because scott is a ■■■■ coach. thats your answer.
I don’t want to get too far into this because most people have a fixed position on all things Martin & Essendon…
But I’d say it has more to do with size than anything else.
Mass was rebounding out of the backline, but then the opposition started isolating and dragging him back to the goal line where he was exposed. He either needed to hand over his opponent so he stayed up field or not follow him and take the gamble that we win the ball and get it moving our way (unlikely). He had Kelly and McGrath to hand over opponents so it’s not like he doesn’t have options.
With Martin, opposition teams have been less likely to try and isolate him or drag him back to the goal line. Maybe they have and he’s been able to hand off to a more favourable matchup. Maybe the entire backline structure is closer knit that he doesn’t get isolated as much. Regardless, Martin plays further up the field for a defender than Mass did. He’s more consistent across a good number of games. And Martin definitely forces the opposition to react far more when he has the ball than Mass did.
Maybe the height issue is the reason why Roberts is being developed more as a winger than as a rebound defender. We prefer someone taller bringing it out of our backline than someone smaller.
We did try and play Langford as a defender before he was switched forward to win a game. At a few pre-season training sessions last year, I recall rotating Setterfield and Perkins back there from time to time during match sims.
I’d love to know why Mass was rarely tried off the wing? We used a mix of Durham, Martin, Heppell, Snelling, Guelfi and Kelly (late in the year). Wing is where he’s excelled at Hawthorn. He can make mistakes all he likes further up the field, he won’t get burned as heavily as in our back 6. Did he not have the km in his legs? Was it just a case that we were ‘discovering’ the list and the starting point was whatever the assistant coaches thought at the time? Even at VFL level, he was played as a rebounding defender than as a wingman.
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I think his man generally loses Martin in traffic and is often free 35-70 from goal. Often an influence in that easier last kick to a forward. But also being a bit more defensive on Martin so not always free.
Can I just reiterate how absolutely brain dead, stupid, repugnant, arrogant, offensive, counter productive, horrible and DISGUSTING it is that we have moved a 30 goal and 20 goal assist a year forward to the half back line, where he has become a slightly better version of RICKY DYSON.
if there are any calls this year that Brad needs to cop ■■■■■■■ HEAT for, it’s this one. Absolutely pig headed fuckwittery by Brad.
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He’s far better as a forward. Unquestionably.
But I can see why Scott has done it. He’s the only guy we have who is willing to take space when they get the ball and change angles when kicking. He’s willing to take risks to open the play up, and he’s also willing to keep trying it even when it goes wrong.
We should be finding other players who do that and let Martin play in his best spot. But, at the moment, that cupboard is 100% bare.
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Yeah I get that but why has his disposals gone downhill so fast this season?
Agree with this.
McGrath really should be able to be this guy, but just isn’t. Hopefully it’s Roberts over the next 12 months.
But at a stretch, I’d like to see Perkins go back to VFL and tried in this role where he can get 20+ touches and be creative off a back flank.
But agree otherwise, the cupboard is pretty bare.
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His disposal has been atrocious and his impact is so diminished it’s not funny
Dunno. Could be a few things.
Maybe part he hasn’t really played the role before, maybe part teams like to high press so he’s under more pressure now to dispose than he was playing up forward, maybe part he’s just being told to be far more risky with his kicking because we have nobody else capable.
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FORWARD
■■■■■■■
FORWARD
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He is an asset HF-wing, can be a liability at HB.
Need to leave him as a high HF and drop Menzie, bring in a HBF.
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We need to clone him. Sure, he’s awesome forward, but he was one of the few giving us drive and clean ball from half back today.
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Can’t wait for Saad to get a run, more the type you need in the backline.
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Started on a wing today.
Leave him there and let him develop his craft even further.
No more chopping and changing
When Saad El-Hawli comes in, Martin stays plays only wing and forward.
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Imagine having a list so ■■■■ that you have to take one of your very very few elite players from their best position and play them in a role they are only okay at because you can’t find someone else to do that role only kind of okay too.
Let’s just roll with Martin forward of the ball.
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I dunno, maybe instead of having the option of throwing him up forward to kick two goals in the last quarter when we’re losing, we could just play him up forward and we could be in front in the last quarter instead.
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He didn’t get thrown forward for those goals. He just ran up there anyway , lol. Was still starting at half back or wing.
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continues to give 4/5ths of fk all in the defensive half and play his best football forward of centre.
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Yep. He dosnt have a defensive mindset.
His chasing on the turnover is usually token at best.
Only the very good offensively can get away with that.
Lucky he is very good offensively.
Should be moved out of the backline and let Redman play his role I reckon.