-
IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.
Polak where is his position?
- Thread starter MC
- Start date
Difficult to project what will becomme of Polly, but I think the way he was used in the backline this year is instructive. His obvious ability is his marking. Question marks remain about his ability to play on and beat a man.
Because of his size we'd love to see him settle in as the main man in defence, but he'd have to improve many areas of his game to be that.
The reason he works well as a LMID is his marking, but does he have the ability to read the play well enough and then hurt going the other way for this roll?
I'll expand on the idea that he is a good loose man in defense.
Obviously our backline is small, ie short and light, so if our backmen are constantly outsized it's handy to have someone like Polly getting to contests as the third man in. I reckon our backline regularly set up with this in mind during the last season.
Where the phrase "good loose man" gets shaky is when he doesn't read the play that well.
I actually feel that he was meant to fill Andy Kellaway's roll this year in some respects. But as yet he does not have Chubby's ability to beat his own man and to peel off and help his team mates, when it's appropriate.
It's a tough job, knowing when to stick to your man, when to leave him and run to another contest and, having got there, knowing whether to kill the ball, or take the mark.
But, undoubtedly, marking is what Polly does best, and it's hard to take advantage of that if his main job is to spoil the opposition, which is what the number one defender normally has to do.
So to sum up (and I realise this ramble needs a summing up) I think Polly, for 2008 at least, will serve us well if he can play third tall down back, with the ability to fade off and provide cover for our other key backs.
Because of his size we'd love to see him settle in as the main man in defence, but he'd have to improve many areas of his game to be that.
The reason he works well as a LMID is his marking, but does he have the ability to read the play well enough and then hurt going the other way for this roll?
I'll expand on the idea that he is a good loose man in defense.
Obviously our backline is small, ie short and light, so if our backmen are constantly outsized it's handy to have someone like Polly getting to contests as the third man in. I reckon our backline regularly set up with this in mind during the last season.
Where the phrase "good loose man" gets shaky is when he doesn't read the play that well.
I actually feel that he was meant to fill Andy Kellaway's roll this year in some respects. But as yet he does not have Chubby's ability to beat his own man and to peel off and help his team mates, when it's appropriate.
It's a tough job, knowing when to stick to your man, when to leave him and run to another contest and, having got there, knowing whether to kill the ball, or take the mark.
But, undoubtedly, marking is what Polly does best, and it's hard to take advantage of that if his main job is to spoil the opposition, which is what the number one defender normally has to do.
So to sum up (and I realise this ramble needs a summing up) I think Polly, for 2008 at least, will serve us well if he can play third tall down back, with the ability to fade off and provide cover for our other key backs.
lamb22 said:
Pattison's field kicking is :-X.
Keep him well away from the opposition goals.
I still think he might make a decent CHF but again like Polak is a pretty rank shot at goal.
Not certain where either of those players are best suited or even if they are part of the overall big picture..
IrockZ said:
He gets 5 kicked on him by TBFU that is Quinten Lynch every time we play you mob as well :clap I have a sneaking feeling that TBU wishes he could line up against Richmond every weekend. You guys are seriously undersized if Thursfield is your regular FB.
ah lambsy you dont have to preach to me. i did say when he was recruited he would play chf that becuse of obvious deficiencies he wasnt a backmans *smile*. i still stand by that. as i said earlier in the thread polakis the only option we have at chb atm. his greatest strength marking will not be missed up forward richo and young jack both have decent mitts.lamb22 said:
we actually recruited pattison as a chf and polak as a chb for the short term lets see what they can do in those positions. im pretty certain by round 8 polak will be playing forward permanently. i think riewoldt depending on development especially weight will go to chb.
now polak as a chf sheesh im holding my breath. here we have a bloke whos 194cm and weighs 95kgs yet he gets pushed around like a pussy he lacks a physical presence and hes far to reactive. being second or third up in a contest all the time gets you nowhere. personally i would plaay him no further out than 25metres let him be the long option and let his best assett come to the fore.
the claw said:
You may be right Clawsy. he has played 90 odd games and there may not be further improvement there. I think however his last two years have shown steady improvement. Until 2006 I could never understand the wraps on Polak and thought he was a dud with the ball in his hands. My thoughts have changed and I think if, and its a big if, he can find the confidence and grunt to accompany his talents and build up his strength and endurance he could end up a monster CHF (or he could remain like the 2007 Polak model - OK but no world beater)
I like young Jack very much and I am tipping (or rather hoping) that he is our 6th forward this year and our LMID when we drop one back. Clever player reads it well and picks options very well. If he drifted between half back and half forward depending on game circumstances, he could pick up a bit of the ball stay in the game, get confident at the level and with his goal instincts could be very dangerous up forward.
I really think Jay Schulz should be told he needs to make a mark at CHB or get his walking shoes on!
blx said:
Doesn't help much if they can't convert the opportunities.
Schulz is the natural FF in the side. Dead eye *smile* as well as a good mark.
I'd rather have Schulz or Hughes converting opportunities made than Richardson or Polak that's for sure.
We need these two youngsters to extract the digit in 08.
the claw said:
Couldn't agree more Claw, especially on Polak and Pattison playing at opposite ends of the ground. Pattison will never be a elite level ruckman for no more reason than his height, at best his a emergency ruckman (which will stuff up our structure so prefer him not officially made "B" ruckman) . CHF is the hardest position to learn and excel at, especially in modern football. Pattison should be played there as much as possible in 2008 to work it out and develop some tricks, remembering he played most of his junior footy as a mobile ruckman.
Polak for CHB for mine at least in next couple of years.
just on the improvement .you are right but there is questions even about that. i thought his second half of 2006 was okay to good. the trouble is he played mostly at wafl and it was hard to gauge just how much he did improve. i think a lot of the improvement came from the fact he put on 7 or 8kg. that yr.lamb22 said:
2007 again he took some great marks and was generally in the play a lot more than in the past. but again how do you judge his improvement when he is played mainly as lmid. given the role he played i would still give him a pass on this yr.
he needs to work on his motor his lower body strength he could be a bit quicker of the mark and he needs to become proactive. he also needs to toughen up
sometimes you have to take front position in a pack and wait for the crunch to come. you are hoping to get to a lot more contests and create just that a contest.
imo there is scope for improvement he will get smarter he can develop a decent motor he can do something about his lower body strength but as you say after 6 seasons and 90 odd games you have to wonder how much.
i have to say i have come to terms with us getting him he fit all the requirements of drafting recycled players. what i havent come to terms with is the fact we down traded a top 10 pick in the process. everyone knows my reasons why. imo we were forced into the situation of getting a tall defender we were forced into trading down our top 10 pick because our need became dire. it became dire because miller in the main has not been capable of organising our list and its structure in 6 yrs. has he learnt anything from being put in that dire position you have to say no. imo we are now back in that situation.
B
Bill James
Guest
I see it but I don't believe it. At least Richo makes opportunities to convert.Tigers of Old said:
If we happened to pick up Silvester, to play fb, maybe Thursfield chb? where to then for Plak or would Thursty go bp, whats your thoughts
Bill James said:
Not suggesting either are a better overall option Billy. Although reading it back I can see how it reads like I do.
Just saying that both Hughes and Schulz are more accurate kicks at goal.
If only they had the rest of Richardson's ability..