Gresh - Forward or Mid?

[The_President]

Just wondering what everyone thinks about Gresham’s shift to the middle this year, and if it’s something you’d like to see the club persist with, or move him back down forward?

I think he certainly has the attributes to be effective as a midfielder. He’s quick and evasive, hard to tackle… However, his 2018 as a forward was far more damaging than his 2019 as a midfielder.

I know we have a bunch of small forwards with Lonie, Long, Parker & Hind, but I just feel that we are robbing ourselves of our best small forward, just to fit others into the team.

If we can play Gresham as an 80-20 forward/mid, a bit like Michael Walters, he’s every chance to end up a multiple All Australian by the time he finishes his career. If we leave him as a midfielder, I doubt he’ll ever become one.

As an example, here are Gresham’s 2018 stats compared to Walters this year.

Keep in mind that Gresh was 20/21 last year and Walters is 28 this year.

Gresham
Disposals – 17.6
Goals – 35
Behinds – 20
Assists – 20
Inside 50’s – 81
Clearances – 53

Walters
Disposals – 21.8
Goals – 40
Behinds – 17
Assists – 10
Inside 50’s – 86
Clearances – 83

Pretty remarkable comparison IMO.

Maybe we just need some more midfield depth so that we can keep Gresh down forward and then push out some of the other smalls. But I certainly feel that going forward, we’re going to be much more dangerous with Gresh in the forward 50 instead of the centre.

Thoughts?

[bigcarl]

He’s a developing midfielder and will be a very good one. Is he 21 yet? Give him time

[SinCitySainter]

He is a developing mid but he is already a damaging forward. There is no reason to believe that he can't improve in either area but why take away one of our best forwards because we are short of mids?

[fugazi]

Can't believe the grief Gresh gets on here sometimes.
He will be elite.

[bigcarl]

He is a developing mid but he is already a damaging forward. There is no reason to believe that he can't improve in either area but why take away one of our best forwards because we are short of mids?

It’s easier to find a small forward who can kick goals than an elite midfielder. And he will be elite. And he will still kick goals.

[BarryGrogan]

Neither.

Trade. He can't kick.

[bigcarl]

Neither.

Trade. He can't kick.

Quoted for posterity

[The_President]

Can't believe the grief Gresh gets on here sometimes.
He will be elite.

Im not giving him grief. I agree that he will develop into a very good midfielder... However, with the tools he has, he could become one of the most damaging small forwards in the game.

[Saint 58]

Good small forward who kicks goals & can play midfield sparingly, needs to:
- learn to crumb better from marking contests
- KICK IN A STRAIGHT LINE when kicking at goal, unless on a tight angle

[skeptic]

He’s much better suited to the role as a FP. He can do things that others can’t and the reality is he is a hell of a lot more damaging as pocket than he is/was as a mid.

As a pocket he’s better than all of Kent, Long and Parker

Can he play as a mid, yes
Is it good for his development... definitely
Should he rotate through the middle from time to time, absolutely

But the man is not an elite outside mid. He’s can be an elite forward pocket.

Play him where he is most suited and concentrate on actually getting mids through the door

[shrodes]

Good small forward who kicks goals & can play midfield sparingly, needs to:
- learn to crumb better from marking contests
- KICK IN A STRAIGHT LINE when kicking at goal, unless on a tight angle

I agree... used sparingly he is very effective, eg. running off the half back square line directly into centre bounce for a clearance.

I can't see him going full time mid though.

[Joffa Burns]

Use him like Robbie Gray at his peak.
High half forward who spends sometime at centre bounces for impact clearance work.

75% forward & 25% impact mid.

[Saintmatt]

Forward whom can pinch hit in the middle when variation is needed (a bit like a reverse Jack Steven). His kicking into F50 is generally deplorable.

[outside66]

He wants to be a mid rather than a pure forward. Another pre-season will do him wonders. If we ever reach a point where he gets squeezed out of the middle and back to the forward line due to better options then I'll be cancelling my September holidays!

[fugazi]

Can't believe the grief Gresh gets on here sometimes.
He will be elite.

Im not giving him grief. I agree that he will develop into a very good midfielder... However, with the tools he has, he could become one of the most damaging small forwards in the game.

Wasn't saying you were at all.mostly in other threads. Some forget that he is still very young and will hit peak years from 2021 on.

[B.M]

Needs to tidy up his disposal, it is poor.

[To the top]

Based on BM’s assessment the obvious future for Gresham is to trade him for a Second Round Draft Pick

That would guarantee Lonie a game

[B.M]

Is it really?

[spert]

Gresh is still a work in progress- needs to work on field kicking and consistency. I would get him working with a running coach during summer as he seemed to run out of legs in some games.

[Toy Saint]

He's a very effective mid and a capable small forward. It would be ideal to have about 10 blokes to rotate through the middle and be damaging forward.

[To the top]

Agree TS

In the side I envisage Gresham is a forward pinch hitting thru the mid

His skill is his balance and baulking plus his accuracy on goal - he is quick because of his balance and baulking not necessarily because of leg speed

He has already shown his capabilities on goal

[fugazi]

As our only representative in the Under 22 side, he was placed in a forward pocket.

So we have only 1 rep in U22
1 nomination for Rising star
0 in the AA squad.

[Drew21]

Should be in for center bounces then pushing to full forward like Richmond use dusty.

[spert]

As our only representative in the Under 22 side, he was placed in a forward pocket.

So we have only 1 rep in U22
1 nomination for Rising star
0 in the AA squad.

The football dept(and club) has failed miserably in recent history. Hung on to older players too long until every last bit of blood was drained. Should have had a big cleanout years ago (I think that's what Watters wanted to do, but it didn't go down well)

[Goose is king]

Forward