Potential to be a big weakness next season. On reputation or "name" you would have Blair, Fulton and Anasta as your starting 11,12,13\. That for me would be one of the worst back rows in the comp. No disrespect to each player as they can all play decent football. However together it's a Undersized, no real power or offloading ability mix. Can't see any real strike power there. You only have to look at the Top 4 teams last season and the way most modern backrowers are sized. They are used for the power play and intimidating decoy options when you sweep the ball out the back. Thats why smart team like Melbourne go and sign Junior Moors, because thats the ideal build for a modern day backrower.
Bell is another grafter who is honest but won't scare anyone. I just can't see this back row getting us any yards and Galloway and Woods will be broken down buses half way through the season tryinn to carry the load. Hopefully the new coach can find a better mix.It's alright to have your one undersized guy who can ball play (ala a Gleen stewert) but you can't have 3 starting for you. Murdoch-Masila Is probably the one who can add something different and needs to get up to speed. You need some hole hitters with an ability to offload, or go forward in traffic. SOme of those 20's backrowers certainly ran with plenty of gumption and power. Then you have Pettybourne, who doesn't have great size or offloading ability but at least he is fearless and runs hard lines. Then you have another very interesting player in Sironen, who will only get bigger and stronger and can ball play. Also you have Bodene Thompson who i thought had a lot of potential 2-3 years ago but is coming for a dud year.
It's a shame we lost Moors as he would have been the ideal to give us a mix of body shapes and attributes tot his back row. I just think that Blair, Anasta and Fulton are way to similar in size and that 1 or 2 of them might have to ride the pine and sit on the bench to complement the way modern football is played. Fulton had a good season and probably is the one most deserving of a starting spot.
It's going to be interesting how this area of the side pans out. Because you need you real impact and strike there in the modern game. I Would be looking at trying to get Masila, Pettybourne and Sironen up to speed so one or two of them can real push for a spot in the starting backrow. Anasta might surprise me, but I think ultimately will prove a headache for the coach as to where he fits in. He was VERY ordinary last season. And Blair, well i just don't rate him at all.
What would be your ideal starting back row say a month or two into the season once things sort themselves out?
Bell is another grafter who is honest but won't scare anyone. I just can't see this back row getting us any yards and Galloway and Woods will be broken down buses half way through the season tryinn to carry the load. Hopefully the new coach can find a better mix.It's alright to have your one undersized guy who can ball play (ala a Gleen stewert) but you can't have 3 starting for you. Murdoch-Masila Is probably the one who can add something different and needs to get up to speed. You need some hole hitters with an ability to offload, or go forward in traffic. SOme of those 20's backrowers certainly ran with plenty of gumption and power. Then you have Pettybourne, who doesn't have great size or offloading ability but at least he is fearless and runs hard lines. Then you have another very interesting player in Sironen, who will only get bigger and stronger and can ball play. Also you have Bodene Thompson who i thought had a lot of potential 2-3 years ago but is coming for a dud year.
It's a shame we lost Moors as he would have been the ideal to give us a mix of body shapes and attributes tot his back row. I just think that Blair, Anasta and Fulton are way to similar in size and that 1 or 2 of them might have to ride the pine and sit on the bench to complement the way modern football is played. Fulton had a good season and probably is the one most deserving of a starting spot.
It's going to be interesting how this area of the side pans out. Because you need you real impact and strike there in the modern game. I Would be looking at trying to get Masila, Pettybourne and Sironen up to speed so one or two of them can real push for a spot in the starting backrow. Anasta might surprise me, but I think ultimately will prove a headache for the coach as to where he fits in. He was VERY ordinary last season. And Blair, well i just don't rate him at all.
What would be your ideal starting back row say a month or two into the season once things sort themselves out?
