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That’s the real point of interest for me. With no Joey for at least a while, if at all, how are they going to structure up in the forward line? General/smaller forwards are looking good but am worried our lack of talls is going to kill us. Packo is awesome but as a third tall/hybrid and I don’t think McKernan/Stewart are the answers as keys either - maybe McKernan but Stewart is a classic third tall as well. Don’t know the answer but really hope they resist the urge to ruck Phillips and play Belcho forward. Hope they can work out a winning formula but am clueless as to what it will be.
Move the ball well and you can make average forwards look a lot better. The way we get it in will have as much impact as the cattle we have on the park.
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True. Richmonds forward line of 2017 is always a reference point for this. They had one tall forward and a bunch of smalls who were anything but superstars. Had everyone falling over themselves to replicate it, but I guess unless you can replicate the midfield delivering it then there is no point. Totally get that-always nice to have a get out of jail option who can clunk one every now and then though.
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PLAN A. SMACK as the main tall, Stewart running hard up the wings, then back looking for pockets of space… a stronger version of Brown.
PLAN B. As I’ve posted before, reckon you might see Cara’s patented ‘grubber ball into the fwd50’ attempted a lot this year, with blokes like Townsend making space so that Tippa, String, Raz and co. can run onto the groundball and score.
In 2017 when the Crows were picking off entries into their defensive 50 like they were shelling peas, it was this tactic that won Rich their flag. Invention through necessity when Richmond only had Reiwoldt as a tall - reckon Cara and Rutt will see it as a necessity for us again this year.
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Essendon forward Jake Stringer enjoying best pre-season of his career and set to spend more time forward
Dan Batten , Herald Sun
January 31, 2020 9:19am
Subscriber only
Essendon have been decimated by injuries this pre-season but there is a silver lining.
Talented forward Jake Stringer is enjoying the preparation of his career and is set to spend more time closer to goal in 2020.
Stringer has hardly missed a session on the track and believes it’s his smoothest pre-season “by far.”
Is Jake Stringer in for a big year?
He is yet to play a full season since leaving the Bulldogs at the end of 2017 and has failed to have the same scoreboard impact at the Bombers, booting 63 goals in 39 matches.
A combination of form and increased midfield minutes are the reason for this, but a return to his barnstorming 2015 season – where he slotted 56 majors and earnt All-Australian selection as a forward – isn’t out of the question.
“I’m borderline flying at the minute,” Stringer joked on SEN Breakfast.
“Not being injured is a massive part and I don’t think I’ve missed a session this whole pre-season – I’d be in the top one or two who hasn’t missed.”
“I’ve done a lot of work forward which has been quite good, because the last sort of year and a bit I’ve done a lot of work in the midfield group.
“I’ve just been honing in on my craft as a forward.”
Stringer credits the recruitment of former Hawthorn fitness guru Sean Murphy for getting him and his teammates in shape
“Last year (my preparation) was pretty good, but this year has been taken to a new level,” he said.
“It’s been one of the hardest pre-seasons I’ve done.”
But the 25-year-old concedes that their pre-season setbacks are far from ideal, saying there is up to eight Bombers who aren’t in full training due to injury.
“Not everything’s gone to plan, obviously there’s been a few blokes that are still not quite into full training but that’s part of football and part of the pre-season,” Stringer said.
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Thanks is_good, always good to hear others’ views on this. Will be interesting to see if we do the ground ball thing, play to our strengths, and if it works. Can’t wait for it all to start
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Love it. Most other players would be “yeah nah I’m insert company line here”.
Stringer’s just “I’m fkn mint this pre season brah”
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Love Jake so much
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It’s the Jake and Orazio show up forward this year. Unfortunately we need to forget about Joey. If he somehow comes good and can play, that’s a bonus. We will go as far as Stringer and Fantasia take us. They have big years, we will be a threat.
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Stringer rarely plays a straight bat in interviews… he tells it as he sees it.
I’m backing Stringer, Fantasia and Walla to kick 100 between them.
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Agree. Don’t forget Walla, he’ll be good for a few, too.
They kicked 85 between them last year when Fanta was basically useless.
I think we should aim higher. 120 between them I reckon
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“I’m borderline flying atm” lols love Stringer.
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I can’t believe he is only just “borderline” flying. Players from other clubs are fully flying by this time of year!
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■■■■ yeah
Players who eagerly enthuse how well they are going are inviting misfortune onto themselves.
Move that to the Optical illusions thread - going backwards for me
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