Spin the magnets: The players set for new roles and positions at every AFL club in 2021Ben Waterworth
January 21, 2021 7:08am
A new year often means new roles for players across most AFL teams.
That’s certainly the case at Carlton and Essendon, while several big-name recruits could be unleashed in different parts of the ground.
Foxfooty.com.au profiles the players at every club that are set for role and position changes in 2021.
RICHMONDNot much noise out of the Tigers’ camp about positional changes at this stage. The small one to watch will be Noah Balta and whether he pushes higher up the ground into more of a centre half-back role, rather than a deeper, traditional full-back position.
And the rest
ADELAIDEAfter developing into a classy distributor off half-back, Wayne Milera is set for a switch to the midfield in 2021. The 23-year-old has been training with the club’s on-ball brigade and recently told the club’s website that he sees his long-term future likely away from defence, declaring: “It (the midfield) is where I want to play down the track and I feel I can add a lot to that group.” There have been calls for the recently re-signed Brodie Smith to play as a midfielder-forward, especially after his taste of centre bounce work last year. But the veteran is currently back training with the defensive group and will likely spend 2021 in the back 50. And after playing an outside role – often on a wing – at the Giants, new Crows recruit Jackson Hately is set to play in his preferred position as an inside midfielder — an appropriate move considering Brad Crouch’s departure to St Kilda.
BRISBANE LIONSStefan Martin’s move to the Western Bulldogs means Oscar McInerney will become the club’s full-time No. 1 ruckman. With Martin injured for several games in 2020, McInerney got a taste of first-choice ruck life after spending his first few years in the competition playing predominantly as a forward with occasional stints on the ball. But in 2021, he’ll be the main man. After his most promising season yet in 2020, it’ll be fascinating to follow how much midfield time Cameron Rayner receives throughout this year and whether he can make a Christian Petracca-like jump in fitness and output. Also, late last year, club legend Jonathan Brown on SEN called for skipper Dayne Zorko to become “a full-time forward.
CARLTONStar recruit Zac Williams is the obvious one, with the former Giants half-back to be deployed in the midfield at the Blues. Footy fans saw a glimpse of his potential as an on-baller at the Giants – his 2019 preliminary final against Collingwood was simply breathtaking – so Blues supporters will be hoping Williams can recreate that form at his new club. The other positional switch that’s been flagged surrounds 2019 first-round draftee Brodie Kemp, who didn’t play a senior game last year as he recovered from an ACL rupture. Kemp spent most of his final NAB League season playing as a tall midfielder, while he was also swung forward for Vic Country in the national championships. But the Bendigo Pioneers product has been training with the club’s defenders this off-season, with the Blues planning for Kemp to spend the majority of this year playing as a backman.
COLLINGWOODDespite their well-publicised departures during the trade period, don’t expect the Pies to make too many dramatic positional swings. Although gun defender Brayden Marnard recently suggested to the club’s website that he’d love to spend more time in the guts, saying: “I’ve always wanted to be around the ball and around the contest, so I’d love to play midfield.” Gun goalkicker Jordan De Goey has always been a threat forward of centre with occasional centre bounce stints, but after returning to his club’s pre-season campaign in outstanding shape, it remains to be seen whether coach Nathan Buckley will deploy De Goey as an on-baller more often in 2021.
ESSENDONExpect a few tweaks under new coach Ben Rutten. The most significant that’s been flagged so far surrounds skipper Dyson Heppell, who could return to a role across half-back after several years leading the Bombers’ on-ball brigade. It seems like an ideal time to throw Heppell back, considering the club just lost Adam Saad to Carlton and Conor McKenna to retirement, but the switch is far from locked in. One player definitely heading into defence is recruit Nick Hind. After spending two seasons at the Saints playing mostly as a small, nippy forward, Hind will move to half-back at Essendon – a role change that was flagged during trade negotiations between player and coach. And like Hately at Adelaide, former Giant Jye Caldwell is set to get his wish and play predominantly as an inside midfielder after spending ample time on the wing during his limited senior opportunities at the Giants.
FREMANTLEWe saw snippets of it in 2020, but expect superstar skipper Nat Fyfe to play more minutes in the Fremantle forward line this year. Fyfe spent ample time inside 50 last year, but more out of necessity due to the array of injuries at the Dockers. The silver lining was Andy Brayshaw, Adam Cerra and Caleb Serong were able to develop their craft as full-time midfielders, highlighted by Serong’s AFL Rising Star award, as well as Brayshaw and Cerra’s career-best seasons. But Dockers coach Justin Longmuir flagged in December that his side needed “some contingency plans around our forward line and especially our tall forwards” after losing Jesse Hogan to the Giants. Longmuir told the club’s website: “We’ve probably only got two genuine tall forwards on our list in Matt Taberner and Rory Lobb. Nat Fyfe will spend a little bit more time forward to give us that aerial contest.” Another possibility is that Brennan Cox spends more time inside 50. Despite Cox’s impressive 2020 campaign as a key backman, the Dockers are keen to welcome back tall defensive trio Griffin Logue, Joel Hamling and Alex Pearce from long-term injuries, meaning a move forward could help Cox hold his spot.
GEELONG
Harry Taylor’s retirement leaves a significant chasm in the Cats’ backline. It likely means Mark Blicavs won’t spend too much time as a wing-ruck in 2021, despite his impressive performances in the role last year, with a more permanent move to defence on the cards. It also seems as if young key-position player Nathan Kreuger is being groomed for a defensive role in 2021. After spending much of his career to date playing as a key forward, the 196cm player has been working closely with the Cats’ backline under the tutelage of club legend Matthew Scarlett, who confirmed to the club’s website Geelong would “try and develop him as a young key defender”. And then, of course, is the big question surrounding Patrick Dangerfield’s midfield-forward split, which was heavily weighted towards the attacking arc in last year’s finals series. But with star goalkicker Jeremy Cameron set to form an imposing partnership with Tom Hawkins inside 50, you’d expect Dangerfield to regain some midfield minutes.
GOLD COAST SUNSOn the fringe of the Suns’ best 22 since arriving at the club, top-10 draftee Will Brodie could cement his spot in the senior side in a forward-midfielder role. Perennially stuck in a midfield logjam, Suns coach Stuart Dew late last year revealed his hope that Brodie, regarded as a specialist inside midfielder, could develop into a Mitch Wallis-type role where he’d be capable of playing forward and on the ball. Brodie is in career-best shape after dropping 5kg during the off-season, which will help his cause to break into the club’s top line-up.
GWS GIANTSAfter being briefly trialled as a key defender under Justin Longmuir at the Dockers, big-name recruit Jesse Hogan has returned to the forward line at the Giants. Coach Leon Cameron recently declared the Giants expect Hogan to take up a forward role as he looks to cement his spot in the club’s best 22 after a couple of tough, injury-interrupted seasons at the Dockers.
HAWTHORNWill Day was one of the few shining lights for the Hawks throughout 2020, impressing with his class and composure across half-back. He expects to remain in defence for 2021, but he flagged last month he’d “like to see myself get up into the midfield” one day, whether that’s this year or into the future. Elsewhere, Ben McEvoy’s role will be an interesting storyline to follow. With Jon Ceglar becoming the club’s No. 1 ruckman last year, McEvoy moved to a key defensive position, with the 200cm player experiencing mixed success. Will he spend more time competing at ruck contests in 2021?
MELBOURNEThe Demons’ backline will look a little different to the one that started the 2020 season. Adam Tomlinson was recruited from the Giants to play as a wingman at the Demons, but pushed back later towards the end of last year – and looked far more comfortable in that role. It’s likely Tomlinson will spend most of 2021 as the Demons’ third key defender alongside Steven May and Jake Lever. Whether Tom McDonald joins him remains too will be a fascinating talking point. McDonald managed just nine games last year as he struggled to secure his spot in the Demons’ forward line. And with Ben Brown joining the club and taking the No. 1 key forward mantle, it’s hard to see McDonald starting in the Demons’ attacking arc. Perhaps a move back to defence could be made, especially after the departure of his brother Oscar.
NORTH MELBOURNEWhen the Magpies were humming a few years ago, they developed a unique forward line that saw 188cm Jaidyn Stephenson essentially playing a deep, full-forward role. But now that the former Magpie has joined the Kangaroos, he’s likely to spend more game time further up the ground – a role he excelled in as a junior. Blessed with great speed, great kicking skills and a knack for finding the footy, Stephenson is set to be used more outside the forward 50 this year, with new coach David Noble keen for the first-round draftee to help North connect its midfield and forward line during games. There’s also a chance Josh Walker, who was a revelation in defence in his first season at North, spends more time in the forward arc following the departure of Ben Brown to Melbourne.
PORT ADELAIDEThe Swans had been forced to use Aliir Aliir in the ruck out of necessity in recent years. It’s why Aliir was so interested in a move to Port Adelaide, which has recruited the 195cm athlete to play primarily as a key defender. Port is already stacked with key defensive talent with Tom Clurey, Trent McKenzie and Tom Jonas, but Aliir is embracing the challenge of breaking into the club’s backline. He told reporters this week: “To be able to play back – that’s where I think I play my best football and hopefully I can do that here for Port Adelaide.”
ST KILDABrad Crouch spent his time at Adelaide playing as a permanent midfielder. But the new Saint is well aware he – and several other new teammates – will have to adjust due to the big on-ball squeeze at the Saints. Crouch this week told SEN Breakfast: “I think I’ll play forward at different times, maybe outside on a wing and even (we’ve) spoken a little bit about playing half-back at times. All of us in the midfield are now trying to find, not just one, but maybe two places where you can play other than midfield because we’ve probably got seven or eight blocks that can go through there now, which is a real strength.”
SYDNEY SWANSWhen the Swans drafted key forward Logan McDonald ahead of key defender Denver Grainger-Barras with Pick 4 last month, a few draft watchers were caught off-guard. But when you consider Sydney is set to develop Tom McCartin permanently as a defender, the recruitment of McDonald makes sense. McCartin played the last five games of the 2020 season as a backman and thrived, averaging 10.4 disposals, 4.0 marks and 6.8 intercepts. It’s a winner move worth persisting with.
WEST COAST EAGLESDespite having ample on-field versatility, Jarrod Brander has struggled to cement his spot in the Eagle’s best 22 since landing at the club. That’s led to ample speculation over the past two seasons around whether Brander, who was drafted as a forward before being turned into a wingman during 2020, could request a trade to an east coast club. The West Australian reported in October that Brander would honour the final year of his Eagles contract and train with the club’s backline group over the summer. The 21-year-old recently said he expected to play half-forward and a bit of wing this year, but added there was a chance of spending more time in defence. Brander told the club’s website: “I’m happy to play anywhere. I can’t do that forever but I’m happy to do that while I’m still young and trying to find my spot in the side.” Brander would be an ideal third tall option inside 50 at most clubs, but that role is currently occupied by Oscar Allen, who nailed his best 22 position last year as he helped Nic Naitanui in the ruck as well. Teammate Brad Sheppard recently told SEN that Allen had “come back in really good shape” and would soon “be our number one target up forward”.
WESTERN BULLDOGSFew clubs were busier during the off-season than the Bulldogs — and that means lots of magnet spinning for coach Luke Beveridge this year. The acquisition of Adam Treloar means the squeeze for midfield spots that already existed at the club has become even tighter. Hayden Crozier late last year flagged Treloar could play on a wing or even across half-back in 2021 as well as rotating through the centre, while Crozier also predicted skipper Marcus Bontempelli and Josh Dunkley could play more forward. Dunkley’s lack of midfield time was a major reason behind his (ultimately failed) trade request to Essendon, so that’ll be an interesting subplot to follow in 2021. There’s even been a suggestion Tom Liberatore could reinvent himself as a pressure forward if required, despite being one of the Bulldogs’ best inside ball-winners. Then there’s the key-position stocks at both ends of the ground. No. 1 draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan should make a forward 50 spot his own early in the season, so what will that mean for Josh Bruce and Aaron Naughton? Either one could be asked to move into the backline. Stefan Martin has also arrived at the club to give much-needed support for emerging ruckman Tim English. Upon landing at the Bulldogs, Martin suggested both he and English could spent lots of time forward when not in the ruck, but said they didn’t want to be ‘stay at home’ forwards.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-news-2021-new-positions-roles-for-players-adam-treloar-defence-bulldogs-midfield-nat-fyfe-forward-jaidyn-stephenson/news-story/3b1ec0d06a0fc4149635a23257bccf08
