Nick Coffield

[B.M]

Thoughts?

Is he in the best 7 or 8 defenders?

1) Howard
2) Wilkie
3) Sinclair
4) Webster
5) Highmore
6) Paton
7) Hill/Clark/Connolly/Coffield

Are we going to look at another 6’5” key back?

[SaintPav]

Where does he fit in if he can’t play back?

[Wayne42]

Too bad we'll never know what Coffield gets told in his exit meeting.
Let's hope the Coaches and training services use the pre-season to help Coffield improve his deficiencies and be a better player in 2022.
If he doesn't play in defence then where else could he play ?

As for a 195cm+ defender, let's see what the list managers do in the next few months, i'm sure they know what the team needs.
It's what they can get that is the interesting part of it, whatever we need, other clubs need the same so it won't be easy.

[bigcarl]

I thought he was very good Sunday. I fact I gave him a vote. The backline as a whole was great. He and Sinclair were impassable at times.


Others may disagree, but I see him developing into a gun. Good hands and will be an excellent decision-maker. A bit of Goddard about him … BJ also took a little while to come on.

Don’t forget he is only 21 and has played just over 50 matches. Keep the faith.

[footynut]

I have no idea what was wrong with him for most of the season, but he seemed to find his mojo in the last few games of the season. Maybe he was playing a slightly different role. But we saw him take intercept marks, hit targets and take the game on. We all need to remember he’s almost a year younger than Clark, and he also didn’t have a great year.

[groupie1]

He's just a kid who had an awful year. He's not alone in that, but his and H Clark's form in 2020 was part of the reason for our 2020 ascendancy. I think he's a potential gun in the making who had an awful year.
Where does he play? To me he is potentially a revolutionary defender. Not quite Lever, not quite Nick Smith, not quite Sinclair, but somewhere in between. His kicking and running can give us drive, and his height makes him almost an intercepter.... massive upside for Coff if he can become the player he has the potential to become.

[Vortex]

Of course he's in our future. Was very inconsistent this year but he had a lot of friends. Silly question to ask.

[Ghost Like]

Nice work to rank our backs on 2021 form, not a hard exercise TBH. It is interesting what can happen in a year. At the end of 2020, there was no Sinclair or Webster in the picture, definitely no Highmore. Coffield a top 10 B&F. I guess these rankings are guaranteed for 2022? I'd love to know the reason for his drop in form but was not the only one from last year's Top 10.

In my opinion he's very much required, as his last couple of games showed. He worked well with Sinclair.

I hope Webster, Sinclair and Highmore can maintain form and build on an impressive 2021.

Coffield may spend his pre season with the midfield as he did a couple of seasons ago. Certainly a handy player and will become versatile.

My back half has him in front of Webster, all things being equal. If he's not, then a four man interchange bench means we have a perfect defensive player.

In order of value / importance...
1) Howard
2) Paton
3) Wilkie
4) Sinclair
5) Coffield
6 & 7) Highmore & Webster

Connolly, DMac & Hill are two I want to see make the wings their own, all push back into defence and run hard forward, breaking lines with either their footskills and running abilities.

[Beno88]

Thoughts?

Is he in the best 7 or 8 defenders?

1) Howard
2) Wilkie
3) Sinclair
4) Webster
5) Highmore
6) Paton
7) Hill/Clark/Connolly/Coffield

Are we going to look at another 6’5” key back?

At his best, he's 4th on that list.

6 months ago Webster and Highmore would have been close to the bottom of that list, a lot can change in a season.

[Sainter_Dad]

I would be more looking at Sincs role - He is travelling very well - and in my mind - I could see him sneaking to the wing - using his delivery into the forward line as a massive tool!

That would mean we would be currently looking at:

Paton	Howard	Highmore
Coffield	Wilkie	Hill
Sinclair	Steele	Gresham
Membrey	Sharman	Billings
Higgins	King	Butler
Ryder	Marshall	Crouch
_	_	_
Jones	Bytel	Clarke
Byrnes	Battle[ME]

This does not find a spot for:
Long
Webster
Connolly
Clavarion
Joyce
Geary
Allison
McKenzie
Heath

Not bad depth.

[older saint]

He's just a kid who had an awful year. He's not alone in that, but his and H Clark's form in 2020 was part of the reason for our 2020 ascendancy. I think he's a potential gun in the making who had an awful year.
Where does he play? To me he is potentially a revolutionary defender. Not quite Lever, not quite Nick Smith, not quite Sinclair, but somewhere in between. His kicking and running can give us drive, and his height makes him almost an intercepter.... massive upside for Coff if he can become the player he has the potential to become.

top 10 B & F last year.
Whether it was the short pre season, the poor fitness pre season that affected everyone, a feeling he had made it or clubs put more work into him , or a combination of all we wont know.

That said you dont let this type of young player (was youngest drafted that year I believe) leave. He can develop into a very good half back .
I would like to see him do the first part of pre season running with someone like Jones or Hill - hard running players. Acres was killed by Richo IMO by making him a ruck without a position, - Coffield has a position but needs to be persevered with .

[perfectionist]

He is simply too slow and that will never change. Once the ball get behind him, opponents have an easy run to goal.

[The_Dud]

Needs to be given some consistent game time, has shown plenty of grea attributes.

Will he get dropped to fit Geary in tho?

[Sanctorum]

Both Coffield (191 cm) and Highmore (192 cm) are a tad undersized but both have good hands and know where to intercept the incoming attack and force turnovers - Wilkie at 191 cm is also a bit short for CHB but is probably better than the 199 cm Howard, so in combination with running defenders Hill and Paton/Sinclair/Webster they give St Kilda a very strong defensive structure.

The idea of pushing Coffield into the midfield at times is worthwhile - play a role similar to Fyfe who is not particularly quick but is the best allrounder in the business.

[magnifisaint]

He will be a gun with more confidence.

[B.M]

Who would you play between Highmore and Coffield?

[B.M]

Guns have confidence

[bigcarl]

Guns have confidence

It takes time Marto. Longer for some than others. Look at how Max King finished the season compared to his first half. I’m loathe to go the early crow on a promising kid and say he’s not up to it. It can blow up in your face.

[Impatient Sainter]

He is simply too slow and that will never change. Once the ball get behind him, opponents have an easy run to goal.

He did look like he was running in 'cement boots' at times this year. But he is only young and has an entire preseason to work on his fitness and speed. If he drops a few kgs and gets himself going he will be part of our defence for years ahead,

[Sainter_Dad]

Longer for some than others.

Oh God no - not the Longer discussion again

[Bernard Shakey]

Interesting to hear Ratts before the last quarter on Sunday say that he was glad pleased to see Coffield using his feet!

[bangaulegend]

Saw glimpses of what he delivered in 2020 but seemed bulk up over the preseason & I agree appears to have lost his pace. IMO won't make it as a mid fielder so it has to be the back line I just hope he can get back to the form of 2020 because he really struggled this year & Highmore ,Wilkie ,Sinclair & Webster all went passed him IMO anyway

[B.M]

Again though


Where does he fit

Tall 1 - Howard’s
Tall 2 - Wilkie
Tall 3 - Highmore
Small Lock down - Paton/Webster
Running back - Sinclair
Running back - Hill/Coffield
Spare - Webster/Coffield/Battle/Clark/

Is he in the best 7

Or does he sit outside??

[bangaulegend]

Again though


Where does he fit

Tall 1 - Howard’s
Tall 2 - Wilkie
Tall 3 - Highmore
Small Lock down - Paton/Webster
Running back - Sinclair
Running back - Hill/Coffield
Spare - Webster/Coffield/Battle/Clark/

Is he in the best 7

Or does he sit outside??

On this years form IMO no last years form definitely yes

[CarlD]

It will be a bit of a dog fight for positions at the back - whoever is performing the best should get the gig.

Injuries happen, so Coffield should get his opportunity one way or another. It's largely in his hands to make a statement.