club29 wrote:
Craig_Bradley wrote:
I don't know why people are citing Hendo's performances on Riewoldt and Hall as particularly positive. Both opponents have kicked 4 goals (one in a game that we won by 103 pts) after having battled for the past couple of months. His best form was vs Kennedy in the second half vs the Eagles.
In sum, I'd agree that Hendo hasn't been terrible down back, but I wouldn't agree with a statement that he's been particularly good either.
Whichever end he plays at, the issue at the moment is pace - perfectly demonstrated by the first goal Hall kicked when he got beaten in the race back to the ball in the open 50. I fear that this will be even more evident vs the Pies - Cloke will destroy him for pace. As a few have said re Hall, whoever plays on Cloke, 4-5 goals is probably break even.
When Thornton and Bower are just as much, if not more, suited to defence - surely the question is 'who out of those three is most likely to perform up front?'
The answer for me is Henderson and, when sitting fourth on the ladder, clinging on for dear life, we don't prioritise one player's development over team structure.
Decent points CB but if you saying Henda hasnt been that successful as a back what has he shown as a forward this year? Thornton has shown more in that position.
I reckon jamo would not have stopped many of the 8 kicked on Henda in the last two weeks. Clokes improvement comes on the back of contested marks. Not sure T bird or Bower could do as good a job as Henda in that area.
Also your comment on Henda playing back disrupting team balance that is disputable. If he get his confidence up in that position and provides cover for the loss of AA jamo then he will be helping team structure as we fight for wins to secure a finals berth.
Happy to concede that Hendo has shown as much up forward as he has down back, and maybe even a bit less - although I think his form up forward is still tainted in all our minds by the Essendon* game when he just shouldn't have been picked. Since that, good on return vs Brisbane, bad vs Sydney and tough to say vs WCE cos the ball wasn't sighted forward until he moved back.
In terms of Jamo and performance, I gave that some thought, from what I can remember of Sunday's game - I don't think Jamo loses the race back to the goal (+1) and I remember Hendo having a good look (and missing) at a spoil in the 3rd quarter when Hall marked on the lead (+1). That's w/o looking back over the tape at the others. There's also the loss of run and contested marks that Jamo was providing. I'm not expecting that of Hendo at this stage, but I don't accept Hendo's form being dressed up as anything more than serviceable. It underlines how massive Jamo's loss is cos our next best is so far off his quality.
Re balance, I see where you're coming from but I just don't think we can afford to have him in the back half. I have confidence that he'll be a good player wherever he plays in the years to come. Ultimately, with Waite, O'Hailpin and Hampson fit at the end of the year (fingers crossed), we might settle him down back. But for Saturday, I think we can cover the lack of Hendo (Bower, Thornton, Austin) down back better than we can the total absence of a tall, mobile target up forward. I agree that Thornton isn't totally clueless but I think Hendo is still our preferred forward option - by all means, if Hendo gives nothing up forward in the first half, switch it around. But I was disappointed in the stubbornness from the box in keeping him on Hall vs the Dogs. I hope they reconsider for this week.
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