Is it time...

BUCKS · Joined: 06 Sep 2001 Location: VICTORIA

to place Nathan Buckley in the forward line and let him create...and push Alan Didak in the centre (To take more responsibility)

Culprit · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Port Melbourne

No, Didak could not run a game out like Buckley and also Dids is to one sided as a player. Give him a few years. Players have to be not so Buckley concious during a game. When he is out injured they look for other options and they should keep doing this even when he plays. I am not Buck's greatest fan, but his work rate in the centre is in the top 5 in the competition. If possible I would look at securing Judd from West Cost for a player to take over from Bucks in the centre in 2004 and rotate Bucks and Judd during the game. I would like to see that.

At the moment those around Bucks need to lift and one Shane O'Bree is the biggest Culprit (pardon the pun) IMO.

ramjet21 · Joined: 31 Mar 2002 Location: perth

not just yet for didak but it will probably happen over the next season or two. if MM wants to put bucks forward for a quarter a game i'd rather see leon davis get thrown in the middle. he probably only has a fuel tank to go a quarter in the centre but he could be so damaging in that 20 minutes to change a game.

AnthonyC · Joined: 09 Aug 2002 Location: Melbourne, Victoria

Look I admit that Judd is having a stellar year (on top of a good first year), but one season does not make a champion (of course this may come back to be the understatement of the decade).

As crazy as BUCK'S idea may be to some, IMO it is not necesarily a bad one. Agreed that playing Didak there for the whole game may not be the go, but rotating with Bux could be an option. Give the guy a go, he is not an "in and under" player like Burnsy, but he has good skills (apart from no right foot) that could be very useful in getting the ball forward (he is not a "hesitant" type player), rotating on the forward line as a goal sneak. (Funny how we talk as if we have a say in it!)

Brown26 · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 12:14 pm

why move bucks to the forward line full time? I reckon MM does a great job rotating his midfeilders, and bucks is just another one in the rotation. Admittedly, he is the best one, but with woey, burnsy, o'bree, licca, holland, scotts/mcg, williams, didak, leon occasionally AND bucks, I think it's terriffic to have the abiility to throw him forwards whenever you want to create a missmatch or just give him a rest, or give someone else a chance.

To put him in the forward line full time is limiting him, and I do'nt see why that's necessary. Maybe increase Didaks rotation throught the midfield, but don't chain bucks to the forward line.

- Ben

Culprit · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Port Melbourne

Agree Judd and it's his first year. He shows the quality that makes him the number one hunted player at the end of the season though.

And don't worry the Pies would love to have Judd and have to be in the running escpecially if we finish down the ladder as we will have the $$$ to spend as Bucks goes on the Vet list.

The Prototype · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 12:15 pm

I'd put Didak in the Forward Pocket having him rove any dropped marks by Tarrant, because that is also a problem for Collingwood, and that is fhe clarences out of our Forward line after a dropped mark, but anyone back there, be it, Tarrant, Rocca, etc. Also I would only move Buckley to the Forward line near the end of the game, or during the game whenever he gets a little tired during the game.

grims · Joined: 13 Mar 2003

Btw it's judd's second year.

Culprit · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Port Melbourne

Its his first year on notice, I still want him in Blcak & White..lol

MagpieMad · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 2:39 pm

Didak has no right foot?? I'm sure I have seen him kick on his right foot on a number of ocassions, lol there was one game that walls was commentating on and he said dids was in trouble co's he got shut down on his left, and Dids kicked very well on his right hit some-one on the tit with it and the other commentator luaghed and said he must have just learn't, he kicks we'll on both sides and to say he is one sided is wrong, fair enough he prefers the left but then again Bucks prefers his right but can use both sides.
I have been saying for years that bucks will retire to the forward line one day and kick bags of goals, alot of us forget how good he is overhead and can take good strong marks. with his profesionalism it won't take him long to learn how to be a gun forward, he's hard at the ball and body, has stamina to run any backman into the ground, and is a great kick, the sooner we get a quality midfield that can do without him in the middle the better we'll be, I'd like to see Buck's play 350+ games.
Don't think Dids is the answer in the midle, a player of his size will need to be prepared to bleed alot to play in the midle, and he probably is better value crumbing the packs up forward.

Culprit · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Port Melbourne

Well put MM. A bigger Williams may be an option, but we are talking 10- 20 kilos here.

DaicosMagic · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 2:51 pm

In the prlim vs Adleaide last year, ryan Lonie kicked on his right (with plenty of time to go on his left) to Didak, who then did the same. He is capable on his right.

The Prototype · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 4:19 pm

AnthonyC · Joined: 09 Aug 2002 Location: Melbourne, Victoria

Yeah Ok Mad, I'll submit somewhat, what I really meant to say was that Daks favours the left something chronic. I saw him get caught on the weekend because of it (not to mention that poor effort at a banana in the last which would have been an easy prop on the right), and if I remember rightly he did some "freakish" stuff on his left in the Wiz cup game against the filth, when it would have been far easier just to kick with his right.

Joe · Joined: 01 Jun 2003

As long as the ball gets to Buckley this could be a chance.