd like to see his impact with a big preason and hopefully some big strength gains.

 

[JGreezy]

Lobb is getting 5 intercept marks a game since he went back.
Archer would have gotten 5+ yesterday if he didn't drop a few and get tunnelled on one.

The very best intercept markers get 3-4 per game, on average. Probably half of those are easy ones.

I wouldn't focus on intercept marks as a stat to define key defenders.

 

[Moti]

He's a long way behind him.

Logue was 32nd in the league in intercept marks last year.

Comben is #1 in the AFL this season if you remove his games playing forward.

The 32nd ranked key forward this season is Daniel Turner/Jeremy Finlayson/Calshear Dear.

It is how you get them as well. Early in the yeasr he was getting a lot of his intercepts against small players. No issue with him getting them, but doesn't mean he sits in the elite category who do it against good forwards.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Teakle is almost a goal a game ruck/forward.

These are the only other players with his level of hitouts and goals per game or more.


Your view on Comben also applies to Teakle, I'd like to see his impact with a big preason and hopefully some big strength gains.


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Fair points but a different argument. Comben could double or even triple Teakle's scoring output but Comben only manages one more intercept mark per game this year than Logue did last year and Logue had to compete with McKay who was just as good an intercept mark as him.

 

[Sphynx]

It's easy to say that but no one else has done it this year.

Larkey did against Hawthorn.

Ford did against Geelong.

Teakle has had multiple 3 CM mark games.


I'm not against Comben and I don't want to cherry pick stats, we are talking about a good problem to have.

But you can build this argument any way you want.

Comben has had 4 x 4 int mrk/3+ contested mark games this season alone.

Logue has never done it in his career.

Ben McKay has done it 9 times in his career and he's statistically one of the best intercepting/contested marking key backs of the last 5 years.

 

[Sphynx]

It is how you get them as well. Early in the yeasr he was getting a lot of his intercepts against small players. No issue with him getting them, but doesn't mean he sits in the elite category who do it against good forwards.

What?

He has a lot to learn defensively.

But him reading the play and taking it on mismatches applies to any defender in the league.

Comben has manned more key defenders in the last 12 games than Moore and Lever have in the last 3 seasons.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Larkey did against Hawthorn.

Ford did against Geelong.

Teakle has had multiple 3 CM mark games.


I'm not against Comben and I don't want to cherry pick stats, we are talking about a good problem to have.

But you can build this argument any way you want.

Comben has had 4 x 4 int mrk/3+ contested mark games this season alone.

Logue has never done it in his career.

Ben McKay has done it 9 times in his career and he's statistically one of the best intercepting/contested marking key backs of the last 5 years.

I agree and was of the same mind about not wanting to throw away a player being truly elite, which Comben can be as a defender but now I'm seeing the value in being able to get say Wil Dawson in defence alongside Logue and Corr. Otherwise our best side probably contains the 30th best player in our squad, not the 20th.

 

[koshari]

Can we clone him?

Only after sheeze

 

[I Want To Believe]

Clarko stated on the weekend - "We'll play at different stages both Charlie Comben and Griff Logue both forward and back". If Will Dawson comes along as we all hope he does, and we can turn him into a 200cm swing man too, watch out. Having these three guys come and go forward and back will really mess with opposition clubs structures and makes us sooooo much more unpredictable.