GFL’S TOP DUO
AT the start of this week, one question dominated the talk around water coolers: who are the best forward combinations in the AFL.
Is it Kennedy and Darling? Brown and Waite? Or is it Betts and Walker?
But, locally, what about Howarth and Patten?
What is happening in the world of AFL is being mirrored in the GFL — and there might not be a better combo at this level than the Leopold duo.
Unlike the successful forward combinations at the highest level, Leopold’s forward partnership of Brandon Howarth and Mitchell Patten was not thought up as a dream scenario.
With tall forwards and 2016 premiership players Simon Close and Alex Moloney departing Leopold at the end of last year, new coach Guy Morphet was left with a conundrum: go and invent something new, or work with what he had?
Six rounds in and Morphet’s faith in Howarth (10 goals) and Patten (nine) has paid dividends.
Rather than have a structure that revolves around a key forward like most teams, Leo- pold centres around the two small forwards as its go-to options inside 50.
“I’ve got a good relationship on and off the field with him,” Howarth said of Patten.
“He’s a great kid and probably one of the more popular blokes at the footy club.
“We’ve played together for a while now — Mitch started playing senior footy when he was 17, so even though he’s a young kid we’ve certainly played a lot of footy together, and I think we complement each other whether that’s up high or deep.”
Howarth, who now has more than 150 games and 230 goals to his name, kicked six goals in the 2016 grand final to lead Leopold to victory on GMHBA Stadium, and believes the double act with Patten can inflict even more damage come this September. “It’s been good,” he said. “The way we want to play footy, it shouldn’t really matter about our height.
“We just want to keep it as open as possible. It didn’t work against St Mary’s last round, but on a bigger ground it’ll suit us.
“Like years gone by, I think we’ll play the bigger ground better. We’re a running side and hopefully we can get out on Kardinia Park, which will suit our game style.”