Originally Posted by
Markwebbos
I think the Westhoff comparison is a little misleading for two reasons: (1) I don't think Port are planning on using AA as a replacement for the Hoff, but as a tall defender (2) Westhoff was a genuine forward who became a forward/ruck. Happy to be proved wrong, but I don't think AA is a natural forward... so that option is always going to be a stretch.
So I'm not sure losing AA is really going to be thinning the fwd line. I agree he shows potential in the ruck, but is probably not quite tall enough.
Other clubs have found imaginative ways to use non-fwd players in the ruck: Blicavs, Astbury and even McEvoy (who played more as a ruck/back and then went the other way). I'm not writing Aliir off. It may be that during the off season we can find a role that maximises his talents.
But the Swans do seem to be a side that worries a little too much about players weaknesses rather than focusing on their strengths. He might fare better under a different coach.
I don't think AA is the messiah, and we need to grab at least one genuine fwd and one centre bounce capable ruckman from elsewhere.
It's a question of what is better for our list, retaining AA in the hope he can be turned into a ruck, or swapping him with an untried, but potentially genuine ruck (if we could get Hayes from Port in return)?
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