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PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
So the Tigers are after defensive talls but what actually is the criteria for the modern defensive key position player?
It was mentioned on another thread that we should be looking for defensive talls around 195cm, but I'm not so sure.
Let's have a look at the heights of other clubs key defenders shall we...(AFL website)
Cats
Matthew Scarlett 192cm
Darren Milburn 189cm
Crows
Nathan Basset 191cm
Ben Rutten 191cm
Lions
Mal Michael 190cm
Justin Leppitsch 191cm
Blues
Lance Whitnall 190cm
Woods
Shane Wakelin 191cm
Dons
Dustin Fletcher 199cm
Dockers
Luke McPharlin 192cm
Michael Johnson 192cm
Hawks
Zac Dawson 195cm
Jarryd Roughhead 193cm
Trent Croad 190cm
Roos
Drew Petrie 197 cm
Jonathon Hay 196cm
Leigh Brown 193 cm
Shannon Watt 192 cm
Glen Archer 182 cm (has played CHB)
Dees
Ben Holland 197 cm
Ryan ferguson 195 cm
Brad Miller 193 cm
Jared Rivers 191cm
Nathan Carroll 191cm
Port
Troy Chaplin 196 cm
Matthew Bishop 195 cm
Darryl Wakelin 192 cm
Chad cornes 191cm
Tigers
Ray Hall 196 cm
Darren Gaspar 193 cm
Wil Thursfield 190cm
Saints
Matt McGuire 192 cm
Max Hudghton 191 cm
Swans
Lewis Roberts-Thomson 196 cm
Sean Dempster 191cm
Leo Barry 184cm
Weagles
Darren Glass 192cm
Adam Hunter 190cm
Doggies
Brian Harris 194cm
Ryan Hargrave 190cm
Looking through that list it seems to me that the height required for defensive key position players has come down over the years. That's probably because there is a much higher emphasis on skills now for defenders than there once was.
There are very few players on that list over 193cms and the skills of players over that height often come under scrutiny. More often than not they seem gangly and uncertain below the knees(ie Dawson, Hay, Holland, Hall etc.). The disposal skills are also often questionable.
The most effective players on that list seem between 190 -193cm.
Not too tall as to lack co-ordination but tall enough to get the job done and also be effective offensively. Long gone are the days when DKPP's are just stoppers. The modern key defender must be able to hurt their opposition, have good skills and also have the ability to play at both ends of the park.
With such a heavy emphasis on defence in the modern game this is truer than ever.
In the 90s perhaps Dustin Fletcher was seen as the modern prototype for a key defender but at 199 cms the guys a freak amoung the above group.
These days it would appear that (Leppitsch, Michael, Glass, Hunter etc.) are the type we should be looking to recruit and they all fall into that 190-192cm range.
So the lesson is, whilst height is important they can't be too tall as it effects their skills. 8)
It was mentioned on another thread that we should be looking for defensive talls around 195cm, but I'm not so sure.
Let's have a look at the heights of other clubs key defenders shall we...(AFL website)
Cats
Matthew Scarlett 192cm
Darren Milburn 189cm
Crows
Nathan Basset 191cm
Ben Rutten 191cm
Lions
Mal Michael 190cm
Justin Leppitsch 191cm
Blues
Lance Whitnall 190cm
Woods
Shane Wakelin 191cm
Dons
Dustin Fletcher 199cm
Dockers
Luke McPharlin 192cm
Michael Johnson 192cm
Hawks
Zac Dawson 195cm
Jarryd Roughhead 193cm
Trent Croad 190cm
Roos
Drew Petrie 197 cm
Jonathon Hay 196cm
Leigh Brown 193 cm
Shannon Watt 192 cm
Glen Archer 182 cm (has played CHB)
Dees
Ben Holland 197 cm
Ryan ferguson 195 cm
Brad Miller 193 cm
Jared Rivers 191cm
Nathan Carroll 191cm
Port
Troy Chaplin 196 cm
Matthew Bishop 195 cm
Darryl Wakelin 192 cm
Chad cornes 191cm
Tigers
Ray Hall 196 cm
Darren Gaspar 193 cm
Wil Thursfield 190cm
Saints
Matt McGuire 192 cm
Max Hudghton 191 cm
Swans
Lewis Roberts-Thomson 196 cm
Sean Dempster 191cm
Leo Barry 184cm
Weagles
Darren Glass 192cm
Adam Hunter 190cm
Doggies
Brian Harris 194cm
Ryan Hargrave 190cm
Looking through that list it seems to me that the height required for defensive key position players has come down over the years. That's probably because there is a much higher emphasis on skills now for defenders than there once was.
There are very few players on that list over 193cms and the skills of players over that height often come under scrutiny. More often than not they seem gangly and uncertain below the knees(ie Dawson, Hay, Holland, Hall etc.). The disposal skills are also often questionable.
The most effective players on that list seem between 190 -193cm.
Not too tall as to lack co-ordination but tall enough to get the job done and also be effective offensively. Long gone are the days when DKPP's are just stoppers. The modern key defender must be able to hurt their opposition, have good skills and also have the ability to play at both ends of the park.
With such a heavy emphasis on defence in the modern game this is truer than ever.
In the 90s perhaps Dustin Fletcher was seen as the modern prototype for a key defender but at 199 cms the guys a freak amoung the above group.
These days it would appear that (Leppitsch, Michael, Glass, Hunter etc.) are the type we should be looking to recruit and they all fall into that 190-192cm range.
So the lesson is, whilst height is important they can't be too tall as it effects their skills. 8)