A harsh truth about the Saints best backline

[skeptic]

I think Max had a great reach that really helped him spoil against the bigger boys, and his closing speed helped him against more medium forwards...

What he struggled with was the more athletic big forwards... Guys like Neitz for example that were way stronger and quite fast... The strength was more of a factor. Lynch too.

In those scenarios, Penny was a better choice.

[Con Gorozidis]

I just figured out we either have;

a) the worst fwd line in the AFL; OR
b) the worst delivery to our fwd line in the AFL.


Our goals scored for each 50 entry is the LOWEST in the AFL. Yep. Lower than Carlton, Brisbane, GC and the Demons.
We score 0.21 goals for every 50 entry.
League leaders Hawthorn score 0.29 goals every 50 entry.
Average is around 0.25.

Another reason for this stat is our poor conversion on shots on goal. We were the only side in the AFL to kick more behinds than goals for the season.

[Griggsy]

Max shoulda played 09 gf , the end

[ripplug66]

Max shoulda played 09 gf , the end

Not by form or fitness. Zac wasn't the problem in the GF. He was even given our best finals player. Max wasn't going well enough unfortunately for him.

[spert]

09 was lost due to our key forwards being beaten, same in '10, plus Lyon not willing to take risks and deviate from his trusty game plan. All history now

[Moods]

In early 04 when we looked invincible it had a lot to do with two factors. Penny wasn't injured and was playing bloody well, enabling Maxy and him to wax between the best talls and work out the best match up. Goose Maguire was playing great footy at CHB and was actually being talked about re AA selection at that early stage.

Also Hamill was a fantastic 3rd tall to complement Roo and Gehrig. He was tough, fast, a brilliant aggressive tackler and a great mark for his size. When all fit I had no doubt we were as good as any team in the comp in 04/05. The sad part was about 30% of that 6 players was completely injury prone.

[Bluthy]

Our backline is a work in progress like all our lines. Goddard looks good although hes getting caught under the ball a bit but he'll learn and he's a damn big unit who looks surprisingly mobile and uses the ball well from what I've seen. I think McKenzie could be a Gilbert type - can play tall, give good cover defense, good intercept marking and run out of defense. I think Acres has the height and smarts to play as B Goddard type play maker sweeper. If we get Carlisle then thats another young key position player who can use the footy well. It will be interesting to see if Tom Lee starts back in the VFL next year. If so you would think they would give him a go in the firsts at some point to see he can cut it as an AFL defender. Savage has shown some good overlap and penetration out of the back next year but needs more consistency and ability to find a way through the shut down the oppo do on him. Robertson took another step this year. He needs to try and take it to another level next year and become that Dempster rock solid type down back. Guys like Murdoch and Wright are floating around as running back options so will be interesting to see how they go next year when they've hampered by injury.

I think they will give Dempster and maybe Fisher a rest for a week at some point during the year to give the young defenders a chance to see if they can take more responsibility down back and get the hand over happening in preparation for 2017. We're developing quite a few options and need to see who will push themselves to develop to get into our premiership back six or seven.

[Wayne42]

Our backline is a work in progress like all our lines. Goddard looks good although hes getting caught under the ball a bit but he'll learn and he's a damn big unit who looks surprisingly mobile and uses the ball well from what I've seen. I think McKenzie could be a Gilbert type - can play tall, give good cover defense, good intercept marking and run out of defense. I think Acres has the height and smarts to play as B Goddard type play maker sweeper. If we get Carlisle then thats another young key position player who can use the footy well. It will be interesting to see if Tom Lee starts back in the VFL next year. If so you would think they would give him a go in the firsts at some point to see he can cut it as an AFL defender. Savage has shown some good overlap and penetration out of the back next year but needs more consistency and ability to find a way through the shut down the oppo do on him. Robertson took another step this year. He needs to try and take it to another level next year and become that Dempster rock solid type down back. Guys like Murdoch and Wright are floating around as running back options so will be interesting to see how they go next year when they've hampered by injury.

I think they will give Dempster and maybe Fisher a rest for a week at some point during the year to give the young defenders a chance to see if they can take more responsibility down back and get the hand over happening in preparation for 2017. We're developing quite a few options and need to see who will push themselves to develop to get into our premiership back six or seven.

How can McKenzie at 184 cm play tall like Gilbert who is 194 cm ?

[skeptic]

Our backline is a work in progress like all our lines. Goddard looks good although hes getting caught under the ball a bit but he'll learn and he's a damn big unit who looks surprisingly mobile and uses the ball well from what I've seen. I think McKenzie could be a Gilbert type - can play tall, give good cover defense, good intercept marking and run out of defense. I think Acres has the height and smarts to play as B Goddard type play maker sweeper. If we get Carlisle then thats another young key position player who can use the footy well. It will be interesting to see if Tom Lee starts back in the VFL next year. If so you would think they would give him a go in the firsts at some point to see he can cut it as an AFL defender. Savage has shown some good overlap and penetration out of the back next year but needs more consistency and ability to find a way through the shut down the oppo do on him. Robertson took another step this year. He needs to try and take it to another level next year and become that Dempster rock solid type down back. Guys like Murdoch and Wright are floating around as running back options so will be interesting to see how they go next year when they've hampered by injury.

I think they will give Dempster and maybe Fisher a rest for a week at some point during the year to give the young defenders a chance to see if they can take more responsibility down back and get the hand over happening in preparation for 2017. We're developing quite a few options and need to see who will push themselves to develop to get into our premiership back six or seven.

How can McKenzie at 184 cm play tall like Gilbert who is 194 cm ?

The thing is that Gilbert isn't a KPB... He's more third man up

[Bluthy]

Our backline is a work in progress like all our lines. Goddard looks good although hes getting caught under the ball a bit but he'll learn and he's a damn big unit who looks surprisingly mobile and uses the ball well from what I've seen. I think McKenzie could be a Gilbert type - can play tall, give good cover defense, good intercept marking and run out of defense. I think Acres has the height and smarts to play as B Goddard type play maker sweeper. If we get Carlisle then thats another young key position player who can use the footy well. It will be interesting to see if Tom Lee starts back in the VFL next year. If so you would think they would give him a go in the firsts at some point to see he can cut it as an AFL defender. Savage has shown some good overlap and penetration out of the back next year but needs more consistency and ability to find a way through the shut down the oppo do on him. Robertson took another step this year. He needs to try and take it to another level next year and become that Dempster rock solid type down back. Guys like Murdoch and Wright are floating around as running back options so will be interesting to see how they go next year when they've hampered by injury.

I think they will give Dempster and maybe Fisher a rest for a week at some point during the year to give the young defenders a chance to see if they can take more responsibility down back and get the hand over happening in preparation for 2017. We're developing quite a few options and need to see who will push themselves to develop to get into our premiership back six or seven.

How can McKenzie at 184 cm play tall like Gilbert who is 194 cm ?

Cos he's a damn good mark. But ok that is why Gilbo is so effective I grant you which isn't easily replaceable - he has the height and those go go gadget arms to give good cover defense as well as the ability to rebound out of the back. Acres is 190 so maybe he fit the Gilbert mould a bit better although I see him more like B Goddard playing onball and setting up play from half back.