I prefer to look forward.
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Put it this way, Iād consider Jerrett and Howlett on a similar talent level. but I wouldnāt see how a gamestyle that suits one would suit the other.
Anywayā¦ what do you foresee, gameplan wise?
Iām reminded of my motherās advice on what to do if you canāt say something nice about one of your examples.
As to gameplan, Iād hope it will be more about contested footy.
We have played games like that.
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Hopefully weāll start to āgelā with the new gameplan after the bye.
Went to another level this year, clean hands off the deck and in traffic, acceleration, nearly the best set shot from 50. Could stick a few more tackles but that will come.
'2016 Parish is a long way off 2019.
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Cutler, Hibberd and Townsend all bring a bit of mobility and size to the table as opposed to one or the other which is what our current midfield balance was the last few years.
We wanted to add a bit of grunt which is quick enough to keep up with the ball and arrive at contests in time to influence them with size.
That extra bit if height also helps in the air around the ground both in drawing the ball and defending the ground.
Hopefully between this lot it means that we can keep guys like Merrett clear of the contest a bit more. More often than not you want Merrett receiving the first possession, not having to win it.
I donāt think theyāll necessarily all play but I do think they make the midfield look a bit more balanced.
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I disagree.
I think he had all of those things in 2016.
Iām not saying heās a bad player, heās not.
But he played like a top ten draft pick in his first year, and heās stayed at the level ever since.
Except, as I said, heās gotten stronger.
Which youād expect.
There was something stark about 2019. The incredible repeat of an abysmal start to the season; the injuries to key personnel; the confusion over game style; and the nauseating ālearningsā after every defeat.
Iām always hopeful of improvement, but Iāll only really start to feel positive when some of the issues above are gone.
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Glad we only have to put with his learnings dribble for one more season.
Until the second half of last season I donāt think heās played the majority of his minutes in his best position since 2016
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This is a view I have some sympathy for.
OK, cool.
Thatās what I thought you were leading toā¦ you reckon Cutler contributes to that?
4.3 contested possessions a game, career - heās about as outside as you can possibly get away with.
The ruck depth will help, we threw a big lever when Bellcho went down. { Which, again, was a move of a coach coaching for the day, not for the long term, and again speaks to a club not really sure where it was. }
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A big body that can get to a contest doesnāt have to win the ball to positively influence the contest
Tackles a bit for a taller guy, doesnāt he?
Heās a good, solid (in physique and dependability) decent marking player.
I think you could say that about Townsend and Hibberd, too.
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Rule it out, the season is already over
lol
We have just been terrible. Nothing to do with weird or confused.
We have been trying to tell you that for a while now. Good to see you are finally getting on board.
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Sure, fine, as far as it goes.
Heās not ever been a guy who goes to the contest. Heās very, very, very outside. Thatās what he does. Heās a hard runner, a good kick, decent overhead, disciplined, but he is as outside as it gets.
All I see here is Blitz convincing itself that an orange is an apple.
Cue outrage when itās not.
(And, FWIW, Iām pretty happy with him. We need outside runners.)
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I think thatās true of Cutler yes but his size in the air will help our midfield and there is no reason to think he couldnāt develop the contested side of his game.
Townsend and Hibberd are very much about adding their size to the contest
Yep. Very outside.
But he is a big lad, and wonāt get outsized by too many wingers.
Doesnāt mind tackling. Can take a mark. Can run both ways.
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In terms of consistency, I agree, we have been terrible. I still think we have the cattle that is ready to contend soon, just before itās time for Hooker and Hurley to retire, in 2021 or 2022, and our defence should be able to hold without them by then - we still have Francis, Redman, Saad, BZT and McKenna.