Why running defenders are footy’s new quarterbacks

THEY don’t get the pay cheques of gun midfielders, but a running defender can be a team’s most important player. Who is your team’s quarterback — and how much should they be paid?

Jason Johannisen gives Kayne Turner the slip. Picture: Michael Klein

THEY are the exhilarating eye-catchers capable of lifting crowds to their feet.

The run-and-gun halfbacks who play with rockets in their boots. Let’s call them footy’s quarterbacks.

No, they won’t exert influence in the vein of NFL champion Tom Brady. But they can rip games apart like Hulk Hogan shredding a T-shirt.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE YOUR CLUB’S QUARTERBACK AND THIS YEAR’S STATS LEADERS

Most premiership contenders have at least one.

Adelaide has developed the Brodie Smith-Rory Laird tandem act, Greater Western Sydney boasts Heath Shaw, Zac Williams and Nathan Wilson while Geelong is thrilled with recruit Zach Tuohy’s impact.

STATS EXPLAINED: WHAT DOES ‘METRES GAINED’ REALLY MEAN?

Sunday will pit two of the linebreaking best — Western Bulldog Jason Johannisen and young Demon Jayden Hunt — at opposing ends of Etihad Stadium.

Both possess searing acceleration and are as creative as Thomas Edison.

But how much is too much to pay a half-back flanker? Are they too easily shut down? And can you win a flag without this flavour of cream on top?

Demon Jayden Hunt on the burst. Picture: Michael Klein

Nick Dal Santo last week attempted to cap the salaries for every position. At the bottom were small forwards ($500,000). At the top of the scale were power forwards ($1.25 million), just edging inside midfielders.

Running defenders in JJ’s ilk cashed in at $600,000. Sydney coach John Longmire ordered his men to target Johannisen last week, in a sign of just how damaging he can be.

Perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise. The sizzling star kicked the matchwinner against the Swans 12 months ago and then carved up Longmire’s side in a Grand Final.

That day Johannisen dashed, dashed and dashed some more. His 865m gained smashed the game’s No. 2 — Swan Dane Rampe — by 335m as the speedster clinched the Norm Smith medal.

A week earlier and it was Johannisen’s last-quarter burst that allowed Marcus Bontempelli to put the Bulldogs in front in their epic preliminary final against GWS.

In the first 12 rounds this year, no player has reached JJ’s Grand Final benchmark, with Daniel Rich’s 851m gained the best 2017 performance.

But as Johannisen failed the physicality test at the SCG last week, his penetration fell to only 170m and the Dogs were smacked.

The JJ fallout seemed harsh. While some Dogs have dipped this year, the out-of-contract dazzler is piecing together a career-best season that warrants a high price tag. How high? We’ll find out later this year, while Hunt can also expect a big payday when his contract expires in 2018.

Legend Brad Johnson hopes the Dogs cut up vision of Andy McLeod for Johannisen this week, noting how the dual Norm Smith winner was unfazed by brutality.

Premiership coach Paul Roos told the Herald Sun recently that it was party time for the penetrators.

“You’re seeing the halfbacks get enormous numbers because of the way teams are defending and attacking now,” Roos said.

“The halfbacks are unbelievably important. Zach Tuohy had 32 (disposals) last week and (Kade) Simpson and (Sam) Docherty had 53 between them.

“It’s the best time for a halfback to come into football because you’re often not actually playing on a direct opponent, your opponent can get up in the midfield and get lost a bit.”

Jason Johannisen takes off.

Experts say modern footy is about pressing forward and locking the ball in attack, with a record amount of scoring chains starting in the front half.

That’s why defenders who can quickly clear with creativity are so important and why the Dees and Dogs will try to feed their dashers on Sunday.

Forward Lance Franklin owns the most lethal individual play of the season. In Round 3, Franklin took off in the defensive arc and barrelled the ball, which just kept on bouncing forward.

Champion Data clocked the run and kick at 130m gained directly up the SCG, almost from goalmouth to goalmouth.

Johannisen’s Grand Final knock was his kicking efficiency and Roos said Hunt’s disposal can be a little wobbly.

But both were speculative draft selections only given their chance because of one attribute — lightning speed.

Dogs recruiter Simon Dalrymple found South African-born Johannisen zipping around the East Fremantle Colts, while Demons part-timer Robbie Barletta uncovered Hunt at a Brighton Grammar game.

When the Herald Sun re-ranked the 2013 “super draft” last month Hunt shot from No. 57 to No. 5 and if the 2010 crop was reordered, rookie Johannisen would scoot past about 100 players into the top 10.

Irishman Tuohy was also uncovered unconventionally.

Zach Tuohy was a recruiting masterstroke by the Cats.

And while “Dangerwood” hogs the glory, the Cats believe Tuohy might be the recruit of the year. According to Patrick Dangerfield, the risk-taker is the best kick at the club.

As George Hewett showed on Johannisen last week, clamping the carriers often works. Smith and Laird on average track 509m and 505m respectively in Crows wins, but just 384m and 305m in defeats.

Sydney was rocked by Hawthorn when its best running defender, Jake Lloyd, was concussed in the first minute in Round 10.

Powerful Melbourne recruit Michael Hibberd unwinds 510m in victories and just 105m in losses, and Essendon is still searching for his replacement.

No. 1 draft pick Andy McGrath is developing in Johannisen’s mould and midfielder Zach Merrett leads the competition for metres gained.

Hunt says he entered the system at the perfect time.

“I don’t reckon I’d be playing AFL if it was 10 years ago,” he said.

He is no Christian Petracca, just as Johannisen is no Bontempelli.

But when unclamped they are critical players and boy, are they good to watch.

WHO IS YOUR CLUB’S QUARTERBACK?

Average metres gained per game in 2017 (general defenders only, minimum of five matches).

ADELAIDE: Brodie Smith 478m, Rory Laird 455m

BRISBANE LIONS: Tom Cutler (Bris) 442m, Daniel Rich (Bris) 421m

CARLTON: Sam Docherty 535m

FREMANTLE: Lachie Weller 428m

GEELONG” Zach Tuohy 485m

GWS GIANTS: Nathan Wilson 519m, Heath Shaw 499m, Michael Hibberd 526m

MELBOURNE: Jayden Hunt 470m

NORTH MELBOURNE: Jamie Macmillan 448m

PORT ADELAIDE: Jasper Pittard 433m

ST KILDA: Dylan Roberton 484m, Leigh Montagna (St K) 448m

SYDNEY: Jake Lloyd 457m

WEST COAST: Elliot Yeo 499m

WESTERN BULLDOGS: Jason Johannisen 476m, Bob Murphy 449m, Matthew Suckling 423m

NOTE: No general defender at Collingwood, Essendon, Gold Coast, Hawthorn or Richmond who has played at least five matches has averaged 400m gained this year.

Sam Docherty turns defence into attack for Carlton.

MOST METRES GAINED PER DISPOSAL (AVERAGE)

Nathan Wilson (GWS) 29.2m

Jayden Short (Rich) 26.1m

Jayden Hunt (Melb) 25.4m

Brodie Smith (Adel) 22.9m

Tom Cutler (Bris) 22.6m

MOST METRES GAINED IN ONE GAME

Daniel Rich (Bris) 851m

Sam Docherty (Carl) 801m

Sam Docherty (Carl) 792m

Jayden Hunt (Melb) 760m

Leigh Montagna (St K) 754m

MOST METRES GAINED IN ONE PLAY

Jeremy Howe (Coll) 116m

Dan Houston (PA) 103m

Blake Hardwick (Haw) 103m

Reece Conca (Rich) 100m

Dylan Grimes (Rich) 99m

NOTE: Only general defenders

Source: CHAMPION DATA