Houli is in career best form I think. Has never been a contested ball specialist. He provides rebound and is doing that incredibly well. He was recruited for this in the first place!
I think it's too much having him AND Short in the same backline. One of them needs to move up, or Houli needs to wind down. Elsewise our mid defenders are doing a good job on the smalls, Broad and Grimes especially.
What I remember is Houli was recruited as a wingman/onballer, the HBF came later.
But I do agree we cannot beat the good teams in big finals with both Short and Houli in the same backline.
Over the past month, HFF from other sides have kicked goals against us (Frisch, Hill the first gamer from GWS and Port had a couple of HFF that kicked a few from memory Butters and someone else)
Our medium talls in Grimes, Broad and Vlastuin can only cover those guys so much.
I would move Stack back to HB and play Edwards there too. Both would give you a better contest and both can find the footy and give us rebound.
We need to make it harder for teams to score against us. IMO teams get easy goals against us.