Grimes - upper hammy injury

[Phil Mrakov]

Dunno bout Dea

[Smokey]

when batch + grimes is back and full of rooster spunk is our best back 6?

Rance. Grimes. Dea.
Batchelor. Griffiths. Morris

?

Ellis . Houli. Newman into the guts.

They will definitely be looking at Ellis to the midfield in the future but maybe Batchelor will move there as well?  Houli strikes me as a typical modern day back flanker and I think the team needs his run, carry and delivery off that line.  By the time Dea cements his place (if he does) I reckon Newy will just about be done.

[TigerTimeII]

Dunno bout Dea

Dea will be a gun

[Judge Roughneck]

when batch + grimes is back and full of rooster spunk is our best back 6?

Rance. Grimes. Dea.
Batchelor. Griffiths. Morris

?

Ellis . Houli. Newman into the guts.

They will definitely be looking at Ellis to the midfield in the future but maybe Batchelor will move there as well?  Houli strikes me as a typical modern day back flanker and I think the team needs his run, carry and delivery off that line.  By the time Dea cements his place (if he does) I reckon Newy will just about be done.

Batch strikes me as a natural defender

[Willy]

Yep. Batch is a natural defender. his ability to read the play and take intercepting marks is important back there.

[Danog]

Yeah, I wouldn't be moving Batch anywhere.  Newman was our worst player yesterday IMO, and that's saying something.

[tigs2011]

We play a 7 man backline.

[tony_montana]

Yep Cpnca and Ellis are midfielders who can play back, Houli and Morris also offer dash, we have a good balance and group of players we can rotate through the backline now - horses for courses. I'm stunned at how well a backline that has so many players under 20-30 games experience gels so well so quickly

[Hellenic Tiger]

Yep Cpnca and Ellis are midfielders who can play back, Houli and Morris also offer dash, we have a good balance and group of players we can rotate through the backline now - horses for courses. I'm stunned at how well a backline that has so many players under 20-30 games experience gels so well so quickly

We have only conceded 100 points or more only 3 times this season.
The other 6 times 85 was the highest score and all other scores ranged from 54-75.

Last year we conceded 100+ points 12 times including 20 goals plus 4 times.

Defensively we have improved out of sight not just in the backline but all over the ground.

[Stripes]

And I think that's the key Tucker - we have improved defensively all over the ground. There has been far more 'shallow entries into F50 this year due to the added pressure our midfielders are creating. This is allowing our defenders both more time to position themselves and then quickly rebound. In the past our defenders have had to try and defend one on one situations deep into the F50.

Also I do believe we have a real talent in Rance with Grimes not far behind (though still very slight). Batchelor plays the floating defender well and Griffiths could be the monster CHB we have been crying out for. All except Rance need more meat on their bodies to really compete in those contested 'wrestles' going forward but we are looking very balanced down back now with defenders who are good by foot, are athletic and (most importantly) can shut down an opponent.

Leppa deserves a fair slice of credit.