Yes we have problems all over the ground but I've said it a thousand times defense wins premierships. I'm not blaming the backline for our losses but you need a solid consistent line up back there so they can gel together as a unit but instead we just stack the backline with whoever is not playing in the middle.

Our line up looked it's best in rd 1 and the first half of round 2 last year when Waite, Jamo and Thornon were all back there with Bower and Russell as support casts. When jamo got injured and Bower went on to Bradshaw he got smashed just like he did yesterday and any other time he has had to play on a big key forward. Not knocking Bower but he clearly isn't ready to play on the big boys yet and there is nothing wrong with that.

Watch the first half of the Lions game in rd 2 last year and see what a difference Waite in the back line makes. Thornton stood Brown, Jamo stood Bradshaw and Waite just cut everything off and then rebounded.

At the moment our back line of Jamo, Bower, Russell and any one of Joseph, Carrazzo, Walker, Gibbs, Scotland, Armfield is not working. Get the back line right and everything else will work itself out. Waite has to play there, it's where he played his best football last year and Thornton played his best footy last year next to him. Jamo is under less pressure with their support and Bower, Russell and Army can towel up the little guys.

_________________
"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Joseph is not a fixed position defender - he was exposed one on one against Geelong when they moved Ablett to the forwardline (not that that is disgraceful) and has been exposed one on one by many opponents since.
He lacks the body and positional nous to go one on one when the ball is coming in.
He is a run with player at best - hassling and niggling and most importantly, getting led to the ball.

Needs a run in the Ants. If we lose to WCE I'd give Tuohy a run in the same posi.

_________________
This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

Rohan Connelly singles out our backline as "really struggling"
Blues lacking the right stuff for finals bid
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/b ... 10g6r.html

Trouble is, we could do with Waite up forward as well. Can we clone him?

I remember the same debacle with big Lance a few years ago.

_________________
Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

Speaking of big Lance, he was sitting a few rows behind me....Big is bloody right!

I don't get the whole Joseph to the back line thing, he plays his best footy in the middle as a tagger. He did a number on Ablett last year not Steve Johnson.

_________________
"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Are we getting the best out of him up forward though? He doesn't take many big marks and he doesn't kick many goals. He's clearly played his best as a loose man in defense who can rebound.

_________________
"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

He is averaging two goals a game this year.

I know even Betts averages more, time to move him down back.

_________________
"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Thornton - slow, static, ordinary one on one, 'unacceptable' body language. Doesn't provide enough output.

Jamo - out of form, needs a spell in red.


Bower needs some continuity to regain his solid attacking form he's previously showed.

We have Bower Waite Hendo Walker who can rotate forward and back as KPPs and I'd stick Fisher in the goalsquare until Jamo regains form.

Rotating the back line doesn't work, no one knows what the @#$%&! each other are gonna do because they're not familiar enough.

_________________
"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Rotation happens quite often during a game depending on the opponents form and the position of the game.

I don't see Scarlett and Mooney swapping too often or Harry Taylor and the Pod. Nick Reiwoldt and Zac Dawson. I'm calling bullsh!t.

Premiership back lines are stable. You get the odd switch here and there but usually there is a core 5 who play there most of the time not the mess we have at the moment.

_________________
"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Yes obviously if we're travelling as well as Geelong rotations are minimul.