He's an odd ball. He's a small trying to play like a tall? As has been said, he needs to stop playing like Brown and more like... Monfries.
I like him with the ball in his hands across half forward delivering inside 50. He's got good skills, when he uses them. Having said that, I'm with BD in wanting him to get back to the small forward crumbing type player that sits at the bottom of the pack, front and centre to crumb and snap, create and deliver.
One week he's a lead up key position target, then next he's... well I don't really know. In saying that, he's not the only one. Today, for example, our forward line was in complete disarray. More often than not we'd be pushing forward and the ball carrier would be approaching 50... with noone to kick to because everyone had already led out to the 50 and there was noone to kick to behind. We ended up blazing away and losing possession more often than not.
If Monfries is going to play on the HFF as a link in the chain, then he needs to play that role. If he's going to play as a crumbing small forward, then he needs to play that role (a bit like a Milne or similar). If he's going to be a lead-up target, then he needs to play that role. He seems to play a combination of all three, and I think that has something to do with why we rarely see his best. I could be giving him too much of the benefit... but hey.
Former Captain of Kakadu Kangaroos - Inaugural OD Champions
A good crumbing small forward?.... I submit that we aint had one since Darren Bewick retired.
Sheeds tried to get Milne back to the club a few years ago and from what I 've read, we all but had him before Grant Thomas got the nod as coach and said 'No Way Hose'.
There was a piece in the Geelong Addy yesterday also about how we nearly got Steve Johnson a few years back when he was having all his off field probs at Catland.
I've always thought that it's been one of our most glaring weaknesses. we are a one trick pony. We kick it to Lloydy or (as in the past) Scotty, but if they have a bad one (like Lloyd today and sadly it seems that Scotty great career may now be over) then it seems to me we've got no other reliable goal scoring options ... and haven't had since, as stated, Darren Bewick.
Can anyone explain why he has to have 1 role only? Ie. he can't cumb and lead up. Why not?
Obviously he can't do both in the same passage of play, but if Davey can kick a goal then get a kick at half back I don't see why Monfries can't do more than one thing in a game.
I thought he was at his best a few years back leading up and with Lucas shit ATM and Gumbleton not playing, I would really like to see him getting the ball 60-70m out and kicking it into the 50 to Lloyd and Neagle.
j-mac31 wrote:Can anyone explain why he has to have 1 role only? Ie. he can't cumb and lead up. Why not?
Obviously he can't do both in the same passage of play, but if Davey can kick a goal then get a kick at half back I don't see why Monfries can't do more than one thing in a game.
I thought he was at his best a few years back leading up and with Lucas shit ATM and Gumbleton not playing, I would really like to see him getting the ball 60-70m out and kicking it into the 50 to Lloyd and Neagle.
I think his delivery is excellent majority of the time. He threads the needle pretty well and he's clever with his target. With Davey and Jetta at their (Lloyd/Neagle) feet, this is where I see the most value from Monfries. The downside is, he won't kick many goals... which is what people are wanting him to do.
If he's not going to play this lead-up role on a flank, then he needs to play as a small forward pocket. He can present as a target (often plays a lot taller than he is) but he hasn't displayed that opportunistic flair as much as we'd like with the crumb.
Former Captain of Kakadu Kangaroos - Inaugural OD Champions
j-mac31 wrote:Can anyone explain why he has to have 1 role only? Ie. he can't cumb and lead up. Why not?
Obviously he can't do both in the same passage of play, but if Davey can kick a goal then get a kick at half back I don't see why Monfries can't do more than one thing in a game.
I thought he was at his best a few years back leading up and with Lucas shit ATM and Gumbleton not playing, I would really like to see him getting the ball 60-70m out and kicking it into the 50 to Lloyd and Neagle.
I think his delivery is excellent majority of the time. He threads the needle pretty well and he's clever with his target. With Davey and Jetta at their (Lloyd/Neagle) feet, this is where I see the most value from Monfries. The downside is, he won't kick many goals... which is what people are wanting him to do.
If he's not going to play this lead-up role on a flank, then he needs to play as a small forward pocket. He can present as a target (often plays a lot taller than he is) but he hasn't displayed that opportunistic flair as much as we'd like with the crumb.
If he plays well a bit further up the ground, a lack of goals for him isn't a problem.
I suppose that's the current problem though: he doesn't play well or kick goals.
He's clearly a barometer of our performance, but the question is whether Gus changes the result or whether the result changes Gus. Perhaps the reason for this is that the role he plays relies on space and good delivery from the midfield - when we're down, he's down. When we're up, he's up. I can tell you for certain that Steve Johnson wouldn't have performed like he has if he were playing for the bombers this year...
