Ruben Carter wrote:I can't see the love for Eddy. Good player at SANFL level but not enough tricks for AFL for mine. Also, too slow & doesn't apply enough defensive pressure for mine. I do like him, but if he's playing any more than 4-5 games this year, we're not playing any finals. For mine he offers about the same value as Butcher used to.
I do agree with the defensive pressure, or lack thereof. There is definitely room for improvement in that area of his game.
I disagree with your point about him playing 4-5 games and us not playing finals. As it stands, Dixon is sitting 7th for marks inside 50, has kicked 6 goals, is sitting 12th for contested marks, primarily due to Eddy being in the side. This is the structure that Ken was gunning for in 2016 before Schulz went down in R1.
He offers more than Butcher used to, as he is a natural forward who can get into dangerous spots, demanding attention. This leaves Charlie 1 out, and brings our smalls into the game , either by creating more crumbing opportunities, or allowing them to create their own space. Robbie would have had 3-4 marks I50 on Sunday by working into the space created by Eddy working up field as that key target. A role that Dixon was filling last year, leaving us breaking down around the 50 so often as we were missing that next link.
What isn't getting acknowledged though is how less predictable we are at moving the footy, with Eddy just another option we have. There was a play in the 3rd quarter of the JLT against Hawthorn where Dixon lead up to the ball carrier and it looked like the kick had too much heat on it, and Eddy was the beneficiary playing in front and was able to take the mark.
That same play was run in the 3rd quarter on Sunday. Westhoff (?) kicked to a Dixon lead, who drew a defender with him, but Westy popped it into the space created behind Dixon for Gray to run onto the lose ball and take the mark, to which he duly converted. It was definitely intentional, as when Gray took the mark, you caught Dixon turning back to Westy and giving him a clap.
With Adelaide playing a 4 "tall" forward line of Walker, Jenkins, McGovern and Lynch- Eddy must play to give Ken the flexibility to send Jacko back, should one of these players begin to get on top.