Should Roughead be made a defender

[the flying hawk]

I think when Roughead returns he should be made a defender for the 2012 season because the hawks have suffered on 2 occasions because of the lack of height in the back line it was unfair on Josh Gibson to do it all alone in 2011 but to be fair the hawks couldn't help that due to injury I suggest this move because of the recruitmen to jack gunston and rougheads abillity to mark a ball in the air and his strengh to win one on one contests.

[Hawka]

Nope i disagree Roughy is a 70+ goal forward when in full flight and i dont wana lose that.Gilham is this year,Stratton will be back to full fitness, and i really like the look of Bouman at 196 cm.He looks quality and if Gilham isnt fit he could go straight into the team in round 1
Though if any of those 3 i mentioned plus Gibbo go down then it Wouldnt be a bad idea considering Shoecnmakers is crap and should be a forward not a defender and we got rid of Jordan Lisle and Riley Milne
But when fit i would love to see Roughy as forward and as second ruck

[the flying hawk]

now you put it that way I see your point but it is a question of injuries and I don't think it would be a good idea to put him back in the ruck when they already have bailey and hale there and the ruck work is what probably what caused his injury but I otherwise point strongley taken :)

[elephants]

I don't think Roughy should be risked anywhere but deep forward until his achilles fully recovers. They are really terrible injuries so no ruck work really should be done. I think Roughy should stay as FF and Buddy as CHF.
You have a few good defenders returning from injury on Murphy? Gilham? and Stratton?

[Hawka]

now you put it that way I see your point but it is a question of injuries and I don't think it would be a good idea to put him back in the ruck when they already have bailey and hale there and the ruck work is what probably what caused his injury but I otherwise point strongley taken :)

yeh there is a case to say maybe ruck did the injury :/
but i just loved having him in the middle pinch hitting gettin the tackles getting the disposals

[the flying hawk]

he was a massive loss for the hawks

[MajorLazer]

I was thinking he should be a backmen for a while, but now with everyone coming back from injury (including him) and the guys we drafted we will need him up forward.

[hawk_88]

Schoenmakers butchering the ball in the prelim overshadowed some very decent defensive work.

Gilham, Gibson, Stratton, Scheonmakers. Will probably see 3 at any one time and should cover most forward lines pretty well.

The Hawks recruited with a premiership in mind, taking either immediate backups for our larger stocks, in particular ruck and key backmen and future players. Bouman on the primary list and Pattison on the rookie list as key defensive backups in case of horrible injuries.

Roughy is too good a forward to throw in defence when our defensive stocks are plentiful. He may have size, and reads the play well, but having so little defensive experience could be a liability against better forward lines.

[Purple 77]

Yeah keep Roughy in the forward line, you guys seem to have plenty of height in the backline IMO. I just think in the backline hawthorn doesn't have many good one-on-one players. I wonder if Bouman is good at that.......

[mpollock]

Let's be honest ... Roughhead has REALLY struggled up forward since that 70+ goal year in 2008.  He can take a mark but misses SO many goals that he should kick.

This is because he has the kicking IPs and they may last for years ...

When released into the ruck last year it was a complete release for him, no pressure to kick goals and he absolutely killed it!!

He should play down back as he is an awesome mark and will be hard to stop ... our defence is still a little shakey ... Shoey has doubts ... Bouchman is in his first year ... Gibson was a gun last year (and should have been all australian) but shocking most other years he played at North or the Hawks ... hence needs to back it up.  Gilham and Stratten are coming back from major injury ... makes sense to play Roughhead back!!!

Wouldn't risk him in the ruck until finals ...

[JBs-Hawks]

As much as i have screamed at the tv because of Shoey he will be a gun eventually. His disposal has looked better during the NAB and with every game his decision making will get better. Hawks will manage Roughy to have him firing in September, we dont need him playing back or ruck to get there but would be handy if he could ruck during september.

[TheMailman]

I remember you guys thrashing us in the semi final due to your great defence

Granted that Reid, Goodes and White didn't make a huge forwardline but it was still punishing. Backline work is hard so you shouldn't be too worried about Shoenmakers.

Roughhead would have to be in the forwardline. He just provides another target to help the rest of the forward.

For example, instead of Franklin being taken by Grundy and double teamed by Richards, Richards has to go to Roughead and Longmuire has to trust Grundy to take care of Franklin

[mpollock]

People seem to forget or overlook how good Hale has been up forward in the past 12 months.  Also the hawks picked up Gunston to add to the already impressive firepower ... with Rioli, Breust, Osborne, Lewis etc all floating forward to crumb off these guys ...

Watching Shoey in the big final against the Pies he basically cost us the game and a grand final spot!!!  He also cost us the game again against Geelong last week ... enough is enough ... he is a total dud and not up to AFL standard as a defender!!  He is an option to play forward however but I don't think there is a spot for him up there at the moment.

Roughead playing back makes perfect sense ... at the very least play Boumann instead of Shoey!!