Schofield to a Wing??

[mezaire]

Anyone else noticing that when he gets the ball up the ground a bit he takes the game on, has pace and a tank, breaks tackles brilliantly, delivers and reads the play pretty well too!!

At 196cm he would be a bugger to match up on and has shown he can take a good mark and lead to space so would provide another option to Lynch and Darling as a marking option to break a press.

Once Emac and Brown are back I would love to see Woosh atleast try this.

Thoughts??

 

[Milenko]

Not the worst idea I've heard TBH. Has some talent up forward too. Happy with his game the last few weeks. Needed to lift and he has.

 

[WCE_phil]

I don't think as a winger. But we need to stop trying to pin him down as a key position defender. If we recognise that we only need 2 true key defenders playing each week then schofield's role needs to be looked at. I personally very highly rate him and think his place in the team as a medium defender would be hugely advantageous to us. If he can be given more space and more of a licence to run off his man i think he can be a real star down back for us.

It's also why i don't think he should be competing with mitch brown for a spot in the team. I think it should really be down to brown,glass and emac for those 2 key position posts and schoey's position should be judged against players like smith, waters, sheppard, butler etc.

 

[zepablonator]

I've also noticed that when he gets into space he loves to take the game on and go for a run. It does seem odd that he is a defender given that, from what I've seen, his biggest weakness is the one on one contests.
Then again I guess with Emac and Brown both out we dont exactly have a choice...

 

[tesseract]

Schofield was tried on a wing when he first started at WC. He looked ok at the time. Schofield has the pace, and I suspect the endurance, with him being a decent runner; but does he have the nous to continually get into the right receiving spots to get plenty of the ball like Rosa, Embley and Gaff do?

I think WC have better Wingmen options than Schofield. Rosa is a lock. Embley is in great touch. Gaff is next cab off rank after the aforementioned two. Sheppard, too, will get his turn in time. All four should be used before Schofield.
If WC somehow manage to snag Rich for next season, I'd like him to be used as a Wingman.

Schofield is doing well at present in his current role. He has stood up in Ermac's and Brown's absence. If Schofield keeps up his current good form, Brown will have to work hard to get a spot back late in the year with finals approaching.

 

[Mattman93]

I actually think it's worth a try, once Brown and Emac are back of course. People judge Schofield because he's not the best one on one defender, but that's not his go, he's a third tall-type mobile player. Deceptively quick for a big guy, takes the game on and avoids tackles very well as you said.

I think he's been given a license to back himself in and run off his man a bit recently which is a good sign that the coaches are recognising his strengths. On a few occasions we've left the corridor fairly open and he's pushed up into it, received the ball and gone for a bit of a run.

 

[tesseract]

I don't think as a winger. But we need to stop trying to pin him down as a key position defender. If we recognise that we only need 2 true key defenders playing each week then schofield's role needs to be looked at. I personally very highly rate him and think his place in the team as a medium defender would be hugely advantageous to us. If he can be given more space and more of a licence to run off his man i think he can be a real star down back for us.

It's also why i don't think he should be competing with mitch brown for a spot in the team. I think it should really be down to brown,glass and emac for those 2 key position posts and schoey's position should be judged against players like smith, waters, sheppard, butler etc.

In my post in this thread, I've basically said that he's competing with Brown for a spot in the team. I don't think Brown and Schofield are competing for the same position though.

If Schofield plays instead of Brown, Schfield plays as a 3rd tall, with EMac at CHB and Glass at FB.
If Brown is in and Schofield out, EMac switches to FB, Glass to 3rd tall and Brown to CHB.
This versatility means that Brown and Schofield, while used in different positions when they play, are competing against each other for a spot in the side. Glass and EMac are clearly ahead and are automatic selections, for the time being.

 

[neng]

* Sheppard to a wing

 

[joeyavalanche]

There's guys like gaff and sheppard we've drafted as wingers,
Its great he is taking the game on but he is a tall defender, it's not the guy who we want to have the ball when going inside 50.
In the cases I've seen he's done nothing more constructive than bomb it deep.

I'm not trying to discourage a guys endeavor, I'm just asking why our tall defender has the ball at the time

 

[Mattman93]

There's guys like gaff and sheppard we've drafted as wingers,
Its great he is taking the game on but he is a tall defender, it's not the guy who we want to have the ball when going inside 50.
In the cases I've seen he's done nothing more constructive than bomb it deep.

I'm not trying to discourage a guys endeavor, I'm just asking why our tall defender has the ball at the time

His kick to a leading Darling in the first term v Essendon was as good of a pass to a forward I've seen from an eagle this year.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

* Sheppard to a wing

**Stevenson to a wing

Fixed

Seriously, this guy is quick and has massive hurt factor with his kicking. I'd love to see him given a good run on a wing, especially at Subi. He'd kill it on the wide expanses.

Has done well whenever he's been given a chance, too.

 

[DivideandMultiply]

Schofields issue down back seems to be confidence and consistency.

Has had some great moments as a third tall, coming over the top and spoiling everything then providing a bit of dash.

Then last year had a patch as a KPD where he was blanketing everything, looked in the Glass mould of aggressive dour defender. Was a surprise.

This years started and he seemed well out of sorts but has started to lift over the last couple of matches.

Funny thing is, IMO he has always looked better forward of centre.

I remember a couple of games, one where he was given a run with role and another where he played as a HFF. Both were two of the better or more promising games of his I have seen.

He has shown dash and evasiveness when running through the middle and his size and aggression would make him very hard to tackle.

His delivery forward of centre has also looked great. I wonder if this is because he is under less pressure and can make the most of his kicking skills.

Regardless would love to see this move continued, especially when McKenzie returns. Would add some real versatility/flexibility to the side, especially since A. Selwood seems to play his best football down back (apart from the odd errant kick).

 

[Suma Magic]

In my post in this thread, I've basically said that he's competing with Brown for a spot in the team. I don't think Brown and Schofield are competing for the same position though.

If Schofield plays instead of Brown, Schfield plays as a 3rd tall, with EMac at CHB and Glass at FB.
If Brown is in and Schofield out, EMac switches to FB, Glass to 3rd tall and Brown to CHB.
This versatility means that Brown and Schofield, while used in different positions when they play, are competing against each other for a spot in the side. Glass and EMac are clearly ahead and are automatic selections, for the time being.

+1

And my two preferred back 6 (against big and small fwd lines):

Butler Mackenzie Glass
Hurn Brown Waters

Butler Glass Hurn
? Mackenzie Waters

Guys like Smith, A. Selwood, McGinnity, Sheppard, Schofield all fighting fir that spot. Schoey's doing ok at the moment, but not sure he's first choice.

 

[dajesmac]

Schoey's been great this season. Keep him in defense, he provides great rebound. As said before, we have better options on the wing. I don't fancy his delivery his inside 50.

 

[bali-dog]

Schoey's been great this season. Keep him in defense, he provides great rebound. As said before, we have better options on the wing. I don't fancy his delivery his inside 50.

i like schofield, his intent and endeavour..he looks more confident+comfortable taking the game on..he gets a lot of flack here..i guess it
shows a few things..players need to get 50 games+ into them,whilst running the gauntlet of flack..injuries help assist improving our depth (whilst possibly assisting in losing games?)..our depth is improving.

re winger..gaffs a given..sheppard should be fighting for a spot over schofield? (post embley)

 

[ziad]

he does look better the further foward he gets - could be un accountability on his behalf but he and Shep need to be tested on the wing.

 

[pantskyle]

Could he be our next Hunter?

 

[triplegee]

Unfortunately for Schofield (& us!) we need him at the moment to take of one the opposition's KPF's (Ie. Cloke on the weekend) - he's simply not suited to that role.

I'd like to see him off a half-bank flank given some licence to roam and take the game on. Playing him deep in defence is heart-attack material!

 

[Masto]

Should be the 3rd defender but MacKenzie and Mitch Brown are both injured.

 

[Prem87]

Schofield is a third tall rebound defender. Unless we have no choice, like now, he should not be playing at FB/CHB.

 

[mattyc75]

His kick to a leading Darling in the first term v Essendon was as good of a pass to a forward I've seen from an eagle this year.

maybe he was aiming for someone else?

 

[WCE_phil]

Schofield is a third tall rebound defender. Unless we have no choice, like now, he should not be playing at FB/CHB.

See this is not a slight at you but this is the common perception. What i want is for the team to be able to not even see him as a tall at all. Play him and make comparisons of schoey against the other medium defenders. If you look at the saints people don't pigeon hole gilbert as a key defender, goldsack and maxwell are 193cm yet aren't really key defenders either.

While i recognise we have no option at the moment but to play schoey as a key defender i think we as a club need to recognise that he is not one and to not have him competing with glass,emac or brown for a position in the team.

 

[worsfold]

http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7155/newsid/115150/default.aspx

Based on the Wafl report we could give Jordan Jones a Stint in the back line, Weedon on HF and Stevens in the middle

As far a Will goes think he will replace Embley as a tall ute - played his best footy in the wafl as Wing / Hff but it is important he learns how to defend -exiciting future

you will remember he was training with the mids in preseason - their is a plan - I am sure

 

[diknik]

He didn't mind kicking a goal too, on the run from about 50, can't remember which game it was but it looked good. I have also noticed that he seems to be pretty good in traffic through the corridor and on the wing especially given his size. Maybe his strength is a bonus for breaking tackles and is agile enough to sidestep opponents. Should be given a go I reckon.

 

[WCErevival]

Utility. He is our next Staker.

Must be one of the most deceiving players for height. Seems shorter than he is.