Position SC 2021: Defender Discussion

[Professor]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1374299632218435591

 

[nicohighscore]

I think with these speculative under-premo picks, you've gotta give them two weeks. Last year I traded out Andrew Brayshaw after a 73 in round 1. That went well. I spent the rest of the season watching him ton up at will and trying to work out whether I hated him or myself more.

Yep I am 100% with you with the fact that taking a rushed decision without enough information is likely to lead to a mistake ...

I'd be interested to have the feeling of a WCE supporter on duggan game...

 

[nicohighscore]

Does Lachie Young from North Melbourne have good job security?

I d be interested in the answer as well...

 

[Gruffles]

Closest comparison I can come up with is Pendles.

He's a big bodied midfielder, tackles at a very high level, wins his own ball and has very clean hands but also has that ability to create a bit of time and space where there isn't a lot and is a penetrating and elite kick of the ball. Also deceptively fast. He'd be in the absolutely elite category as a mark for midfielders as well, was used mostly as the primary intercept mark when playing in defense.

I don't think the goals will be that high but wouldn't surprise me if he's a 1 a game player, 99.9% of midfielders can't go with him in the air so he's going to have a big mismatch pushing forward and with his kicking skills he's a good chance around the back and on the run.

Honestly think he's the most obvious Petracca comparison this year of an elite midfielder who has played out of position his whole career but is finally playing his natural role.

I'd be surprised if he doesn't push 110 this year and not surprised at all if he went 115+. He's our most talented midfielder by a fair amount and his blend of inside and outside skills really separates him from the other guys and definitely suits the rules.

The risk remains if he goes back into defense for some reason where he's probably close to a 90-95 type of player which given how strong the back group looks this year just wont cut it. I think he's done there with Campbell, Dawson, Cunningham and McCartin all having found homes there.

Other risk is he's stupidly courageous which definitely has inherent injury risk that it carries with it. He's been fairly durable but has copped some hits along the way.

I'd be surprised if he's not inside the D6 range in his current role and would think he's got a very strong case to be in the top 3-4 that probably separate into a slightly higher tier.

That said for me the defender premium group is looking pretty outrageous this year.

Lloyd is still Lloyd, I think he comes back to the pack but still probably leads it. Laird and Mills have great midfield roles and absolutely suit the new rules. Ridley is a holy trinity guy capable of 110+. Whitfield is Whitfield whenever he's back. Stewart isn't far off a trinity guy. Daniel, Short, Maynard, Crisp and a whole bunch of others all look capable of pushing 100+.

Just ridiculous depth.

Wowee!
What a insightful and in depth response. As someone who doesn't watch many Swans game this kind of information
is very valuable and greatly appreciated.
Since I already have Lloyd, Laird the two trinity's and ''Short, the pusher'' I reckon the risk vs reward might be worth it for me to finish my defence with Mills rather than waiting on Whitfield.

Cheers.

 

[wogitalia]

Wowee!
What a insightful and in depth response. As someone who doesn't watch many Swans game this kind of information
is very valuable and greatly appreciated.
Since I already have Lloyd, Laird the two trinity's and ''Short, the pusher'' I reckon the risk vs reward might be worth it for me to finish my defence with Mills rather than waiting on Whitfield.

Cheers.

Yeah, I probably wouldn't be completing with him if you didn't have Lloyd (my personal situation) but my personal top 4 right now is Mills, Lloyd, Laird and Ridley (Whitfield) but only takes a couple of games either way for Stewart and Ridley to flip.

To be clear, when I say holy trinity guys I mean main intercept, rebound and kick-in taker.

 

[mike89]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1374299632218435591

So Treacy can't serve his suspension in the AFL but Williams can play VFL while suspended? I get it's not a competition match but given he was suspended for that week in particular, it just comes off as bizarre.

 

[Gruffles]

Yeah, I probably wouldn't be completing with him if you didn't have Lloyd (my personal situation) but my personal top 4 right now is Mills, Lloyd, Laird and Ridley (Whitfield) but only takes a couple of games either way for Stewart and Ridley to flip.

To be clear, when I say holy trinity guys I mean main intercept, rebound and kick-in taker.

Ridley and Stewart were on like 35-40 at half time and I was thinking, c'mon pull your fingers out.
I check back 125 and 113. They can pile on the points out of nowhere.

 

[Shannon]

Yep I am 100% with you with the fact that taking a rushed decision without enough information is likely to lead to a mistake ...

I'd be interested to have the feeling of a WCE supporter on duggan game...

I was at the game so can answer you.

He spent the majority of the game on a wing from what I saw.

The preferred centre square combo was NN/Kelly/Sheed/Redden in the first half. I saw Gaff (trying to get him into the game I suspect) & O'Neill get rotated through the middle also but don't recall Duggan getting much time in the guts at all.

He almost played as a defensive winger, he did a lot of gut running but his role was much more outside than I was expecting.

 

[nicohighscore]

I was at the game so can answer you.

He spent the majority of the game on a wing from what I saw.

The preferred centre square combo was NN/Kelly/Sheed/Redden in the first half. I saw Gaff (trying to get him into the game I suspect) & O'Neill get rotated through the middle also but don't recall Duggan getting much time in the guts at all.

He almost played as a defensive winger, he did a lot of gut running but his role was much more outside than I was expecting.

hmmm thank you - sounds like a possible correction required as if this is his role for the year we won't get much out of him...

 

[Grundogging]

So Treacy can't serve his suspension in the AFL but Williams can play VFL while suspended? I get it's not a competition match but given he was suspended for that week in particular, it just comes off as bizarre.

It's a trial game - pretty much an intra-club pre-season hitout at VFL level. Treacy also played in an intra-club pre-season game at WAFL level on the weekend in case you missed it, so there's no inconsistency there.

 

[Manikato1]

It's a trial game - pretty much an intra-club pre-season hitout at VFL level. Treacy also played in an intra-club pre-season game at WAFL level on the weekend in case you missed it, so there's no inconsistency there.

And he kicked a lazy 7 goals...

There would no be an issue if the AFL and state level competition stated on the same week.

 

[BomberSam]

Is Callum Mills likely to remain in Sydney's first choice for centre bounces this year? Just noticed he rarely attended a centre bounce last year.

 

[Bontempele]

Is Callum Mills likely to remain in Sydney's first choice for centre bounces this year? Just noticed he rarely attended a centre bounce last year.

Looks like it based on round 1! Seems as though JPK, Parker, and Mills will be regulars, with Rowbottom, Florent, and Warner rotating as the fourth.

 

[XabiFernando]

Did anybody have some thoughts on Hayden Young? Considering my structural options and he is in the frame for an early trade. Interested to understand his role and whether it's likely to be permanent for the first half of season.

 

[Shannon]

Did anybody have some thoughts on Hayden Young? Considering my structural options and he is in the frame for an early trade. Interested to understand his role and whether it's likely to be permanent for the first half of season.

He is in my team & I like him for a number of reasons - he is an elite kick so Freo will look to get the ball into his hands as much as possible/ role is as a rebounding half back but he is also strong defensively. He is sharing the kicking in duties with Luke Ryan, they would be Freo's best 2 kicks in the back half.

Here are his stats from round 1(love that kick to handball ratio ) & his heat map:-

 

[HoleyFrijole$]

Looks like it based on round 1! Seems as though JPK, Parker, and Mills will be regulars, with Rowbottom, Florent, and Warner rotating as the fourth.

Isn't the ruckman the fourth?

 

[XabiFernando]

He is in my team & I like him for a number of reasons - he is an elite kick so Freo will look to get the ball into his hands as much as possible/ role is as a rebounding half back but he is also strong defensively. He is sharing the kicking in duties with Luke Ryan, they would be Freo's best 2 kicks in the back half.

Here are his stats from round 1(love that kick to handball ratio ) & his heat map:-

View attachment 27654

View attachment 27655

Appreciate the good detail! Certainly a lot of appeal from both a scoring and JS perspective over the rookie crop.

 

[Bontempele]

Isn't the ruckman the fourth?

I just meant the mids rotating with the interchange sorry. Because most mids spend 10-20% game time on the bench.

 

[GrainFedBeef]

Just. Leave. Him. In. The. Middle!!!

We need him there, it's our weakest area of the field and, oh yeah, the most important part.

i knew he would troll you, didnt think it would be this soon!

 

[Lost In The Sky]

Unrelated to my team (mate of mine has him in a Draft league (???)), but does anyone have any insight into Alex Witherden, and why he wasn't selected to play last week?

Is he genuinely out of the Eagles' Best 22? Recovering from injury?

No injury. Doesn't really fit a need now. I think they brought him in as a longer term replacement and cover for Hurn.

Witherden apart from still learning the Eagles system... Is probably fighting Rotham for a spot in the 22. Rotham being the much better defender and being able to play on both tall and small forwards due to his size and pace, Rotham also has a nice kick on him but is not qiuite as good a kick as Witherden.

Witherden will definitely get plenty of games this year as injuries hit, but I feel we want games and experience into Rotham and really like his versatility.

As soon as Hurn retires then Witherden is an easy lock for the best 22.