Sam Sunshine wrote:
I believe a good part of why these 2 players are critical to this team is getting the ball from stoppages.
Their job is to either get the ball and get it out or stop the other team from doing so. That's it! Anymore they can add around the ground is a bonus. They do not have to be fast over the first 20 metres. That they fight hard for the ball is why they need to be there. When a player puts his body on the line, it sets a pattern of what needs to be done for the rest of the playing group.
Inside it is hard, tight and dirty. Runners over open ground are not required here. Tough, ready to endure pain, inside fighters are what is required. Remember Greg Williams - he took the hits then released the ball to advantage.
Look at Sydney. Their mid fielders would rather stop play and force a stoppage than move the ball. After a few stoppages in succession, everyone gets tired even the umpires. The they all slow down to the pace of the guy who gets the ball out and away it goes.
Ellard, Hadley and even Robinson have a role to play here. They will get down and dirty. What we do NOT want is to have Judd take on this role. He can and will do it but it is a waste of his talents as he can be the break away player. Let him use his pace in the first 5-10 metres to clear the stoppage and get the ball out. Ideally this is to a pass and run so he gets it back at full tilt and can direct the ball into the forward 50 with advantage.
Don't disagree with you but Ellard and Hadley are very one dimensional players. They are slow, can't kick all that well, average marks etc. They are good in and unders, but if the opposition runs off them they can become a liability, Hadley especially. That said, conditions should suit both of them this weekend.
As for Diesel Williams, the game was much slower in his day and his defensive skills were non existant anyway. His type of game would be harder to justify nowadays.