So,let me get this straight, we have to cover a resting ruckman whose 200cm, plus two more forwards of 199cm and 196cm respectively, with Thursfield (192cm and a beanpole) McGuane (192cm and a stick insect) and Moore(190cm).
Meanwhile up forward, we have one tall marking option and basically five crumbers.
So your solution?
My solution? Structure up the side properly. We can't afford to play three undersized key defenders on giants.Instead of Moore,bring in say Post,or Rance. Why isn't Post even in the squad? If Carlton are going to have a resting ruckman at full-forward,then bring in Browne or Graham to sit in the hole and block off his supply. With the height mis-matches we have down back tomorrow on a dry night, this has the potential to get really ugly again.
Up forward, well we'll see how they set up. I'm hoping that Vickery starts on the ground, and spends a lot of time up forward. I can't see Jack and five crumbers working. I would have liked a third tall marking option. I was at training today, and Astbury did the full session. I was disappointed he didn't make the cut. But if not him, then even Polak just as a decoy tall as mooted. Isn't that why he was added off the rookie list ahead of Gourdis? (who also could've helped our key defensive structure).
The bottom line is, they are obviously trying to beat Carlton for pace. I hope it works, and I'll happily take the flak if it does. But I think they are taking a HUGE risk by going in with such a small team, when there were other options available.
Agree RR. We paid massively for going far too short. Left us with no options to change things up in the ruck, down back or up forward.
Not sure what we can do about it short-term in the backline as the form and ability of our key defenders especially McGuane and Moore is retreating at a rate of knots and we have no better replacements in the wings.
Up forward we just lacked another tall marking option at least. Too easily for the opposition to close down Jack and Morts. Carlton played a loose man in defence and killed us. Having Hislop as a hit up key forward makes no sense at all. Being so small up forward proved a pointless strategy as our small forwards hardly took a mark nicking into space inside 50 or got a crumb all night. Too many times we had everyone up and no one down. Nahas has to remember his days at Port and the fundamental rule of being front and square. He's got bad case of second year blues so far this year.