Strategy Should we make Dangerfield a Knight?

[spenze]

I am reflecting back on what I am seeing so far this season and am wondering whether we will burn Dangerfield out playing him in the guts week in week out. Nearly every week it is the same sight on our TVs or at the match, Dangerfield running off the ground clutching his ribs, his back, his tackle, his head as a result of another impact injury. I do understand he is a contested possession king and it is a big call to have him not in the guts but I just don't think it is where we should play him. Sure, a burst in there every now and then won't hurt but we have a few players who can play in the middle...we have clearance kings at our disposal.

One of the better calls I saw during the Neil Craig times was the decision to take our contested midfielder, Chris " I'm within 80 metres of the sticks, I'm having a shot" Knights and place him as a HFF. Knights was a decent midfielder but it was identified that he could become a very damaging weapon who could kick goals at will on the run from long distances. By removing Knights from the middle, we lost nothing but having him replace the team member he replaced, we gained so much.

I watch Matty Wright and wonder how much do we lose by making Danger play on the HFF. They are different players and we probably would lose some defensive pressure that Matthew provides but we already have two very capable players to provide that skill but how much more do we gain from offensive output?

When Matthew kicked the ball backwards 60 metres today ( and miss his target) instead of taking the game on...to me it said where his game was at and I wonder is that the best we can hope for that spot? When you reminisce about the better HFFs of a bygone era, they were the ones who would turn on a dime, cover the 20 metres as fast as any and roost a ball from outside 50. Matty doesn't provide that to us at all, so I think it is about time the coaches started having good ideas ( hate the expression " thinking outside the box" a good idea is just that, a good idea) and start making some tough calls on the playing group and what role they want them to play.

Danger at HFF provides a mismatch every game, makes our forward line more attacking and unpredictable and more importantly, very quick. With a starting six of Jetts, Pets, Jerka, Tex, Danger and Ten Goal Tommy, we could run defences ragged.

As for the middle, Thommo, Crouch squared, Lyons, Kerridge, Rory, Smith and Mackay can all run through...heck even Wright would be a good run through in the spot. We lose a little through the middle but we make our forward line something else.

Thoughts?

 

[TheLeftFist8]

Don't mind this at all.

That or wing? Even HBF. It's modern footy, he will still cover much of the field and even in an 'outside' position there will still be plenty of contested stuff.

You may have missed Douglas in that mids collective also.

 

[StonesThrow]

Been saying it for a few years now, something needs to be done about his smarts in terms of protecting himself. Not only when going for the ball, but also around the ground/contest.

The guy is going to be a wreck at 28.

Sick of seeing him grimacing week in week out.

 

[1970crow]

You may not like the expression, but there's not much going on inside the box, so we may as well think when we're outside of it.

 

[spenze]

Don't mind this at all.

That or wing? Even HBF. It's modern footy, he will still cover much of the field and even in an 'outside' position there will still be plenty of contested stuff.

You may have missed Douglas in that mids collective also.

I did, well spotted

 

[King Elvis]

Been saying it all season.

If we keep playing him in the guts, and he keeps playing like he does - he's going to seriously injure himself and have a restricted career.

We need to get him on the outside, on the wing or a flank - for his own good; and he would actually be a destructive, potent weapon if we did; we saw it against Collingwood.

Further, we have an abundance of inside mids, we don't need our best AND QUICKEST player getting buried under a pack every other contest.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

No point playing danger as an inside mid if he is playing injured. How much time did he spend lying on the ground or on the bench!

Play Lyons in the guts & use danger as a forward with occasional run on the ball. He can take wrights spot up forward.

Dangers ribs are not going to get better otherwise.

 

[Ramify]

Well he could sure do with the shining armour.

 

[Coopers]

I'd like to see him in more 1 on 1's, rather than 1 on 5's.

There's huge value in beating your opponent on the wing, and running away with the ball. You just know he'd do it 9 times out of 10 as well.

It would be an interesting thing to do.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

I like the OP's starting forward 6. For next week simply swap in Otten for Lynch.

F: Jenkins, Walker, Betts
HF: Cameron, Otten, Dangerfield

 

[Ravenous Crow]

Not sure. I think unlike Knights, who was only an okay midfielder, you really would lose something by removing Danger from stoppages. Dangerfield is a contested ball god who can dive into the bottom of the pack, stand up and get the handball away to the free man. He's literally the only guy in the AFL who can consistently do that kind of thing.

The guy I would look at moving to a HFF is Sloane. I think his best attributes are gut running and beating people one on one. Yet for some reason we have him pigeonholed as a clearance midfielder. He can do okay in the role because he's very physical and a great tackler but I don't think it's a role he's especially suited to. Let him run up and down a wing, push forward and work over an opponent. Kick it to him one on one and trust him to win. I think that's the scenario where Sloane would be at his best.

 

[cmndstab]

I don't mind it at all - as long as he gets spurts in the midfield.

That said, Danger is probably the kind of player who you allow to play wherever he wants to play.

 

[RePete]

Danger shouldn't have to spend so much of the game in the centre. He is spending much more time there and hence getting smashed a lot more. Had a lazy 11 clearances today, and has had some insane numbers the last few weeks. Probably when Brad Crouch is back play him up forward more. Even rotate Wright into the centre occasionally. Throw him in the centre when the game is on the line imo.

 

[JohnK]

I'd like Dangerfield settled on the halfback flank, to create the turnover and mount the forward attack. But maybe that's an old way of looking at footy.

As good as he and Rory Sloane are, both of them have the mentality that they have to do everything – all the time and all by themselves. I think they are yet to find the inner calm in their play, in the Scott Pendlebury fashion. They have to think through their manic attack on the ball and learn how to become more effective.

Dangerfield had a bad brain fade yesterday, playing on from 25 metres out for an heroic shot at goal on the run. If he had held his nerve for five seconds, gone back and taken his shot, the team would have calmed down, too.

Adelaide panicked in the deciding moments of a winnable game.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

No point playing danger as an inside mid if he is playing injured. How much time did he spend lying on the ground or on the bench!

Play Lyons in the guts & use danger as a forward with occasional run on the ball. He can take wrights spot up forward.

Dangers ribs are not going to get better otherwise.

Spot on

 

[hugecannon]

Wright and Sloane to swap roles, with maybe Wright to play as a defensive mid to free up Kerridge, and Danger to play mainly wing/HB. If we feel the other side is getting on top and gaining momentum, then Danger can go into the centre to try and get control back. Sloane is much more of an asset on the outside and Wright's hands in close are fantastic.

 

[jenny61_99]

I like him as a forward that plays small periods of time in the middle. He's generally a very good kick for goal and honestly we need someone that kicks goals not points. He's a strong contested mark and he has the footy smarts to position himself well. He cannot continue to play like he's playing. It's no use to anyone, least of all himself.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

Wright and Sloane to swap roles, with maybe Wright to play as a defensive mid to free up Kerridge, and Danger to play mainly wing/HB. If we feel the other side is getting on top and gaining momentum, then Danger can go into the centre to try and get control back. Sloane is much more of an asset on the outside and Wright's hands in close are fantastic.

This part I'm not so sure of.

Sloane's skills are limited. He's best in tight, winning a hard ball, particularly in a one-on-one contest.

Love to see him half back…could see him play a vital role defeating a Gray/Wingard type.

He may not have the spite but we need another accountable half back who can really physically work someone over, then of course attack the other way. If Rory got the job i could see Wingard crying by the end of the day.

 

[Mattrox]

Dangerfield seemed to extract the ball from impossible situations. It's ehat he's a master at doing.

But the whispers that his ribs weren't quite right could have been brushed of as excuses for poor performace. At least we can't hide it now and must do something else. Taggers all over the comp would have been taking note. They will now be targeting his ribs... and extra bump in the side, a sneaky elbow, dumping him hard in the etc.

We can't afford to play without him. But he can't keep getting smashed every week.

 

[Niximus]

Sir Patrick?

 

[skoobydoo]

As Blight said to Rucciuto 'you won't last in the AFL if you keep playing your present bash crash style'. Note: insert whoever name for Blight and Dangerfield for Roo. He cannot last if the present battering continues.