Should we give up on Brown as a forward?

[Jimmy_the_Gent]

Simple question.

I've noticed a few people are over the idea already and Worsfold himself swung Brown into defence against Sydney, moving Schofield forward.

Personally, I like to stick things through and I'd like to see Brown used as a forward for at least another 2 months, regardless of how shit it looks.

What does everyone else think?

 

[rocketmac360]

He looked like such a promising forward prospect as a rookie, why not give him more time up there? He isn't exactly old and hasn't been given too many chances.

 

[WCE_phil]

While i voted no there really was only 2 options. He's a very young key position player who was drafted as a forward. He did an acl, came back into the defensive six and had a pretty good year.

He's spent 3-4 rounds this year as a forward and hasnt set the world on fire. He definitely needs some more time up there, but in saying that we also need to get some wins on the board and at the moment i think theres other options that will be more productive.

If we want him to be a longterm forward prospect then its probably better dropping him down to the wafl to get a rhythm and some confidence playing as a forward rather than sending him back down back.

However as a young team we really cant afford to be carrying any players and if its decided its more important to have him in the team rather than developing in the wafl i'd be playing him down back.

 

[joeyavalanche]

Simple question.

I've noticed a few people are over the idea already and Worsfold himself swung Brown into defence against Sydney, moving Schofield forward.

Personally, I like to stick things through and I'd like to see Brown used as a forward for at least another 2 months, regardless of how shit it looks.

What does everyone else think?

I know we back and forthed over this during the pre-season Jimmy,
and while i dont think its Brown himself who isnt playing well as a forward,
more the mix of players he is playing with down there and the delivery.

Even though the mix isnt right though,
there will always be Kennedy and LeCras around him,
both proven and reliable targets.

Id be willing to give him some more time,
and in fact during the pre season he was quite good there,
but he has gone from a reliable player with the ball last year,
to one that goes missing for a half.

I really liked his confidence and poise in the backline.

Was it because he knew the job and that was to stop his opponent and then find someone up field or take a bounce?

I just find that in the forward line you need to be creative and he doesnt have that kind of imagination, he knows the simple and correct move to make but sometimes in the forward line, you need to have that x-factor, which so far he hasnt shown.

To answer the question,
i find him more valuable in defence

 

[dajesmac]

*Sits down on fence*.

Do we really have a solid backline for the future? Schofield is promising, but Mackenzie and Spangher are hardly solid options.

Having said that his shit form up forward could do with lack of confidence/not being used to his position as he's been out of it for so long. I don't see the point of not keeping him there for the time being because we've got nothing to lose, we're hardly in the finals scope, and even if we were I think we should focus ond development.

I'm going to say No, he hasn't had a proper chance but if it fails I think we should be more than happy that we can actually put him in the backline and for him to still be effective.

 

[dajesmac]

I know we back and forthed over this during the pre-season Jimmy,
and while i dont think its Brown himself who isnt playing well as a forward,
more the mix of players he is playing with down there and the delivery.

Even though the mix isnt right though,
there will always be Kennedy and LeCras around him,
both proven and reliable targets.

Id be willing to give him some more time,
and in fact during the pre season he was quite good there,
but he has gone from a reliable player with the ball last year,
to one that goes missing for a half.

Weird, none of that rhymes.

 

[EagleEgo]

I think Brown should stay in the foward in the next few games at least. Our problem at the moment is not so much on individual players; but instead they are not playing as a team.

Just on the forward aspects, very often our forwards are contesting the ball at the same time end up destroying the chance rather than complementing each other. Shepherding has not been seen for a while ! Midfielders are moving the ball slowly and fowards have no chance to lead properly.

I remember it happened a bit like this in year 2000 when the older players and the new (not necessarily young) players were not playing as a team !

 

[Kama6]

He must train the house the down because I have not seen anything that shows he is strong overhead mark.
Isn't that the first criteria for a key position player ?

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Brown looks incapable of using his body in marking contests, until he learns how to do that he will never be a KPP and only ever a flanker.

Also, what exactly was Browns role in our forward line? He looked completely lost. He wasn't leading out of the square like a FF, he wasn't the go to man at CHF. He often ended up drifting too far up the ground to even be able to play the role of a forward.

Get the bloke into the WAFL for a month, play him as the main target in the forward line and let him get his confidence up against players he can beat.

 

[Snooperclyde]

Give him more opportunity to prove himself.

I did like the look of Schoey when he went forward so give both a go at times.

 

[Spartan]

Give him more opportunity to prove himself.

I did like the look of Schoey when he went forward so give both a go at times.

Can't kick for @#$% though.

Atleast Brown is a decent shot on goal.

 

[Masto]

If not Brown then who? Notte is the only possibility and he isn't ready. Otherwise the cupboard is bare. Hansen and Lynch are yesterday's men.

 

[DrTomSwift]

Can't kick for @#$% though.

Atleast Brown is a decent shot on goal.

It's funny how it works. Schoey is a far superior field kick but wasn't great at set shots. Brown's the opposite.

I'd say if Brown wants to be a forward he should prove himself there in the WAFL first otherwise he can play can defense in the AFL.

 

[Makka]

I'm not convinced on Brown forward at the moment but I guess should be given more time. I prefer to see him down back.

 

[Winky]

I know we back and forthed over this during the pre-season Jimmy,
and while i dont think its Brown himself who isnt playing well as a forward,
more the mix of players he is playing with down there and the delivery.

Even though the mix isnt right though,
there will always be Kennedy and LeCras around him,
both proven and reliable targets.

Id be willing to give him some more time,
and in fact during the pre season he was quite good there,
but he has gone from a reliable player with the ball last year,
to one that goes missing for a half.

I really liked his confidence and poise in the backline.

Was it because he knew the job and that was to stop his opponent and then find someone up field or take a bounce?

I just find that in the forward line you need to be creative and he doesnt have that kind of imagination, he knows the simple and correct move to make but sometimes in the forward line, you need to have that x-factor, which so far he hasnt shown.

To answer the question,
i find him more valuable in defence

To some degree I do agree with this as when Brown first debuted at CHF delivery was good and he played well.

Different story now however as he simply cannot take a mark and is absent from the game for extremely long periods. Whether that is the much celebrated "game plan" or not I have no ides as I can see no semblance of any cohesion in the forward line at all.

The main thing here is that he just doesn't look threatening at any stage while marking and he is even being spoilt by the defender when he is on the lead. If you are a big man like Brown you must be able to mark or compete on the ground. At the moment, Lynch looks better on both counts and even tho' McKinley is not a big man, I reckon he looks more threatening than Brown and certainly is a more natural forward. On the other hand as a spoining running defender, Brown looks our best option for CHB.

I reckon you just do the maths.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

I'm not averse to him playing forward - woefully inadequate as he has been.

What i do want though - is for him to be settled into one position and learnt the craft.

Jakko was selected as a CHF - but settled into CHB.

My main issue with Brown is when he is back he gets the ball, runs and then is prone to a panic kick.

If they want him forward - i'd be more inclined to let him have a run in the WAFL - get some confidence up - then come back into the senior side.

If they think he is a defender - then he has the skill set to learn his craft. From a squad point of view though - we have a number of tall defenders already - Emac, Schofield and Glass, so FWD does seem to be the best spot for balance.

 

[WCE_phil]

On the note of people talking about sending brown back down back, i bloody hope its to a flank as i think schoey is a far better chb. TBH i'd rate schoey in our top 5 most exciting prospects.

 

[Juddtastic]

Brown looks incapable of using his body in marking contests, until he learns how to do that he will never be a KPP and only ever a flanker.

Also, what exactly was Browns role in our forward line? He looked completely lost. He wasn't leading out of the square like a FF, he wasn't the go to man at CHF. He often ended up drifting too far up the ground to even be able to play the role of a forward.

Get the bloke into the WAFL for a month, play him as the main target in the forward line and let him get his confidence up against players he can beat.

Like this alot.. Someone teach him to use that big body!

 

[Wirra for PM]

Simple question.

I've noticed a few people are over the idea already and Worsfold himself swung Brown into defence against Sydney, moving Schofield forward.

Personally, I like to stick things through and I'd like to see Brown used as a forward for at least another 2 months, regardless of how shit it looks.

What does everyone else think?

Completely agree with this. Brown is a young player getting used to a position he hasn't played for the past year and he should be given plenty of time. A few months of inefficiency to get our forward line right for the next premiership shot is well worth it.

Should be told to play as full forward, lead and double back within the 50 and just keep doing it until your defender keels over.

If his form is still shit - not that he has been that bad, apart from last weekend - by mid-year then send him back to the WAFL to play FF, don't swing him back. He has the body to be an effective power forward, they don't grow on trees so it is worth investing a fair bit of time and effort to see if it can happen.

 

[Schoey31]

Can't kick for @#$% though.

Atleast Brown is a decent shot on goal.

Schoey actually can be a good kick on goal.

I wouldnt judge him on that game. He was thrown forward in the last part of the game while half the team didnt look like they knew what they were doing.

 

[kumarparam]

I have been more of a reader of eagles bigfooty than a contributor for the past couple of years, but I just got an idea from left field. I haven't thought it over, but I thought that it could be worth a discussion anyways.

Glass has always been one of the best contested marks in our side and we know that Brown did very well in defence on the third tall last year. This year, Glass hasn't really set the world on fire and has had his colours lowered a few times. Regardless of the delivery, Brown hasn't done much at full forward and seems to be lacking in confidence. If Glass goes to full forward and Brown to full back, our defence might lack some experience but it will become a good rebounding defence and our forward line couldn't get any worse than what it is at the moment. Glass would add to the defensive pressure in our forward line and might actually take a few marks there..

 

[BOND 007]

I have been more of a reader of eagles bigfooty than a contributor for the past couple of years, but I just got an idea from left field. I haven't thought it over, but I thought that it could be worth a discussion anyways.

Glass has always been one of the best contested marks in our side and we know that Brown did very well in defence on the third tall last year. This year, Glass hasn't really set the world on fire and has had his colours lowered a few times. Regardless of the delivery, Brown hasn't done much at full forward and seems to be lacking in confidence. If Glass goes to full forward and Brown to full back, our defence might lack some experience but it will become a good rebounding defence and our forward line couldn't get any worse than what it is at the moment. Glass would add to the defensive pressure in our forward line and might actually take a few marks there..

Left field thinking is always good.

I actually reckon Glass's kicking when he arrived at AFL level was appalling and IMO he has deteriorated (if thats possible). If we thought WC's kicking at goal by Lynch was bad - can you imagine if Glass had the ball.
Quite honestly I wouldnt be confident of him scoring the maximum if he took a mark in the square.

 

[NorthEagle]

Didn't Glass spend alot of time up forward when he first joined the senior side?

 

[CursoryMercenary]

He should be ready by now to play forward and take contested marks. I suppose he should have been playing there more last season so the coaching staff are mostly to blame for his efforts in the forward line this season.

 

[paran]

He should be left at CHB and grromed for that position. Has great athleticism and speed, and runs off well - all strengths as CHB. Can spoil in contests, so that weakness is negated. At the moment, him playing at CHF weakens our defence and forward line. He doesn't understand spacing and positioning in the forward line and that's something that takes a lot of practice. If it's so important he learns the position send him back to WAFL so that he can at least get some confidence in playing there instead of getting smashed every week. He's a better option than Schofield, Spangher, Mckenzie at CHB.