Players Who Need to be Reinvented

[JockStrap]

Edit: Should stress that much of what I have written is possibly already being implemented - I suppose I am interested in the forum's views and whether other players could benefit from a change in posistion (Ryder for exaple or perhaps Jetta?)

Hocking - Tagger to Back Pocket - has really gone backwards as the primary run-with tagger. Can see him and Hibberd forming a strong partnership as small defenders. Has the pace and strength to perform this role along with obvious defensive capabilities

Winderlich - Midfielder to Goal Sneak. This process has probably already started and Winders has shown in the past that he can kick bags as a small forward. Has pace and zip so can also apply defensive pressure

Hardingham - Back Pocket to Half-Forward - Kyle is a confusing sort of player but I am convinced he is a lliability in defence with his bash and crash style and poor disposal. However, he is a great contester for the ball and has definite ariel skills. We dont see much of his marking talents these days as he has been directed to spoil the ball back in defence. Could be a perfect foil for the leading style of Crameri. He has also shown he can kick goals so why not?

Hurley - CHF to CHB - This is a case of stating the obvious - clearly an issue already and I trust the club uses Hurley as a defender, a position in which he could build an enormous reputation. Has the potential to be a modern day Glen Jackovich across the half back line.

Dempsey - Half Back to Wing - Not a defender's bootlace in my opinion but has all the charcteristics of a quality wingman. Could be like Peter Matera if given the chance to play in this position full time. He is an 80M player meaning he can run 30M and kick 50M. Great to have for Forward 50 entries

[F111]

Hocking - Tagger to Back Pocket - has really gone backwards as the primary run-with tagger. Can see him and Hibberd forming a strong partnership as small defenders. Has the pace and strength to perform this role along with obvious defensive capabilities. NO! remember La Cras! Hocking was on him THAT day!

Winderlich - Midfielder to Goal Sneak. This process has probably already started and Winders has shown in the past that he can kick bags as a small forward. Has pace and zip so can also apply defensive pressure. Definitely. Can also move up the ground and may have a very important role locking it in during a press with pressure on opponents.

Hardingham - Back Pocket to Half-Forward - Kyle is a confusing sort of player but I am convinced he is a lliability in defence with his bash and crash style and poor disposal. However, he is a great contester for the ball and has definite edit:aeriel(ariel hasn't played yet, but may be a factor?) skills. We dont see much of his marking talents these days as he has been directed to spoil the ball back in defence. Could be a perfect foil for the leading style of Crameri. He has also shown he can kick goals so why not? We need him replaced down back. I do cringe when he has it, especially if he kicks off one step, across goal. Up forward, I think he thinks he's the target, so he would need to know when not to intersect the ball.

Hurley - CHF to CHB - This is a case of stating the obvious - clearly an issue already and I trust the club uses Hurley as a defender, a position in which he could build an enormous reputation. Has the potential to be a modern day Glen Jackovich across the half back line. I have always been a Hurley is a defender believer.

Dempsey - Half Back to Wing - Not a defender's bootlace in my opinion but has all the charcteristics of a quality wingman. Could be like Peter Matera if given the chance to play in this position full time. He is an 80M player meaning he can run 30M and kick 50M. Great to have for Forward 50 entries. I can't see much wrong with this, except with hardingham forward we'd need two hbfers to replace them. Do we put Heppell back there, Goddard? I can see 'licha on one side and Dempsey on the other, at either hff or wing. He needs to learn to run back better if the opposition get a break from defence. This is where speedsters like 'licha and Demps may have added value.

[j-mac31]

Yes, Hocking gave up 12 to LeCras. I'd much rather try Baguley for a few more games or someone else.

Winderlich has been a forward for the last two seasons now. Unfortunately, he's only played 5 or 6 games in that time. But I do like him there.

Hardingham probably shouldn't be in the team for round one. Suspect in the backline, hasn't played forward for a long time and his goalkicking was bad when he did.

Hurley should play CHB, but it's not really reinventing him, when he started in the backline.

Dempsey on the wing would also mean his fuckups happen further from the other team's goals.

[billyduckworth]

Hocking is an interesting question.
Agree he is not a defender - tends to get beaten overhead fairly easily (Le Cras!!).
But he seems to have gone backwards as a tagger in recent games.
Does he just need a new lease of life (and how do we give him that?) or does he really need a new role?
Too good a player to just give up on but definitely needs a new spark.

[ZeroEffect]

Hocking has become a one trick pony and lost a yard of pace. He is playing for his career next season and if we have a full strength midfield he may struggle to retain his spot. Suggestions he could play in the backline ahead of someone like Hardingham are ridiculous, he doesn't have the pace to run with a small forward or ability to go third man up the way Hardingham does. He's played his best footy in the midfield as a tagger and that's what he should be doing round one next year.

Winderlich has been a midfielder/forward for most of his career. It's only in recent times he's played exclusively as a forward and this seems to suit him. Pinch hitting in the midfield from time to time could help us out. The biggest problem for him is obviously his body, he's a couple of bad injuries away from retirement. One or both of his hamstrings are shot and at this stage of his career he may need to be rested from time to time just to get through the season.

Hardingham is still learning the game, sure his disposal lets him down a couple of times a game but that's the sort of thing that could be coached out of him. Defenders that have the abiltiy to play on a speedster like Eddie Betts and can still compete in the air with the tallest of forwards don't come around too often. I say persist.

Hurley looks at home at CHB, he is an absolute natural at it. The only problem is Essendon don't have any good tall forwards. Ryder and Bellchambers rest in the forward line as ruckmen so you can't really count them. Crameri is more of a half forward flanker who is really good overhead. Monfries as lead up forward is gone. Gumbleton, well he could be going and even if he doesn't go I'm not convinced he's a good enough footballer to play at the elite level. That's if he's not injured, which he usually is and JD won't be ready early next year. Power forwards who have the ability to rip games apart are hard to come by. On his day he can more damaging in a game of footy in the forward line than in defence.

Dempsey at his best is a very good footballer, his run and dash out of defence is fantastic and he had a very good season considering he wrecked his knee last year. I would prefer to keep him as an attacking defender who can occasionally play in the midfield. He let himself down a couple of times this year with poor disposal and being soft. I think he's learnt from that. Besides we have enough outside run already in the midfield.

[JockStrap]

Is Hardingham quicker over 10-20m than Hocking?

[BenDoolan]

Is Hardingham quicker over 10-20m than Hocking?

Easily I would have thought.

[JockStrap]

Is Hardingham quicker over 10-20m than Hocking?

Easily I would have thought.

Kyle looks like such a lump...fair enough though

[BenDoolan]

Is Hardingham quicker over 10-20m than Hocking?

Easily I would have thought.

Kyle looks like such a lump...fair enough though

He is rather quickish. He does get to contests when you think he's well behind the play and he does manage to burn off his opponenton on most occasions. But he does look dopey - no question. He even sounds dopey. And of course, he acts dopey at times. Very McPhee like in that regard.