Let me start by saying I love Thornton as a player.

My personal opinion is that he is not a natural full back, he does a good job but his creativity is much more potent further up the ground at CHB.

I do have a question regarding his tackling though.

This year he is last on the entire Carlton list for tackles, both total and average.

This year after 6 games he has just 2 tackles.

Everything else is up this year, kicks, handballs etc. But his tackling is down.

Over his career he has averaged less than 1 tackle a game, much lower than his contemporaries.

Anyone know why?

Is it something to worry about? Or is it just something peculiar about his style of play?

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Fair call on T-Bird. I've noticed a large number of our boys either can't tackle, or don't want to lay a tackle. The AFL has 'tackle' stats, however, I'd like to see a 'missed tackle' stat after a game. How frustrating is it when an opposition player has the ball and we lay a *%#$ weak tackle and he gets away!? I see it way too often.

How good is it that T Bird isnt playing at FB anymore and he can run around and create....
anyway why should T Bird tackle in the backline.. noone else does...

Hopefully Denis docks them a buck for each time they tackle .. its all part of the grand plan...

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Perhaps a better stat could be "tackle percentage", measuring succesful tackles against the number attempted.

Obviously, the bigger the tackle, the better.

Perhaps cause his opponent doesn't get hold of the ball too often, it is usually punched well clear.

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I'd like to see tackle stats on the Key Position players (Not ruckman) I'd suggest they would be low as most play as mark and kick players. Plus a big KP is not likely to take you on as much as a small tries to. The other is most tackles seem to come from stoppages were KP players mostly stand a kick behind play. Not really a concern but it is a bit low.

I seem to remember SOS finishing 2nd in our tackle count quite often, behind Ratten, and he certainly used to punch the ball clear quite well.

I think the difference is SOS would go to the ball after a contest, whereas Thornton might try to get clear and be an option. This isn't a criticism either, it allows him to use his creativity and disposal to link up.

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T-Bird doesnt tackle often becuase he is usually in one of three situations

1. a marking contest and will see him punch the ball clear
2. gets in the right position to intercept the ball
3. recieving a handball to use the ball and useit well out of defense

Tackling - for me is a stat that i dont want to see to high.

WHy you ask?

Simple really, if we are tackling we dont have the ball.

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Good point prez, but like anything it can be too high or be too low.

Your point was realised last week in the West Coast vs Port Adelaide game. WC had only 17 tackles for the game, the lowest so far this year. They just happened to win by 100+ points, so obviously Port did not get the ball much to be tackled.

Still reckon Thornton's tackle stats are low relative to other defenders. Checked some other key position backmen and they all average 2+ tackles a game.

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I don't know much about his tackle count but Jeeeezzzz he misses an awful lot of targets by both hand and foot. And I mean alot. Guys like Wiggo and co get a hard time for their disposal but T-Bird really needs to improve big time in IMHO.

Regards Cazzesman

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Yep I agree Cazzesman.

I actually don't think it's Thornton's actual disposal itself that is that bad, i.e. the execution of his kicking probably isn't too bad but I think he just takes bad options. Sometimes he just takes too long to kick the ball and therefore loses options up the ground. Other times he just mucks around a bit when he should just kick the thing long.

Good defender and good player but he should just keep it more simple.

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Yeh i agree it is not so much his disposal but like many of our players he takes to long to get rid of the ball. By the time he does all his options are gone and he is under alot of pressure from the oppisition

Thorton isn't the only one in our team who can't take the amount of times players break through our tackles is ridiculous and very frustrating

if you watch T Bird he has it in his hands and he is motioning people to him...noone does...

too static..

Same thing happens to Houlihan..

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Thats the point Prez and Jarusa, we aren't a team who could win by 100 points this year. I only ask one thing of the boys, EFFORTS! First, second, and third efforts... T Bird is an absolute champ one of maybe 5 we have that would command a spot elsewhere, but as our most important backman, I expect him to set an example... Come on T Bird, show them what you can do... be feared by opponents like SOS was... Make the other boys stand tall... Make us a force again!

Carn the Blues!

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*bump*

Well he has now played 9 games this season and still only 2 tackles for the whole season.

Thornton has now gone 6 games in a row with no tackles.

What is going on, surely it is getting beyond coincidence now?

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Jarusa talls spoil they dont usually tackle...

Thats my thery anyway... how mnany has Scarlett got compared to Ling???(Just interested)

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Scarlett 18
Ling 19
Joel Corey 34

Corey is the type of player we need to look at drafting. Built like a brick shithouse and wins plenty of the hard ball.

I'm certainly not expecting him to be our leading tackler, that is just common sense.

But no tackles in 6 games???

Scarlett has 18 tackles in 12 games, Ling has 19 tackles in 12 games, Thornton has 2 tackles in 9 games.

Any more theories?

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Well thats only one tackle and a half per game... which isnt exaclty a tackling machine either...

Still i reckon talls never have as many tackles as players in the midfield..

No more theories except that one....

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