I don't like this Swingman idea. Perhaps now and again when it might snag you an advantage but a settled FB and CHB (perhaps they swap positions as required) are the foundation you build your side upon. Swinging players might win you today's battle but I think it can cost you the war.
We're at a cross roads. Is it time to look beyond Jamo and Rowe (29 and 28 at year's end)? Find the players who will hold the position for the next 5 - 10 years and take the short term pain of moving from them?
Yep well i have faith in Jaksch. Kid has a touch of class. I think we need to stick with Rowe and Jamo with Jaksch to learn off them as the third tall. But I agree, let's settle them all, no more swingman tripe. We really hamstrung ourselves without Levi. Bloke busted a gut all summer and was rewarded with no position.
Henderson could be an Alll Australian CHB if we left him there.
I'm also on the Henderson for CHB bandwagon and dont think playing forward is his go.....also agree with Carrots that Jacksh will be ok and the kid had a rough start
vs Griffiths who is a big unit and was on the end of some good delivery.
I also like Sheahan ahead of Thuoy
x2 ..Touhy just doesnt do enough as a defender IMO...
Jamie FB, Rowe CHB, that worked last yr, and Jaksch 3rd tall. Release Walker into the midfield or forward, adding more run.
Early days yet but if he doesn't improve in our fwd line over the next couple of weeks we need to seriously think about moving Hendo back into defence. I thought he looked pretty ineffective last night up forward. As I say though, early days.
I think since he became a father Tuohy has mellowed considerably, which has cost him his edge!
It can't be helped, some blokes start thinking about getting home safely to see the kids and that is when it all turns sour for them!
I like Henderson at CHB too but our forward line look thin without him there. Rowe's best suited at CHB too but Henderson plays better than Rowe up forward. We're stuck there. Jones, Casboult, who'll ruck alot anyway, and Watson won't be holding up any forward line on their own. Need Henderson there. Jones will be a good enough 3rd forward, as he can take a mark, and be very valuable as he might kick 35-40 goals, but not bodily strong enough to be a 2nd or 1st forward. We'll soon learn how much we'll miss Waite despite his drawbacks. With Waite then Hendo could go back. As with Bett's it was Waite's choice though.
That's our lot unfortunately. Henderson will come good.
B : Jacksh, Rowe, Buckley
HB : Yarran, Henderson, White
Agree on the first part. Said as much in the post match thread. You can't have your CHB pinch hitting in the ruck. You need stability in the back 6.
I don't mind the swingman idea as something to try when things are not going your way. ie Rowe is getting trounced by Hawkins, so swap him and Hendo. However, you can not take a player out of a role they are performing ok simply because you don't have another option in the ruck. You not only take him out of the back 6, but you take the sting out of his legs as well as he'd be doing more running around the ground than he would plonked in defensive 50.
As for the second part...too soon to throw them out. Imagine if the bombers did that with Fletcher. They would've lost 10 years from him!
By all means draft replacements, i think we have tried with Giles and the recruitment of Jaksch but don't send them packing.
I agree with Hendo but the problem is he is our best CHB but he is also our best CHF. I like what Jones did last night and he is far from being the answer but if can lay a couple tackles in the 50 and snag a couple every week then I am happy but he needs Hendo down there to do that otherwise he will get too much attention.
What we really lack also is a classy 3rd tall type up forward which is why we need Walker back asap. The stuff up was not playing Casboult, Jacksh I like but is no key tall at the moment and only a 3rd tall either end.
The problems is that the stuff up (leaving Casboult out) was blindingly obvious before the game, so why didn't the match committee see it?
Jaksch, Casboult, Henderson, Everritt
Casboult did feck all against Box Hill today, and Box Hill didn't have a single AFL listed player! :o
I don't think we stuffed up by not playing Casboult. As it was our balance of talls and smalls was wrong, as Jaksch didn't have an adequate matchup back, and forward didn't do enough.
I couldn't really figure out who goes out for him, and I think we needed more run rather than another marking forward.
With the benefit of hindsight Tutt, Armfield or Sheehan in for a tall would probably have made a better difference to our team than Casboult and im certain that the sub was going to be used on a tall.
That's ok, put him in the seniors, need the extra ruck back up.
I agree about moving Henderson to CHB. Give Jones, Jaksch and Casboult time to gel up forward.
Henderson mightn't be with us next year. :-[
I hear ya JD I hear ya. Apparently he didn't do anything in the seconds either so not sure if he would have done much to help in the end but for structure's sake maybe.
But often round 1 games are just won by the team who wants it the most as everyone is lacking in fitness and touch and that is where the real worry is.
We also might give Watson a go in our fwd line, at CHF. The more I think about it the more I prefer Hendo to play mainly in the back line. Anyway we'll see over the next couple of weeks - let's just hope we're not 0 - 3 by then.