While I agree I thought he was ok as a forward, but I'm not a fan of throwing players around. Let him settle as a FB
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Welcome Josh Gibcus
- Thread starter Smoking Aces
- Start date
SO THIS. We just saw how Balta stagnated this year being flip flopped around. Let him play down back and learn the game.
+1. Balta went from a Rance prototype to a passenger up forward and didnt find his defensive ability when pushed back again. Unless they are extra special, KPPs need to spend pre season in a specific role and play the year in that role. Both Balta and Gibcus look better behind the ball, intercepting and spoiling. Both can hoof the ball out of defence too. Both must train and play back.
Young, Miller and Biggie also look better back, although the latter two can run through the ruck as well.
Still think we are a genuine KPF or two short.
Or play him forward and leave him there.
Commit and be prepared to win or fail. Risk or reward but definitely agree don’t swing him around.
With a full contingent of defender’s available, if fit, it could be quite crowded down back.
Gibcus working as a forward would be a master stroke.
Will be interesting to see how it plays out but I haven’t got him starting 22 down back atm.
Firmly with you on the Gibcus to the forward line tm. He possesses all the natural abilities and instincts of a very good key forward and should be trialed there for a prolonged period. The naysayers keep pointing to Balta as an example against trialing him up forward but fail to grasp that Balta, unlike Gibcus, possesses none of the instinct or football nous needed to excel as a key forward.
Good key defenders are far easier to find than good key forwards.
Cheers TF
Gibcus is a much better mark than Balta too, and showed he was more suited forward than Balta.
Too young and physically under prepared to deal with the gorilla backs...possibly injure him...keep him back!
100%
Showed great signs as a defender right from the start
Went off the boil during the season - coinciding with him having been tried forward.
That’s not proof of anything - but prefer to wait until he can play at least a full season as an established player in the backline (including after Tarrant’s time is up) before trying the forward experiment again (if we must)
Yeah. Loooong way off being able to play KPF. Backline this year again for mine.
I reckon he stays back this year- if we play 3 tall forward one of them needs to ruck.
when Jack retires we can look to move Gibcus (or Balta if the club prefers) forward.
this year we make do with Jack and Lynch, with Miller and maybe a cameo or 2 from Biggie as the 2nd ruck. If Bauer makes a leap he may get a go, and if Jack or Tom miss we might just play Miller alongside the other with Dusty and co also forward.
Of course backline. And it may not click again this year. But when it does.....just be patient.
Spectacular markologist is what we have here.
Freaky *smile*.
Spectacular markologist is what we have here.
Freaky *smile*.
Yes, Ryan. I should have him alongside (or a bit behind) Miller fighting for that 3rd forward/2ruck spot.
He would be playing as a 3rd tall and learning leading patterns from the smartest footballer our club has seen in many years. Couldn’t get a better apprenticeship than that and would be physically protected to a degree.
Everyone else mentioned as forward foils haven’t exactly filled me with confidence including Ryan and Miller. They’re purely piecemeal atm.
We either go out and find a legitimate KPF or we get lucky and unearth one in Gibcus. The reward is tempting.
Even though I was a huge advocacy for recruiting him as a key defender I’m now really tempted to jump on the Gibcus to the forward line train.
No. Don’t reckon there’s a spot for him atm with a full contingent of Grimes, Tarrant, Broad, Vlastuin, Balta and to a lesser degree Miller.
Will depend on injuries
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If Gibcus plays alongside Jack and Tom up forward who is our 2nd ruck?
I think that is harsh on Ryan and Miller.
Ryan has done a nice apprenticeship in the vfl and is coming along nicely but he is virtually untried at AFL level, he is still a baby in forward/ruck terms. I like him, to me he is at least where CCJ was at a similar time of development.
Miller came in and played a role as relief ruck/forward but he would not have spent more than 20% playing as a forward in a game so far. I am not saying he is the answer as a KPF but he looked ok last year when he played forward.
Both Ryan and Miller kick well also.
The other one is Nyuon who was also trialed in the ruck/forward role in the vfl late last season and looked pretty good.
I agree that Gibcus seemed to understand forward craft quite well when he went there but I am concerned that we have two key back pillars for the next 10 years in Balta and Gibcus and we are messing with it.
I’m not going to argue with you Argue
Gibcus can stand on opponents heads, you don’t play players who can do that down back.
While i agree that Gibcus would be a waste down back.I’m not going to argue with you Argue
Gibcus can stand on opponents heads, you don’t play players who can do that down back.
Jeremy Howe can stand on Lynchs head.
