Moving forward after the break

There were some signs tonight, that we need to build on.

White's showing at CHB, albeit on a smaller player in Hahn, shows that he is worth persevering with there. I can't remember him backing out of a contest and his skills unlike many teammates were passable.

Shaun back to defence. We have really missed a small/medium defender who can go with a quick forward. Forget Shaun in the midfield. Until his fitness and ability to shake a tag improve, I wouldn't even bother with him in the middle. Rodan and Pearce gave us enough run tonight. Thomson, Lower and Bentley extricated it really well.

Thommo, Gray, Lower and Bentley to play centre-square footy. Each of these guys gave us a decent contest in the centre square. We certainly didn't lose it from the centre ball-ups.

Cockshell has to come in to give us a forward presence. When your four marking targets are so down, you have to make changes.

Ebert to either be dropped or get some time in another position (eg wing). His fumbling has to be straightened out.

Pettigrew to either be dropped or only be played forward. He did ok up there late. He fought reasonably near goal, and when he drifted up around the wing, he ran pretty hard. He's not assured enough and lacks the concentration to play in the backline.

PJ Power said:

Ebert to either be dropped or get some time in another position (eg wing). His fumbling has to be straightened out.

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He's very much the modern-day Paul Hudson (late Doggies vintage).

Almost always lethal with the ball in his hands from a setshot, but without it? May as well be in the stands with the rest of us.

In today's perpetual motion footy of automatic playing-on from behinds - which has seen a new type of small defensive-forward evolve whose tackling and pressure is just as important as their goals (Davey, Rioli, Hooper, Douglas, Davis, Wonaeamirri, Thomas, Tambling, et al) - Ebert is simply obsolete when he isn't lining up.

Eberts second efforts are below average and his defensive pressure is non existant.

Cockshell needs to come in. Hes quick, he can take a mark.

Id be inclined to leave White back there and play Chad in the middle or up forward. At least for another couple of weeks to see how it works.

Im starting to worry about Chappy. Hes just gotta get better.

We lacked a small defender tonight as well. At one stage in the first quarter we had Carlile, White, Chappy, Stewart, Pettigrew and Lower back there. Lowers like 187cm. Surely thats the tallest backline ever assembled?

Weve got a few options. The likes of Sal, Thomas and Boak will come back in and improve the side.

I'd be happy to see Cockshell, Thomas, Boak and Salopek come into that team, replacing Westhoff, Lonie, Chaplin (or Pettigrew) and Ebert.

I'm not sure that Chad or Peter returning to the team will do us much good for the rest of the year.

B: Stewart....Carlile....Shaun Burgoyne

HB: Lower.....White.....Thomas

C: Pearce.....Thomson....Salopek

HF: Boak.....Cockshell....Gray

FF: Pettigrew.....Tredrea.....Motlop

R: Brogan....Kane....Rodan

Int: Cassisi....Logan....Bentley....DeLuca

On the outer:
Ebert, Chaplin, Westhoff, Lade

Wrapped up in cotton wool:
Peter Burgoyne, Chad

I can see why pearse is persevered with as he has blistering pace...but his disposal and entries into f50 are average and his tackles the same

just a thought guys (I havent really put in the effort to see the team balance) but what about 2 burgers in a backline (sounds catchy)

i often feel that peter is a one man band down there and thats why he ends up stuffing up, there is no real movement, no one running the lines with him, its like peter has the ball, lets see what he does with it

having shaun back there would give us speed (in theory), skill (in theory) and good decision making (in theory).

we could have real drive out of the backline, when teams like the dogs get the ball on the backline, you just assume that a forward entry is going to result, well this isnt the case for us.

thoughts?

Loyal2Port said:

just a thought guys (I havent really put in the effort to see the team balance) but what about 2 burgers in a backline (sounds catchy)

i often feel that peter is a one man band down there and thats why he ends up stuffing up, there is no real movement, no one running the lines with him, its like peter has the ball, lets see what he does with it

having shaun back there would give us speed (in theory), skill (in theory) and good decision making (in theory).

we could have real drive out of the backline, when teams like the dogs get the ball on the backline, you just assume that a forward entry is going to result, well this isnt the case for us.

thoughts?

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I like the idea (or at least trialling it anyhow, what do we have to lose ), although both would have to improve their defensive pressure... I'd be more inclined to leave Shaun down there in future, remembering his roles on small forwards in previous years, plus we'd lose a passenger from the middle.

White was great back there too although I'd move Pettigrew forward, I was surprised he wasn't earlier considering his previous match against the Bulldogs. Westhoff is a tough one, I didn't agree with his selection this week although his endeavour wasn't too bad, him for Cockshell probably needs to be done.

Give Lower more of a role. Thomas back will be a plus.

And you can see Thomson just on the verge of a breakout game.. some of the things he does are superb (i.e. run from the backline to kick a goal, mark then give off to Shaun in the last).

Hmmm and Lonie, he's obviously been instructed to kick long but his disposal was shocking! If he could clean that up he'd be ok, at least he's not chipping it backwards like some, was amazed to see him even strive to get a couple hard-ball gets.. and if he's an outside player imagine if we still had Nathan Eagleton- has that guy ever been in a contest??

Mmm and Ebert, oh dear... what to do??

Not sure what to make of Deluca... strange looking bloke...

dyertribe said:

He's very much the modern-day Paul Hudson (late Doggies vintage).

Almost always lethal with the ball in his hands from a setshot, but without it? May as well be in the stands with the rest of us.

In today's perpetual motion footy of automatic playing-on from behinds - which has seen a new type of small defensive-forward evolve whose tackling and pressure is just as important as their goals (Davey, Rioli, Hooper, Douglas, Davis, Wonaeamirri, Thomas, Tambling, et al) - Ebert is simply obsolete when he isn't lining up.

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Good post. But ebert won a magarey in the midfield so he must be able to do more than just mark and kick goals. He doesnt look fit at the moment and probably shouldnt be playing. The big test for him will be improve his fitness so he can come into the midfield otherwise his career will be limited.

We do lack a genuine rover up forward, mahoney used to tackle well as did bode and chapman.

Going forward ; Port must not play unfit players and if Ebert or anyone else falls into that category, then they should not be playing. If you can't chase or change direction, what the hell are they doing playing that player.
With Chaplin and a host of others, I'm sorry to harp on about it, but the coaches must demand that their footwear is correct. If they then keep falling over, they shouldn't be selected.
We have been playing with one strong marking forward short for ages now and therefore, Cockshell should come into the side.

Handyandy said:

We do lack a genuine rover up forward, mahoney used to tackle well as did bode and chapman.

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Who?