Wanted to reply but didn't rush as am a bit over this argument which I've had before with other posters several times. Firstly, don't think I need you to 'point out' the differences between playing back and forward - have followed football a long time e.g. seeing all the great Richmond KFs from Guinane through Hart, Roach, Richo to JR8 and big Tom.
Secondly, the comment of mine that you responded to was in reply to CTT who was saying that Colonwood really "don’t need another defender as much as they desperately need a key forward. Captain USA is a spud ..."
In short, great defenders save games but great forwards win games. That's why they offer the really big $$ for KPFs along with your star mids. Your first comment presupposes that Balta is identified as absolutely a backman. Yes, for now, because we have Astbury out and Rance is gone. So, when Astbury is fit to return, are you going to drop Balta? We won the flag with the same defence last year, and without Rance.
No, if Balta continues to play well, don't think he's going out of the side - not on what he showed he could do in that match. However, that also means that when Dave is back, maybe he could be swung forward. Many leading teams are running with 3 tall forwards at present - depending on opposition and on condition that one of them at least is very mobile (Balts).
Hopefully, Jack R is returning to form and has at least 2 good years still left, but in the long run, who is going to replace him, now 31? Given I know how hard it is to play forward, we would need to be thinking of blooding someone soon just as they introduced Jack to spend his first couple of years playing next to Richo. [Also, not sure he'd currently take 10 marks down back on the likes of Hipwood, Gunston or Ratagolea. Wouldn't keep up with them]
Garthwaite is really untried as yet and, although definitely limited to being a backman, probably underestimated. He's very competitive for his size and hard running. But Balta has the requisite skills and aggressive, attacking characteristics to develop into a promising forward, who could learn off Jack while he's still around.
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