Shocking forward structure

[Melbournehammer]

I know that this is just a repetition of a lot of what has been said previously, but we really need to change our style when we start going under pressure. we do not have any genuine marking forwards and when the other team has a player or two who are good at spoiling (see scarlet, fletcher, gibson, glass) the long kick to lrt or mumford just involves the ball going tio ground with no swans within 20 metres of the contest. the consequence is the ball just comes back so quickly.

unless we are prepared to have a structure where some of the players in the forward line actually play near the talls when we are under pressure we are simply going to lose possession and have the ball come back - the coaching staff need a good think about how to operate in these games where we are currently all getting sucked to the ball.

[Dan]

Yet we still have one of the best (if not the highest?) percentage in the league.

[Cpt. Kirk]

Yet we still have one of the best (if not the highest?) percentage in the league.

We have the best goal kicking midfield in the league, we have spang to come in soon should give a little bit more then what we have currently.

We are 5th atm for total goals kicked i'd say that is a great position.

[swanspant12]

Don't care whatever baggage he has, fev would have been absolutely PERFECT for our forward line.

[goswannie14]

Don't care whatever baggage he has, fev would have been absolutely PERFECT for our forward line.

I have said that more than once this season. Reid is coming on, but if Fev had been there to draw the top defender............

[bloodsman]

Our problem in the forward line ocurrs when opposition team use a spare defender to either mark or mop up. We often don't have anyone to help in these cases. This is where a small forward should come into play. With 3talls in goodes,reid, and LRT in the forward line it makes life a bit tough. rohan is missed down there!

[Ratna]

If we have tall players who can't take marks in the forward line (which is generally the case at the moment), we need them to spoil and have crumbers. This isn't really happening unless it is from midfielders.
Most of our good play this year has come from running past the press of other teams. When opposition coaches leave players back then this makes it hard for that style and our big forwards have been getting beaten at the fall of the ball and the ball is then returned to the opposition forward line.
Goodes in form will make a difference, but our forward line still looks weak against a good defence.
We have a few different forward options in the ressies doing well.
TDL tends to lead to space better than any other forward we have which spreads the defence and creates a different option. At times when the opposition leaves a spare man in defence it makes it harder for them to cover. Yesterday for most of the time after the first quarter it seemed like it was always 3 on 3 or worse when we took the ball forward.
Morton? I don't know if I am a fan but if it was worth getting him it must be nearly time to try him.
Team is going great but I think to go the whole way we need to improve our forward output.

[wolftone57]

I think our forward movement is too predictable at times. We bomb into the forward line to a pack of our forwards and ther backs with no crumbers except the opposition spare man. We also decide one guy is going to be focus and we then continually shoot the ball to him. It doesn't seem to matter that he is now double teamed as the opposing coach has worked our the tactic.

Our forwards spread more when TDL is in. As soon as Goodsie came back it was basically the same old set up and was very predictable. We also didn't pinpoint the ball we just bombed it high.

All our tall forwards lead as a bunch there is no alternative. If we are bringing the ball down one side of the ground maybe one player could lead more to the centre corridor and provide an alternative. TDL and the resting rovers were doing this a bit and Birdie did it in a few of the early games and kicked a few goals.

[gazza]

disgusting forward structure,only won 9 of 12 games.as long as those hopeless forwards kick a winning score by any means,who cares

[TheAgent]

Our coaching staff have set up a game plan that uses the strengths of the team we have to best effect. Morton is taking a while to learn 'defensive efforts' and his lack of inclusion as even an emergency much will give you some idea of where he is at with that.

We have some young forwards (other than Goodes and LRT) and they take a while to develop so the spread of midfield attack is a positive thing. I recall West Coast being in a similar position in 05/06 whereas we had Hall and O'Loughlin who were well past the 150 games mark each by that stage.

I think TDL, Morton and Walsh will all be a part of our forward line in years to come. I am hoping more than expecting Jesse to be there as well (if he ever learns to read the play better....).

[Swanner]

With Goodes returning and playing more up forward I think we are pretty well right. Goodes is the equal of any player west coast, collingwood, geelong, essendon and adelaide have. Buddy is the best though. If he stays forward and returns to form (which he will) we will have a regular 3 to 4 goal player which is what all the other teams have.The reason we didn't kick more goals after quarter time is our run stopped thru the midfield. So I completely disagree with the premise of this post I think the factor that will decide whether we go top 4 and deep into the finals will be the ability of our running midfielders to maintain form over the rest of the season.

[GongSwan]

We're asking a 20 yo to play CHF and take the best defender, or 2 or 3 with him, not a small ask. Goodes will be better after a few runs, he's had his first real injury and will take more time to warm up, LRT plays a defensive role on a running backline player and rucks go down there to have a spell. Reid is kicking a few goals and I assume that the coach is looking at Reid and thinking long term about building a forward line around him, and having mids with the tank to run both ways so as to get into the fwd line and do the crumbing