Greg Miller - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

[Rayzorwire]

I thought last year at the G Rayzor got torn apart from Kozitschke, it was in the middle of Kosi's purple patch. Yes he played well on Pavlich, that was his best game.

I think you need to realise though that Ray, whilst having a pretty big heart, isn't the most talented guy on the list. He makes the most of what he has, an is quite useful. However, we've got three blokes down back who are all the same (Hall, Gaspar and Kellaway). None of them are highly skilled, but they are work horses. We need some class in their positions.

I don't reckon any list can get 'class' everywhere all over the ground General. What you can get is work ethic, aggression and flexibility, which is often better than class. Yep, Kozitschke had a good day on Rayzor last year, with the delivery he got he would have beaten any defender going around. But let's face it, he kicked 6 goals from memory - it's hardly a game breaking goal haul and he would have kicked more on any player we had to put on him then, or any player we'll conceivably have available for the next few years. It's worth mentioning that Lloyd kicked 6 in one quarter on the weekend, against Leo Barry who we would no doubt gladly swap for Rayzor. In the other match against the Saints Hall buried Hamill and was our only winning defender for the day.

Gaspar, Kellaway and Hall are not similar players for mine.

Neither Gaspar or Kellaway can kick long, neither can run the ball out of defense, neither can match up well on an opponent with above average pace or height (add strength for Gaspar), neither can play anywhere else on the ground and only excel in defense when they get the right match-up (something most opposition coaches deliberately don't provide). Gaspar will let forwards rub his and every other defenders nose in the dirt repeatedly, Hall makes them earn their marks with one round the ear for next time (often pushing attackers outside the 50m arc next time in the process) or 'accidentally' ends up body slamming them if they go to ground, and is straight at the throat of anyone who wants to get physical with him or his teammates. He lays shepherds and screens which take pressure off the ball carrier coming out of defense, he has the fitness levels and pace to support that run out of defense. We sorely miss all these attributes when he's not around, but because most don't even notice he doesn't get the slightest bit of credit for the desperately needed hard work behind the play which he always adds.

Last week neither Gaspar or Kellaway had a decent match-up where they could give us something positive and beat their opponent - same against Hawthorn and any other side who can go small in attack. You can't move them anywhere else, so you automatically start the game potentially losing two positions in a part of the ground where you can ill afford to. If players like Schulz and Hall are your key defenders and the opposition goes small in attack, then you can use them somewhere else on the ground and get some value from them.

 

[Tango]

Rayzor, i must admit i have given you a fair bit of stick in the past and although i do not think Hall is an above average footballer i would rather have him in my side than gaspar and kellaway

I agree with what your previous post said - well done

Hall will at least give you some grunt and mongrel in our back half, so will *smile*, add thisrty to that group and you have your three tall defenders.

add hartigan, raines and deledio and you have your small runners and ball carriers - yes they may turn it over or may get caught but at least they will run and carry which takes pressure off the mids & fwds

move newman to the middle for class, skill and hardness and throw in tuck

J.Bowden, Johnson, Coughlan can all go and find somewhere else in the side (be it wing, hff or whatever)

get the backline right, run & carry and you are halfway to fixing the rest of the problems