Who is our "enforcer?'

[bobmurray]

Our enforcer is RTB, he's making the team play boring ball.

More sizzle at a Bunnings BBQ.

[skeptic]

To me… it’s not a thug mentality. Hamil wasn’t a thug. Powell wasn’t a thug. They were just players that weren’t easily pushed around and were inclined to remonstrate if out youngsters copped a cheap shot.

We haven’t had one for a long time - our players get felled quite a bit and no one stands up for them

[B.M]

Mate

I don’t think I embarrassed myself by saying what we need is an enforcer.

Still don’t know wtf that actually means

It’s not 1972 with 1 umpire, no cameras, boggy grounds and players hitting opponents behind the play.

I wasn’t a fan of enforcers then, definitely not now

[perfectionist]

Moore's raised knee into the back of Petracca will eventually be outlawed.
...

Some players do it deliberately to injure, like pushing players into a pack. Moore wasn't going for the mark but for the punch.

[Sanctorum]

I can't think of too many teams that employ an "enforcer" as such, but I certainly agree that the good teams have players who will run to remonstrate with an opponent who's flattened a team mate.

With four field umpires it is now more likely that players who obstruct a forward before the ball arrives is going to get pinged, as happened with Mac Andrew on Max King last week.

No doubt King needs support and in the absence of Jack Hayes I think Michito Owens could be that man.

The other long term option for me is to play Josh Battle as a key forward, he is incredibly strong in the contest, a reliable kick for goal, better options than Caminiti or Membrey.

In that circumstance Arie Schoenmaker, who as I expect will develop as a key defender in the squad, would then replace Battle.

[The Fireman]

enforcers are a thing of the past...all players should be accountable for their team mates.

[Nick DalSanto Claus]

I can't see the relevance of this thread in the current game.

The role of the enforcer is as relevant as ever. Of course, it has evolved along with the game, and as stated in a previous post, thank goodness for that.

The outright thugs are gone, replaced by the Hayes, Gehrig and Hamill types. Ball players who were ferocious in their legitimate attacks on the pill and opponents. I thought I'd articulated that quite clearly. For us, I'm hoping Windy and Mitchito become that type of player.

[Nick DalSanto Claus]

Mate

I don’t think I embarrassed myself by saying what we need is an enforcer.

Still don’t know wtf that actually meansmeans



It’s not 1972 with 1 umpire, no cameras, boggy grounds and players hitting opponents behind the play.

I wasn’t a fan of enforcers then, definitely not now

Seriously, BM, as per usual you've missed the point completely. Are you just taking the piss now? Arguing for the sake of it? I've defined the role of the modern enforcer at least three times in my previous posts and given examples as to who played the role in our relatively recent past. Check out skeptic's contribution for a bit of clarification as well.

Remember Lenny, Fraser and Sammy? Didn't you admire them? I now understand the frustration other posters show when arguing with you.

Surely, you're not serious? I refuse to believe you are that lacking in basic reading and comprehension skills.

[Nick DalSanto Claus]

enforcers are a thing of the past...all players should be accountable for their team mates.

In theory at least, Firey. We are in furious agreement about that. The truth is some are better at it than others.

[meher baba]

TBH, you don't seem to be using the word "enforcer" on page 2 of this thread in the same way that you did in your opening post.

"Enforcer" used to be a polite way of saying "thug." The thugs are largely gone from our game (unless they play for Collingwood), so nobody much uses the term nowadays.

Before you got lost in talking about team players who do the one percenters and all that, I think what you originally meant was that we don't have a really tough forward to help protect Max King. A sort of old-style CHF. I would be inclined to agree with you, although there don't seem to be a lot of them around these days. We could benefit from one if we could find them. Looking at our existing list, I agree with the view that Owens is nearest the pin. But nobody could describe Owens as an enforcer.

[takeaway]

I can't see the relevance of this thread in the current game.

The role of the enforcer is as relevant as ever. Of course, it has evolved along with the game, and as stated in a previous post, thank goodness for that.

The outright thugs are gone, replaced by the Hayes, Gehrig and Hamill types. Ball players who were ferocious in their legitimate attacks on the pill and opponents. I thought I'd articulated that quite clearly. For us, I'm hoping Windy and Mitchito become that type of player.

No, not relevant to me. All AFL players today are highly trained in tackling, pressurising, and attacking the ball. Any player who does not intimidate the player with the ball though high proximity pressure or tackling, will be pulled up by the coaches. I don't reckon any AFL player changes his behaviour or is particularly intimidated by the so called reputation of "enforcers", even by your definition.

[meher baba]

To me… it’s not a thug mentality. Hamil wasn’t a thug. Powell wasn’t a thug. They were just players that weren’t easily pushed around and were inclined to remonstrate if out youngsters copped a cheap shot.

We haven’t had one for a long time - our players get felled quite a bit and no one stands up for them

Remonstrating on a football field is the biggest waste of time imaginable. It rarely amounts to much more than handbags at five paces: a bit of pointless pushing and shoving and sneering. If it turns into violent retaliation, all it can possibly lead to is a free kick reversal and/or a 50 metre penalty for our opposition or even to a suspension for one of our players. Nothing good whatsoever can come of it.

Back in the old days, retribution was often delivered behind the play later in the game, when the opportunity presented itself. But there are cameras everywhere nowadays, so such actions are caught and rewarded with long suspensions. Jimmy Webster's hit in the preseason game looked to me like an attempt at payback for a fend that caught Brad Hill full square in the face. That worked out well for Jimmy, didn't it?

[Yorkeys]

J. Steele.

Off field
R. Lyon.

[saynta]

Mate

I don’t think I embarrassed myself by saying what we need is an enforcer.

Still don’t know wtf that actually meansmeans



It’s not 1972 with 1 umpire, no cameras, boggy grounds and players hitting opponents behind the play.

I wasn’t a fan of enforcers then, definitely not now

Seriously, BM, as per usual you've missed the point completely. Are you just taking the piss now? Arguing for the sake of it? I've defined the role of the modern enforcer at least three times in my previous posts and given examples as to who played the role in our relatively recent past. Check out skeptic's contribution for a bit of clarification as well.

Remember Lenny, Fraser and Sammy? Didn't you admire them? I now understand the frustration other posters show when arguing with you.

Surely, you're not serious? I refuse to believe you are that lacking in basic reading and comprehension skills.

And here's me thing it was you lacking in those very basic skills. BM certainly doesn't.

[HardSaint]

Truth be told, Tim Membrey is our natural enforcer up front
I think this has been the thinking of the match day crew
Perhaps his having to concentrate on his wavering form has had him more focused on impacting the game than impacting on others' opponents
Sure, no king hits behind play or squirrel grips or any other of the tools allowed an enforcer back in the day
But the sound of his footsteps knowing that some legal pain would be measured in accordance with whatever missed "legal" or "illegal" undertakings were metered out against his younger comrades would bear in the minds of opposition transgressors and have them think twice

Of course the enforcer still plays a role

[B.M]

Players at that level don’t hear footsteps

It’s not D Grade Ammos

They can all seriously play

[Yorkeys]

Players at that level don’t hear footsteps

It’s not D Grade Ammos

They can all seriously play

I thought all our men stood tall last night in the face of Lions trying to intimidate several of our players. Oscar M seriously tried to put the frighteners on a few including Windy. They stood up well.
Lions have some talent but seem flat track bullies and are susceptible to caving under the pressure of big/close games. Pies and Swans don't.

[Nick DalSanto Claus]

Mate

I don’t think I embarrassed myself by saying what we need is an enforcer.

Still don’t know wtf that actually meansmeans



It’s not 1972 with 1 umpire, no cameras, boggy grounds and players hitting opponents behind the play.

I wasn’t a fan of enforcers then, definitely not now

Seriously, BM, as per usual you've missed the point completely. Are you just taking the piss now? Arguing for the sake of it? I've defined the role of the modern enforcer at least three times in my previous posts and given examples as to who played the role in our relatively recent past. Check out skeptic's contribution for a bit of clarification as well.

Remember Lenny, Fraser and Sammy? Didn't you admire them? I now understand the frustration other posters show when arguing with you.

Surely, you're not serious? I refuse to believe you are that lacking in basic reading and comprehension skills.

And here's me thing it was you lacking in those very basic skills. BM certainly doesn't.

You have to be joking, Saynta. I've made a living out of writing professionally for over 30 years. I've not had much criticism about the quality of my work in that time. Read his posts again.

If you think he's got skills in the literacy department, I can dismiss your judgment on the subject as being irrelevant.

And when criticizing someone else's standard of writing, it would be a good idea for you to check your own grammar and spelling. Oh the irony, saynta!

If you drink and post, you're a bloody idiot!

[The Fireman]

Perfect,my grammar is

[B.M]

Maybe stick to writing then, because if you think an ‘enforcer’ is what we need… you don’t understand football

[B.M]

Also if you think Frase was an enforcer… seriously

[Nick DalSanto Claus]

Maybe stick to writing then, because if you think an ‘enforcer’ is what we need… you don’t understand football

Of course I don't understand football. You know everything as you believe your opinion is fact.

I played over 200 games in the ammos at a fairly high grade. I coached for three years with a bit of success, but I was no Norm Smith.

I admit, my playing record doesn't automatically suggest that I understand the game. You don't have much faith in coaches making a difference, so IYHO I probably didn't learn much about the game in that time either.

Some who played with and under me would disagree with you about my knowledge of the game. Then again, there would be a few who would agree with you. The normal distribution would tell the true story.

As the great Ron Barrassi once famously said, "The art of coaching is all about keeping the five players who hate you, away from the ten who are undecided."

In the end we are in agreement about one thing. We each believe the other knows very little about the game. Fair enough, if that's what you think of my knowledge of the game.

In conclusion, I would suggest you look up what "Dunning-Kruger Syndrome" is. You are a living, breathing, and outstanding example of it. All the best.

Oh, and by the way ask a few of the players who played with the G-Train if they considered him to be an "enforcer" type. The ones I spoke to told me back in the day, he made them walk taller when he was around.

[saint6709]

From my arm chair I can tell you that AFL football is still a tough and physical game
They may not be behind the play king hits ( thankfully) but there is still a lot of physicality about it - I’m glad I’m not out there on the field
Watch Windhager going about his business on Friday - he wasn’t just chasing Neale around the park - he was getting into him physically

Wasn’t there a rumor early in the season that some team said the saints where the softest team they’d played ( I read that in a footy forum so may be BS)

Even without king hits I think you need to have an equal or greater intimidation factor to the other team or they just start ‘owning you’ and a team on a roll ie with confidence can do some serious damage on the scoreboard

So I think there is plenty of room for some enforcer types to be in the team ( maybe enforcer is not the right word but I think we all know what we are talking about

Doesn’t take a backward step, tackles hard and bumps fairly when the opportunity arises, comes into the push shove outbreaks to out muscle the opponent’s and give whoever was being remonstrated with some confidence in the situation
Someone with some swagger

The guy no one has mentioned and if he can control brain fades - who I think could certainly be one of those guys with another preseason under his belt is Caminiti

Other future prospects Heath & Schooner

I doubt Hayes will be in the list next year

[B.M]

Thanks for your CV

You’re a literary giant and a footy superstar and a master coach?!

Makes me wonder, why you would write such tripe

[B.M]

Haha

Dunning Kruger

I don’t pretend to be anything other than a frustrated saints supporter.

I do challenge opinions and decisions made at Moorabbin. I am not a true believer nor do I have blind faith. Some do, because they need something to believe in, history suggests I am right to not trust StKilda

Which is what makes me unpopular and that’s fine