Small defender???

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partycorolla

partycorolla

Norm Smith Medallist
Veteran
Mar 16, 2009
8,261
13,802
Black Rock
AFL Club
Richmond
Once again some little sneak has killed us and in the end cost us 2 points. While I have no problem with Conca's effort on Milne as a learning experience we are not going to have the no 6 pick play 200 games in the back pocket. He will be better across half back this season with a view to being part of our midfield rotation. So what are our options? I honestly don't want Newy doing the job as he has a bigger role to play setting up play and let's be honest, he would prefer not to have to be as accountable as he does playing on Milne, Betts and these type of players. So who? Dea? White? Discuss
 
Think Matty White is a good one, but I like his leg speed and body strength around the HFF. Dea is the one for me, but we should go into this draft targeting the two best small lock down defenders around.
 

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You should have tried Houli mon him, he did a good job on Milne for us a couple of seasons ago and played well a few other times in the BP. He was pretty average in whatever role he had last night.
 
i have pushed this barrow for a long while now and will do so again. why do we play newman down back at all. should be across the middle could play as a defensive wingman if you like.
newman does not have the pce to go with your milnes betts riolis etc its this more than anything that sees others being tried in the role.

for me its fantastic that both batchelor and conca are being grounded in the backline. yep in time they will move upfield but both will be better players for their time down back.
we have to find time to play the irishman and matt dea down there as well theres farmer, and helbig to me seems to have the neccesary tackling and pressure ability to play back as well.

to me it does not have to be a small player to take on milne just a bigger body good decision maker with genuine pace. you also need help from your teammates im not sure conca got a hell of a lot of that last night.
 
santa claws said:
i have pushed this barrow for a long while now and will do so again. why do we play newman down back at all. should be across the middle could play as a defensive wingman if you like.
newman does not have the pce to go with your milnes betts riolis etc its this more than anything that sees others being tried in the role.

for me its fantastic that both batchelor and conca are being grounded in the backline. yep in time they will move upfield but both will be better players for their time down back.
we have to find time to play the irishman and matt dea down there as well theres farmer, and helbig to me seems to have the neccesary tackling and pressure ability to play back as well.

to me it does not have to be a small player to take on milne just a bigger body good decision maker with genuine pace. you also need help from your teammates im not sure conca got a hell of a lot of that last night.
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Agree with this....and.... I would have liked to see Grimes given a chance on Milne. Maybe next time?
 
MartinFoleyCotch said:
Think Matty White is a good one, but I like his leg speed and body strength around the HFF. Dea is the one for me, but we should go into this draft targeting the two best small lock down defenders around.
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Was Matty White playing in defense ? I know he was named up forward but in all of the footage I've seen so far (very limited, thanks to living in Brisbane) it looks like he was down back. It also looked like, wherever he was playing, he was doing a good job.
 
farmer is probably the only one capable, and thats if he is having a good game, not many good small defenders in the league when you think about it. its more that the top goal sneaks are just unstoppable when on their game.
 

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I wonder how many games Conca has played in the backline. My sons coach plays my boy down there from time to time to give the other kids a run in the midfield, or forward. He never does very well there and I am not sure it is 'helping his development' at all.

To me it seems as an anology, I play the violin and I get a job in an orchestra and the maestro says, 'we are going to have you play the trumpet for a few months. It will help with your overall development!'

I understand the need for versatility with players in the game now, but not with 1st year players.
 
Farmer is too slow to keep up, he gets lost on a lot of the faster defenders. O'Reilly and Dea are the obvious options on the list, both have pace to burn and great mobility. Moore does the job surprisingly well on small forwards as well. Thursfield has flogged some smalls in the past but doesn't really offer enough rebound to be a permanent small defender.
 
We don't necessarily need an elite small defender. We just need to limit the amount of ball that goes into our defensive 50. No matter how good a defender you have, if the ball is coming into the opp 50 50+ times a game, someone will have a day out.
 
DoItForCaptBlood said:
I wonder how many games Conca has played in the backline. My sons coach plays my boy down there from time to time to give the other kids a run in the midfield, or forward. He never does very well there and I am not sure it is 'helping his development' at all.

To me it seems as an anology, I play the violin and I get a job in an orchestra and the maestro says, 'we are going to have you play the trumpet for a few months. It will help with your overall development!'

I understand the need for versatility with players in the game now, but not with 1st year players.
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Tony Jewell tried that in our premiership year. He tried to drum the attacking mentalilty out of Bruce Timpani but he lost his rhythm and got beat.
 
TheProwler said:
Too many eggs in one basket. Farmer currently injured so where is our backup? We have had this issue for sometime now with Betts, Garlett etc giving us hell the last three season openers. We need a few blokes that can play this role. Farmer is one, but who else?
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Possibly Bachar Houli? Not sure how he goes defensively one on one but could be an option. Kelvin Moore id say will play more on the smalls and mediums this season when he comes back from injury. Newman is capable of doing it but you dont want to isolate him down in the back pocket when he provides so much more for us further up the ground. Matt Dea would probably be the only other option this season but i feel he has a way to go before he becomes afl standard. Batchelor looks like he could be one for the role in a few years time.
 

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Small defender???

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