Robbo: Why key forwards are kings of AFL in 2020Mark Robinson
Herald Sun
15 February 2020What goes around comes around in Australian Rules.
When the Western Bulldogs won the flag in 2016 with a voracious small, ground-ball forward line and Richmond followed in 2017 with Jack Riewoldt and Jacob Townsend and bunch of midgets the obituary of the powerhouse key forward was penned.
“People said the key forward was doomed, but I never thought that, I thought they were as valuable as ever,'’ Lions premiership forward Jonathan Brown said this week.
“It wasn’t that long ago was it, but really there wasn’t enough going around.
“We’re going through a pretty good era of key forwards.”
The boom of the key forwards - or at least the three key forward set-up - is set to flourish in 2020.
A list assessment of all 18 teams suggests clubs this season will play three big-marking, big-contesting forwards.
Some clubs have used that set-up for several years.
It’s why the Tigers went after Tom Lynch, knowing 2017 was a magical flash point rather than an evolution of the game.
The Tigers even played two ruckmen in last year’s finals series.
Ivan Soldo kept his spot because Toby Nankervis returned from a long injury spell. Still, the two of them played periods in the forward line.
RICHMOND:Tom J. Lynch 199cmRanking Points: 76
Marks: 5.0
Score Involvements: 6.4
Jack Riewoldt 193cmRanking Points: 69
Marks: 4.2
Score Involvements: 5.8
Toby Nankervis 199cmRanking Points: 72
Marks: 2.3
Score Involvements: 3.1
Ivan Soldo 204cmRanking Points: 73
Marks: 2.4
Score Involvements: 3.3
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/robbo-playing-multiple-key-forwards-could-be-key-to-2020-premiership/news-story/548856a0dd11dfa5a90e2c3ecc1732da
