Going Tall

[SuperDuper]

With Rowan Marshall set to join the main list and seemingly able to play ruck/forward... let us consider the options he creates IF his form continues from his last outing of 5 goals....

with 18 players and 4 bench... a rotation group of 5 players makes sence... so loosely, each plays 80% game time and 20% bench

Basically, Marshall provides the releif for each of Hickey, Bruce, McCartin, and Membrey
Rck-Fwd-Bench
Hickey. 80-00-20
Membrey 00-80-20
McCartin 00-80-20
Bruce 00-80-20
Marshall 20-60-20

I think that works except perhaps the 20% game time when Membrey goes to the bench.. at that time we would have McCartin Bruce and Marshall together in the field, for around 25 minutes in total...

Is that too tall? They all do work hard...

Obviously Some more intricate rotation details could mitigate this a little .. for example Mashall may only play 70% with Roo moving around a bit when necessary.. but you cant waste a bench spot with someone playing less than 70%

[Bluthy]

Rotations tend to be saved for the midfielders who basically have to do up and back shuttle runs constantly while they are on the field.

Not a given Marshall would be elevated. NOK was playing really last year - we could use a skillful, creative goal scorer (not sure we need another small guy though) to cover Gresham if he goes onball more. With Demps gone we are thin in the tall back department so if Coughlan can show a bit could be a chance.

First thing is for Marshall to play some consistent VFL footy and start giving the selectors a headache. It's nice that he's thrown open the possibility of playing two good rucks with his ability to kick goals so far. I've always been a fan of having two guys who are genuine rucks pariculary in finals where you don't want to give the oppo any break in the middle at all. At the end of the WC game when Hickey was on the bench looking cooked, all the commentators were saying he had to come on to kill the momentum WC were getting with Bruce in the ruck.

Whether its sustainable for Hicks to do 85% time in the ruck is an issue. Particularly with Bruce so ineffective in the ruck. Rucks have to cover a lot of ground in a game and can be lugging 100kg around and need to do a lot of physical wrestling. If Marshall showed he was good in the ruck and around the ground, you could experiment with a 70-30 or even 60-40 split. Then you would have a really fresh ruck at every ball up able to smack in and work hard around the ground. Hicks seemed to have dropped off around the ground a bit maybe because he's getting a bit exhausted.

The issue of being too tall comes up. I guess we need to see how Bruce, Members and Paddy go this year - 6 goals between them from 2 games so far is less then would have been hoped for. Marshall's height would be handy to really stretch the defence. Members is reasonably agile but not particularly quick when chasing I've noticed so maybe doesn't put quite as much forward pressure on as we might hope. I think they are seeing how he goes further up the ground. Having Roo as well means we already have another tall guy in the team who is less than agile or can't put a lot of pressure on so one more might be too much.

I'm a big fan of two rucks particularly in finals where I think every team that has won a flag recently has had two strong rucks with one being a pretty good forward. It covers injury (see Boyd stepping up in the prelim - imagine if that was Bruce), exhaustion, doesn't give any let up in ball ups when contested ball is so crucial in big games, and gives another huge forward to stress the oppo backs and free up other forwards. Those huge pack splitting monsters come into their own in finals, hurting the defenders and opening packs up.

So here's hoping Marshall can come on because Holmes and Pierce are struggling to look AFL level. Longer doesn't seem capable of the forward-ruck role so he's going to either be the main ruck or bust. It's great to have options with our ruck stocks.

[BigMart]

Tell you right now

Marshall is a gun! He is tall, yes, but he can actually play the game... he is not just a bloke in the afl because he is taller than 6'5"

I've seen him 5 times, he hasn't just played ok... he's been excellent as a chf... he will be the equal or better of any of our recent draft picks

Easily the best of our Ruck sized players although, he won't play Ruck.

[Bluthy]

Tell you right now

Marshall is a gun!

This is exactly the ridiculously preemptive statement you went troppo about in the Gresham thread

Keep it in your pants. Marshall has to show some solid consistency in the VFL first, then get elevated to the main list, then have a spot open for him to even get a single AFL game. You have to show you can perform consistently in the big show before you can be given any sort of genuine props. Some players don't scale up to AFL. Didn't Spencer White look like Buddy Franklin at VFL level?

[Playon]

Tell you right now

Marshall is a gun!

This is exactly the ridiculously preemptive statement you went troppo about in the Gresham thread

Keep it in your pants. Marshall has to show some solid consistency in the VFL first, then get elevated to the main list, then have a spot open for him to even get a single AFL game. You have to show you can perform consistently in the big show before you can be given any sort of genuine props. Some players don't scale up to AFL. Didn't Spencer White look like Buddy Franklin at VFL level?

Nothing wrong with making an early call if you like what you see. I for one dont go to the vfl games and I can never seem to find any reports on how our players are going in the vfl, So I appreciate any insights I can get and its good to hear Marshall is doing well

[BigMart]

No it is not, try reading the <edited by mods> posts!!!!

If you read it accurately, stated Gresham is not a gun

I think Gresham may well be a gun (if he improves his tank)
I think McKenzie will be a gun
Acres is flawed (raw) but huge talent
Rate Lonie and Sinclair and Membrey

Not sold on
McCartin, Billings, Dunstan, Goddard
But have written any of them off just yet

You can tell something about a footballer in 5 minutes, and a couple of contests

Marshall has surprised every coach at Seaford
And I have seen some things that suggest he has plenty about him

[Bluthy]

From the Gresh thread

And I agree, calling any 19yo who gets a bit of footy here and there, and shows class a gun is very silly.

That's why I don't do it

Selwood, Judd, perhaps Bont, Cripps but very few... that's why I said 3 years.. after that, you can judge

For anyone to be labelled a gun, they need to be a CONSISTENT match winner, for an extended period

Your move BM.

[White Winmar]

Have to agree with BM. I've seen only a little of Marshall, but what I've seen has me excited. With some you can tell almost immediately. Like the first time I saw Gresh. BTW, fugazi, where is my coconut prize for correctly nominating Gresh as our first pick in 2015? Still waiting!

[saintsRrising]

For anyone to be labelled a gun, they need to be a CONSISTENT match winner, for an extended period

Well that rule only took a week to break.

Marshall. Games for StKilda 0. Games for Sandi 0

Tell you right now

Marshall is a gun!

PS: I too have likeed what I have seen on Marshall. Most who have seen him have been quite excited and the pre-draft material on him reads very positively as a guy that can play forward or back as a genuine key position player.. Very agile for a big fella with some comparing him to a big mid.


Part of the fun for myself in being a supporter is watching the young talent and in spotting the "next big thing."

Sometimes you have that Eureka moment when you just know a player will be special.

ie

Saw Spider Everitt in reserves game at Kardinia Park just bend down on the run to pick up the ball to to gather and shoot at goal. You just knew then that he was a special talent.

With Jack Steven he just kept having these little cameo moments in the seconds that made you think that he would be a star.