How Do We Fix Our Forward Line

[BushDave]

It seems to me that despite having some of the best forwards in the AFl (Riewoldt, Milne, Kosi) we are UNABLE to kick damaging scores.

Our midfield are admired, but never damaging on the scoredboard (I think Luke Ball has kiicked more goals as a Filth midfielder than he did with us over the past few years).


So.

What is the use of an A Grade Back Line if you can't kicki enough goals to win a game?


Tactics, Stategy....i am confused....what is our team goal..

[BigMart]

Fix the entries....

Nothing wrong with personnel, composition........ Ball movement and last kick, WOEFUL

[SainterK]

There was a shift this week that I didn't like.

It was back to a game were you felt like the result pended on the forward line, and the forward line only.

I like the trend in recent weeks of sharing the load.

Commented to my hubby early in the game, that heaps of guys were taking shots (which is fantastic) but were unfortunately missing. Maybe the flow on effect caused a few to hesitate as the game wore on?

It can happen, when a few misses mount up.

IMO anyways.

[Richter]

Big call, but for mine when Schneider is back he comes in for Milne. He's struggling at the moment... let's be honest he's a one trick pony, and the minute the trick is not really working.

Otherwise the plan is for 3 Talls. Stanley was ordinary tonight but for mine needs to be persisted with.

Add in Milera, Schneider and Sippos, and we have 3 attackers who have terrific disposal skills.

[BushDave]

There was a shift this week that I didn't like.

It was back to a game were you felt like the result pended on the forward line, and the forward line only.

I like the trend in recent weeks of sharing the load.

Commented to my hubby early in the game, that heaps of guys were taking shots (which is fantastic) but were unfortunately missing. Maybe the flow on effect caused a few to hesitate as the game wore on?

It can happen, when a few misses mount up.
IMO anyways.

Maybe they should not be shooting if they keep missing.

This is not a game of chance but of skill, if a side does not have the right attack they will not win.

But it is nice that everyone get's a go isn't it.....

[battye]

It seems to me that despite having some of the best forwards in the AFl (Riewoldt, Milne, Kosi) we are UNABLE to kick damaging scores.

Our midfield are admired, but never damaging on the scoredboard (I think Luke Ball has kiicked more goals as a Filth midfielder than he did with us over the past few years).


So.

What is the use of an A Grade Back Line if you can't kicki enough goals to win a game?


Tactics, Stategy....i am confused....what is our team goal..

Yeah good point. Probably commentators and neutrals acknowledge it more than some on here, but Riewoldt, Koschitzke and Milne is a very strong forward line. Just think back to say 2004-05... granted Gehrig was there as well then.

But why do we struggle so much to put up imposing scores? I reckon it's the structure. Riewoldt plays so far up the ground, as does Milne at times. There are times when Kosi in the ruck when we literally have an open forward fifty. I'd like to see a more traditional setup where Riewoldt stays closer to 50 (as a true half forward), Kosi in the goal square (occasionally alternating with McEvoy in the ruck), with Milne and Schnadzo in the pockets sometimes having a spell in the midfield. And get some true half forward flankers... guys like Stanley. Maybe with Goddard, Gilbert and Fisher thrown in there every now and then to try something different. None of this defensive forward rubbish, get attacking players in the forward fifty. Make oppositions fear the ball going up forward because of the array of goal scoring options.

[SainterK]

There was a shift this week that I didn't like.

It was back to a game were you felt like the result pended on the forward line, and the forward line only.

I like the trend in recent weeks of sharing the load.

Commented to my hubby early in the game, that heaps of guys were taking shots (which is fantastic) but were unfortunately missing. Maybe the flow on effect caused a few to hesitate as the game wore on?

It can happen, when a few misses mount up.
IMO anyways.

Maybe they should not be shooting if they keep missing.

This is not a game of chance but of skill, if a side does not have the right attack they will not win.

But it is nice that everyone get's a go isn't it.....

Maybe

Personally though, I hope it's not discouraged.

Midfielders and backmen that can push forward are crucial, hopefully the confidence comes as they persist with a different way to go about it.

It did feel like the forward line had to win the game though, don't you think?

[Richter]

Fix the entries....

Nothing wrong with personnel, composition........ Ball movement and last kick, WOEFUL

Trouble is that the guys who helped win us the ball tonight - eg Jones, Polo are also the guys who let us down going inside 50. What we need over the next 18 months is for the likes of Cripps, Sippos and Newnes to come through and push these guys out with the power of their contested footy.

[degruch]

Fix the entries....

Nothing wrong with personnel, composition........ Ball movement and last kick, WOEFUL

Kosi's handball, Steven weaving through traffic then baulking at kicking the 6 points, Milne's few silly efforts and Milera's basketball bounce didn't help...Stanley still doesn't have the confidence to back himself either. Cripps could have done better, had he not been a tad over enthusiastic tonight. Entry was shifull though.

[dcstkfc]

4 of our forwards were down (Stanley, Milera, Armitage and Milne)

Disposal into the 50 generally not great and Dockers got men back

[Gos]

We lack outside leg speed and longer kicking into the forward 50. The kicking skills are below average and only covered by good contested footy and plenty of guts and effort. Won't win big games though. Balance is still wrong. Laidley is mid field coach. Enough said ! Have a look at Port last year and then the young players this year. They seem re-invigorated with him gone. I could be wrong but something has to give. Obviously Ledger and and a few others on the outer. Hawthorn is playing young Hill this weekend. Where is the St Kilda pace and line breakers ?

[BushDave]

Battye,

I agreee with most of what you say, but you must know that Riewoldt beats all of his opponents based on his tank and running them into the ground; this then allows him to dominate the forward marking contests.

Unfortunately, Nick is 'one out of the box' nd like Lockett and other greats we will be lucky to see one like him again in our time.

In this sense, Nick is not a real forward, like say a Hamill or Franklin or Dunstall, he is more of a CHF/Wingman. He's kicking probably attests to this.

I would like to think that there is plently of room for Stanley, Sippos, Millera and others to come into the side and make a presence. If we rely on the old structure I thkn we will fail. The advantatge of change is that neither us or the oppositin know the outcome.

Interesting times ahead.

[degruch]

Most of the Port Adelaide team was out injured last year.

[St Igmata]

Choose one of Kosi or Stanley.

[Pwoit]

Our skill level kills us. /end

[St Ick]

Our best six are Milera, Milne, Roo, Kos, Rhy and Schnieds. Simple as that. Consider this, Saints had the edge over Swans while RL was in charge, and he knew how to play us defensively... not suprising really.

Those 6 can kick winning scores with cameos from BJ, Dal, Joey, Jack, Armo and Sam(s)...

[BushDave]

I hate to say it but the the ranga 'Brereton' has it down pat whten he says that the most important kick in football is the 'second last' kick berore a score. This means the mid-field deliviery has to be good.

We have a great mid-field for gettng the ball; but most of them can't kick over a jam tin.

I think we are in trouble.

[AnythingsPossibleSaints]

Fix the entries....

Nothing wrong with personnel, composition........ Ball movement and last kick, WOEFUL

This. It also didn't help that Freo had one or two spare back there at all times. Any time we kicked it forward in a hurry, they usually outnumbered us there, so it makes it awfully hard for Roo and Kosi and co. to do much about it.

We got a taste tonight of what it was like to play us in the past few years. In games like that (with numbers back, crowding our forward line) you just have to be incredibly patient going forward and pretty much NEVER kick it forward unless you can see that we have at worst a one on one contest where the ball is going to land. If you haven't had time to look up, then don't kick it forward, unless you want it coming back over your head at double speed.

[Munga]

First thing to fix is the long kicks to the pocket!

[Con Gorozidis]

we need schneids badly.

and when we are winning its funny when milney is hungry but last night i was very frustrated with him clearly trying to get his 500th goal when he could have handballed or passed to guys in the clear......

[matrix]

[Johnny Member]

Lyon's strength is shutting down the opposition, and he did it last night.

Our playmakers in Fisher and Dal (Fisher got hurt early too) were shutdown and although we had the nut a fair bit, we were forced into the pockets.

Last night for mine, shouldn't be held against us as such, but more so credit given to Freo.

[mad saint guy]

Normally we'd want Dal, Goddard, Schneider, Gwilt, Montagna and Fisher responsible for the majority of our inside 50's. Last night only Montagna (6) went inside 50 with any regularity. BJ had 3, Dal 2 and 0 for Fisher. We don't have anyone in the side who can replace the skills and composure of Schneider and Gwilt, which is why I think Siposs should have been in the side from round one. Lyon would have been well aware of our reliance on these few players with the ability to kick and employed Fremantle players to stop them from having any space.

The forward structure has been much better than last year, we just haven't had quality entries. You don't want the likes of Gilbert, Jones, Steven and Polo regularly going inside 50. The only issue I can pick with our forwards at the moment is that they don't seem able to win one on one contests at ground level. This wouldn't be such an issue if they had better delivery though.

[mr six o'clock]

Fix the entries....

Nothing wrong with personnel, composition........ Ball movement and last kick, WOEFUL

This. It also didn't help that Freo had one or two spare back there at all times. Any time we kicked it forward in a hurry, they usually outnumbered us there, so it makes it awfully hard for Roo and Kosi and co. to do much about it.

We got a taste tonight of what it was like to play us in the past few years. In games like that (with numbers back, crowding our forward line) you just have to be incredibly patient going forward and pretty much NEVER kick it forward unless you can see that we have at worst a one on one contest where the ball is going to land. If you haven't had time to look up, then don't kick it forward, unless you want it coming back over your head at double speed.

We weren't that bad , our problem was the forwards missing set shots . the 2 goals 6 we kicked in the second quarter should have been much better . when you play a decent side you have to take your opportunities .
The Cats last year didn't play great football in the first half of last year (killed the dud teams ) but won lots of games ( against the good teams ) because they were able to take their chances . That first game they played us , we should have been 5 goals up at the half , then we were 3 goals up with a couple of minutes left in the third only to end the quarter level as they took their chances.
We need some classy finishers up forward , hopefully Gwilt can come back and Bj can play more as a mid/forward . He gets too many posessions in the back half of the ground .
I'd like to see him averaging 2 goals a game . His class up forward would give many others better scoring opportunity's

[SainterK]

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