I think a third tall forward (initially Francis) will be in the side, so that is that spare slot gone. I feel Rutten wants two key forwards even when Wright is rucking, and prefers that setup.
So for me Perkins and Durham start in the VFL. As @Lindsay points out, interesting what would have happened if we’d got Hill.
I think it’s way too early to be discussing best 22, for next year.
A couple of blokes usually have ripping pre-seasons, and put themselves right in the mix.
There is way too many guys who are on the fringes, and until we get a look at them in the off-season…… I wouldn’t be to concerned about it.
But that’s the life of a forward. A big part of what I was trying to point out is that plenty here would point to Wright and say “even that period of the last 16 games isn’t good enough”. They want more.
And I went from round 7 to be conservative, he kicked zero goals that round. He kicked 2 in round 6 so that would improve his post-full-time-ruck average.
I’m pointing out that that performance over 16 matches puts him in the top 40 forwards in the league on goal average, while he’s giving a chop out in the ruck as well. Which should be more than enough. If he maintains that (and he may not, but if he does), he’s a lock. Blitz expects too much if a 1.7 goal average and 10 hit outs is insufficient.
That’s more goals than Jackson or McDonald averaged for Melbourne. I suspect only Bruce averaged more for the Bulldogs.
I’ve actually defended Wright repeatedly in the previous thread - I think he has a lot of value. I didn’t want Chol for example because I didn’t see it as an kind of an upgrade. I’m just saying I see it as more of the third tall forward/ruck role than being a primary key forward, and that we may need a player who can do that ala Ben King.
But we can wait and see how Jones etc develops - my only point is that I didn’t totally agree with the idea that we were set at key forward as it currently stands - there is still some buts and maybes to sort out.
He also def did not kick 6 in round 6, he kicked 2 lol. Not sure where you are getting that from.
Edited. Should have been 2 in round 6. Which increases his average.
Fine, but he still only kicked 6 goals in 6 games up until round 9 if you take the three games in the ruck out. So I think my point about a good second half of the year still stands.
Hey I hope Wright is enough to hold down the forward line for the next 7 years, I’m just not totally convinced.
He’s not meant to be holding down the fwd line, is not a #1 fwd
We will ideally have two other kpf’s + fwd/ruck.
When it’s just 2MP, Francis & Waterman like it was end of year then he was pretty much having #1 responsibility however. Just due to circumstance
I know that… I was responding to a comment that said that we were set for tall forwards. Which is what I was disagreeing with.
So yes, I agree with you. He’s the forward/ruck with two other KPFs in the team.
We are set if Baldwin comes on, he and Jones our two kpf’s
Looking at article on Reid pre draft he could even end up a fwd/ruck and bypass 2MP, albeit I think defence really should be where he ends up.
I could also see Bryan transitioning into that role? He’s more slanted toward ruck but if he could develop some forward craft he and Draper is a pretty great combo.
Have no issue trying Reid forward, I reckon he has some great traits.
That period is pretty selective. Only six games which includes his first for the club, switching roles midway through, and round 2 where Draper was injured. I think 16 games straight from when he stopped being full-time ruck is more representative, much more than half a season, and only leaves out the three games he rucked, round 1 and Round 2 (being when Draper was injured).
And yes, if Wright and Jones both average 1.7 goals a game the talls are set.
Any interest on here for Jack Lonie as a small forward? I don’t know a lot about him.
Great. I’m glad that two guys averaging less goals per game than Jeremy Finlayson is good enough for you. I personally think we probably would require a bit more to win a flag, considering we don’t have as many goal kicking midfielders as the Dees, who you keep referring to, nor do we have Lever and May
We have Ridley and Lav. Langford, Shiel, Parish, Cox and Merrett averaged around as many goals per game (2.3) in 2021 as Petracca, Oliver, Langdon, Viney and Brayshaw did (2.5).
If we find one more tall who can average about 1 goal a game we match Melbourne for scoring power. This year we had that with Hooker. There is a reason we were one of the highest scoring teams in the league.
Hmm, probably not from me.
I do think Jack Lonie could be serviceable forward pocket depth somewhere, but I don’t think we want to be bringing in a so-so option for that spot. I think we want to be bringing in a Bobby Hill, or a Davey twin, or someone who can be a genuine game breaker. Jack Lonie is not that type.
Still far from convinced Peter Wright is the long term answer as a key position forward when the whips are really cracking. If we played under pristine conditions with the roof closed at Docklands every week - then yeah, I’d probably feel more confident.
He’s the definition of the guy who’s a pretty good 4th/5th guy, and nothing more.
He doesnt need to be, he just needs to be 3rd banana for Jones and one of the other young talls.
I’ve done Truck and the boys a favour, and picked the line-ups for an intra club match. I really do like the depth and position coverage we have. List build is on the right track, and we have a couple of good and/or experienced players who will be playing VFL this year I think.
b: Zerk-Thatcher, Laverde, Redman
f: Wright, Baldwin, Hird
hb: Heppell, Ridley, Cutler
hf: Snelling, Hurley, Smith
c: Cox, McGrath, Durham
c: Ham, Langford, Guelfi
hf: Perkins, Jones, Tippa
hb: Hind, Stewart, McBride
f: Phillips, Stringer, Waterman
b: Reid, Francis, Kelly
foll: Draper, Merrett, Caldwell
foll: Bryan, Parish, Shiel
int: Everyone else.
edit: fixed hibberd and durham issue.
Hibberd?