blu944 wrote:
Synbad wrote:
One thing that strikes you about coaches and players being interviewed about the pre season is how everything is revolving around a speed and how theyre training with much more pace this year thean ever before.
Another thing that strikes you is how will Lance cope when he is being hidden away to not be exposed already.
He needs to play forward, he can still be effective as a CHF even in the age of running and carrying. He couldn't play a key defensive position last year and as he gets slower and forwards are modelling themselves more and more on Reiwoldt's constant running and long leading style, Lance will be exposed like he was against Croad on a more regular basis.
The fact is the guy is a great natural footballer and finds ways to remain effective regardless of his shortfalls in athleticism, but his success in the backline revolves around blocking player's runs and forcing one on one contests; he doesn't even punch, he just waits until a forward is half way through elevation when going for a mark and backs into them pushing them off balance and out of the line of the ball drop. He can still use that ability he has in the forward line, where he can dictate to defenders and play the game on his terms. Smart forwards will just run off him all day and when they get on top it's like being a man down.
The guy has been interviewed a number of times and it's glaringly clear that he wants to play up front so I don't see why he can't be given a game there instead of just the final minutes of quarters. With Walker, Thornton and O'hAilpin, we don't need his size and Lappin and Scotland are more than capable of getting the ball forward off half back.
Yes, Lance was exposed against Croad, and yes, he is only suited to certain types of forwards, but he should stay in the backline for the couple of years, occasionally moving forward. Kennedy needs to be our next CHF, and Lance is really our only genuine CHB at the moment. O'Hailpin does have size but plays small, Thornton plays on the opposition's best forward generally, whoever that may be, and Walker isn't and shouldn't be used as a KP back. We need his size in defence ATM with Bower and Hartlett not quite ready to take big roles. Whether he should play loose occasionally I'm not sure, but we still need him down back.
Back to the captaincy, I would have:
Captain: Whitnall
Vice-Captain: Stevens
Leadership group: Simpson, Murphy, Walker, Lappin, Scotland, Thornton.
I think we have to be realistic about the captaincy. Murphy has played 13 games of AFL footy. He needs a couple more years, and then he might be ready.
IMO captaincy is a tad overrated in a footy team. I wouldn't mind if Stevens got it.