I know it's been done to death but......

[tugga]

my english fails me in the holidays

now that we have chappo in the back leading we don't need Newman there to add experience

yeah but Chaplin is a tall and Newman is a small-midsized. I am not sure how having Chaplin frees Newman up to play elsewhere. newman doesn't really have enough pace to play midfield anyway.

 

[nut]

were defiantly not on the same page

Newman is a midfielder and was only in the back because we needed leadership down there .. and now that we have chappo we dont need him down there

So chaplains leadership is greater than Newmans??

 

[nut]

yeah but Chaplin is a tall and Newman is a small-midsized. I am not sure how having Chaplin frees Newman up to play elsewhere. newman doesn't really have enough pace to play midfield anyway.

Newman would be way too exposed in the midfield. He struggles enough playing loose in defence. I honestly think Newman is holding us back especiaally in defence. I reckon he knows it too and wouldnt be surprised this being his last season.

 

[tunksy]

Newman would be way too exposed in the midfield. He struggles enough playing loose in defence. I honestly think Newman is holding us back especiaally in defence. I reckon he knows it too and wouldnt be surprised this being his last season.

sad, but i agree. hope we make finals for him!

would prefer to see newman on the HFF

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Newman , Grigg , Knights and Ellis I think will all rotate upon a wing , a forward flank and upon the bench .
This is the type lf player we have been screaming out for for years .
Damaging in space yet can also win their own ball , anyone of them are capable of beating their opponent in many different circumstances , yet provide run and carry and able to deliver deep into our forward line .
An option for our defenders to use on the way out who can break through lines or kick over zones .
Is the most exciting improvement in our list over the past few years , IMO .
Newman's demise I expect to happen at a similar rate to Ellis' rise , which still sees Newman a vital part of the side for at least 2 more seasons .

 

[nut]

Newman , Grigg , Knights and Ellis I think will all rotate upon a wing , a forward flank and upon the bench .
This is the type lf player we have been screaming out for for years .
Damaging in space yet can also win their own ball , anyone of them are capable of beating their opponent in many different circumstances , yet provide run and carry and able to deliver deep into our forward line .
An option for our defenders to use on the way out who can break through lines or kick over zones .
Is the most exciting improvement in our list over the past few years , IMO .
Newman's demise I expect to happen at a similar rate to Ellis' rise , which still sees Newman a vital part of the side for at least 2 more seasons .

Anyone can play Newmans role. The fact is Nemwan cant play midfield and would be exposed there and off a wing also. I would expect Newmans role wont change at all. Nemwans stop start game is not what Hardwick wants I can assure you.

 

[Bird Man]

So chaplains leadership is greater than Newmans??

Ahh cant be bothered as we cant see eye to eye

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Anyone can play Newmans role. The fact is Nemwan cant play midfield and would be exposed there and off a wing also. I would expect Newmans role wont change at all. Nemwans stop start game is not what Hardwick wants I can assure you.

Stop start comes from playing deep in defence , he was quite good when played used within the midfield later on in the season has always been effective when played off a wing and he still remains one of if not the best kick in space at the club .
Only 18months ago everyone was going ape shit and suggesting he was the best rebounding defender in the comp .
Your suggestion anyone can play his role indicates you ain't a fan which is fine, but I think your wrong and further proves how underrated he is .

 

[nut]

Ahh cant be bothered as we cant see eye to eye

We lack leadership right?
We lack leadership in defence so we recruit Chaplain right?
If we replace Newmans leadership down back with Chaplain does that increase or decrease our leadership down back?
I would have thougth both Newman and Chaplain will play down back to have a net increase in Leadership.

 

[nut]

Stop start comes from playing deep in defence , he was quite good when played used within the midfield later on in the season has always been effective when played off a wing and he still remains one of if not the best kick in space at the club .
Only 18months ago everyone was going ape shit and suggesting he was the best rebounding defender in the comp .
Your suggestion anyone can play his role indicates you ain't a fan which is fine, but I think your wrong and further proves how underrated he is .

Deep in defence fair enough but Newman does it well up the ground also. Its a habbit he cant seem to shake from the Wallace years when the likes of Bowden, Gasper, Holland etc... made it an artform.
I am a fan of Newman but I think our game plan has gone past him. I would love for him to see some success soon.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Deep in defence fair enough but Newman does it well up the ground also. Its a habbit he cant seem to shake from the Wallace years when the likes of Bowden, Gasper, Holland etc... made it an artform.
I am a fan of Newman but I think our game plan has gone past him. I would love for him to see some success soon.

IMO his assumed decline in form over the past couple of years has been a result of having injury interupted Pre seasons and being the first player defensive forwards target .

 

[_Wang_]

Newman is the perfect outside HBF/wingman..
Great kick and good decision maker.. Lets not put him put to pasture just yet..

 

[nut]

IMO his assumed decline in form over the past couple of years has been a result of having injury interupted Pre seasons and being the first player defensive forwards target .

I havent heard that Newman was carrying any injuries above what is normal for an AFL footballer. I just dont think he is attacking enough and slows the game down when he has the ball. He looks for the safe option too much which allows the opposition time to get their structures in place while he is looking for the third, fourth, fifth best option.
Personally I dont think Newman would be too much of a loss with players like Ellis, Batch... etc coming through. Its hard to be critical of a player that is held in such high regard and a past Captain but his time is near IMO.

 

[The Rusty Trombone]

were defiantly not on the same page

Newman is a midfielder and was only in the back because we needed leadership down there .. and now that we have chappo we dont need him down there

Newman is a backman who might be able to play a little midfield. Could be great on the wing or maybe the forward flank I reckon.

 

[Capitano_Cotch]

This bloke is the answer to our CHF issues.
He's an absolute beast.
After all, we can't have Shane Edwards playing CHF every week

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Some people have short memories.

This season, not previous but this season, opposition teams named two players they targeted to shut down our rebound out of the backline.

Newman and Houli

When Newman was working his "naked man" role, he was sling shotting the ball to our mids with pace and accuracy that allowed the mids to do their damaging run. Clubs realized this, and reduced focus on Deledio/Cotch. This was not just because it's harder to shut these two down, but shutting down Newman/Houli killed much of our ability to rebound, and this was how you really hurt RFC in 2012 (that and forcing the stoppages).

As the side matures (and players like Ellis, Batch, Dea, and Vlas start getting more and more game time), and we get some back from injury, I struggle to have Newman in my first 18, and can see a time soon when kids like Dea and Vlas make it harder for him to get a bench spot.

That being said, it's wrong to imply he currently has nothing to provide the team, and that he wasn't one of the reasons we were winning when we were this year.

 

[Bird Man]

Some people have short memories.

This season, not previous but this season, opposition teams named two players they targeted to shut down our rebound out of the backline.

Newman and Houli

When Newman was working his "naked man" role, he was sling shotting the ball to our mids with pace and accuracy that allowed the mids to do their damaging run. Clubs realized this, and reduced focus on Deledio/Cotch. This was not just because it's harder to shut these two down, but shutting down Newman/Houli killed much of our ability to rebound, and this was how you really hurt RFC in 2012 (that and forcing the stoppages).

As the side matures (and players like Ellis, Batch, Dea, and Vlas start getting more and more game time), and we get some back from injury, I struggle to have Newman in my first 18, and can see a time soon when kids like Dea and Vlas make it harder for him to get a bench spot.

That being said, it's wrong to imply he currently has nothing to provide the team, and that he wasn't one of the reasons we were winning when we were this year.

really ? Link ?

 

[HKTiger]

really ? Link ?

Watch any football last season ? It got mentioned on nearly every game we played after round 11. I live in NY and caught that.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

really ? Link ?

Yes really, I mentioned the same thing earlier in the year. Off memory it was in radio interviews, so no link.

 

[Bird Man]

Watch any football last season ? It got mentioned on nearly every game we played after round 11. I live in NY and caught that.

Heard about shutting down newy but not houli cause newy was trying to set up come plays (being a leader) when we were down

 

[telsor]

were defiantly not on the same page

Newman is a midfielder and was only in the back because we needed leadership down there .. and now that we have chappo we dont need him down there

Newman has played back for as long as I recall.

As for Griff...The idea the coaches have is that with most teams now playing a KPP/2nd ruck, he's the perfect man to take them (and the 1st ruckmen when they rotate forward) as he wont be beaten for size, and his athleticism should mean he can beat them and exploit them going the other way.

 

[Mr Magic]

Round 10 last season where we finally roll the saints. Just watched Ben Griffiths first half at CHB. He aint going anywhere. If you want to see the pro's for him staying there, just watch round 9 and 10. He's gonna be a monster to get past.
So that's my argument, no hypotheticals, go watch the proof. Chaplin, Rance, Grimes and Griffiths with Morris and Houli/Batchelor/Conca/Ellis/Dea. It's a backline that's gonna go places. Make no mistake.
Griffiths CHB, you know it makes sense.

can't agree ha ha.... Griff is going places and should be in the backline for certain match ups eg... Buddy and so forth but generally I like him at half forward shooting goal peas from 60+

 

[Mr Magic]

I was absolutely ecstatic that we got Griffiths at 19, and had he remained injury free during his junior days, we probably would have still taken him, although at 3. Ben is a top 5 prospect in my eyes, and now that his shoulder issues are gone, we have a beast to unleash.

I have very conflicting thoughts about the prospect of Ben playing in the backline.

After watching Griffiths as a junior and discussions with coaches at the Ranges, I always knew that this kid could become a 75-goal forward at the top level. He's one of the most athletic 200cm KPPs in the entire competition. He never played in the ruck as a primary position. Add this with incredible contested marking, a great leap, and his most prominent feature of 65m pin-point kicking, the prospect of him at full-strength is scary. You just have to watch his highlights against Essendon last year, he showed glimpses of what he can be. The only problem is that I can't see how he will thrive in a forward-line of Riewoldt and Vickery unless we take Jack out of the goal square and stick him on the flank. Similarly, the amount of arm-chopping that forwards receive could become a real long-term danger for Ben.

The coaches in my opinion realized this, and experimented him in the back-line. He just seemed to click perfectly, and to no surprise too. Ben looks like a very natural defender, but it pains me to think that we'd be robbing him out of the forward line. I think Griffiths could be elite at either side of the ground, and I don't think the coaches have even worked out his long term position yet. In my opinion, it all boils down to how our other talls develop. Let's see how Astbury and Vickery perform this year, and even McGuane.

To me, it's more important that Ben can start getting continuation in senior games before we can start deciding his true position. Once he has confidence, he can be anything. This kid is an x-factor KPP, and that's probably the rarest type of player in the game.

I can see how Griff plays with JR easily in the forward line, JR deep and Griff up the ground, no brainer, the question is is TV good enough and where to put him.

The reason Griff can play in the backline as well is simply because he is a good player, you could play JR in the backline to but it isn't going to happen!!

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Heard about shutting down newy but not houli cause newy was trying to set up come plays (being a leader) when we were down

Houli and Newman were our two main creators of play out of the backline, because they have decent kicks, decent footy brains, and would use the two to kick to advantage (something not seen on our HB line since Leon Cameron).

Teams figured this out though, and started manning them pretty hard. This put both under pressure, and they would end up rushing disposal which created the Tigers of Old play (RFC under pump, hospital pass to a flat footed player, panics, another hospital pass, ring a ring a rosie, turn over). Part of the reason Newman is being talked about playing up on the wing now, is the club sees players like Batchelor (now we have Chappy and he doesn't need to play third tall) being able to step up into this role

 

[Tiger68]

On Houli, I'm a massive fan. He is not there to be a key defender and smack people around. He is there to set up play in the HB line, and get the ball moving. This is why he is often bagged for not being on a man, like Grigg he is tasked with finding space so they guys can off load the ball to them and they bang on from there.

Houli had a real bad patch last year where he simply was not getting enough of the ball for a loose man in defence. Later in the year he seemed to compete better, got more footy and played some good games. Still Not sold on him though. I think he can be easily exposed by simply making him man up and taking him one out to the goal square. Round 1 v Calton we need two defensive smalls, not sure I would take the risk with Houli. Maybe play him on the wing in that game.

edit: sorry back on topic, big fan of Griffith down back for now. Throw him forward when we need a lift and see what he offers.