Re: 2018 Rd 9: Post Game Calm: Carlton vs Melbourne
Reply #266 –
The idea of multi faceted players exists so you can put them somewhere and get value out of them on days when they are struggling and applies to all players unilaterally.
Ahh utilitarianism, or otherwise known as the standardisation myth.
That argument just sets up your team to deliver a new level of mediocrity, because by making talented individuals fill roles they are not suited for you end up dragging them down to the level of the list cloggers. When you let a list clogger fill in with some secondary role, it probably means your primary choice is filling some secondary role elsewhere.
Coaches who go down this path are a dead end to ultimate success, and it's a good reason why MM has so few flags from such a long long long career. He was excellent at standardising his team to finish in the upper echelon without having the flair to go that one step further.
There is a good reason Harry Taylor is an AA defender and a very average forward.