Stanley

[BigMart]

I have read with interest a lot of commentary about Rhys playing key back....

My thoughts would be..... If you have a 200cm player who can run a sub 11 one hundred, and can take a good catch...

The only people that should be happy that he is minding a key fwd.... Would be opposition coaches!!

[saint6709]

I see it differently Big Mart - the MCG is 173.6 metres long - there is nowhere on the ground where a 200 cm 11 sec 100m runner can really get a look at the track and run down it except from full back - I see him being able to run straight and fast from the back and have space to get some speed up and not have to worry about turning around to go the other way - at least not until he has disposed of the ball and has to go back and find his man - who will be along way back from his heels

[BigMart]

Most important weapons up front IMO.... Buddy, Walker, Cloke, Waite, Reiwoldt would all be great key backs....

But a dominant key fwd is like a diamond. Rare!

Stanley has the raw tools to be a difficult fwd to hold and create match up nightmares.... It's an advantage we may have? He ran into open goal on a number of occasions in 2012 leaving tall Feds in his wake...

He is also one of the few tall Feds who has the agility and run down pace to create fwd pressure

[saintsRrising]

I'm with BigMart

[Con Gorozidis]

1 goal saved is equal to a goal kicked.

So im certainly open to the idea of trialing him down back. Playing fwd is hard and some players dont have the 'tricks' for it. Maybe Rhys will prefer that role following a players lead where the play is in front of them and then just closing him down at the last second with his superior pace and reach.
Im not sure yet. But heck if he reduces Buddy and Cloke and Walker and Riewoldt from kicking 7 against us to kicking 3 - thats the same as him kicking 4 as a forward.

I agree with BM that sure - if hes a gun fwd lets play him fwd. But lets just see hoe he goes. No harm trialing him back IMHO. Look at Maister.
Played down back for years before it was worked out he was really a fwd. So im totallly open minded on Rhys so far. Could be fwd or back but no harm mixing it up and finding out at this stage of his career.

[dragit]

We could always try it first?

We're trying to analyse something that hasn't happened yet.

I do think good key forwards are harder to find than key backs though, players like Hurley seem more damaging forward than back.

[gringo]

i can remember being at the dome when G Train was a WCE he was playing as a backman when he just kept grabbing the ball as it came in , sprinting off his man and bombing it in long from outside 50. He got a couple of goals and set up about 5 more. Rhys could be fairly handy back there. Imaging a 2 meter tall Heath or Rhys shaw.

[magnifisaint]

1 goal saved is equal to a goal kicked.

So im certainly open to the idea of trialing him down back. Playing fwd is hard and some players dont have the 'tricks' for it. Maybe Rhys will prefer that role following a players lead where the play is in front of them and then just closing him down at the last second with his superior pace and reach.
Im not sure yet. But heck if he reduces Buddy and Cloke and Walker and Riewoldt from kicking 7 against us to kicking 3 - thats the same as him kicking 4 as a forward.

I agree with BM that sure - if hes a gun fwd lets play him fwd. But lets just see hoe he goes. No harm trialing him back IMHO. Look at Maister.
Played down back for years before it was worked out he was really a fwd. So im totallly open minded on Rhys so far. Could be fwd or back but no harm mixing it up and finding out at this stage of his career.

maybe 2

[degruch]

Maister has always been a forward, forced to play back at the Eagles. IMO, Stanley would be a huge loss out of the forward line, the guy can run like Rhys lightening, very hard to match up on, seems reasonable at finding space and exploiting his speed, can even pinch in the ruck...potentially awesome.

[bigcarl]

But a dominant key fwd is like a diamond. Rare!

True, but we haven't seen anything that could be called dominant from Stanley yet.

[White Winmar]

SW really rates him and I have to agree. He has the potential to be one of those players that can be the difference between contending and missing out. I just hope his body stands up and he has the breakout year he needs to have. Sainter K, would you mind annointing him, seeing as Daniel Markworth is now out of the running? We could use your prognostications to give him a kick along.

[bigcarl]

SW really rates him and I have to agree. He has the potential to be one of those players that can be the difference between contending and missing out.

I rate him very highly, too, but it's all on potential and there is a big gap between potential and results.

Lee, albiet only in the WAFL, kicked sixty last year. I don't see this sort of form in front of goal from Stanley. If he'd kicked sixty for Sandy last year I'd be talking him up big time

Granted, he may develop it, but he'd want to get cracking

[saintsRrising]

Well if I was going to make one prediction this year...it is that Stanley will arrive.

Only thing that will stop it will be injuries.

Personally I would like to start the year with Roo, Stanley and Maister all up forward.

[sainter#4]

Personally I would like to start the year with Roo, Stanley and Maister all up forward.

YES PLEASE!! with saad, milney and schneider at there feet!!

[gringo]

those kind of tall but not ruck types are prone to being disappointing. Think Josh Fraser, Kruezer etc. Having a set task can sometimes make their job easier.

[The Redeemer]

I have read with interest a lot of commentary about Rhys playing key back....

My thoughts would be..... If you have a 200cm player who can run a sub 11 one hundred, and can take a good catch...

The only people that should be happy that he is minding a key fwd.... Would be opposition coaches!!

Agreed.

Theoretically where should he be most dangerous?

Forward 50

[8856brother]

Don't care where he plays. Just hope he can get through a season without twanging a hammy. He needs continuity.

[degruch]

SW really rates him and I have to agree. He has the potential to be one of those players that can be the difference between contending and missing out.

I rate him very highly, too, but it's all on potential and there is a big gap between potential and results.

Lee, albiet only in the WAFL, kicked sixty last year. I don't see this sort of form in front of goal from Stanley. If he'd kicked sixty for Sandy last year I'd be talking him up big time

Granted, he may develop it, but he'd want to get cracking

We got more than a whiff of his potential last year, but a bit tough for him to produce results (and 60 goals in the VFL) when he couldn't string 3 games together without injury. I had a relaxing season off the forum last year, Stanley was one of the highlights (when he was on the park) I couldn't stop talking about. I'm surprised he's not more highly rated on here.

[remboy]

SW really rates him and I have to agree. He has the potential to be one of those players that can be the difference between contending and missing out.

I rate him very highly, too, but it's all on potential and there is a big gap between potential and results.

Lee, albiet only in the WAFL, kicked sixty last year. I don't see this sort of form in front of goal from Stanley. If he'd kicked sixty for Sandy last year I'd be talking him up big time

Granted, he may develop it, but he'd want to get cracking

We got more than a whiff of his potential last year, but a bit tough for him to produce results (and 60 goals in the VFL) when he couldn't string 3 games together without injury. I had a relaxing season off the forum last year, Stanley was one of the highlights (when he was on the park) I couldn't stop talking about. I'm surprised he's not more highly rated on here.

I think most people would agree with you if he could string games together. That's probably going to be the key to him this year. Watters seems to be a big fan so I think if he can stay fit he'll play a lot of footy.

[bigcarl]

We got more than a whiff of his potential last year, but a bit tough for him to produce results (and 60 goals in the VFL) when he couldn't string 3 games together without injury.

His physical frailty is another issue that no doubt the club will take into account.

As for seeing more than potential, I can't recall him dominating any matches or really do more than a few nice cameos. Lots of potential there though.

[degruch]

We got more than a whiff of his potential last year, but a bit tough for him to produce results (and 60 goals in the VFL) when he couldn't string 3 games together without injury.

His physical frailty is another issue that no doubt the club will take into account.

As for seeing more than potential, I can't recall him dominating any matches. There were a few nice cameos though. Lots of potential there.

Does he need to dominate any matches? Maister dominated 2 matches last year, he still rates as a potential talent. Stanley seemed to play very well in a pinch ruck role moving forward...if he can get a break from the centre in that scenario, given his speed and height, there wasn't much to stop him taking a grab across the flank, something he did several times last year. Granted, withBig Mac and Tricky onboard this year, we may not see him used in the same way again. Must have scored points in a couple of matches on here, surely? I would have rated him close to BOG for at least one.

[bigcarl]

I would have rated him close to BOG for at least one.

Which game?

[PJ]

I don't think that it's intended for him to play Key back. I think they are getting him used to playing a defensive role when needed - ala when there is an opposition tall in the vesinity of 200cm that is drifting forward.

[degruch]

I would have rated him close to BOG for at least one.

Which game?

Carlton, mid season...great game.

[bigcarl]

I would have rated him close to BOG for at least one.

Which game?

Carlton, mid season...great game.

Nine disposals

3 marks, 5 kicks, 4 handballs.

Kicked two goals.

What he did do was nice, but BOG? Please ...

Look, I'm not writing him off in any way. He obviously has the ability. All I'm saying is that he's yet to deliver on his potential.