We need stability in our backline.

[MardyP]

One of the main reasons why we were successful last year was a stable backline.

Last year's no-name defence wasn't the best going around, but it was relatively stable.

So far this year:

Cloke missed round 1, and MM playing him up forward, which for mine just doesn't work.

Presti out for the first three with an ankle.

BJ just makes too many mistakes, either with his disposal or bby not playing close enough.

Wakelin got injured against Brisbane and seem not to be with it on Anzac Day.

Lokan was good in the first couple, but has been found wanting in the past couple of games.

As a result James Clement has been "like the little boy with his finnger in the dyke" as MM said after the match.

To top it all off our midfield has let too many easy balls out of the centre which NO defence can hold off indeffinitely.

So over the next month we need get some stability happening back there. That means getting the structure right:

Lokan (Shaw?) Presti Burns
Clement Wakelin Cloke

I know that it might seem too much having Burns in the backline, but have a look at the last two Essendon games. Moorcroft killed us last year and Cupido this year.

Ben just isn't good enough against top small players. Imagine when we play WCE (Matera), Saints (Milne), Port (Burgoyne) ... the list goes on.

Can Shaw do the trick?

We still have Licuria, Buckley, Woewodin, Freeborn, Lonnie & Williams to go into the middle along with Scotland, O'Bree & McGough.

[couragous cloke]

dead right m8 couldnt of sumed it up better. we are having problems down there, every player in the backline was beatin last week.

[1990BW]

great post mate. actually has a bit of substance and something that can be discussed.

I agree totally -last year there was a cameraderie amongst the guys back there, and this year we just haven't had that - mainly because of the addition of lokan and shaw, and injuries / suspensions to wakes, presti and cloke. my ideal backline is wakes, presti and clement taking an opponent each, cloke drifting back to punch and clear, burns in there for his mongrel, calmness and determination, and... - a small. but who?

i am growing tired of johnson. i think lokan is good, but maybe he needs some time in the twos. i'm still a little unsure of shaw, excuse the pun. i reckon at the moment play cole in the small backman role, at least for a few weeks to see if he can handle it - he has the class. when we find the right combination, stick with it and we'll be right.

[AbsoluteTallant]

I agree essentially.

The thing is last year we were lucky with injuries to our defenders yet still we were found wanting for a tough hard as nails small defender. Johnson isn't up to it, this year we tried Shaw in that role and to a lesser extent Lokan. None of them are up to it. Cole isn't the answer, he's not the right type of player. Nixon isn't the right type of player, neither Holland, Scotland who are both forward of half back players.

This is where the recruiters have failed. In Lokan they looked for a clone of Lonie and got that but we don't need that. Maybe Shackleton can play this role, or even maybe Hooker (rookie). Otherwise that is one big flaw in our side that won't be fixed until next year at the earliest, three or more years at the latest.

Cloke in the forward line is a move MM had been toying with every now and then. Clearly MM has lost it if he thinks Cloke is a forward. Many Collingwood supporters love Cloke's thumping spoils, know he reads the play well and is a tough mark in the right situation. But as much as we love these attributes, he will never be a forward.

Of particular note in early matches has been the lack of run we have generated out of defense. I put this down to Presti being injured and therefore Jimmy having to play further south of his All-Australian half back line role last year. Jimmy hasn't been able to rebound it as far or as well from the full back line. Also a factor in this is the lack of faith shown in Lonie. The guy has been treated like shit by MM - benching him here there and everywhere.

You can do very little about injuries but to continue to deny the flaws of Johnson and to give Lonie the run-around when he's a third year player coming into his own is stupid.

One other factor to note: Cloke's spoiling is so good it is becoming predictable enough for the opposition to sit a player 15 metres in front of the pack and shark his spoiling. That is one of the only reasons I can think of for playing him forward - to try and break the predictability. But as you point out MardyP, the predictability of our defense was part of it's strength last year.