Position SC 2021: Defender Discussion
- Thread starter THCLT
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Been lots of discussion on this already. Most are well aware of his junior numbers as a midfielder. At this stage there is no guarantee that he plays as a pure mid this season. If he was guaranteed to play as a mid then his ownership would be a lot higher than 3%.
Hopefully Horse gives us all more of an indication before the season starts but that's probably unlikely.
Hopefully Horse gives us all more of an indication before the season starts but that's probably unlikely.
With a bit of natural improvement I think he should be. Depending on structure I'd say he's got a lot more to offer than O'Connor, Bews, Henderson, Simpson or Kolo who all played in the GF. Just depends how much emphasis gets put on defensive vs attacking skills, clearly given that list of names there has been a very heavy priority put on defensive skills because I've made about as many attacking run and kicks in the AFL as that whole group combined.
Have to think that Stewart, Blicavs and Henry man 3 of the spots, probably one other tall but would think it's the 3rd tall so Kolo probably ahead of Henderson. Leaves roughly 3 small spots, Tuohy possibly eats one but I think the rest should be Clark's if he's done the work to earn it, just too much potential to play plodders over him and I think they lose him at the worst possible time if they don't play him now.
Scott always hard to understand though with just about any of his moves. Will also be interesting if they're looking for him to play wing or half back, if they see him only as a wing then there's a lot more competition.
Have to think that Stewart, Blicavs and Henry man 3 of the spots, probably one other tall but would think it's the 3rd tall so Kolo probably ahead of Henderson. Leaves roughly 3 small spots, Tuohy possibly eats one but I think the rest should be Clark's if he's done the work to earn it, just too much potential to play plodders over him and I think they lose him at the worst possible time if they don't play him now.
Scott always hard to understand though with just about any of his moves. Will also be interesting if they're looking for him to play wing or half back, if they see him only as a wing then there's a lot more competition.
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With Sier, DeGoey, possibly Daicos and/.or Sidebottom all looking like they might get more run in the midfield I doubt there'd be much room for Crisp or Maynard to get midfield time, especially given how valuable they are for us down back.
The one thing that may be possible is Crisp onto a wing if Daicos and Ssidebottom get more time in the middle.
The one thing that may be possible is Crisp onto a wing if Daicos and Ssidebottom get more time in the middle.
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If fit he's best 22 for sure, and I'd suspect ahead of Jones.
I'm really not sure we'll see Jones round one. What I can see happening is he isn't picked round one, then about two weeks in they lose Burton (or someone else to injury
) and then he debuts at a super awkward time for us SCers. Similar to Hayden Young last year.
I'm really not sure we'll see Jones round one. What I can see happening is he isn't picked round one, then about two weeks in they lose Burton (or someone else to injury
) and then he debuts at a super awkward time for us SCers. Similar to Hayden Young last year.
Yeah if he's not in line for a half back spot he'll surely struggle to get a game, which is strange because Geelong can't beat Richmond playing the same way they did last season. Adding Smith and Higgins is baffling to me. They don't lack midfield or wing depth, Menegola and Duncan were the best wing combo in the league last season and they made it into the GF in the first place because they smashed the Lions in the midfield. Players like Narkle and Constable who could be something already didn't get a look in for most of the season. What do a couple more 32 year olds add that Geelong don't already have?
I'd assume they want to play Menegola and Duncan through the guts at times and still have sufficient wing cover, both were pretty handy when they had their turn in 2020 and past seasons, both Higgins and Smith have also shown they can play forward so just gives them some options that are experienced.
I know this has been replied to already, but I'll give an extra two cents.
Davis, Haynes, Taylor are locks if all fit. Cameron likes playing four talls in his back seven with Haynes loose so with Corr gone we might see Idun or Keeffe playing as well, depending on match-ups. The former is closer to a like for like but the latter has specific match-ups GWS can find advantageous.
The first preference smalls were some combination of Shaw, Williams and Ash, with Whitfield rotating back. Shaw was primarily defensive oriented last year, with Williams and Ash frequently playing a defensive role as well as rebounding depending on rotations. Depending on how responsibilities are divvied up, I'd expect Cumming to get first dibs on Williams' role with possibly Kennedy playing the more defensive-oriented role.
The team knows Kennedy's ceiling though so if one of the rookies or less experienced players put their hand up with good defensive efforts I can see them coming in - but probably not scoring well. It's also possible Cumming gets designated the defensive role (though he's been inconsistent in that role so far) instead of Kennedy because of that, in which case you may see a true rebounding role for someone not called Kennedy. It seems less likely though.
Davis, Haynes, Taylor are locks if all fit. Cameron likes playing four talls in his back seven with Haynes loose so with Corr gone we might see Idun or Keeffe playing as well, depending on match-ups. The former is closer to a like for like but the latter has specific match-ups GWS can find advantageous.
The first preference smalls were some combination of Shaw, Williams and Ash, with Whitfield rotating back. Shaw was primarily defensive oriented last year, with Williams and Ash frequently playing a defensive role as well as rebounding depending on rotations. Depending on how responsibilities are divvied up, I'd expect Cumming to get first dibs on Williams' role with possibly Kennedy playing the more defensive-oriented role.
The team knows Kennedy's ceiling though so if one of the rookies or less experienced players put their hand up with good defensive efforts I can see them coming in - but probably not scoring well. It's also possible Cumming gets designated the defensive role (though he's been inconsistent in that role so far) instead of Kennedy because of that, in which case you may see a true rebounding role for someone not called Kennedy. It seems less likely though.
Thanks so much for the reply.
Still think at least 1 , if not more benefit this season SC wise (if they are good enough) with half their defence changing from last season.
Hopefully Kennedy does get Shaw's "park the caravan" role and Ash & Cumming are freed up.
Would you see Wehr behind Ash , Cumming & Kennedy ?
Keeffe (and Finlayson) may well be needed in the ruck if they decide to go Flynn alone.
Is Bunting a option ?
It's been mentioned before but Docherty in only 6.7% of teams is staggering to me.
At 496k and knowing what he is capable of, he has been locked into my side since day 1. I get that he scored poorly for a stretch of games last year, Saad is now at the club and the Blues might play more attacking, but he just seems like a super safe pick as I can't see the club not wanting to continue to use him coming out of the backline.
Averaged 97.6 excluding the injury game last year with only 4 scores under 80, coming off 2 years out of the game!
At 496k and knowing what he is capable of, he has been locked into my side since day 1. I get that he scored poorly for a stretch of games last year, Saad is now at the club and the Blues might play more attacking, but he just seems like a super safe pick as I can't see the club not wanting to continue to use him coming out of the backline.
Averaged 97.6 excluding the injury game last year with only 4 scores under 80, coming off 2 years out of the game!
I have Wehr a tier below the options I mentioned for a few reasons:
1) I don't know how good defensively he is. Shaw and Williams were both pretty good and those are the spots that need filling, unless Ash steps his game up.
2) It sounds like Whitfield will be back sooner rather than later, which limits Wehr's options.
3) Historically Leon and mates are very adverse to rookies with the occasional exception. See Green going in and out last year, Ash not getting a gig until a few weeks in, games given to players like Reid or Mumford or Jacobs when they were basically done, not to mention the constant cycling through of first round midfielders after their two year stopover.
I think they'll stick with Finlayson as the backup ruck. He's played down back before and he's way too adverse to contact. At least up forward he can expose match-ups and he's looked ok against other backup rucks with his athleticism.
Buntine was flagged as a KPD-type role on the medium forwards out there. Personally I think he's past it because of his injuries, they've really stripped him back to a very vanilla player who can get exposed (and often thinks his foot skills are where they used to be). So he'd be up against the Idun/Keeffe position.
1) I don't know how good defensively he is. Shaw and Williams were both pretty good and those are the spots that need filling, unless Ash steps his game up.
2) It sounds like Whitfield will be back sooner rather than later, which limits Wehr's options.
3) Historically Leon and mates are very adverse to rookies with the occasional exception. See Green going in and out last year, Ash not getting a gig until a few weeks in, games given to players like Reid or Mumford or Jacobs when they were basically done, not to mention the constant cycling through of first round midfielders after their two year stopover.
I think they'll stick with Finlayson as the backup ruck. He's played down back before and he's way too adverse to contact. At least up forward he can expose match-ups and he's looked ok against other backup rucks with his athleticism.
Buntine was flagged as a KPD-type role on the medium forwards out there. Personally I think he's past it because of his injuries, they've really stripped him back to a very vanilla player who can get exposed (and often thinks his foot skills are where they used to be). So he'd be up against the Idun/Keeffe position.