I just like playing the % and we just win far more often when Gibbs is settled in the backline.

I like the idea of him playing deep in the forward line but we need his stabilitly down back. We look so much better when he is there and in form and win games. Thornton better than Gibbs as a backman??? He may read the ball better in the air as 3 man up but we are not losing in that tactic anyway. Gibbs doesnt play too safe. I beg you all to re watch the first 3 games and the freo game again and watch what an inform Gibbs behind the ball can do for our team.

Gibbs last quarter against the dees is what he should strive for consistantly. Over lapping off hb and delivering to the forwards with time and space. If he gets pulled back then that is the game being played and our terms and their forward structures go out of wack......aaaaand then Yaz takes over with the dash.

There is no way Gibbs will stay back when Laidler and Yarran are back there.
We have Henderson, Bower, Jamison and Laidler as talls.
Yarran, Armfield, Duigan, Tuohy, Russell, Thornton and even Scotland as running defenders and sweepers if you like.
Laidler has the poise and reading of the game to take control and Yarran has the breaking speed and execution to form an attack.
Gibbs will be the high HF or floating mid to link the defence and forward line, or play as a marking forward deep in attack.
If Carlton need to improve they need to use Gibbs in an offensive position.
He could easily be used in rotations with Walker even Kreuzer and Betts fom time to time to mix things up.

But he played back in the first 3 rounds when all those players you mentioned were available ....? He played very well and we won all 3 easily.

Yes and we played Richmond, Brisbane and an out of form Collingwood.

We flogged them all.

Anyway, you said there would be no way Gibbs in defense when those players are back. I just showed you there is a way and its a pretty good way as when he did play back with those players fit we one 3 games well. 1 by seven goals and 2 by over 10 .One against a team that played in the last 2 grand finals. One against a team that is pretty good and one against a team full of confidence in a game that was meant to be a danger game.

It cant be overlooked that the best quarters of football we have played this year have all been with Gibbs behind the ball. I doubt the coaches haven't noticed.

He is a good player. Can play mid ok and plays very good in the forward line and very good in the backline. Our team is better when he is in the backline and that is close to fact as the scores for and against pretty much prove.

Getting stuck in your back 50 is a terminal illness for a footy team. If you don't have a few good decision makers, runners and ball users to get you out you are in very big trouble.

That's why Bryce finds himself there and I pretty sure he'll find himself there for some time.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Yep and on top of that when we are pressing in our half Gibbs is a good player blocking the outlets and is perfect to re deliver inside 50 when we force the repeat entry.

O'brien, Watts and Houli are players that also play his role.

Gibbs is wasted in the back line.

He didn't do that crash hot in the games we lost either because you hurt the opposition in the middle and the scoreboard.
We need Gibbs to be the player to turn a game when we are behind.
When you are allowed to play your game everything looks great but when you are struggling you need a solid skilful player to turn the game back to your advantage.
If you want to play a Lyon's type of game and just lose by a little bit then leave him in defence.
If you want him to be the player to turn a game and win it off his own boot then we have to take the ascendency and put him where the action is.
We need a player that can set up and kick come from behind goals not be the safe defensive player down back.
Like I said before we have other players to do that.
Gibbs has got a nice disposal, good understanding of what is needed and a good pair of hands.
We need to utilize these traits closer to goal were he can be more damaging.
He has played that easy defensive role for far too long.
He is in his comfort zone and needs to be pushed for his and the teams benefit.
That role is not about winning games.
It’s about controlling and saving games when you’re winning,
But when you’re behind he needs to be in a damaging role.
This he has to be acclimatized to again.
The sooner the better for everyone involved.

Apart from the Essendon* game he started where the action was (onball) in the losses. That is my point. We are a better team with him in the backline. You only have to watch each quarter of each game we have played this season and take note of his position and the outcome to see for yourself.

I am for playing the percentages. We know he is fantastic attacking defender and we know we win games when he is there. I would go with that.
Moving him forward will be successful at times as will playing him as a runwith onballer but home base will always be behind the ball IMO.

Nothing like what Lyon does with his teams and calling it safe doesnt wash with me. Wouldnt call playing Enright in defense as safe.

Laidler Jamo Yaz
Touhy 'Henda or bower' Gibbs

That looks rock solid to me. Covered in the air and loose balls mopped up and used to attack by Gibbs, Yaz and Touhy. Nice mobility for coverage of opposition counter attacks too.

I like Gibbs. I like success more
I like tough footballers as well.
Would people trade Gibbs or boak?
Hearing lots of talk. I haven't seen boak play but hear good things
Thoughts?

We trade Gibbs, we may as well give up

No

Gibbs wasn't picked No 1 for nothing.

Boak is a very good player, but I bet in the next few years the Gibbs name will be synonymous with success.

Gibbs is doing very well for us this year. I don't hear the MC complaining.

All I hear is that he should be played here or there, or everywhere and be everything in every situation.
An expectation surely to end in misery.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

x 2

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I hope Essendon* folds.

I am not on the trade Gibbs bandwagon at all, despite my unpopular view of his current playing predicament.

..would not trade gibbs for boak, cos we're not even close to having a surplus of talent that we can trade him out..

..trying to avoid a circular arguement here.. ..however.. ..Gibbs playing as part of the D50, and us winning games,, isn't because he has won/saved us games directly from back there.. ..he plays well down there yes [usually].. ..but it's in a sweeping, mopping up role as others have likewise mentioned.. ..some will argue that our team fares much better with him down back.. ..i'm honestly not really sure about that.. ..last year, he started with some midfield roles, then played down back.. ..then was played fwd of center.. ..he kicked 21 goals last season, the majority when he was played more fwd in the last 1/3ish of the season..

..i also believe that his good games are when we either dominate, or at least break even upfield.. ..i can't really remember him having a standout game when we're struggling over a team, and this is because from down back He can't truely turn a game.. ..i also believe that this "team's need of him down back" is an anchor wrapped up in a security blanket..

..the D50 is holding up really well, our midfield is disjointed and our HF line and general F50 structure is a complete shambles.. ..this is why i believe he's needed far more at HF vs HB.. ..we can still run a cohesive, reliable and safe/attacking HB without him, our HF line is inept, and we won't improve without sorting this out.. ..and this isn't a 'for now' type issue, it's been this out of whack for quite a while now..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

You're being selective.
Starting in the middle and staying there is a different proposition.
You cannot say you’re playing in the middle and spend most of your time in defence.
When Geelong are down you also generally see their main contributors or stars line up to insert their authority in the next clearance. Geelong pushes Bartel, Chapman and Johnson in the middle because they now need to make a stance. They don’t run to the backline for an honourable defeat.
Gibbs needs time up forward and middle again to be reacquainted in those positions.
One quarter or a game won't be sufficient.
He needs to become a regular for some time to find the confidence, pace and pressure of the confined space again.
We are and have struggled in this position this year.
It's not going to happen for some time, but if he is as classy as we think it will happen.
This is why I mention that he has to spend time there now for us to benefit at the end of the season if we are lucky.
I’m not dismissing the fact that he is good in defence or can launch some attacks but when you are struggling in a game you cannot afford to play a safe and conservative way. You need to attack and find some ascendency and your best players have to be on the ball and forward of centre.

This has been a pretty interesting conversation.....I'm really looking forward to watching the game with a close eye on Gibbs Saturday night.

For the record, he averages 23 disposals at Football Park compared to 21 at the MCG:)

Go Bryce!

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All my dangerous friends

You and Dirko seem to make the most sense.

He does seem to be "perfect" in a sense, nut imperfect on the flip side because he doesn't meet expectations.

I just think it's a luxury to have a No 1 draft who knows the game better than anyone on TC and most in the AFL, and we can use him as a utility. He reads the game, he knows footy. WE are lucky. Very lucky to have him.

He can play that role because we have Judd, Murphy, Carrazzo, Simpson, Scotland, Robinson, Ellard and Armfield to have a dip in the midfield. He'll play there if we really need him. He's not Robbo or McLean, and I don't care so much for his contested possessions. We need a maestro. IMO he's it from the HB; Judd's it from the midield, and Yarran makes it happen by the lines.

It's the coach who decides where Gibbs plays. If you don't like it, blame the MC and ultimately the coach. Gibbs probably makes the failed MC moves better than they really are

He's tougher than some think, and he's got stuff no other No 1 draftee can match. Cooney, Murphy, Kreuzer, Trengrove, Sully, Goddard....Gibbs can do things they can't and vice versa. They're all different, but they're the cream of the AFL. Show some respect FFS.

I don't agree with the title of the thread. I think it's a assumptious and just a perception.

I reckon the thread should read the "

MC are failing to utilise Gibbs' abundant talent".

Having siad that, I reckon Gibbs should've played better in all his games. I expect him to win every contest, just like he expects. It's to do with the old Perfection Principle.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Ah jeeze, so now we're going after Boak. Just what we need, another medium size onballer. If we're going to chase players from other teams, can't we at least try and poach a kpp? Anyone got Josh Kennedy's phone number?