What is KOSI?

[BigMart]

The million dollar question......I am not sure anyone (including himself and the coaching staff know)

He is an extremely talented all utility, an awesome mark, is mobile for his size....he should be a game buster......but for all that, at every position he lacks something......

Ruck - Not strong enough
CHF - has not got the engine...or ability at ground level
FF - Too slow off the mark...
CHB - lacks the motor and agility to keep up with opponents


He is slightly too tall to play KP, slightly too tall to play in the ruck....

IMO he would have been a star in the 80's/early 90's as deep CHF in the mould of a S.Kernahan/S.Loewe/R.Merrett/Stoneham who teams were not scared (even trained) to bomb it long to for a one out contest....knowing they would either get a contested mark or crumb...cannot happen now due to flooding numbers back, you would simply lose possesion....the next style of CHF was a cross between a monster and an athlete Carey/Schwartz/Richo/Grant/N.Holland/Tredrea/Lucas etc the ability to take marks and run around......the new age has bought the freak athlete - a midfieder lung capacity, amazing athletesism and size Pavlich/Riewoldt/Franklin/Cornes/Goodes and they are only getting quicker.....

Point is......can Kosi use his strengths in a position to become the player he promises to be...

Next installment

What is Brendon Godard - HB.....Mid......HF.....Wing......KPP????

Then

What is Sam Fisher - A KP defender....A HBF......A third tall.....a Running Back

Then

What is Nick Riewoldt ????????

What is Raph Clarke ???????

What is X.Clarke ???????

and finally

What the hell is Jason Blake - if anyone works that out, they should replace Ross....because I am not sure he knows the best answers to any of these questions...

[BigMart]

Needs a couple of edits...not sure how to do that...

He is a talented TALL utility

He is too SMALL to play in the ruck.

[bigcarl]

can Kosi use his strengths in a position to become the player he promises to be

he's probably the best contested mark in the team ... better than either riewoldt or gehrig ... and statistically is a reasonably accurate shot for goal.

sure, he hasn't got the engine of a riewoldt or a pavlich but he has other strengths in areas in which both of the former are lacking.

to answer your question, i think he is a key forward, and might surprise a few over the coming weeks with riewoldt out.

i'd be looking at something like:

HF: R. Clarke, Kosi, Dal Santo
F: Schneider, Gehrig, Milne

or, if the powers that be decide that gehrig is finished:

HF: R. Clarke, Allen, Dal Santo
F: Schneider, Kosi, Milne.

there's still a bit of firepower there, though roo out is obviously less than ideal.

but to put a positive spin on it it creates opportunities for other players to prove their worth.

[Statsman]

Kosi is a full forward who can pinch hit for small bursts in the ruck. His greatest strength is his pack marking so he's more of a "stay at home" full forward than a "lead up" full forward. Keep him close to goal and let him use his size and strength to out mark his opponent. Think Stewart Loewe towards the end of his career. Loewe parked himself 30m from goal, kicked 2-3 goals each week and played a little bit in the ruck.

Ideally we'd have Riewoldt as a target across centre half forward, presenting up through the middle or out to the wings. Kosi stays deep as the long option as he's either mark it or bring it to ground. However for that to work we've got to have attacking crumbers at ground level to either swoop on the ball and kick goals or alternatively tackle hard and lock it inside 50s. Without the crumbers, the defenders will clear the ball too easily and we'll get burnt on the rebound.

As for the coming instalments:

• Goddard is a smart wingman who knows when to push back and when to drift forward to provide both rebound from defence and pinpoint delivery inside 50.
• Fisher is a 3rd tall defender who provides run and carry on the rebound. At his best when he's not responsible for an opponent.
• Riewoldt is a mobile CHF who uses his endurance to outwork his opponents and provide a marking target between the 50m arcs.
• Raphael Clarke is a depth player who can play as a 3rd tall defender when our main defenders are out injured.
• Xavier Clarke is an average wingman who will have the occasional good game as a teaser to what might have been.

[saintsRrising]

He is too SMALL to play in the ruck.

Kosi is not too small too play in the ruck, though lack of height does not help.

He is just very poor at it, as I have argued fora while.

I may be getting you mixed up with another poster...but about a yearish ago I think you were pushing for him to play ruck... (admittedly we have King now..and a fitter Gardiner) as a good option there.

At that time as I do now..the problem with Kosi in the ruck is that he just does not know how to play ruck. He seems to have no natural feel for it. I am sure by now that with MClake (Madden now) and others at the club that he would have had tutoring in it, but he still has not progressed and his ruck skills now are at the same low level as they were a few years back.

His body positioning is poor...both on the ground and when he jumps in contests. Just look at the last game against simmonds.

His tapwork is also poor.

So all in all he just should not play ruck if possible (though relief ruck is ok).

As a key back...he is just too slow now. Occasional cameos are fine...or drifting back on on occassion. But forget him being a regular CHB.

This to me only really leaves two roles for him..

As a key forward... he can play this role. But concentration can be a problem, If we play 2 talls rather than 3 it would help too as he and Roo often lead to the same space.

As a tall utility roaming the ground...where he is ok but lacks pace and run.


With roo out...Kosi has the opportunity to shine.

We need him to stand up...and be the player we know he can be.

For mine this is as a key forward.

[Solar]

don't agree at all with a few of those statsman,

for starters kosi s better when he is moving around at CHF or utility as a back up ruck. When he gets stuck at FF for any length of time he is sucked into wrestling with good FB's. His strength is the ability to run at packs and pull down marks. Play him at around 30 out and get him to run and create contests. Very much an old fashioned CHF role.

raph is a Half forward flanker come winger who can set up goals very well when given support. When he works on instinct and first option he is awesome but is often forced to "look" for an option (I blame the workrate of our forwards and midfielders) and then struggles. Is currently being forced to play down back because the club has refused to draft players who are defenders.

[Shaggy]

He is too SMALL to play in the ruck.

Kosi is not too small too play in the ruck, though lack of height does not help.

He is just very poor at it, as I have argued fora while.

With the center circle Kosi is too small. Take away the center circle and he will be fine. Blake the same. White was the Dean Cox of the competition and has struggled since with the circle.

I don't think Kosi is KPP forward and I think the last 2 years have proven it. KPP forward is the most restrictive position on the ground. Does Kosi lack the pace and run to be damaging if he was allowed to roam the ground? I saw what he did in 2005 and he was as damaging as it gets. I would throw Kosi on a wing and tell him he can go anywhere he likes.

[saintsRrising]

He is too SMALL to play in the ruck.

Kosi is not too small too play in the ruck, though lack of height does not help.

He is just very poor at it, as I have argued for a while.

With the center circle Kosi is too small. Take away the center circle and he will be fine. .

There is no center circle when he rucks around the ground...or when the center bounc is re-done due a scrum occurring.

He is still a poor ruckmen in these circumsatance too.

Kosi is a poor ruckman..center circle or not.

Simmonds by the way is 1 cm shorter than Kosi.

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

Poor ruckmen maybe but his last qtr effort around the groung against the Tigers last week was huge.

He was a big reason we got over the line in the end.

He's a good presence around the ground

[saintsRrising]

Poor ruckmen maybe

but his last qtr effort around the groung against the Tigers last week was huge.

He was a big reason we got over the line in the end.

He's a good presence around the ground

Agreed.

Simmonds though was a bigger reason why the Tigers almost won though.

[Shaggy]

He is too SMALL to play in the ruck.

Kosi is not too small too play in the ruck, though lack of height does not help.

He is just very poor at it, as I have argued for a while.

With the center circle Kosi is too small. Take away the center circle and he will be fine. .

There is no center circle when he rucks around the ground...or when the center bounc is re-done due a scrum occurring.

He is stilla poor ruckmen in these circumsatance too.

Kosi is a poor ruckman..center circle or not.

In part that is true. Kosi's advantage would be at the centre bounces with a proper run up. Around the ground and at throw ins the opp simply step inside to stop the run up. That has been going on for ever against smaller follower type footballers.

Regardless Kosi needs room to play and he is good in attack or defense for the reasons and weaknesses Big Mart said. I would let him roam because he is damaging. I don't really care whether you call it ruck, wing, center, ruck rover or rover.

Just let him run around the ground.

[Zed]

Kosi is a full forward who can pinch hit for small bursts in the ruck. His greatest strength is his pack marking so he's more of a "stay at home" full forward than a "lead up" full forward.

• Goddard is a smart wingman who knows when to push back and when to drift forward to provide both rebound from defence and pinpoint delivery inside 50.
• Fisher is a 3rd tall defender who provides run and carry on the rebound. At his best when he's not responsible for an opponent.
• Riewoldt is a mobile CHF who uses his endurance to outwork his opponents and provide a marking target between the 50m arcs.
  list]

Spot on with these ..

Clarke brothers .. I think Raph could also be a wingman .. and Xavier is a half forward flanker

[st.byron]

The million dollar question......I am not sure anyone (including himself and the coaching staff know)

Very over-rated. GOP who can be handy mostly up forward.

[saintsRrising]

Regardless Kosi needs room to play and he is good in attack or defense

...

Just let him run around the ground.

This I mainly agree with....but I cannot see him holding down a regular defensive post.

He can roam around the ground.

He can roam as a big forward..and I prefer him more at CHF than FF.

As I have posted in the past I think he struggles in one on one marking contests. But on the roam is agreat pack mark and power forward.

One on one against a good full back he can be worked out at FF.

Further out it is harder to restrict him.

[saintbrat]

Further out it is harder to learn him.

?

anyway to answer the question
What is KOSI? he is a saint

[bigcarl]

I don't think Kosi is KPP forward and I think the last 2 years have proven it.

to be fair to kosi he hasn't really been given an extended run at it.

he's always being asked to fill a hole in the ruck or, at best, been the third forward option after riewoldt and fraser.

riewoldt presents so often and our players seem so intent on kicking it to him that it has been hard for him to get a look in.

with roo out for a while and fraser really struggling it is going to be interesting to see how kosi responds to the huge responsibility he will now have to shoulder.

the next few months will determine whether we have a star forward on our hands or a GOP, as some suggest.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

is kosi the next josh fraser???

noone is really sure what he does or what he is really good at...

[Shaggy]

I don't think Kosi is KPP forward and I think the last 2 years have proven it.

to be fair to kosi he hasn't really been given an extended run at it.

he's always being asked to fill a hole in the ruck or, at best, been the third forward option after riewoldt and fraser.

riewoldt presents so often and our players seem so intent on kicking it to him that it has been hard for him to get a look in.

with roo out for a while and fraser really struggling it is going to be interesting to see how kosi responds to the huge responsibility he will now have to shoulder.

the next few months will determine whether we have a star forward on our hands or a GOP, as some suggest.

The last two years RL has at the start of the season persevered with Kosi as KPP forward. RL did not want to play Kosi ruck.

But Kosi was very disappointing and when put into the ruck his performance improved (including when playing forward line).

Kosi should be over the injuries. By now he should be a gun again but he is not.

Personally I think he is just being played out of position.

[bigcarl]

I don't think Kosi is KPP forward and I think the last 2 years have proven it.

to be fair to kosi he hasn't really been given an extended run at it.

he's always being asked to fill a hole in the ruck or, at best, been the third forward option after riewoldt and fraser.

riewoldt presents so often and our players seem so intent on kicking it to him that it has been hard for him to get a look in.

with roo out for a while and fraser really struggling it is going to be interesting to see how kosi responds to the huge responsibility he will now have to shoulder.

the next few months will determine whether we have a star forward on our hands or a GOP, as some suggest.

The last two years RL has at the start of the season persevered with Kosi as KPP forward. RL did not want to play Kosi ruck.

But Kosi was very disappointing and when put into the ruck his performance improved (including when playing forward line).

Kosi should be over the injuries. By now he should be a gun again but he is not.

Personally I think he is just being played out of position.

well he's never really been asked to shoulder the responsibility of
a key forward role. riewoldt's always been there, or fraser.

so fingers crossed for him over the next month or so or whenever it is that riewoldt gets back.

[Shaggy]

G-Train is a dual colman medalist and Roo has won 4 out of last 5 B&Fs for the club at CHF.

Why would you want to change them?

If we have Kosi running up and down the ground like Goodes surely that is what the team needs?

IMO our forward line is much less about the players playing there compared to the players who can quickly get the ball to them or run forward and create an option (which Kosi is great at).

[saintsRrising]

Further out it is harder to learn him.

?

Ooops Don't know what happened there..

Should have been:

Further out it is harder to restrict him

[bigcarl]

G-Train is a dual colman medalist and Roo has won 4 out of last 5 B&Fs for the club at CHF. Why would you want to change them?

for one thing we have no choice.

riewoldt is injured and gehrig may be coming to the end of a distinguished career.

i would have thought that kosi as the best contested mark in the team is a walk-up start for one of the key forward positions over the next few rounds.

personally I'd play kosi at chf and fraser at ff, but the powers that be might have decided that g-train is finished. in which case we might see allen

[saintsRrising]

IMO our forward line is much less about the players playing there compared to the players who can quickly get the ball to them or run forward and create an option (which Kosi is great at).

Indeed...though I prefer not to have 3 talls permanently in the forward line.

Kosi...or Roo can play further up the ground...as floaters.

GTrain would now seem to be FF or bust.


Or with Roo have tendonitis of the knee....Roo can Play FF and Kosi CHF provided we have King and Gardi to play ruck.

In the imdiate...Roo is not available...so we need Kosi to deliver.

[Iceman234]

G-Train is a dual colman medalist

gehrig may be coming to the end of a distinguished career.

And there's another story.

I really thought Fraser may have come back with a massive fire in the belly, ready to smash oppositions in a single bound.

I feel very disappointed for him and for the team, he has shown nothing.

I was a huge huge fan of the Big G, and I know he's costing us very little financially, but I think he should have stayed out and let the forward line settle.

[Shaggy]

G-Train is a dual colman medalist and Roo has won 4 out of last 5 B&Fs for the club at CHF. Why would you want to change them?

for one thing we have no choice.

riewoldt is injured and gehrig may be coming to the end of a distinguished career.

i would have thought that kosi as the best contested mark in the team is a walk-up start for one of the key forward positions over the next few rounds.

personally I'd play kosi at chf and fraser at ff, but the powers that be might have decided that g-train is finished. in which case we might see allen

I think you like Kosi up forward because he is tall and takes a great grab. But as a forward that is one of the least important skills. Blokes like Fev are only 192 cms but strong and quick.

BJ is much more logical to play KPP forward and I have no doubt he would be great. But he still needs to be fed and i think Kosi would feed him well.