With the whole ‘zoning off’ style defense. Defenders don’t run as much as forwards.
It’s about saving energy, cutting the angles and reading the play early. IMO this also has helped Francis. He can play to his strengths of concerntrating on reading the play, and intercept marking.
Franga 194, Hurley 193, ambo 190. Is a short backline but Sydney also had a short backline yesterday too.
We need two Chookas!!! One fwd and one back.
We really need someone who can handle the gorillas in the backline. Ive lost faith in Hartley. But dont want to mess with the fwd line setup with hooker in it.
I actually was forced to watch 20 minutes of the reply while getting a haircut today, it’s not as much lack of effort as it’s lack of physical abilities, just too damn slow, in both reaction and foot speed, at the stoppage
Boyse, Langford, Laverde, Smack would all be options I would consider playing alongside Joe and Stewart.
If we got Stringer could Hooker go back???
Hooker, Hurley, Francis
Daniher, Stewart, Stringer
I think at the age of 29, we need to leave Hooker forward
He played the second half of 2015 there which makes it 2 and a half years of not being in the backline
IMO we need Hurley to hit the weights hard over the preseason. He was far, far better in 2015 where He could actually defend one on one. I don’t care about him getting 30 possessions a game if his opponent is kicking 3~4 goals
I would go Hurley and Ambrose as FB and CHB with Francis as a 3rd tall (Not sure if he will make it as a midfielder) It does leave us a little short though as none of the 3 I mentioned are over 194cm.
Depending on matchups we could roll in Hartley or Brown i suppose
Not the most perfect plan but I don’t see how it is possible to land a gorilla key defender, inside contented midfield beast and a classy 2 way winger all in one off season
We need another tall option in the fwd line who can unconditionally bring the ball to ground when kicked to a pack. No one in our team Joe included does that near as well as Hooker. Stringer just isn’t that type of player. Perhaps Stewart will be one day but isn’t yet. Smack (see last time we played Sydney) 5 mins of brilliance in the 3rd and let Grundy intercept mark uncontested for the rest of the day.
There has been three or four games this year when our defenders have been destroyed in the air - When you allow forwards to take contested marks it’s little to do with the midfield or midfield pressure.
From this article earlier in the year.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/expert-opinion/mark-robinson/michael-hurley-elevates-himself-to-topshelf-defender-and-leader/news-story/330e4c7d354f51c0c1460acebdf0d845
Rance is rated No. 2 in ranking points (92), intercept marks, intercept possessions and for losing one-one contests.
The blinding stat is Hurley is ranked 18th for losing one-on-one contests.
It’s not that he’s incompetent at the body-on-body stuff, it’s simply how coach John Worsfold wants him to play.
Hurley defends space as much as the opponent and can be caught out arriving late for the contest.
The flip side is that Hurley is clearly the most attacking key defender in the game and a key part of Essendon’s — call it what you will — slingshot and rubber band offence.
“The way we play now allows me to be more attacking,” he said.
“I’m not going to give away how we defend, but the positioning John wants the backs in allows you to be in quite attacking positions.
“I feel if you get it right, you’re often in the right spot and that’s allowed me to take my attack to the next level.”
In other words the coaching staff have instructed him to play this way. If he has other good key defenders around him and the midfeild is doing its job it works, as he is such a great kick and sets up so many plays.
Cale Hooker 196cm
Dustin Fletcher 197cm.
Both intercept marking defenders.
Hurley was never an intercept marking defender. He was always body on body, nudge his opponent under the ball, spoil from behind type defender. We haven’t replaced Fletcher and Hooker.
Franga is that intercept marking type we need down back, who is also a good kick. But questions have been asked of his one on one ability, and he also struggles with giants. I am not sure what the answer is. Perhaps Hurley needs to play a more defensive role next year, rather then guard space. Franga can then back in his own judgement and intercept mark, while Amro plays the lockdown role.
Yep I referenced that article in another thread.
I suppose it is a catch 22 but I’d much rather Hurley play close attention to his man and let Francis play the 3rd tall role which others have pointed too seems to be his best spot
and hope like Fark Harts, Ambro can get better at locking down tall quick players.
Harts needs a serious 3 months in the gym
Definetly lacks any sort of body strength required to be a full back
Smack can not only crash packs but he can give our ruck a chop out which keeps Daniher out of the ruck, that’s one option.
If Mckernan couldn’t kick 30gls in a season out of FF I would be suprised…1.3 a game.
Hartley was a better one on one defender last year, and that was with a really bad midfield.
Yes our midfield pressure is poor, but our defensive six struggled in one on one contests all year, bar maybe McGrath.
That Fletcher bloke did ok with spaghetti arms.
Hartley has the perfect build to be a KPD but lacks serious hunger or desire and is far too timid. He should be crashing packs and getting a fist on everything. He appears more laconic than Langers and that’s saying something
Unfortunately Harts is about one fifth the footballer Fletcher is/was
With that said he is only 24? Still 3 years away from hitting his potentially hitting his prime
Statistically we concede more points than any in the top 9.
Someone else said it better elsewhere but I couldn’t find the post.
Our 2014 backline was not far from best in the league, we need to get back to something similar.
Obvious mid deficiencies and trade/draft machinations and needs to the side for one minute.
Lever is worth having one hell of a long think about because of his quality, intercepting till the early morn, but more importantly his age.
At 21, he perfectly complements Zach, Raz, McG, Joey, Parish etc.
For the immediate term, Trengove is probably decent enough upgrade on Hartley to improve our flexibility and to allow Hurley to remain in an attacking role which is probably the best use of his skills.
We already have a replacement for Bodybags in McG as well as a massive upgrade at the same time but it’s obvious the combination of his skills would be wasted somewhat in a small defender role.
Obviously we plan (hope?) for Franga to step up in another 2 years into the 3rd tall, attacking role as a successor to Hurley.
Connor to provide the run and precision kicking.
Marty to party.