Our defense.. Who's the unlucky one??

[MrFujiMoto]

At the start of the year I would have had our defense looking something like
Duryea - Lake - Stratton
Birchall - Gibbo - Hodge

But with Lake and Gibbo both having extended time off this year we have been able to get a long and valuable look at a few of our depth players, and to be honest they have all performed very well -
Cheney
Spangher
Litherland

The team at the moment, most weeks, sits something like this -
Duryea - Lake - Stratton
Birchall - Spangher - Litherland

Who gets the boot from that lineup when Gibbo is back, assuming no more injuries of course. This depth has given us crazy options and flexibility in our whole team. It means our recent HB generals (Hodge / Mitch / Silk) are able to play in their best positions for a larger % in a game and Schoenmakers is finally able to swing forward as needed.

What a complete turn around from even 3 years ago when we were a baron wasteland when it came to depth defenders. Jarrad Boumann anyone??

 

[Hawks13]

I had imagined the exact same back 6 as the first one you mentioned at the start of the year. However, Lithers could easily slot in Duryea's spot now. Spangher is excellent depth for any of Gibbo, Lake, Stratton, and Schoey can go back and fill a spot if required (IMO he is best up forward).

Stratton can play on smalls, so a left-field set up might see something like:

Stratton - Lake - Spangher
Birchall - Gibson - Hodge

Stratton to take the small forward, Lake and Spangher to take the big forwards, Gibbo to float around and spoil / rebound, Birchall to rebound and Hodge to do whatever he wants. This leaves Duryea, Cheney and Litherland as depth - not bad IMO.

 

[MrFujiMoto]

Not a bad Idea Hawks13 I would have Litherland over Duryea at the moment to take the smalls. Nothing against Doc, Lithers just offers more flexibility with only a slight loss in disposal over Doc.

 

[Hawks13]

Not a bad Idea Hawks13 I would have Litherland over Duryea at the moment to take the smalls. Nothing against Doc, Lithers just offers more flexibility with only a slight loss in disposal over Doc.

Litherland seems to have that defensive nous that is so valuable. He looks very fast as well and not afraid to take the game on. It is a good problem to have!

 

[PenAndPaper]

I would take Spangher out for Gibbo

 

[cryptor]

Gibson - Lake - Stratton
Litherland - Spangher - Birchall
Int: Suckling
Resting midfielders: Hodge, Mitchell

Very solid backline. Great ball users. Intercept markers. Speed and smarts.

I look forward to seeing this back line keep teams scoreless for entire quarters in the following weeks.

 

[Quad22]

Quality thread

Anyone who gets omitted at this stage of the season is terribly unlucky, especially considering the work this unit has done in keeping us competitive and defensively accountable during this streak of injuries. In terms of pure defensive ability Suckling is probably the most suspect out of the players mentioned, however I feel that if he was able to rotate between a half forward flank and a wing he would be a weapon for the team come September *envisaging some clutch lasers from 50 to win us a pressured final*.

Yet in order to do this we'd likely have to cut one of these mentioned players to make way for Gibbo and have Schoey/Hodgey/Burger rotating through defence. Keeping Gus there is a no-brainer for mine, has done everything right since coming into the team, great defensively and unmatched acceleration. Stratts is a proven finals performer and if he shows enough form in the latter stages of the home & away season his spot is safe. From here it comes down to Spangher and Duryea, both fierce competitors who would not look out of place in a finals side. But purely for defensive balance I think we'd need to keep Duryea in the team to lock down on the quality small forwards of the other top 4 sides (Wingard/Gray, Ballantyne/Walters & McGlynn/Cunningham). Spangher has done an admirable job so far this season and could count himself extremely unlucky .

I guess it's good to have selection headaches such as this, when it comes to the business end of the season. Still never great to see players cut when they have been heavy contributors to a premiership push.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

I am starting the Save Spangher petition. Who wants to sign?

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

I'd keep Lithers over Doc and Suckers on current form.

 

[Goody1971]

Gibson to earn his spot back at Box Hill............

 

[MatthewSpangher]

I am starting the Save Spangher petition. Who wants to sign?

I will sign!

 

[MrFujiMoto]

I am starting the Save Spangher petition. Who wants to sign?

Point me to the dotted line. He is a heart and soul player and easily good enough to remain in the team. I WOULD have him in front of Schoenmakers as our swing man in the finals. He is harder at it and has more mongrel in him.

 

[kenneje]

It's hard to say that's your definitive back 6 due to us mixing it up a lot, but here's the team I think will go into finals and I've bolded the players I think will play a lot of time down back defending and starting rebounds.

FB: Stratton - Lake - Gibson
HB: Litherland - Spangher - Birchall

MID: McEvoy - Lewis - Mitchell
MID: Hodge - Sewell - Smith

HF: Burgoyne - Schoenmakers - Rioli
FF: Breust - Roughead - Gunston

INT: Shiels - Hill - Hale

SUB: Puopolo

I would love to see Lake take the key forward, Spangher the second and Gibson/Stratton to rotate between playing third man up and offering rebound.

Birchall and Litherland are both very solid on the offense, and because of their height and speed offer absolutely everything you need from a 5th/6th defender.

McEvoys main strength at St Kilda was taking big grabs along the half back line, and I hope we encourage him to do the same. Not a bad man to have alongside Lake and Gibson when Geelong are bombing it to Hawkins.

Schoenmakers offers another tall option down back, but with Stratton, Gibson, Spanger, Lake and Litherland all capable of playing on fat c*unts, I'd expect to see him play mainly along the wing and up forward.

It just seems so ridiculously solid at all facets of defence that Hodge almost becomes a luxury play down there as he shouldn't be required in too many 1 on 1's and can just bark orders and wander into the midfield as he pleases.

Mitchell and Burgoyne to add a little bit of class on the rebound as there's no Suckling or Duryea, but I expect to see them play majority of time in the guts and make it very easy for our forwards.

 

[MinerBoy]

Is the answer opposition forward lines?

 

[Hawker1167]

like many others this would be my back line and I am wrapped that Litherland as grabbed his chance with both hands and have done little wrong.

Unfortunately Doc has gone backwards a little and just turns the ball over to much and I think making him work really hard in the mcgoos to gain his spot back will make him a better player.

Gibson - Lake - Stratton
Litherland - Spangher - Birchall

 

[MrFujiMoto]

Is the answer opposition forward lines?

oooooohhhhhh snap. You here all week MinorBoy?

 

[Stratton_Gun]

Lithers for me. Has been doing well but we can't play all of Lake,Gibbo, Stratts, Spangher, Schoey and Lithers and he's the unlucky one imo

 

[MinerBoy]

oooooohhhhhh snap. You here all week MinorBoy?

Try the veal.

 

[MrFujiMoto]

Lithers for me. Has been doing well but we can't play all of Lake,Gibbo, Stratts, Spangher, Schoey and Lithers and he's the unlucky one imo

Is that due to height??? From what I have seen he is quicker and slightly more agile than Duryea, which means his height becomes an advantage

 

[MinerBoy]

I'd keep Litherland. Man crush building there for sure.

I think it might come down to the opposition and our needs to counter talls or smalls with Spangher and Duryea being those blokes battling on that basis.

 

[Hawkhead#2]

As much as I like what Spangher has done, he seems to be fulfilling the role that Gibbo plays in the team as the third man up. I think Gibbo uses the ball better than Spangher, but it is a tough call to see who goes out.
I love Litherlands pace and run out of the backline, and he is looking more comfortable each week. It would be great to have a right-footed version of Birchall in the team too.

 

[Stratton_Gun]

Is that due to height??? From what I have seen he is quicker and slightly more agile than Duryea, which means his height becomes an advantage

I think since Goo retired, Doc has become our #1 small defender. Birchall is more a rebounder and Suckling is more of an offensive weapon who happens to play in the back half. Lithers for me is competing for Stratts' spot (I see them as similar players) and will stay in until Gibbo is ready

 

[Flukey!]

It seems I am with the majority and picked Doc as the unlucky one.
I think it is telling that he was the sub on the weekend, even in the very wet conditions.
I also think Litherland has gone ahead of him, even though Doc is probably a better kick.

 

[MrFujiMoto]

Pretty good sign for Liquorland that he has only one vote even though he is the least experienced defender in the list

 

[spotthedot]

I tend to look at the 22 players and their versatility and based on the team on the weekend we have Sammy and Gibbo to come in (have ignored Rioli due to the extent of his injury)
In my mind, that means Rioli is out and Sammy is in...and unfortunately for me I have Duryea out and Gibbo in
In respect of the ruckman, maybe Hale out for BB but Ceglar stays in my view...improving every single game!
We have learnt a lot about our list this year due to our horrid injury curse...kudos to everyone on the list and all the staff as I have never been more proud of the club and the players as they continue to show the Hawks pride, passion and fight!