Position 2023: Defenders Discussion
- Thread starter KLo30
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Has far more to do with how he played last year and how he finished last season when dealing with the exact factors you're painting as his negatives.
His best game of the season was against Adelaide playing midfield and he was rock solid across both positions when playing them. A player like him I feel pretty good in saying more midfield will most likely mean more points, he just fits the profile.
I think the name game is a distraction. None of us that took Macrae or Oliver in their 2nd seasons cared about their names when doing it, was purely how they'd played their first season and what they showed in the o***eason heading into season 2.
Daicos is the best genuine rookie first year player we've ever seen, I'm actually surprised how tempered most of the talk on him is because what he did last year was quite simply absurd. Most times a midfield move is a positive, especially for classy clearance players like him. There are definitely concerns but his name is not even in the discussion for mine. Let's be honest, no one has thought about taking his brother at any point so it's not the Daicos part and while a lot of Nick's have been mentioned this o***eason no one is talking up Nick Bryan, Holman or Larkey so it's not the Nick part either!
Tags are a factor, the role uncertainty isn't great but generally when you've scored at borderline premium levels as a defender and the other position is genuine midfield, that's a positive. Basically he was 105 type last year as a defender for the back half and that's likely the weaker position of the two. He's unproven, he's got a fair jump to make and tags will come, for me that's basically the case against him but I don't see any reason he can't be a 110+ guy as a midfielder if they do unleash him.
Will be watching in the preseason very closely because a midfield role would be enormous for him, imo. I'll probably pass for now if it's hybrid of pure back but definitely on the list of guys I'm considering very strongly and looking more for reasons to not pick than to pick at this point.
His best game of the season was against Adelaide playing midfield and he was rock solid across both positions when playing them. A player like him I feel pretty good in saying more midfield will most likely mean more points, he just fits the profile.
I think the name game is a distraction. None of us that took Macrae or Oliver in their 2nd seasons cared about their names when doing it, was purely how they'd played their first season and what they showed in the o***eason heading into season 2.
Daicos is the best genuine rookie first year player we've ever seen, I'm actually surprised how tempered most of the talk on him is because what he did last year was quite simply absurd. Most times a midfield move is a positive, especially for classy clearance players like him. There are definitely concerns but his name is not even in the discussion for mine. Let's be honest, no one has thought about taking his brother at any point so it's not the Daicos part and while a lot of Nick's have been mentioned this o***eason no one is talking up Nick Bryan, Holman or Larkey so it's not the Nick part either!
Tags are a factor, the role uncertainty isn't great but generally when you've scored at borderline premium levels as a defender and the other position is genuine midfield, that's a positive. Basically he was 105 type last year as a defender for the back half and that's likely the weaker position of the two. He's unproven, he's got a fair jump to make and tags will come, for me that's basically the case against him but I don't see any reason he can't be a 110+ guy as a midfielder if they do unleash him.
Will be watching in the preseason very closely because a midfield role would be enormous for him, imo. I'll probably pass for now if it's hybrid of pure back but definitely on the list of guys I'm considering very strongly and looking more for reasons to not pick than to pick at this point.
I look more at the whole picture when Im picking a guy to be a keeper for the following season, the fact that his ankle can flare up and significantly impact his play is a concern, he did go at 105 in the back half which is exactly what we want but I also like to look into the finals numbers to see how they stack up under the heat and as soon as you do that his last 8 games ends up with one ton and only averaging 86, if sides sit on him is he a 105 guy or more of a 85 guy?
Yep, especially if Docherty is playing mainly midfield with Walsh out.
Here is some more info on Cowan, some seriously impressive numbers/ great SC game :-
Lachie Cowan
Carlton (Def $117,300)
SC Ave 2022: 141
Meet a future kick-in pig. There is nothing Cowan loves more than tucking the ball under his arm, streaming out of defence and launching it long with his penetrating kick. Cowan averaged 141 SuperCoach points per game in the NAB League for the Tasmania Devils – ranked third in the competition behind a couple of handy players in Will Ashcroft and Elijah Tsatas. He may be up against it to feature early but keep an eye out when he does, as his attacking brand is very attractive for KFC SuperCoach.
Dan Batten’s verdict: His run and gun game is perfectly suited to KFC SuperCoach. In saying that, he may find it tough to break in early doors – pending another Blues backline injury crisis.
Here is some more info on Cowan, some seriously impressive numbers/ great SC game :-
Lachie Cowan
Carlton (Def $117,300)
SC Ave 2022: 141
Meet a future kick-in pig. There is nothing Cowan loves more than tucking the ball under his arm, streaming out of defence and launching it long with his penetrating kick. Cowan averaged 141 SuperCoach points per game in the NAB League for the Tasmania Devils – ranked third in the competition behind a couple of handy players in Will Ashcroft and Elijah Tsatas. He may be up against it to feature early but keep an eye out when he does, as his attacking brand is very attractive for KFC SuperCoach.
Dan Batten’s verdict: His run and gun game is perfectly suited to KFC SuperCoach. In saying that, he may find it tough to break in early doors – pending another Blues backline injury crisis.
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Definitely worth a look in the DEF line. The main issue is he's never really taken that next big step as a player and just doesn't seem to get enough of it. After averaging around 70 for his first three years, he hit 95 in 2020 and the obvious expectation was 100+ but instead went back to 85 for the next two seasons. 14, 14 and 18 games over the past three seasons is not ideal either.
Maybe this is the year but you'd want to see some pretty compelling evidence with a price tag of $478k. Parish is probably a useful example of a high draft pick mid who just took longer to get to that elite level (although he was starved of genuine mid opportunity until 2021). With McGrath the story might be the same albeit in his case, maybe he just needs the opportunity to be a genuine slooty back rather than a mid.
As an Essendon supporter, I'd love to see him model his game on Laird (similar build and player type). Become the elite back and then make the move to the mids
Maybe this is the year but you'd want to see some pretty compelling evidence with a price tag of $478k. Parish is probably a useful example of a high draft pick mid who just took longer to get to that elite level (although he was starved of genuine mid opportunity until 2021). With McGrath the story might be the same albeit in his case, maybe he just needs the opportunity to be a genuine slooty back rather than a mid.
As an Essendon supporter, I'd love to see him model his game on Laird (similar build and player type). Become the elite back and then make the move to the mids
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