If fit, is the key because he’s very injury prone
He’s not best 22 anyway. Where does he fit in a backline of Francis, hooker and Hurley?
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I don’t have a good answer for you WOB. I do know that the bloke gets selected a lot when available.
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depends how we set up. Hooker and Hurley take the key forwards. Ambrose takes the most mobile medium size forward. Francis play the sweeper role. Against some forward lines it could work great, and others it could be a disaster waiting to happen.
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Sweeper role does not win premierships.
Playing a 7-man backline is a mug’s game.
ok, i will put you down as a “maybe” then
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Are we squeezing Gleeson in there too?
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Definitely. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if McKenna spends a bit more time in the midfield next season
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That essentially leaves us with one small, in Saad.
Way too top heavy.
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I see Gleeson as someone who can play small as well. I certainly wouldn’t be rolling with Ambrose,Francis,Hurley and Hooker down back every game that’s for sure
I see it as Hurley, Ambrose and Francis fight it out for two spots. Hurley obviously gets one of those, and it’s hard to imagine Francis not getting the other.
As for Gleeson, I guess he can play small, but it’s not his strength nor the best use of him. Also, McKenna has developed really well as a defender in the last 12 months. If we moved him into the midfield, I’d want somebody just as capable filling that role. Not sure Gleeson fits that particular bill.
I don’t look at as back 6 but rather back 7, as you need a rotation off the bench.
Hooker, Hurley and Francis
Saad, McKenna, Gleeson and Redman.
Gleeson or Ridley in that scenario helps out big or small depending on both ours and the opposition rotations.
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Yeah, that’s pretty much as I see it too.
I’d personally only move McKenna into the midfield if we moved McGrath back. Or if McNeice becomes, like, good.
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Depends a lot on the whole trade period but,
McNeice - McKenna
Vs
McKenna - Colyer
I reckon we gain under the first scenario. As McNeice as a stopper isn’t terrible, Colyer as a winger on the other hand…
Guelfi as a lock down small defender ?
Its been mentioned before on here somewhere.
Keep Saad and Redman as the attacking HBF’s.
Move McKenna to a wing and some centre square rotations.
Just quickly on Hartley…
If Shiel nominates us, and based on Aceman’s mail of GWS having some interest in him, I’m sure he will be used in the trade to lessen the Pick/s we need to provide to the Giants
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Hartley taking the kick in 19m out from goal opens up an enormous amount of ground that will be hard to keep tight. Especially with McKenna and Saad to kick to in the short to medium range to break the lines and Joe, Stewart and Jake to kick it long to in the centre square or on the wings.
With the capacity to get the ball deep into the 50 metre arc with 2 kicks from a quickly taken kick in, I think Harts becomes an offensive weapon which can offset his other limitations.
So to answer WOB’s question, Hooker goes forward again. Especially with Joe back in the side to work in tandem with him and Raz and Walla cleaning up at ground level.
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Good point on Guelfi.
I have no idea where he ends up, he looked comfortable all over the ground this year.
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I don’t mind that.
Still not convinced McKenna to the midfield is something that will work, but I hope we at least look at it
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McKenna is the big bodied goal kicking mid we’ve been searching for.
Reality is I’m not sure he can play in the 360 environment as opposed to having the game in front of you. You either have that awareness or you don’t. They should at least trial it as he has compelling attributes.
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Yep, his education as a defender is coming along nicely, and sometimes its best not to tamper.
However, I do want to see what he can do with more opportunities around that 50m line, and as @BakerWasAStar has been championing in many threads, he has a natural competitiveness and body which lends itself to some inside work.
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B: Saad Hartley Francis
McKenna Hurley Gleeson
M: Zaharakis Langford McGrath
Bellchambers, Heppell, Merrett
F: Fantasia Daniher Stewart
Stringer, Hooker, Walla
I: Smith, Parish, Myers, Guelfi
E: Ridley, Redman, Begley, Baguley
Ambrose, Laverde, Brown, McKernan
Top 30 all AFL ready, as well as promising players like, Draper, Zerk-Thatcher, Mutch, Clarke.
It is easy to see why will probably, trade Brown & / or Dea. I could see why it might be Hartley if it wasn’t fo the rule changes.