What you are talking about is instinct. The player isn’t thinking about what he is going to do with it before he gets it. Rather they gather the ball and instinct tells them where to place it.
To some, like Hird it comes very naturally. For most mere mortals it’s a lot harder.
You are correct though, he is a natural lead up fwd. And not a natural mid.
Hopefully the coaches give him a good block of games. But he needs to bring that same intensity every week. Or I would drop it straight back to the seconds.
But there are a couple of things that really help. Good constructive talk by your team mates, you listen for the voice and know where to put it.
The other is chemistry as a playing group. The more they play together, the more instinctive they become to one another.
I reckon some guys do, actually. Zerrett is one, has a good instinct as to when he’s going to get tackled, so often has a quick look for options before getting the ball. He makes a lot of “rushed” kicks hit targets, because they’re not really as rushed as they look
They definitely do. How many times do you see the guys with quick hands get the ball off the second they take possession? Happens multiple times a game.
Thought Langford played a decent game. I would still like him to more physical in contests but overall he contributed well. I thought Francis was much better as well. I hope we don’t just hand Myers a game after a good VFL game…I want us to show some continuity and confidence with these guys as when we do…good things have happened(see end of 2018 when both had 7 or more straight games).
You can definitely think “im going to do this when I get the ball”, but the game changes quickly and it becomes instinct and set plays. Guys know roughly where their teammates will be. IMO Zerrett hits the harder and more difficult targets and has the pace the find space in congestion. Langers buys himself time, with a shimmy and looks for the safer options
People keep talking about this lead up fwd role, does it even exist in the modern game? If it does than as a forward group how can you possibly apply pressure with Daniher, Stringer, most likely another tall and Langford as a lead up fwd? That type of set up/game plan would get absolutely flogged.
It’s either midfield or bust for Langford unless Stringer turns into a true >70% midfielder or somehow Langford becomes 2nd fiddle to Daniher. Stringer as a full time mid and Langford 2nd fiddle are highly unlikely propositions.
Smack is a pretty decent lead up forward. Daniher should be a CHF that roams, he is better when not trying to take pack marks in the f50 and he is not a leading forward. Brown also tends to be a roaming forward around the 50 arc. Stringer is not a leading forward.
So in reality we don’t have any leading forward players other than Smack and he is injured.
Was excellent Saturday night and did everything that I’m sure the coach would have asked from him.
Had 4th most contested possessions on the ground and second most for us. 24 possessions at 88% DE from a predominantly contested game shows just how much class this kid has got.
Was on the bench a lot which I just can’t understand but still managed to stay involved in the game even though he was switching between midfield and forwardline.
Hope he keeps it up because Woosha won’t need much of an excuse to drop him for Myers.
I don’t think he’s a poor decision maker.
I think he does back himself to take an extra half second look for great options.
Sometimes burns OK options to find a great one.
Most of the time that pays off, but when it doesn’t it looks very very silly.
Wasn’t you HAP Someone else did, but you are right, If it doesn’t come off he looks bad. Hopefully he keeps backing himself and it comes off more often than not
I like the kid as a footballer and as big a fan of Myers as I am, langers should play the rest of the year ahead of him
You see blokes all the time get ready to take a mark or receive a handball and then look over their shoulder while the ball is in the air to check where they will kick it.