Forward Structure with Barry back

**dawson** · 12th June 2008, 06:31 PM

Will be interesting to see how the forward structure operates now that Barry Hall will be back. There were times in the past we were too Barry-centric and that cost us. We have managed to kick alot of goals from an even spread of guys without him in these 7 weeks, especially the last 4.

**Mike_B** · 12th June 2008, 07:01 PM

I just hope the players delivering the ball into the Fwd 50 don't regress back to the Barry-centric focus of early in the season. When the defenders don't know if their player will be a target or not, they have to stay with them much longer, making coming across to help out a teammate with a spoil etc much more difficult. And when we just bomb it mindlessly to Barry, he ends up having to play 1-3 and that just cuts other talented forwards of ours out of the game.

**swansrule100** · 13th June 2008, 12:05 PM

surely the structure will be pretty much the same hall just taking a place amongst many targets. He will also draw the best defender so if done properly there should be obvious benefits.

**Danzar** · 13th June 2008, 01:55 PM

I actually think it's less a matter of how the structure will fit Hall but how Hall will fit the structure (damn, I'm sounding live one of those reverse philisophers).

Hall will draw defenders but the rest of the team has had seven weeks to adjust without him and probably won't go to him as often or as naturally. It's really up to Hall to get a lead and present himself as a real marking option.

I think he will. He'll be mindful of the break and the success the team has had without him.

**Justice** · 13th June 2008, 03:56 PM

I stongly believe that Hall does his best work when he is offering as a target on long leads (or on the double back) from CHF. When Hall plays that role he allows O'Keefe to also act as a hit up target closer to goal and with less chance of being double teamed.

Cheers

Justice

**Legs Akimbo** · 13th June 2008, 05:46 PM

Why would they play Barry Hall back when he is a forward?

**swantastic** · 13th June 2008, 05:54 PM

I reckon he is going to @@@@ up our goal kicking,we have kicked more goals with out him.

He's back so lets just leave him 1 on 1 in the goal square.

**Go Swannies** · 13th June 2008, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by Legs Akimbo

Why would they play Barry Hall back when he is a forward?

But Barry is a back?

**smasher** · 13th June 2008, 06:33 PM

I hope Barry does not go back to his old habit in trying to take on the opposition single handed when he gets the ball.He should have seen,while watching from the sidelines, that there are others who are good forwards and he will not hesitate to give the ball on to someone in a better position.We have proved we have multiple goalkickers in our team this year.

**liz** · 13th June 2008, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by smasher

I hope Barry does not go back to his old habit in trying to take on the opposition single handed when he gets the ball.He should have seen,while watching from the sidelines, that there are others who are good forwards and he will not hesitate to give the ball on to someone in a better position.We have proved we have multiple goalkickers in our team this year.

I don't think that's a fair observation of Bazza's game at all. When he's been fit and in form he's never come across as a selfish footballer in the sense of hogging the goal kicking, or trying unrealistic attempts. If anything he's sometimes been too unselfish. I don't think him trying to crash through tackles is a sign of selfishness - he knows that he is often able to do it and can create something out of nothing by sometimes throwing his weight around (in a good way) in the forward line.

The main "downside" to him is that sometimes he gets aggro with team mates when he does find space and they don't manage to find him. But that generally happens when he's not having his best game and is getting frustrated. And many of the power forwards do exactly the same. It's partly a sign of the pressure on them to kick goals week in week out.

**waterfowl** · 13th June 2008, 10:03 PM

A lot of players do it -After the good leading mark -they walk from the goals to take a kick and they kinda get into themselves or something

And already decided in la-la land that they ARE GOING FOR THE KICK...and behind them are screaming leads and comrades dozing in the goal square.

**dimelb** · 13th June 2008, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by liz

The main "downside" to him is that sometimes he gets aggro with team mates when he does find space and they don't manage to find him. But that generally happens when he's not having his best game and is getting frustrated. And many of the power forwards do exactly the same. It's partly a sign of the pressure on them to kick goals week in week out.

Richo is a chronic example. Although it's funny in a perverse way to watch him give his midfielders a spray!