Our defence in 08..

[Port_GW]

One of the biggest challenges we face this year, even more so than our forward line i think, is developing our defence. There are so many questions regarding how our backline will fare.

1) is Chad Cornes our best option at CHB or should Choco put his confidence in Chaplin to play there the whole year?

2) will Carlile be up to AFL standard now that he'll be required on a permanent basis to take Wakelin's place in the last line of defence. Will it be he, or Thurstans that plays full back?

3) will Pettigrew remain in the backline or play a more attacking role up the field somewhere?

4) who will be the best options on our half back flanks, and in particular should the club perservere with the successful experiment of playing P Burgoyne in defence, or should be used in a similar capacity on a wing? Should Cassisi play predominantly on a flank or will he be needed to tag or play a more attacking role? Will Matt Thomas be able to relied upon to play on a back flank, likewise will Nick Lower, or will Lower be more suited to a back pocket when he is given game time? Will Surjan be the side's first choice defensive back flanker?

Lets hope the backline gels quickly because the side has shown that even when it is playing attractive attacking football, it can still have a tendency to concede big scores.

 

[Portia]

Chaplin + Carlile + Pettigrew = WIN

Chad can play wherever the **** he likes, IMO. Let him James Hird it up wherever the ball is going.

Also, pretty confident Toby will be a forward again this year.

 

[sabby]

Alipate will be AA FB no need to worry about my buddy!

 

[morell]

Chaplin + Carlile + Pettigrew = WIN

Long way from convincing me.

Massive doubts over Chaplins ability to handle Gorillas, massive doubts over Carlile full stop and massive doubts over Grews ability to not get so down on himself.

Along side the power forward problem as our greatest obstacle to ongoing success IMO.

 

[Portia]

If those three get fair time to play together, I have precisely zero doubts over them.

If Chappy can beat every gorilla in the competition, he is the AA CHB - at this exact point he is still going to lose a couple, but set and forget this trio - in three years they will obliterate. OBLITERATE!

 

[Toots Hibbert]

Agreed with regard to Chaplin, Carlile and Pettigrew. I think though that Thurstans had his best year for the club last year and I can't see him being moved up forward except as a last resort should our other options fail.

 

[Port_GW]

Agreed with regard to Chaplin, Carlile and Pettigrew. I think though that Thurstans had his best year for the club last year and I can't see him being moved up forward except as a last resort should our other options fail.

I would agree, i'd be surprised to see Thurstans spend much time in attack too. I think his relative experience will be needed to help out Chaplin and Carlile in defence.

 

[Powerstufff]

.....I think though that Thurstans had his best year for the club last year and I can't see him being moved up forward except as a last resort should our other options fail.

I think the key thing for Thurstans was being tough and consistent and he finally did that in 2007*. Given we know Toby can play forward I think Porthos's call is a good one. Perhaps mix him and Tredders up a bit with their 2007 positions. Maybe quarter by quarter, drive opposition coaches mad with match-ups.

*urge to underline 'finally' resisted - just.

BTW Toots, same seats in 2008?

 

[Toots Hibbert]

I haven't renewed yet. Maybe Wednesday morning I'll get it sorted.

On Thurstans up forward I think you're mistaken. In the past he's drifted out of the game for long periods when up forward IMO, whereas he's concentrated well in defence.

 

[Groove]

As much as p. burgoyne carved it up in defence, i still would prefer to see him back in the middle. He's too classy to be back there. Sit thomas and lower on the hbf and let them learn their trade together until wilbur comes back.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

If Toby plays up forward with the same success that he has done down back last year, it will go a good way to getting back the Cup.

That would be huge.

 

[tribey]

I wonder if Grew will finally emerge from a preseason with meat on his bones this time.

Last season he played far more solid, but still looks too outgunned for a man a cm taller than Pavlich and only a cm shorter than Tredders.

 

[Macca19]

Toby looked more at home and at ease out on the field in 07 than he did every other year hes played put together. The amount of times he cut off opposition leads or read the play beautifully well was great to see. I like to think that defence is his natural position but there is that strange feeling that he may be pushed out of defence despite being just about our best defender this year. Carlile is more a long term full back option, pettigrew barely put a foot wrong all year and Chaplin had a stunning finals series.

Chaplin needs to back it up for a whole year now. Hes played well in dribs and drabs but he desperately needs to add that consistency to his game.

Add Lower, Thomas, Surj and possibly Farmer to the mix and we face the fact that we could have the most inexperienced backline going around in 08. This will make us or break us and it means we could finish anywhere this year.

Will be exciting though.

 

[Portia]

I wonder if Grew will finally emerge from a preseason with meat on his bones this time.

Last season he played far more solid, but still looks too outgunned for a man a cm taller than Pavlich and only a cm shorter than Tredders.

His job isn't to wrestle, its to spoil, tackle, chase and run with the ball. There is a limit to how much muscle it would be useful to carry in these circumstances.

I wouldn't say he's built any more lightly than Chris Tarrant (when Chris Tarrant is in his peak form), and that's the kind of guy he needs to match up on.

Grew will always be rangy. If he needs to play on a gorilla, thats what Carlile or Chaplin are for.

 

[Mr Magoo]

Perseverance is the key word here & keeping the faith in Chaplin & Carlile & just remember that hopefully by this time next year both of those players will have another 22+ games under their belts. Will they get beaten in games next year - probably but there's light at the end of the tunnel. Rome wasn't built in a day!

I would like to see Williams get a few games - half back line/back pocket as in the trial game last year he was/looked pretty good - yet very stiff to not get a game the following week. Maybe the coaches want him to be more consistent before he gets selected.

Thomas (nobody can question his commitment/courage in going for the football) a question mark remains on his disposal/decision making at times.

Lower - i'm still shaking my head at how unlucky this guy was last year - only game he got his pants pulled down in the sanfl was against Tredders... remember that he was almost always playing on a key forward.

The thing is do we have other options if a player or players are getting beaten in the backlines - answer yes - Chad can always go down there, Ditto Shaun Burgoyne, Dom Cassisi... we have plenty of options!

 

[Predator.]

Perseverance is the key word here & keeping the faith in Chaplin & Carlile & just remember that hopefully by this time next year both of those players will have another 22+ games under their belts. Will they get beaten in games next year - probably but there's light at the end of the tunnel. Rome wasn't built in a day!

Exactly right. Chappy would be approaching the magical 50 mark (has he passed it?) but Carlile, while still a way off from that mark, has shown enough to give confidence that when he reaches it, he will be very good.

Although I still have a bit of doubt, I tend to lean towards the view that with this combo, the backline will become a very solid one.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

i do think that now that toby has learnt to read the play properly from defence he is ready to make the transition back to a forward if required however i think with wakes gone we really need him down back atm.

 

[Toots Hibbert]

I don't understand why you would move a guy who has found his niche back to a position where he has performed poorly ninety percent of the time for years.

 

[tribey]

His job isn't to wrestle, its to spoil, tackle, chase and run with the ball. There is a limit to how much muscle it would be useful to carry in these circumstances.

I wouldn't say he's built any more lightly than Chris Tarrant (when Chris Tarrant is in his peak form), and that's the kind of guy he needs to match up on.

Grew will always be rangy. If he needs to play on a gorilla, thats what Carlile or Chaplin are for.

I understand that. But for someone who is 193cm he still looks like a stick insect. All well and good when you're streaming and carrying from HBF, not particularly helpful when the opposition is in the ascendency and you still have to use your carriage to defend, wrestling or not.

He's never going to Mr. Olympia and rightly so, but as a similarity comparison Chad's last figures were 191cm/95kgs, Grew's were 193cm/88kgs.

There's room for 3-5 kilos more muscle without sacrificing speed, agility and stamina as Chad proves.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Grew was listed at 91kg at the start of last year, and I remember the talk of him having put on some muscle that year thanks to a full pre-season. He was clearly bigger at the start of last year than he had ever been.

He's only just played 50 games and turns 23 this year. There's still time for his body to mature and to get a bit bigger, but I reckon he's a pretty fair size now, especially taking his pace into consideration. He won't ever be the size of a Tredrea or Pavlich but that's not the role he's been developed for in defence. He's finally been settled into a position taking medium sized forwards and improved defensively as the year went on, as well as providing important rebound.

On Thurstans, the best football I've ever seen him play is in defence, so I'd hope he continues to be entrusted with the job down back.

 

[Macca19]

He definately looked visibly bigger last year than before, but I tend to agree with DT that he still has a bit of size to put on. I think theres still some improvement to his core strength needed which wont hinder his speed.

http://www.gspimages.com.au/image/?image_id=12449

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I reckon someone like Tom Harley would be a good aspirational target for Grew. Harley is 193cm and 95kg and was known for a good turn of speed in his younger days. So a few extra kilos and maturation of the body should see Grew reach that target.

 

[Toots Hibbert]

Even now Pettigrew is capable of delivering a crunching bump. The good thing is that he has the mental makeup to deliver one when it's there for the taking yet will tackle when that is the best option.

 

[High Voltage]

Carlile a must for Full-Back.
Chappy / Grew must hold down CHB, thereby C.Cornes must be given licence to roam.

 

[Powerstufff]

Even now Pettigrew is capable of delivering a crunching bump......

I'll be satisfied if he just learns to run faster than Brad Ottens, especially when Brad Ottens is behind him.