Changes V Freo

In Watson
Out Green

Well weā€™ve played Howlett forward for 4 years and about 8 games this year and the common factor across that span of time is weā€™ve looked terrible up forward. Green has played about 15 games and barely touched it but weā€™ve largely looked slick regardless.

Canā€™t see how anyone could come to that conclusion.

I dont think heā€™s likely to get a debut this year but this isnt really correct. Heā€™s played wing and on the ball a reasonable amount.

7 Likes

No Mayweather v Macgregor at the ground apparently but they are showing it at the MCG - ā– ā– ā– ā–  the fan friendly AFL

Agree. Thereā€™s more to Green than just raw numbers. He seems to create space off the ball and/or get to the right space when needed. However it is we are trying to set up, he suits it.

3 Likes

Henry, Howlett clearly plays as a midfielder resting as a forward. I would find hard to believe that anyone puts better tackling pressure on than Howlett. Averages 4.25 tackles (versus 3 for green). Averages 3 I50 per game versus 2 for green. Howlett also averages about 4 more possies. Such numbers show heā€™s probably playing as a midfielder.

Sure, he hasnā€™t had a great year, but also hasnā€™t exactly had a run at it.

The argument would be that ā€œIFā€ Howlett played permanently as a forward, he would provide better pressure than Green.

Heā€™s a determined little ā€¦
Applies a lot of pressure.

1 Like

Heā€™s been close to permanently on the wing.

But, going back to the original unquoted poster, no, thereā€™s no evidence he can play forward, let alone play the Green role.

1 Like

We play on weekends, you should try tuning in. Howlett is in 40.
McDonald-Tipungwuti is in 43, Colyerā€™s in 32, McGrath is in 1, Merrett in 7, Green wears 15.
Pay close attention and youā€™ll see the difference.

You can make the argument. Itā€™ll be wrong.

2 Likes

Buddyā€¦ I think you need to read my posts properly.

IF Howlett played permanently as a forwardā€¦ Heā€™d add more value than Green.

I think people overate the correlation between height (or lack thereof) and speed pressure. Green applies less than what is perceived.

For every goal Green kicks he misses a sitter (and sometimes even burns a team-mate). He lays few tackles, and his opponent often runs off him.

Howlett is a defensive team-first player who has lead our tackling count like 5 times! I would back this guy in a final more so than Green (IF played permanently) as a forward.

Howlett. Seriously? Heā€™s kicked 1 goal in 7 games. Begley got twice that in one game on debut. Langford got twice that and more possessions than any of Howlettā€™s in the game before he was dropped.

Howlett is slow, his kicks now lack penetration and because heā€™s lost speed he has become a poor decision maker. Heā€™s shown he does not kick goals as a forward nor get possessions as a midfielder. Itā€™s time to move on.

1 Like

Yep people find it really hard to let go sometimes. On an unrelated topic I would bring back Stanton as a forward, because once I saw him kick a goal.

6 Likes

One man convinced against his willā€¦

Howlett has been playing as a midfielder this yearā€¦

IF he played as a permanent forward - heā€™d apply better pressure / add more value than Greenā€¦

Is Howlett passed his best? Probably
Is he still in our best 22? Almost certainly not

Would he be a decent replacement for Green as a small forward? Yesā€¦

His numbers show that he applies better tackling pressure and adds value.

1 Like

Iā€™m not your buddy.

Howlett forward move was made in 2013 after he had been (to that point) a pretty effective albeit blue collar mid.

It did not get much return in 2013
It did not get much return in 2014
It did not get much return in 2015
It was not missed in 2016
And we have resumed transmission in 2017

Ben
Howlett
Is
Not
A
Forward

He is not a forward because of what made him a handy mid. ie that he is almost always drawn to the contest. He canā€™t leave a scrap alone. Forwards need to have the instinct or nous to create space, and the legs to be able to get into space. Forwards also need to have the legs to be able to chase and pressure across wider spaces than just the clearance. Added to that heā€™s lost whatever touch he did have for reading space and finding the leading forward. All of this is blindingly obvious if you watch him for even one game, and heā€™s played about 70 as a forward.

And itā€™s blindingly obvious that Green has the instinct and the pace and can read space and leads.
Josh Green is a forward.

Seriously. Take off your Essendon goggles. If we want a blue collar mid, no problems with Howlett. If we want a forward Iā€™d have allost everyone ahead of him.

6 Likes

I would take Stanton as a forward ahead of Howlett.

4 Likes

That was me - Mutch could play a role if we rejig the team - You could even give McGrath time forward, Laverde a bit of midfield time - This is for one game only, seeing that Fantasia will probably return if we play finals.

Settle down Harryā€¦ Youā€™re acting like Marv (Wet Bandits)

Think you need to go back and readā€¦ my one and only real contention.

You can ā€œclaimā€ that Howlett was a forward, but that doesnā€™t actually mean that he played there. I can also say that Bellchambers played on the wingā€¦

I agree that Ben Howlett is not a natural forward (neither is Hooker), nor is McKenna meant to be a footballer. Having said that, with one round to go, when deciding who to play as a forward who can apply pressure and push up the groundā€¦ Iā€™d take Howlett over Greenā€¦

Stick to trying to rob the McCallisters

The numbers donā€™t though. Have a look at meters gained, number of possessions, number of goals. Heā€™s played forward and midfield and the numbers donā€™t stack up nor do the results having been to several games where he is playing.

My bad Henryā€¦ Thought the name was Harryā€¦ My mistakeā€¦ Dammā€¦ I really liked the chance the use Home Alone in a post Lol

1 Like