Crusader wrote:
There’s a pretty decent gap between AFL & VFL… SANFL & WAFL are even further behind.
Young, Plowman & Kemp would have to be injured or consistently horrible for Durdin to play before Weitering comes back.
What was Weitering going to do to alter that? Magically teleport from spot to spot to defend the uncontested chains off half back?
Point being, you couldn’t tip Young or Plowman out because they couldn’t defend against our midfield turnovers or pressure less forward half defence.
Marchbank hasn’t got through a full game at the lower level yet. Kemp is next man up & he’s got a six month head start on Durdin.
I think we need cover for Effendrug*s talls, and believe we need both Kemp and Durdin to play.
I'm far from convinced Kempo is a good one on one defender against a KPF.
I thought it was ridiculous during the Pies game when SOS was in the ruck, TDK off the ground and Charlie battling against 3 talls, who marked more than not. The numbers don't lie.
Our small forwards can't and couldn't compete in the air against KPD's hence the Pies won easy balland took off from there. Smalls can only provide pressure on the floor when the ball hits the ground, and they are in the vicinity. Pies won the game in the air.
I don't think its as easy as saying Kemp has 6 months on Durdin. Its more complex than that, and Form has a say in the equation too.
Durdin had years of injuries to his young body when playing for North, but got over the injuries as his body matured. He completed 5 preseasons and Kemp has completed one.
Durdin is in red hot form in the SANFL, Kemp, imo, is in no man's land. I haven't see any form to warrant Kemp's selection, just the next man up given his height, and Durdin has a stronger and taller body than Kemp.
Effendum* will have at least 2 players 200cm + tall in their forwardline. Who takes their FF Wright 203cm? Young is the likely to be the one.
Who takes Philips 201 or Draper 205 when playing forward? IMO neither Plowman 192 or Kemp 193 will be able to take any of those 2 big guys. They will be up to 10cms shorter.
Who takes Stringer? Kemp? Plow? One may have to, and I'd have to give the honours to Plow given he's in the same weight division, and Kemp would be eaten alive...so might Plow TBH, but...
I've seen Kemp live in 2 VFL games in the backline, and he seriously struggled against the big boys and played better as the loose defender. One on One he was too small against bigger opponents and certainly not strong enough yet (limited preseasons) to beat opponents body on body. Durdin on the other hand is a stronger more mature body: he's got 6 preseasons over Kemp.
Durdin is a seasoned body, fit and champing at the bit. I don't know how fay ahead Kemp is in terms of fitness to play AFL, but in the next game against the big boys, I'd rather have Durdin back there offering the sorely missed Jones' Golden Fist, let alone Weitering's. Marchbank is the same height as Kemp, but hasn't put 4 quarters at VFL together to be seriously considered now that Curdin is on our list.
I like the way Kemp leads as a forward, but also feel his best is ahead of him with more preseasons. I get that the cupboard is bare and we are struggling for talls because of injury, not form or list issues.