Athleticism, strong marking ability, goal-nous, creativity and strength are all characteristics of what make up good forwards.
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And these characteristics are what coaches look for most when picking their half-forward lines.
In this area of the ground you can usually find a centre-half forward and his two flankers for handy support.
Another big bull in the side and a key part of a team's spine is the centre-half forward, or power forward, is the star in this line.
They are usually the player with the most demanding role of any on field. They usually have a tall and large frame, good marking skills, are strong and most importantly are very athletic.
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The centre half-forward is strongly built to specialise in charging packs to real in contested marks. They are another part of the link from defence into attack as well as being the final link in a goal scoring chain.
The players beside the power forward can be a combination of small, medium forwards or possibly even another tall, depending on the make up of the side's attack.
They are usually the alternate targets in forays forward. If the centre-half forward is not an option they must make sure they are one.
If they can't be a target, whether that is based on their size or their positioning, they are usually found around the feet of their taller forwards or in the modern game they are pushing up higher to help out their midfield.
They are also important links in the scoring chain whether that is setting up or scoring a goal themselves.
An important and obvious trait these players must have is their ability to kick goals and the trio in this line are more than capable of fitting in these roles.
They have 639 games of AFL experience, scored 1,153 goals, two All-Australian blazers won four premierships, five club best and fairests, one Coleman medal, one Rising Star award, features one former captain and has accumulated 171 Brownlow votes.
It is safe to say this half-forward line would be the envy of coaches across the land if it ever hit the park.
Scott Lucas
AFL club: Essendon 1996-2009
South-west connection: Camperdown
Height: 192cm
Games: 270 - 14 finals, 148 losses, 120 losses, two draws
Achievements: 471 goals, 2000 premiership player, two best and fairests, 58 Brownlow votes
A versatile forward can earn their weight in gold, or goals on this occasion, and that is why the Bombers legend is a lock for this part of the ground.
Lucas was known for his strong marking and powerful, accurate left foot.
He mainly played across half-forward or centre half-forward, but also showed he had the ability to switch to centre half-back or full forward.
Another bonus about Lucas' booming left boot was that he regularly nailed shots on goal from outside the 50-metre arc.
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His confidence in his kicking was evident by the fact he rarely handballed, averaging less than three a match over his decorated career.
Lucas averaged 1.7 goals a game at an accuracy rate of 60.38 per cent, making him a very valuable forward to have when shooting inside and outside the arc.
He averaged 14 disposals, with most of them kicks, nearly six marks and complimented it with almost four inside 50s a game, showing he was more than capable of dishing the ball off from outside 50 too.
Jonathan Brown
AFL club: Brisbane 2000-14
South-west connection: South Warrnambool
Height: 195cm
Games: 256 - 17 finals, 145 wins, 108 losses, three draws
Achievements: 2001-3 premiership player, two All-Australian blazers, three best and fairests, Lions captain 2008-13, one Coleman medal, 112 Brownlow votes
Brown is one of the best centre-half forwards to ever play the game and one of the most successful footballers from the region, which made it hard not to pick the big South Warrnambool export first in this side.
He fits the mold of a centre-half forward perfectly. He was athletic, big-bodied, strong in the air, on the ground and in one-on-one contests and possessed courage not many players in the game are blessed with.
When it came to goal kicking it was very rare to not see his name on the scorer's sheet with the former Lions captain averaging 2.3 goals a game at 64.55 per cent accuracy.
He averaged 14 disposals a game and seven marks, meaning he was also doing the work asked of him up the ground before turning around and impacting in attack as well. He also averaged nearly three inside 50s.
Lewis Taylor
AFL clubs: Brisbane 2014-19, Sydney Swans 2020-present
South-west connection: Terang Mortlake
Height: 173cm
Games: 113 - 27 wins, 86 losses
Achievements: Rising Star winner, 88 goals, one Brownlow vote
Taylor has still got a promising career ahead of him but from the first few years of his time in the AFL he has shown he has a spot in this forward line.
The small former Lion and now Swan has pace and elite endurance to make him a capable half-forward flanker that can work up and down the ground and also pinch hit in the midfield if needed.
He has drawn comparisons with North Melbourne legend and AFL games record holder Brent 'Boomer' Harvey.
Taylor has shown his ability to hit the scoreboard, scoring more than 15 goals a season in four out of the five full seasons he has played. He also goes at a accuracy of just below 60 per cent.
He averages 17 disposals a game, which shows he is often around the ball. His disposals are usually handballs which makes him a perfect player to free runners around the half-forward line and deep in attack.
The Rising Star winner also puts the squeeze on the opposition by applying handy pressure without the ball, where he averages two tackles a game.
- The Standard is revealing a new line of its South-west starting 22 team across the next few editions. The upcoming reveal is the half-forward line in Friday's paper.
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