i reckon what gets missed here and needs to be asked , is martin needed across hb ??? do we already have good options???
to me the answers are no martin is not needed across hb because we do have good options.
if we are looking for good users coming out use ellis. use deledio we use vlastuin hes a very good kick and hes a damn good decision maker. you want more grunt use conca across hb. we could try helbig there and ffs both dea and mcintosh some time this yr will need to be given games there. finally there is a very good and wise option to use lennon in his formative yr across h/b.
we have a bloke capable of kicking probably 40 45 even 50 goals a yr and give good service in the midfield while at it, thats more than any other option and we want to play him back when there are numerous options to play back there. go figure.
At least you are trying to look at it in more than a superficial manner, and the question about do we need him accross half back is a fair one, although I'm not so convinced the answer is no.
I look at it another way.
With the cap on rotations players have to stay on the ground more and rotate through other positions rather than go off the ground.
If we look at some of the bokes who play through the midfield at times, which ones have the assets (long accurate kicking, mainly), to provide drive off half back, which after all, is what you want off half back
Thomas?
Foley?
Jackson?
Edwards?
conca?
cotchin?
arnot?
You can only afford so many many players who are limited to either on the ball or on the bench, and there are only so many spots in the forward line. So where does each player rotate through, and when they are there, what do you do with the others?
When you look at the whole picture of where each player rotates, its not so superficial as not being able to look past glorifying the person who actually kicks the goal and taking into account the work further up the ground that provides the goal kicking opportunities in the first place.
LMAO @ those swinging off David Kings nuts just because he agrees with them. Any other time he gets bagged for being a stuff wit
I think first and foremost as a backman you have to be able to defend. Forget kicking or marking, you have to be able to defend! And Dusty is not known for his defense, he is known for his attacking footy and his penetrating kicking.
Lids is a much better all round footballer who should be used across HB. I wouldn't say that has been his toll for two years now. We have Vlastuin and Lids that should be our HB's.
Also with rotations, if managed right can still be done successfully with the on-ballers rotating through the forwardline and then coming off for a break. The numbers are still high enough that your stars on-ballers don't have to rotate through the backline.
i dont subscibe to the idea that if someone is poor defensively you pander to that . Id rather they be forced to get out of their comfort zone and improve themselves as footballers. with the way the game is played can you afford anyone to be poor defensively?
Even forwards are expected to have a strong defensive game today. the days of the forward watching the backmen easily take the ball out of defense and rely others to do the hard work and send it in again are long gone ( at least for the good sides ).
so while you are right about defenders needing to be able to defend, every player on your team needs to be able to defend. Once the ball is between you and your goals, you become a defender.
As for dusty's strength being attacking footy and penetrating kicking, that is exactly what i want off half back. ( yeah you'd like to have it everywhere, but kicking a goal takes less skill and decision making than setting up attacks from half back)
On the rotations, im not convinced we have enough enough good,
proven, footballers, those that are versatile enough, to rotate through half back, midfield and forward, to have the luxury of rotating one of the few that are, solely forward.
Particularly when we are carrying some that you cant even rotate through the forward line, let alone through half back.
