Finally, do we have a Back Six?


TALLS
1. Waite - has kept Riewoldt, Rocca and Neitz quiet, and provides good intercepts and re-bound
2. Thornton - reliable, good player
3. Jamison - versatile and almost always manages to spoil
4. Bower - I think this kid is really starting to develop. Likes to back himself to run his way out of traffic which is a good 'modern' trait to have

SMALL
5. Carrazzo - has gone back to defense the last couple of weeks and looks good there. Did a good job on Davey. I think with the added midfield depth, Ratts has decided Carrots is the small BP we have been searching for

MEDIUM/RUNNER
6. Walker - not sure his usage is good enough to be a midfielder, and his run makes him a valuable defensive commodity for us

Is this our Back Six? It's certainly the closest we have been to having a set back six for yonks (granted Walker is out at the mo, but you get my point).

The great thing is, the oldest player is 25, so this is a back six that will improve and has plenty of time to grow accustomed to each other.

more like a back four, a back six would indicate reliability and consistency - we don't have that yet, afterall, it has only been two games.

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In my eyes we have always had a back six but we have never had a back 18. So much depends on how much pressure has been put on further up the ground.

The back six did ok against the Bombers but they still kicked 23 goals, the back 18 did not do well that night.

Jarrad Waite has been performing as our full back for the last few games and has done a brilliant job. If he can continue to shut down his opponents while minimising the brain farts he occasionally has then we have ourselves a quality defense. Jamison is a quality stopper and a good user of the ball. Thornton provides plenty of rebound and a potential alternative if one of the others starts getting beaten. Bower is developing very nicely but needs a few more scalps before I see him as a recognise defender rather than just a Grant Birchall style over grown midfielder. The Hawks might like having one of those but personally I don't see the point and Bower is better than that. Still a long way to go but we're getting there.

If you look at it as a whole you realise we're building a very tall, athletic, and attacking defence where our talls are just as likely to go on dashing runs as our smalls. Good signs for the future.

Hadley's done wonders in the last two games hasn't he? Now that he's regained match fitness he's really tightened us up going the other way.

Couldnt agree more about Hadley... with all the hype (and rightly so) and such surrounding Judd, people may forget we also recruited this bloke in the off season... for pick 52! Easily the best bit of business in trade week (apart from JUDD).

Even though he isnt at 100% his defensive pressure and ability in and at it is going to be as important as Judd explosive clearances. The way he flies the flag, doesnt let an opponent brush him off and importantly lays tackles that stick is hopefully something we get to see for years to come.

The likes of Bower and Jamieson are most important in the years to come also. They are young, tall and atheltic and have shown ability... important these players develop like they should.

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The fact that Hadley comes from a winning culture makes such a difference IMO. He leads the way out there in the tackling and attack on the footy and it wouldn't surprise me to see him in the leadership group next season.

Add Browne/Anderson and Walker and we have our back six IMO.

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Mjonc signing off at 8888