Who will be our first-choice FF in 2009?

[PRANKSTER666]

Don't waste your time OB.

Gunnar is a sad, self-important little man that needs to pump himself up at other peoples expense.

If Gunnar posts on the forum but nobody reads it, does he really exist?

When you see his name just skip to the next post.

 

[RoJo Junior]

How many times will you try to fight fire with fire before you make the discovery of water?

 

[PRANKSTER666]

My bad I used fuel thinking it was water...

 

[beatlesmith]

If you don't like what gunnar posts, put him on your ignore list, or argue via pm. Don't ruin threads with pages of argument.

 

[Gunnar Longshanks]

You live by the sword you die by the sword Gunnar, don't cry about it when someone serves back what you dish out.

As I have said many many times before play the ball and not the man and we will never have these heated debates.

Now this latest exchange of views has gone on enough I think everyone will agree. Lets see if we can get back to talking about football.

I'm not crying — I'm pointing out your hypocrisy.

I play the ball. Sometimes I can be uncompromising, but it's never personal. You will never see me sink to the kind of petty, know-nothing, ad hominem slanging that you resort to so readily. Never.

You whinge about my style, but you bottom out faster and more dramatically than I ever do, and then draw a false equivalence to justify it.

This was a spirited (but entirely football-related) discussion, until you came along on page 8 and derailed it. You chose to make this thread all about Longshanks. It needn't have been.

And spare me the cartoonish 'BigFooty vigilante' posturing. Do you really think your shabby character assassination is going to deter me from calling it how I see it? You think you're the first bush-leaguer to try to take me down a peg? Good luck with that.

 

[Gunnar Longshanks]

Gunnar is a sad, self-important little man that needs to pump himself up at other peoples expense.

The thing is, I would never post something like this. It's mindless, unoriginal pap. It has nothing to do with the issues at hand and is neither funny enough nor inventive enough to be worthwhile as banter. It's the cookie-cutter comeback that someone without a brain could use.

I would rather own you through argument — like I did in this thread — than call you names.

Now, back to the football.

 

[Gunnar Longshanks]

For arguments sake you would expect Lynch to be our first choice FF at the beginning of 09. By seasons end i'd say Brown.

It's hard to say where Lynch's future lies.

Was he moved away from goals last year because his future lies up the ground? Or was he moved up the ground out of necessity?

I think everyone agrees that Lynch is best 22. I think there's far less about agreement about where he should play.

I see him more as a big-bodied utility between the arcs than as a stay-at home FF. That said, he may still spend some time deep in the forward-line when we need him to. But I don't think it will be his regular spot, if he has one.

 

[RoJo Junior]

Lynch is most definitely starting 22 GL as you say. His work rate is second to none at the club which was evident during his spell in the midfield.

He is a utility a great stop gap for any position we're lacking depth or strength you know he'll come in and do a solid job. Im guessing his preferred and most beneficial position will be a more relatively free role across half forward (RoJo like) with Lynch delivering a high number of I50's like last season.

But for round 1 i think we'll play an experienced head starting in the goalsquare and so far Lynch is really the only experienced FF option. He'll be dislodged at FF by seasons end in my eyes, probably by midway through the season.

 

[The_Eagles]

I would give Ashley Hansen one final last go at CHF, Lynch in the midfield/float forward and Kennedy FF. I wish McKinley was say 189 cm. He's 184 I think.

 

[The_Eagles]

Brown very overrated on these boards.

agree
I see Brown as more of a back as well

 

[bigburger]

Not really sure TBH

 

[Quinz]

Thanks for your input BB.

 

[bigburger]

No worries

I wish I could go back and vote Brent Staker now just to be grand.

 

[RoJo Junior]

Haha poor Stakes. He kinda reminds me of David Haynes style type of FF. But after the "success" of that last time no wonder hes being permanently shifted to the midfield.

 

[bodazoka]

Staker at FF is a very bad idea... almost as bad as the Seaby at FF idea.

Hansen and Wilson for me.

 

[Gunnar Longshanks]

Bring back Big Troy Wilson.

The Road Train.

Ooom-chugga-chugga. Ooom-chugga-chugga.

 

[bodazoka]

We have to play against that guy in the GFL.

 

[Gunnar Longshanks]

Any whispers emerging from pre-season training?

 

[bodazoka]

Heard Brown was training with the forwards.

 

[PRANKSTER666]

Fresh approach means new Eagles: Hansen

WEST Coast forward Ash Hansen has flagged big changes to his side's game plan in 2009 following the arrival of a number of new coaches in the off-season.

Scott Burns, Phillip Walsh and Daniel Metropolis will join senior coach John Worsfold and new football manager Neale Daniher as assistants.

Hansen said the new coaching structure had spent more time and effort on the Eagles' game plan this off-season, with the burden of off-field scrutiny less of an issue at the club.

"They've introduced some really good ideas that we're going to have on-field in our game plan, and that can lead to on-field success as well," Hansen said on Thursday.

"We're going to tinker with those over the pre-season and the NAB Cup and we'll probably take another year to really cement them in; I suppose a plan like Hawthorn put together a few years ago.

"With a new game plan and new faces around it will take a little bit of time to grasp. But it's definitely exciting the way we're starting to move the footy, and our defensive style as well."

Hansen, weighing a career-high 97kg, said his own role was also set to change, with a move closer to goals likely after injury allowed him just 13 games in 2008.

But the 25-year-old was confident extra work over summer with the club's physios would see him play at least 20 games for the first time since 2005 and allow him to have an impact up forward.

"I'm really confident, with the work I put in over the summer into my body, that it's going to be an injury-free year and probably my best year to date," he said.

"Other injuries you can't foresee happening, you can't control those, but (with my) hamstrings I've done a lot of work with the physios and hopefully that can see me through the season.

"A focus of mine is to play a little bit more inside 50 and not necessarily play that lead-up role as much. I think my skills can be used inside 50 to more dangerous effect in front of the goals. So hopefully that (extra weight) will help me in contested situations."

Hansen said the additional kilos came mainly from increased leg strength and after a long summer program he was in the best shape of his career going into a season.

The 2006 premiership player had also seen enough from his teammates over the pre-season to suggest finals football was a reasonable aim following the club's 15th place in 2008.

"I think we've got the talent and I think we've got the work ethic," he said. "We've got a core group of players that have had premiership success and played a lot of finals football, so I think with that experience and the excitement of youth we can really go places."

-------------------------------------------------

As I suggested earlier in this thread it appears they will look to play him closer to goal this year, probably at the FF post.

 

[Alphanumeric]

Have to give Ben McKinley first crack at FF.

 

[Crimson King]

Hansen and strong pair of hands dont go together.ever.ever.ever.

 

[anti.]

hansen's main asset was the lead-up ability, i just cant see him going that well at FF.

hoping he proves me wrong but personally i'd rather Bmac at FF with kennedy and brown roaming around. although, both of those guys are unproven.

 

[PRANKSTER666]

I still think we need somebody bigger than Mckinley at FF, especially at this stage of his career to help him out.

Hansen can lead, has a good kick at goal and will act as a foil for Mckinley.

I really think Brown will be better suited at CHB, but no doubt will be tried at both ends during NAB Cup.

 

[anti.]

as a CHB:

MacKenzie > Brown

we would totally waste brown's pack crashing ability and general aggressive play if he was locking down on the opposition's CHF. i'd prefer him to make things happen up forward.

as you say though, im sure he'll be tried at both ends of the ground.

i could be wrong with this, but i think we have a wealth of young CHB options and i'd much rather take the punt on brown being a CHF as it's a much more influential position and he could be anything.