It’s J Martin actually but don’t tell nobody
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Who would you have as the “Lockdown” defender in your defensive structure this year?
Dea again? Ambrose?
Hurley.
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Hurley was one of the two talls…
Does Hartley come in?
No he doesn’t
Then who does…?
Based on Ants defensive structure that he said we had setup we need someone to fill those roles
I think Redman takes Dea’s role and Gleeson is the 7th
I’m fundamentally challenged by the notion of lockdown… You don’t need to lockdown if you’re smashing your opponent in every contest. Dea was poor offensively and average defensively. Whoever is playing best out of Gleeson, Ridley, Redman plays… with the understanding that they need to play offensive football as well as locking down.
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Yeah I agree and they dropped Dea for the Pies game so they are open to changing it up
Id have Dea until someone can show they can do it better. If Gleeson has improved his strength then maybe, but he’s been terrible one on one in the past and it takes away a strength (floating across for intercept marks). I think Redman will be the one to push Dea out.
I think only playing offensive players leaves you wide open on the counter. You need a lunchpin or two to act as the defensive foundation.
Lunchpin?
Hmmmm snackntime.
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I know you really dislike Marty but to suggest that Dea is a better floating intercept mark is just plain wrong.
Can’t remember the exact game in 2017 where Gleeson had something like 7 intercept marks and the commentators finally began to rate him.
Dea’s speciality here is mistimed leaps that spoil / unbalance Hooker & Hurley.
Redman & Ridley are fighting out the interchange defenders spot - Saad & McKenna need to be rotated to allow their run to be effective, and this is where Redman’s pace and Ridleys disposal are best used.
Yep. Just look at what happened at the beginning of the year where they tried to play two offensive playmakers (Goddard,Hurley) without a direct opponent. Works best when Hurley plays that man up role, which was helped when Hooker moved back and Goddard tightened up. That’s not to say that guys can’t fall back into space or help put, just that we need a defensive unit that is defensively accountable first, and offensive second. Gleeson plays that role well (Just got manhandled a few times). I personally see Ridley making a big leap, with he and Francis locking down defensive posts with Redman and Gleeson cover. Although Redman/Ridley could develop tank to drift up onto a wing which may free up space for one more of aforementioned on bench
Dea doesn’t play seniors again… The memory of him being torched by Richmond is firmly etched into memory. Can’t trust him one on one, and when he gets it has shocking decision making. Gleeson needs to have shown improvement in strength, otherwise Ridley and Redman fight it out.
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I’m advocating players who can go ‘both ways’… McGrath could rack them up offensively whilst providing strong defensive cover. Saad the same… It comes down to manging transition, with one player nominated as last man back (hence my reference to Hurley). The days of being able to carry a purely lockdown type are well and truly over.
With Gleeson only just starting to run, you can easily make For or against arguments for having Marty in the side.
When fit and 100% he is definitely one of the first chosen. What many of the for camp have missed is that many arguing against have stated that he will be nowhere near ready to slot back in the side come round 1.
Many of the other players he is competing against will already be training and will be back in a few weeks fulltime. I’d expect he is also doing the same, but he has a battle just to get to the base the others already have.
It is a good position the club is in. Having healthy competition for spots is what we have sorely lacked.
All the best to Marty. Him pushing selection will make the team stronger.
Fair dinkum? I reckon in career best form he wouldn’t be in the best 15. He’d be in the best 22 no doubt, but nowhere near first chosen
I think you’ve misread me. I’m saying if Gleeson plays tight defensively it takes away from his strength of being good at intercept marks. If you’re playing Gleeson you want to free him up to do that (and rebound), not have him playing with the defensive focus.
I’ve said elsewhere I think Gleeson is a strong candidate to take the Goddard role.
So Dea gets beaten well by the Brownlow medalist and Caddy in one match and suddenly his other performances last year don’t matter and he is out? Ignoring that he is usually excellent one on one.
Should Fletcher have been dropped because Lockett and Sav Rocca towelled him a few times?
McGrath is clearly a fantastic two way defender. But it’s unlikely he’ll be leaving the midfield for more than cameos anytime soon. Saad is also great at both. McKenna is also improving here.
But you need a defensive edge first. And the lock down role is important. Just as tagging can be in the middle.