What’s the plan for our forward line?

[skeptic]

Bruce
Paddy
Marshall

Battle
Membrey
Acres

Gresh
Long
Lonie
Billings
Newnes

On the fringe =
Weller
Minchington


Simply put, like everything else at the moment, it’s a heaping mess with no clear structure or plan moving for.

From where I sit, the best spine =
Bruce and Marshall. Bruce is the most accomplished forward and the only guy we have that has several occasions kicked 4 goals or more. Marshall is developing but seems to be able to take a grab and kick a goal... + he has the added capacity to play ruck relief for periods of time and could even foreseeable swap with Carlisle for patches of time.

IMO that’s the spine.

Next lock is Membrey. He’s the medium sized forward who is supposed to get of the leash when Marshall/Bruce move the defenders away. Needs to stop playing as a lead up forward per’se.

Around them, I like Sinclair on a HFF... can kick a goal or spot up our players with his decent disposal.

At the feet of the big men should be Gresh and Lonie. As forwards both have an x-factor about them... they can make things happen even if they occasionally misfire.

Gresh could occasionally rotate into the midfield and rotate with a guy like Billings.

My structure

Membrey, Marshall, Lonie
Gresh, Bruce, Sinclair

Then you have Battle fighting for Membrey’s spot or if we want to go taller or move Gresh into the middle more
We have Long fighting for Lonie or Gresh’s spot... alternatively, we might consider moving him to a HBF in a quarter back role... I feel like he could do that.

IMO Billings and Acres need to be permanent midfielders... Newnes is at best a HBF/ back pocket

Weller is done.

I’d keep Minch for one more season and see if he could make it as a mid.


The sore point... I can’t see a role for Paddy. He just doesn’t fit the structure. Can’t work up the ground enough, not strong enough overhead, doesn’t kick enough goals... isn’t versatile.
I think we should trade him.

[Zed]

I’d be happy if they Play a 6 man forward line

[Dave McNamara]

I agree re all those assessments Skep', with two exceptions...

- Battle for Lonie. (Neither are quick, but Battle is a marking threat, and strong enough to stick a tackle.)
- I reckon that Sinclair is much better on a wing. Long takes his forward spot.

Of course, blokes can be rotated between the forward line and going on the ball.

And good call re Newnes IMHO. He's a half back flanker/back pocket, or nothing at all.

Mav' will be gone btw. (Surely?)

And I'd give Minch' another year. (Ahead of Lonie if need be, though I admit that's pretty tough on Lonie.)

[bigcarl]

Re Paddy, Marshall ought to be preferred to him on exposed form.

[saintbob]

Without any new recruits

FF : Long Marshall Battle

HF : Gresham Membrey Billings

C : Sinclair Acres Ross

HB : Webster Carlisle Roberton

FB : Clark Austin Geary

R : Pierce Steele Steven

Int : Phillips, Paton, Coffield, Bruce

[ace]

Trade Paddy OUT.

[ace]

See "compare the LON pair" post.

[mightysainters]

Dependant on rule changes is what we should do...

If zones:
Paddy
Marshall
Membrey

If no zones:
Marshall
Membrey
Battle

Need to play with a backup good serviceable ruckman like a Marshall.. Membrey and Battle as the mobile hit ups

[chico2001]

Bruce and McCartin are both out with medical issues so it is a bit early to call at this stage. If both are fit and firing then a hard call has to be made because Marshall is going to take one spot, as is Membrey. Mccartin cant play any other position at this stage where Bruce can andI havent even mentioned Battle yet who looks a goer. Forget zones, either you are good enough or you are not

[bigred]

Trade Paddy, Billings OUT.

Fixed it for you.

[chico2001]

I reckon Paddy may miss out, just gets too crook a lot of the time. Compare his kicking to the monster Marshall kicked against North, he made it look so easy

[Drew21]

Battle should be tried on the wing
Our biggest problem is an inability to compete in the air so often we get out marked on release kicks from defence
Battle would be able to provide an outlet what I’ve seen he is very mobile on long leads also he could float forward to cause a mis match

The other is long should be tried off half back to provide some run and carry out of defence every time he gets the ball he seems to have back to goal which dose t allow him to use his speed off half back he would be able to run the ball 20- -30 Meters to break up the zone

[owenthe]

Good points Drew

[Dis Believer]

Plan??

hahahahaha.

I admire your optimism....

[chico2001]

We have a dud coach who's only plan is pressure and be strong, be very strong and after that be very strong, just in case you didnt get the message the first time. While we have that useless coach at the club saints will stay 16th- 13th. The worst part is the members who still support this dud.

[HitTheBoundary]

Any plan that involves kicking to a leading target and then kicking a goal will be a big improvement.

or is that too old fashioned?

[fugazi]

On the up side, we have Battle, Membrey and Bruce who are all very good atheletes and can take marks.
Marshall is 200cm and a good mover also.

Ben Long is a natural small forward with great closing speed.
Gresh or Billings changing through HFF and centre good options also.

I think because our talls are so mobile we can play 4 talls in the same forward line and stretch defences, wuthout giving up pressure.

Also Marshall is a genuine second ruck. Much needed.

[bigcarl]

On the up side, we have Battle, Membrey and Bruce who are all very good atheletes and can take marks.
Marshall is 200cm and a good mover also.

Ben Long is a natural small forward with great closing speed.
Gresh or Billings changing through HFF and centre good options also.

I think because our talls are so mobile we can play 4 talls in the same forward line and stretch defences, wuthout giving up pressure.

Also Marshall is a genuine second ruck. Much needed.

Well there’s certainly something to work with there. Surely we can find a way to kick winning scores out of that.

[groupie1]

Battle should be tried on the wing
Our biggest problem is an inability to compete in the air so often we get out marked on release kicks from defence
Battle would be able to provide an outlet what I’ve seen he is very mobile on long leads also he could float forward to cause a mis match

The other is long should be tried off half back to provide some run and carry out of defence every time he gets the ball he seems to have back to goal which dose t allow him to use his speed off half back he would be able to run the ball 20- -30 Meters to break up the zone

Both really good ideas.

As a sidenote... I reckon B Long was the one good thing to happen this year.

[older saint]

Really depends i think if the zones come in although they seem to be cooling on the 3 at every stoppage and the 6 6 6 will not really make much difference.

Battle Membry and Marshall as bigs for me
Long, and rotating between forward and on ball, Billings, Gresham, Acres, Steven and perhaps Lonie if still around.

Bruce to CHB
McCartin to earn his spot with Marshall and Battle fighting it out.

[Cairnsman]

The forward line is in really good shape. It is arguably fully stocked for players to suit most orthodox structures and systems of play. It needs some luck on the injury front to allow a decent string of games played together and to develop cohesion. Battle and Bruce will be the interesting players to watch, if Battle comes on quickly and can hold down a KP up forward then the luxury of experimenting with Josh as a versitile player will be, well a luxury and a highly desirable asset.

The biggest cost to the forward line this year was it was robbed of valuable game day development which arguably starts again next season and that is assuming we dont have the same issues with injuries.

So far from a heaping mess.

[Cairnsman]

The forward line is in really good shape. It is arguably fully stocked for players to suit most orthodox structures and systems of play. It needs some luck on the injury front to allow a decent string of games played together and to develop cohesion. Battle and Bruce will be the interesting players to watch, if Battle comes on quickly and can hold down a KP up forward then the luxury of experimenting with Josh as a versitile player will be, well a luxury and a highly desirable asset.

The biggest cost to the forward line this year was it was robbed of valuable game day development which arguably starts again next season and that is assuming we dont have the same issues with injuries.

So far from a heaping mess.

[chico2001]

Really depends i think if the zones come in although they seem to be cooling on the 3 at every stoppage and the 6 6 6 will not really make much difference.

Battle Membry and Marshall as bigs for me
Long, and rotating between forward and on ball, Billings, Gresham, Acres, Steven and perhaps Lonie if still around.

Bruce to CHB
McCartin to earn his spot with Marshall and Battle fighting it out.

Where is Carlisle going to play then? Austin has been recruited as the Full Back if Brown gets delisted. 4 talls is too many and not only that they are as green as mustard. Battle, Marshall, McCartin are not going to turn into gun key forwards overnight. Membrey, Gresham and possibly Bruce will still be relied upon to kick most of the goals, Billings as well and dare I say it, a goal a game from the lauded Jack Newnes.

[bigcarl]

How about this:

HF: Battle, Marshall, Membrey
F: Gresham, Bruce, Lonie/Minch/Long/anyone else who loves a goal.

A strong marking, mobile half forward line that would give plenty of options coming out of defence.

I don’t think it’s too tall either. They are all mobile.

McCartin to have to earn his stripes with “strong” VFL form.

[older saint]

Really depends i think if the zones come in although they seem to be cooling on the 3 at every stoppage and the 6 6 6 will not really make much difference.

Battle Membry and Marshall as bigs for me
Long, and rotating between forward and on ball, Billings, Gresham, Acres, Steven and perhaps Lonie if still around.

Bruce to CHB
McCartin to earn his spot with Marshall and Battle fighting it out.

Where is Carlisle going to play then? Austin has been recruited as the Full Back if Brown gets delisted. 4 talls is too many and not only that they are as green as mustard. Battle, Marshall, McCartin are not going to turn into gun key forwards overnight. Membrey, Gresham and possibly Bruce will still be relied upon to kick most of the goals, Billings as well and dare I say it, a goal a game from the lauded Jack Newnes.

Austin full back, Bruce CHB and Carlisle floating as per Rance does. Brown re-signed but if he is in our best 22 our future is bleaker than it looks now.
Webster, Geary and Rice.