I dunno, I think if you try to catch up to whatever the current supposedly superior team composition is you’ll never be ahead of the game. Just because it worked for the Tigers this year, doesn’t mean it will next year. It’s easy to forget that there were a number of games this year when Richmond looked ordinary.
I see no problem with a 2 tall forward setup, or even a 3 tall forward setup, you just don’t want them all to be the same type of tall. I think that’s part of the reason why our forward line worked so well with Hooker, Daniher and Stewart in it. Hooker is a big contested mark, big body, hard to move. Stewart is like an extremely tall flanker who works hard up and down the ground. Daniher is a freak who does just about everything. I guess the important thing there is Daniher and Stewart are both capable of applying pressure.
I think we’re entering an interesting period in the evolution of the competition where we’re starting to see teams playing with fundamentally different philosophies and ‘gameplans’. This has been happening for a lot longer in sports like soccer, and I think it will take a while for the hyperbole around which style is ‘better’ to dial down.
In terms of the Bulldogs/Richmond success, they both definitely ran non-traditional ‘small ball’ forward lines, however they also had the benefit of exceptionally talented, and, most importantly, deep midfields. A side that attempts to mimic these styles of play with out a stacked midfield will find themselves posting scores that would make Ross Lyon cringe.
There’s nothing wrong with playing a tall forwardline, you just need your talls to produce, the same as any other position. It wasn’t the gameplans fault that big Tex decided to repeatedly lead with only one hand extended.
That said, I think a potential take away is that you’re better off with a below average small/medium forward than a below average tall forward. At least the little guy can tackle and keep the opposition honest.
Have been saying how important speed is for over a decade, glad it’s finally happening.
Think Ess list is the best placed in the comp to play this style.
tried doing a best 22 last week with my dad, we have a very very good team on paper, best for a while. I’m not lid off yet, but slowly coming around. The identified the deficiency and have at least addressed it
It’s going the right direction, but I don’t think we’ll be a force until we develop 2 or 3 mids who can win inside ball, kick and run both ways.
Over to Langford, Begley, McGrath, Mutch…
It’ll be interesting to see how we line up now with center contests now Jobe has retired. We’ve got the contested ball winners who also do the other things. It’s probably synchronisity and coaching now.
We need to bat down to 7 or 8 genuine quality midfielders.
We don’t do that currently.
Hep, Parish, Zaha, Zerrett, arguably Smith but he’s much more outside than in. Other than that, it’s guys who’ve shown flashes and glimpses, and we’ve been hamstrung by giving so many games to Jobe and Myers this year rather than the younger guys.
I’m not worried about it, per se, I think the club have plans in place, but it’s not there yet.