Our Half Back Line

[pevfan]

I see in a lot of the 'best possible' line-ups posted so far that most have and are drooling over the possible half back line of

McPhee, Fletcher and NLM.

Well, I have to agree it looks good on paper but IMO there's a very big weakness in it...None of those 3 are close checking type players, they all like to run off their man and be creative ah la Wellman. Don't know what others think but to me, while we might get a lot of drive from there, I can also see plenty of goals being kicked against us from that area as well...comments?

[BenDoolan]

Hmmm, better that than Andrew Welsh marking the ball, stopping, hesitating, shrugging his shoulders because all up field options have now been shut off, looking sideways, then passing a floating 15 metre kick high enough for the opposition to spoil, gain possession and stab a goal to sink our spirits.

[Bomber Mad]

Hmmm, better that than Andrew Welsh marking the ball, stopping, hesitating, shrugging his shoulders because all up field options have now been shut off, looking sideways, then passing a floating 15 metre kick high enough for the opposition to spoil, gain possession and stab a goal to sink our spirits.

hahahahha good point.

[jimmyc1985]

Hmmm, better that than Andrew Welsh marking the ball, stopping, hesitating, shrugging his shoulders because all up field options have now been shut off, looking sideways, then passing a floating 15 metre kick high enough for the opposition to spoil, gain possession and stab a goal to sink our spirits.

....Yeah, and those floaters usually go to Dustin Fletcher, and they hang in the air just long enough for an opposing player to come in from the side and give our most important player broken ribs, ala the Fremantle game last year.

[Ramanama]

yea, that was'nt good.

[spikefan]

I am not a huge fan of Welsh, but you guys are overdoing it. Let's give the bloke a chance to prove that he can do better than those floaters last year. This is preseason after all, too early to bag players.

Pevfan as for your question it really depends what the opposition looks like, but your point is well taken.

[Windy_Hill]

Our Half BAck line aaint that great

No natural CHB

Average Half Backs that dont man up!!

Fletch is a CHB only on paper as I believe if he does move up the ground it will be to force the second tall forward to play mofre defensively (ie, stop Fletch floating across the half back line as a long kicking sweeper)

NLM, McPhee are average defenders only.

However, if we can get some defensive support from the mid-field, this may not be so bad.

[BenDoolan]

I am not a huge fan of Welsh, but you guys are overdoing it. Let's give the bloke a chance to prove that he can do better than those floaters last year. This is preseason after all, too early to bag players.

Pevfan as for your question it really depends what the opposition looks like, but your point is well taken.

I take your point, however, my description is just that. It's not "bagging" as you put it. I see it no different to decribing Fletcher, McPhee and NLM as loose checking defenders who will cause goals against us with their style. All I'm saying is that Welsh causes goals by the style he plays. Simple.

[spikefan]

Actually, the way you write it now, I don't disagree a bit.

[nomolos]

I see in a lot of the 'best possible' line-ups posted so far that most have and are drooling over the possible half back line of

McPhee, Fletcher and NLM.

Well, I have to agree it looks good on paper but IMO there's a very big weakness in it...None of those 3 are close checking type players, they all like to run off their man and be creative ah la Wellman. Don't know what others think but to me, while we might get a lot of drive from there, I can also see plenty of goals being kicked against us from that area as well...comments?

Take Lovett-Murray off that line and leave him off, and while your at it leave him out of the team...and you can put however you want on that line.

At this stage a Nash or Lonergan type.

[Filthy]

I see in a lot of the 'best possible' line-ups posted so far that most have and are drooling over the possible half back line of

McPhee, Fletcher and NLM.

Well, I have to agree it looks good on paper but IMO there's a very big weakness in it...None of those 3 are close checking type players, they all like to run off their man and be creative ah la Wellman. Don't know what others think but to me, while we might get a lot of drive from there, I can also see plenty of goals being kicked against us from that area as well...comments?

Take Lovett-Murray off that line and leave him off, and while your at it leave him out of the team...and you can put however you want on that line.

At this stage a Nash or Lonergan type.

I can't believe that you wouldn't have NLM in our best 22. Extraordinary.

[Western Red]

Todays game is set up for running attacking type HBF players and we could have a couple of very dangerous types in McPhee and NLM doing that for us!!!

NLM just needs to have confidence when going back into contest's and not duck his head!!

Flecthers ability to read the play and get to the drop of the ball will give our HBF players the confidence to run off their man knowing there is support/coverage from Fletch.

[Filthy]

Todays game is set up for running attacking type HBF players and we could have a couple of very dangerous types in McPhee and NLM doing that for us!!!

NLM just needs to have confidence when going back into contest's and not duck his head!!

Flecthers ability to read the play and get to the drop of the ball will give our HBF players the confidence to run off their man knowing there is support/coverage from Fletch.

You mean like Carr should have ducked his head?

[nomolos]

I see in a lot of the 'best possible' line-ups posted so far that most have and are drooling over the possible half back line of

McPhee, Fletcher and NLM.

Well, I have to agree it looks good on paper but IMO there's a very big weakness in it...None of those 3 are close checking type players, they all like to run off their man and be creative ah la Wellman. Don't know what others think but to me, while we might get a lot of drive from there, I can also see plenty of goals being kicked against us from that area as well...comments?

Take Lovett-Murray off that line and leave him off, and while your at it leave him out of the team...and you can put however you want on that line.

At this stage a Nash or Lonergan type.

I can't believe that you wouldn't have NLM in our best 22. Extraordinary.

My thoughts on Lovett-murray have been expressed in previous threads throughout the year or so, and are quite well known.

Im content in my opinion of him, others may see different, just let it be I say, i wont challenge you.

I wont harp on it like some people do with players (Watto, Heff etc) but when the time comes, when everyone see's what i see. Ill have the door open for you to come in.

[Filthy]

I see in a lot of the 'best possible' line-ups posted so far that most have and are drooling over the possible half back line of

McPhee, Fletcher and NLM.

Well, I have to agree it looks good on paper but IMO there's a very big weakness in it...None of those 3 are close checking type players, they all like to run off their man and be creative ah la Wellman. Don't know what others think but to me, while we might get a lot of drive from there, I can also see plenty of goals being kicked against us from that area as well...comments?

Take Lovett-Murray off that line and leave him off, and while your at it leave him out of the team...and you can put however you want on that line.

At this stage a Nash or Lonergan type.

I can't believe that you wouldn't have NLM in our best 22. Extraordinary.

My thoughts on Lovett-murray have been expressed in previous threads throughout the year or so, and are quite well known.

Im content in my opinion of him, others may see different, just let it be I say, i wont challenge you.

I wont harp on it like some people do with players (Watto, Heff etc) but when the time comes, when everyone see's what i see. Ill have the door open for you to come in.

Not having a go Nom....just think he is pretty good!!

[pevfan]

Just to diverge the subject a bit, what do you reckon was our best ever half back line...I'll nominate (and am old enough to well remember)

Epis, Shelton and Davis

Actually, when you look at those 3, they were all very attacking players in their own right, so maybe it shoots a few holes in my original argument....but then again... the names, McPhee, Fletch and NLM dont quite manifest the same glassy eyed stare as that fantastic trio of yesteryear. (Fletch being the 1 big exception)

[nomolos]

I see in a lot of the 'best possible' line-ups posted so far that most have and are drooling over the possible half back line of

McPhee, Fletcher and NLM.

Well, I have to agree it looks good on paper but IMO there's a very big weakness in it...None of those 3 are close checking type players, they all like to run off their man and be creative ah la Wellman. Don't know what others think but to me, while we might get a lot of drive from there, I can also see plenty of goals being kicked against us from that area as well...comments?

Take Lovett-Murray off that line and leave him off, and while your at it leave him out of the team...and you can put however you want on that line.

At this stage a Nash or Lonergan type.

I can't believe that you wouldn't have NLM in our best 22. Extraordinary.

My thoughts on Lovett-murray have been expressed in previous threads throughout the year or so, and are quite well known.

Im content in my opinion of him, others may see different, just let it be I say, i wont challenge you.

I wont harp on it like some people do with players (Watto, Heff etc) but when the time comes, when everyone see's what i see. Ill have the door open for you to come in.

Not having a go Nom....just think he is pretty good!!

Cool. No worries Filth.

[Ramanama]

thought NLM, had a great year.

[Mrs Mercuri]

Natrat and McPhee are pretty good defenders but as has been posted earlier they aren't close checking defenders. Welsh has a lot of work to do still. Nash showed a lot of promise towards the end of last season that he could become a very important defender for us in years to come. Having Michael back there is going to help a lot this season.

As long as Bradley doesn't get jobs on Tredrea, Hall, Brown and Richo i will be very happy.

[billyduckworth]

As long as Bradley doesn't get jobs on Tredrea, Hall, Brown and Richo i will be very happy.

Good point, Mrs M. Hopefully, having Mal Michael will mean Bradley can play a floating role or on a wing or somewhere that suits him better.