Bombertalk

When all our talls are up and about, it appears that we have an oversupply of them. Based on future performance, which is of course gauged by past performance, I'd rate them accordingly:

Full back: Pears
Centre-half back: Carlisle
Centre-half forward: Ryder
Full forward: Hurley
Ruck: Bell-Chambers

That leaves Hooker, Gumbleton and Hille as the other key talls on the list, with Daniher to arrive at the end of the year.

I'd love to see Gumbleton on the list next year, and would lean towards retaining him unless an offer to good to refuse was put on the table. I think we should actively be trying to trade both Hooker and Hille at the end of the year though. I reckon Hille still has plenty to offer a team that is challenging and needs a backup ruckman, and we could easily get a second rounder for him, should he finish off the year well. I don't think Hooker is going to make it unfortunately and if possible, we should try and extract something for him. Thoughts?

Don't think Pears will ever make it as a KPB (too short), and Hooker is the only one big enough to take the monsters exept for Hurley.
Hooker stays for mine, plus we need backup for injuries.

'51 Bewick wrote:Don't think Pears will ever make it as a KPB (too short), and Hooker is the only one big enough to take the monsters exept for Hurley.
Hooker stays for mine, plus we need backup for injuries.

Exactly.

Lets trade the bloke who's held down CHB on the belief that the bloke that has been stuck in the VFL, when he's been fit, may come good.

After all he was above average 3 years ago he must be a star.

I would rate them thusly:

Full back: Hurley
Centre-half back: Hurley
Centre-half forward: Hurley
Full forward: Hurley
Ruck: Ryder

Obviously he can't play all of the positions, so he should play the spot that best helps the team, with regard to who would play in the other spots.
And I think Ryder and Bellchambers have to play in the same team right now, and Ryder is probably a better forward, so Bellchambers gets the ruck spot.

There are still too many questions over Pears and Hooker at the moment, so I would be playing Hurley in the backline from next season if Gumbleton can stay fit for round 1.

My team would have:

Key backs: Hurley and probably Carlisle over Hooker and Pears. No set FB-CHB, go based on best match up
CHF: Gumbleton
FF: Ryder
Ruck: Bellchambers

boncer34 wrote:

'51 Bewick wrote:Don't think Pears will ever make it as a KPB (too short), and Hooker is the only one big enough to take the monsters exept for Hurley.
Hooker stays for mine, plus we need backup for injuries.

Exactly.

Lets trade the bloke who's held down CHB on the belief that the bloke that has been stuck in the VFL, when he's been fit, may come good.

After all he was above average 3 years ago he must be a star.

Pears best football is far and away better than Hooker's best football. That's beyond debate and provable by reference to any number of objective indicia.

As far as height goes, blokes like Josh Gibson and Ted Richards play on the key forwards without too much trouble. And Pears is only 3cm shorter than the greatest fullback of all time. So height isn’t a factor.

gringo wrote:

boncer34 wrote:

'51 Bewick wrote:Don't think Pears will ever make it as a KPB (too short), and Hooker is the only one big enough to take the monsters exept for Hurley.
Hooker stays for mine, plus we need backup for injuries.

Exactly.

Lets trade the bloke who's held down CHB on the belief that the bloke that has been stuck in the VFL, when he's been fit, may come good.

After all he was above average 3 years ago he must be a star.

Pears best football is far and away better than Hooker's best football. That's beyond debate and provable by reference to any number of objective indicia.

As far as height goes, blokes like Josh Gibson and Ted Richards play on the key forwards without too much trouble. And Pears is only 3cm shorter than the greatest fullback of all time. So height isn’t a factor.

Bingo, Gringo!

gringo wrote:

boncer34 wrote:

'51 Bewick wrote:Don't think Pears will ever make it as a KPB (too short), and Hooker is the only one big enough to take the monsters exept for Hurley.
Hooker stays for mine, plus we need backup for injuries.

Exactly.

Lets trade the bloke who's held down CHB on the belief that the bloke that has been stuck in the VFL, when he's been fit, may come good.

After all he was above average 3 years ago he must be a star.

Pears best football is far and away better than Hooker's best football. That's beyond debate and provable by reference to any number of objective indicia.
As far as height goes, blokes like Josh Gibson and Ted Richards play on the key forwards without too much trouble. And Pears is only 3cm shorter than the greatest fullback of all time. So height isn’t a factor.

No no its not. As evidenced by team selection.

boncer34 wrote:

gringo wrote:

boncer34 wrote:

'51 Bewick wrote:Don't think Pears will ever make it as a KPB (too short), and Hooker is the only one big enough to take the monsters exept for Hurley.
Hooker stays for mine, plus we need backup for injuries.

Exactly.

Lets trade the bloke who's held down CHB on the belief that the bloke that has been stuck in the VFL, when he's been fit, may come good.

After all he was above average 3 years ago he must be a star.

Pears best football is far and away better than Hooker's best football. That's beyond debate and provable by reference to any number of objective indicia.
As far as height goes, blokes like Josh Gibson and Ted Richards play on the key forwards without too much trouble. And Pears is only 3cm shorter than the greatest fullback of all time. So height isn’t a factor.

No no its not. As evidenced by team selection.

When was the last time (if it's ever happened) they were both 100% fit?

FWIW I DO think that Pears is better than Hooker. If Pears can get his body right, I'd pick him ahead of Carlisle on my above list, or with Carlisle if Hurley plays forward.

Also when was Pears last playing his best football?

I agree, I loved him too when he was flying in his first year.

The club will listen to offers I reckon on Pears and Hooker. They will probably also get and probably reject offers on Carlisle.

Noone will touch Gumbleton(injury prone) and we'd only trade Hille on his wishes for convenience.(eg a late draft pick from a club that is offering him a retirement fund for a year or twos service).

From memory Gumby felt quite at home in the backline when required in his junior days and both Hurley and Ryder have played there with success, so I think if ended up with too many forward types.(eg with Crameri(playing tall) and a forward only, plus Daniher (ruck/forward only) if he matures fast, the dons would definetly entertain a deal on Pears or Hooker for the right type of player to balance our list.

Would be a shame to lose either Hooker or Pears. I don't think its a matter of saying one is better than the other, slighly different players. Hooker has played some great games this season.(not so of late...but eh he has mates in that regard).

boncer34 wrote:

gringo wrote:

boncer34 wrote:

'51 Bewick wrote:Don't think Pears will ever make it as a KPB (too short), and Hooker is the only one big enough to take the monsters exept for Hurley.
Hooker stays for mine, plus we need backup for injuries.

Exactly.

Lets trade the bloke who's held down CHB on the belief that the bloke that has been stuck in the VFL, when he's been fit, may come good.

After all he was above average 3 years ago he must be a star.

Pears best football is far and away better than Hooker's best football. That's beyond debate and provable by reference to any number of objective indicia.
As far as height goes, blokes like Josh Gibson and Ted Richards play on the key forwards without too much trouble. And Pears is only 3cm shorter than the greatest fullback of all time. So height isn’t a factor.

No no its not. As evidenced by team selection.

You mean like Hooker getting dropped last week despite being fit? Is that the sort of team selection you are talking about Bonce?

gringo wrote:

boncer34 wrote:

gringo wrote:

boncer34 wrote:

'51 Bewick wrote:Don't think Pears will ever make it as a KPB (too short), and Hooker is the only one big enough to take the monsters exept for Hurley.
Hooker stays for mine, plus we need backup for injuries.

Exactly.

Lets trade the bloke who's held down CHB on the belief that the bloke that has been stuck in the VFL, when he's been fit, may come good.

After all he was above average 3 years ago he must be a star.

Pears best football is far and away better than Hooker's best football. That's beyond debate and provable by reference to any number of objective indicia.
As far as height goes, blokes like Josh Gibson and Ted Richards play on the key forwards without too much trouble. And Pears is only 3cm shorter than the greatest fullback of all time. So height isn’t a factor.

No no its not. As evidenced by team selection.

You mean like Hooker getting dropped last week despite being fit? Is that the sort of team selection you are talking about Bonce?

He's not fit. But since you want to bring it up interesting they still couldn't find room for Pears.

little_ripper wrote:From memory Gumby felt quite at home in the backline when required in his junior days and both Hurley and Ryder have played there with success

I'm pretty sure Gumbleton was only a ever a forward, perhaps he went back if his team was desperate. Hurley played back mostly.

boncer34 wrote: He's not fit. But since you want to bring it up interesting they still couldn't find room for Pears.

The official reason for Hooker being dropped was they thought we were too tall. And Pears isn't (wasn't?) match fit.

j-mac31 wrote:

boncer34 wrote: He's not fit. But since you want to bring it up interesting they still couldn't find room for Pears.

The official reason for Hooker being dropped was they thought we were too tall. And Pears isn't (wasn't?) match fit.

Pears is a moral to come in this week. Hooker will be handing Pears oranges at half-time/waving to Boncer from the grandstand.

gringo wrote:

j-mac31 wrote:

boncer34 wrote: He's not fit. But since you want to bring it up interesting they still couldn't find room for Pears.

The official reason for Hooker being dropped was they thought we were too tall. And Pears isn't (wasn't?) match fit.

Pears is a moral to come in this week. Hooker will be handing Pears oranges at half-time/waving to Boncer from the grandstand.

With Hooker unfit he'd want to be selected.

I really hope Pears makes it and after 2 BOG's in the VFL lets hope he comes in a continues that form.... he can change all this talk of being traded pretty quickly if he wants

for mine:

Key backs: Hurley/Carlisle/Pears
CHF: Ryder/Hurley
FF: Gumby

can interchange all backs and Hurley around based on game by game needs

Ryder is our best ruck so not sure how we can deprived him of that totally

As if we would get anthing for Hille if we put him up for trade.

If Gumbleton continues to perform and Crameri and Ryder are fit and playing Hurley should go to CHB. Four big blokes in a forward line is too many.

boncer34 wrote:

'51 Bewick wrote:Don't think Pears will ever make it as a KPB (too short), and Hooker is the only one big enough to take the monsters exept for Hurley.
Hooker stays for mine, plus we need backup for injuries.

Exactly.

Lets trade the bloke who's held down CHB on the belief that the bloke that has been stuck in the VFL, when he's been fit, may come good.

After all he was above average 3 years ago he must be a star.

It's easy to forget how good he is or can be when he's been through a horrid, debilitating injury stretch which includes stress fractures of the foot and a battered pancreas.

A few people (including myself) were questioning the same things about Gumbleton several weeks ago (hasn't shown much - apart from one season - always injured etc), and you were his advocate to keep him.

Pears needs to fix his head, not his body. Nuff said.

gringo wrote:

boncer34 wrote:

'51 Bewick wrote:Don't think Pears will ever make it as a KPB (too short), and Hooker is the only one big enough to take the monsters exept for Hurley.
Hooker stays for mine, plus we need backup for injuries.

Exactly.

Lets trade the bloke who's held down CHB on the belief that the bloke that has been stuck in the VFL, when he's been fit, may come good.

After all he was above average 3 years ago he must be a star.

Pears best football is far and away better than Hooker's best football. That's beyond debate and provable by reference to any number of objective indicia.

As far as height goes, blokes like Josh Gibson and Ted Richards play on the key forwards without too much trouble. And Pears is only 3cm shorter than the greatest fullback of all time. So height isn’t a factor.

Nothing is beyond debate. Pears has failed to show any signs thus far of returning to the form of his first year.
Why the comparison to the greatest full back of all time (who?), are you suggesting that he is that good.
As for size, height is not the only consideration, weight and the ability to hold your position in a marking contest is far more important for a KPB, and In this regard Hooker is in front of Pears.
Don't get me wrong, I think Pears showed a lot of class early on and hope he gets back to that level, just don't think he is the best option for KPB.