This.
he doesn’t even pretend to try.
just watches the ball sail over his head towards his essentially unmarked opponent.
wont put an extra step in to try and make the spoil.
wont go hard at a ground ball in dispute.
playing him in the defensive half is exactly what the opposition would prefer.
Martin should play a whole game forward or even on the wing.
Put Hind or Roberts in his position in the backline
Thanks for confirming.
It looked like it on tv, but I wasn’t going to state it without knowing for sure.
Most people just see what they want to see I guess.
I think we’ll find that this year will go down as one of the makings of Martin. He isn’t a career Half Back.
This year was purely for him to develop his skill set. He will go back to his wing/HF/onball position next year, and his understanding of the back 6 and how to defend one on one situations, clear the ball with poise out of the backline will be invaluable moving forward.
I do think his natural position is the “Hird/Goodes/Martin” sort of role. Basically go where he pleases.
Yep, high fives with the back line after second final quarter goal. I thought that was the role, the ‘Daicos’ role. Redman pulling his finger out might’ve made things a little freer looking for Martin. And Archie Roberts having more composure in the heat than 90% of our senior players
Can we get rid of the half back idea please Brad what more evidence do you need that he benefits the team more on a wing forward of centre.
To the wing this week in Duursma’s absence?
you dont put the team in significant detriment to teach a player how to defend by putting him in a position that he simply isnt cut out for.
its just stubborness by brad. thats all.
Redman showed a bit of return to form on the weekend. Bit more bounce and aggression
What if that significant detriment was all part of the wider picture. The coaching staff may have identified a few areas that Nic HAD to develop to take the next few steps in his career.
He may just become one of the best players in the AFL and having that learning curve down back this year may prove pivotal.
I think that’s really clutching at straws. He was a legitimate gun last year.
I agree and I’m his biggest fan.
But we also don’t see or realise his lack of defending and his contest work was hurting the team far more than we realise. Yes he was an amazing goal kicking wingman who also gave off alot of goal assists. But that’s half of the game.
He’ll probably rotate through there like he did last time Duursma was out.
And of course, if what we’re trying to do doesn’t come off, he will get switched forward as has been the case previously.
But it’s clear we prefer him starting behind the ball.
He is getting more and more confident in trying running the ball through the middle and he’s also being a bit more adventurous within the forward press.
That’s not what the coaches actually said though.
They said we needed better, sharper ball movement coming out of defence, hence moving Martin there and Brad has even gone as far as to say (several times no less) that Martin is already a good defender which is certainly an opinion.
His skills and output as a forward/wing were more than half the game, whereas his defending has been less than half. Overall it has been a net loss.
Aaaaand I’m off him.
Forget about the failed backline experiment. Not his fault in the slightest. The issue with him is that he’s far too soft for AFL footy. He does everything he can to avoid contact and when it’s inevitable he chokes. Doesn’t work hard enough defensively, either.
Trade please.
Gets the ball like 40 times a game but you never really notice them.
He’s been neutered playing off half back.
To be honest don’t get the soft comments, he’s definitely not a hard-nut but don’t think he’s a squib either.
Its just blitz.
People say dumb stuff on here all the time.
100% game time, his workrate is insane