The AFC Midfield/Wings - The Future

[SpringChoke]

This is how I see our current under 25 yo midfield options:

Douglas - Has been described by the "experts" as one of the better midfielders in the draft. Inside player. Could be a beauty, could be a dud but sounds promising.

Hinge - I can't wait to see how this kid goes in 2006. I think he has special qualities. Tough, inside midfielder. Initially could be another tagging option.

Johncock - I haven't given up hope that he can become the quality midfielder I think he can be.

Knights - Nothing needs to be said on this kid. Can play both inside and outside. I have feeling we have a special one here.

Mattner - Say no more. If he can find consistency ( dropped off a little in the last third of 2005 ), he may just be an AA wingman. Love his toughness and the way he takes on the opposition.

Pfeiffer - See Douglas. Another inside midfielder.

Reilly - Ideally suited to a wing. Outside midfilder.

Jericho - Not sure where Jericho best spot would be. But he did get in Wests bests in the last couple of sanfl games playing in the middle. Outside midfielder. However, I don't think he will make it.

Skip - I don't rate him as a midfielder.

Thompson - A class. Future captain. Nothing more needs to be said.

Van Berlo - Not sure where to rate the count. Will get a better idea at the end of 2006. Didn't do a lot to impress at AFL level. However his courage, attack on the ball/man and confidence give you the impression there is alot to like in this skinny little package.

In the space of 2 drafts we have gone from having mostly outside flankers come midfielders on our list to having 6 inside, couragous, tough etc etc youngsters in Thompson, Douglas, VB, Pfeiffer, Mattner, Hinge and Knights to look forward to watching in the future.

Exciting and interesting time to be an AFC supporter me thinks.

[Stiffy_18]

I think we at least got some cattle to work with now. Not sure whether or not all of them will make it but at least there is something there to work with.

As of right now, Thompson is by far our best young midfielder. He already is someone who you can play in the guts and he can change the outcome of the game. I am really disappointed that once again his pre-season is limited. I just wonder what he would be like with a full, uninterupted pre-season under his belt. If he can do that, then I think he can become a full time midfielder rather than the midfielder than spends a lot of time forward.

Reilly is REALLY at the cross roads now. This is his final chance to prove to us that he was worth the pick 12 in the strongest draft. I know we have been saying this for some time now but 2006 is a final chance. Arguably he has gone backwards in 2005 despite playing majority of the games. He just has to step up. If he doesn't then I think we need to look elsewhere.

Apart from Thompson, Knights is our only real natural midfielder. I would LOVE to see us rotate Knights and Thompson through the midfield and HFF. If we can keep one of those in the forwards line and one in the midfield, we should have enough "bite" in both areas. Both are very good crumbers and ball winners. As of right now, they are our best young midfielder.

Van Berlo firstly needs to beef up and then learn to play in the midfield. He has played majority of his junior career as a flanker. He will take a bit of time to learn the game as a midfielder and thats why I would love to see us use him as a tagger next year. IMHO, he could learn a hell of a lot as a tagger. He will get lead to the ball and he will tidy up the defensive side of his game.

Richard Douglas sounds very promising but there are some doubts. He is only 68 kg and reportedly 179-80 cm. Thats a bit on the light and small side. Hopefully he can put on weight and still keep his agility and speed intact. Still, you can never have too many inside midfielders.

I am not sure that Pfeiffer is an inside midfielder. To me he is more of an outside player that is super courageous. A bit like Torney in the courage department. His build and overhead marking reminds me a bit of Simon Goodwin. If we can become anywhere near as good as Goodwin, we would be absolutely STOKED.

Hinge is another one than needs to learn the position. He played CHF as a junior and was learning the footy as a HBF with Glenelg ressies. He found it tough to start of with but eventually started playing the game the way NC wants him to play.

I have given up on Johncock being a midfielder. Not because of his ability but because of his aerobic capacity. There are some players than just can't get that fit no matter how hard their try. Its just not in their genetic make up. I would LOVE to be proven wrong but I do have my doubts. Having said that, there is nothing wrong with having a gun HBF/HFF of Johncock's ability :D

If Vince can come on as we expect him to, then he would give us another dimension in the forward line.

A lot of our midfield prospects are flankers who are aspiring to be midfielders. I can't speak for Douglas but for the rest of them, Thompson and Knigths are the only 2 genuine onballers in that group

Mattner might be a great tackler and tough as nails but he is more of an outside player than a true inside midfielder. He is by far best suited to a wing/HBF which is fine. We just want him to become more consistent

As far as overall future is concerned, we are in much better position than we were 12-24 months ago.

[SpringChoke]

As of right now, Thompson is by far our best young midfielder. He already is someone who you can play in the guts and he can change the outcome of the game. I am really disappointed that once again his pre-season is limited. I just wonder what he would be like with a full, uninterupted pre-season under his belt. If he can do that, then I think he can become a full time midfielder rather than the midfielder than spends a lot of time forward.



Why is his PS ltd?

[Macca19]

I think your midfield stocks look pretty good if they potentially realise a fair bit of their talent.

Dunno about Hinge tho. The 3-4 times I saw him this year he was very very much an outside player. Whenever I saw him he was skirting the packs and recieving the ball (is very quick I have to say) and very rarely was the one getting the ball out.

[SpringChoke]

I think your midfield stocks look pretty good if they potentially realise a fair bit of their talent.

Dunno about Hinge tho. The 3-4 times I saw him this year he was very very much an outside player. Whenever I saw him he was skirting the packs and recieving the ball (is very quick I have to say) and very rarely was the one getting the ball out.

If Hinge is outside how would you describe Salopak - outside, over the fence, in the grand stand.

[Macca19]

Salopek is more inside than most would notice. He isnt a Roger James/Josh Francou clearance king at the moment (probably wont ever be) but when watching replays of games ive been surprised that he does quite a bit more inside work than you notice at the ground, especially in 2004.

In 4 games I saw of John Hinge he spent almost the entire time on a back flank as a quick running reciever that could take the ball for a quick sprint and then kick it long. After reading all pre season how he was some super tough kid, I didnt see much of that in those games.

Doesnt mean he isnt good, he was clear best on ground in one of those games, but I cant see him ever becoming some super tough Scott Thompson clone. I reckon he would go alright coming off the back flank as he has a big kick and is very quick. Only my opinion tho...he could have been complately different in the rest of his games.

[Crow-mosone]

Reilly is REALLY at the cross roads now. This is his final chance to prove to us that he was worth the pick 12 in the strongest draft. I know we have been saying this for some time now but 2006 is a final chance. Arguably he has gone backwards in 2005 despite playing majority of the games.

the only argument is how much he went backwards

[Stiffy_18]

Why is his PS ltd?
He is recovering from ankle surgery in the off-season. He is due back sometime in december.

[Stiffy_18]

Salopek is more inside than most would notice. He isnt a Roger James/Josh Francou clearance king at the moment (probably wont ever be) but when watching replays of games ive been surprised that he does quite a bit more inside work than you notice at the ground, especially in 2004.

In 4 games I saw of John Hinge he spent almost the entire time on a back flank as a quick running reciever that could take the ball for a quick sprint and then kick it long. After reading all pre season how he was some super tough kid, I didnt see much of that in those games.

Doesnt mean he isnt good, he was clear best on ground in one of those games, but I cant see him ever becoming some super tough Scott Thompson clone. I reckon he would go alright coming off the back flank as he has a big kick and is very quick. Only my opinion tho...he could have been complately different in the rest of his games.
Interesting.

I have only seen Hinge play once and that was in a trial game at the Parade against the combo Norwood/North Adelaide team. In that particular game he looked very much like "Scott Thompson tough" :confused:

He went for the hard ball and got it out. Even when players were about to take his head off he kept his head over the footy and didn't flinch. Maybe the Crows want him to play as a sweeping HBF to start off with :confused:

One game is not enough to form a real opinion of him so you are in a better position to judge than I am.

[Macca19]

Well I could well be way off and the games I saw could have just been him playing a different role, but he was definately on a back flank and definately looking for the recieve and bolt rather than dishing it out. In two of those games (Round 3 and Round 12) he looked noticeably reserved in his attack on the ball. One of the other matches I saw (wasnt against Port) he looked good and the last game I saw of him (Round 19 @ Glenelg) he dominated the ressies and was BOG by a mile.

[blighty]

He is recovering from ankle surgery in the off-season. He is due back sometime in december.


Thompson training last week.....

http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/photogallery/0,7579,10^^37868,00.html

[- PC -]

Based on macca19s report of Hinge it would be a floodbuster to have Hinge run quickly and dispose long into the forward line. Is his kicking still long after a sprint?

On Douglas's size , he played well against the players he will soon come up against... he will grow the same as some of them I would suggest. And look at Danyle Pearce.

[jmorg1]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Shirley. With his clean and accurate disposal (especially by foot), I'd like to see what he can do when freed from a tagging role.

Some of the goals he kicked this year (ok I know he didn't kick that many but ...) were semi-freakish. Not Ablett like by any stretch of the imagination but certainly ones which you would not be able to pull off without a certain degree of skill.

[SpringChoke]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Shirley. With his clean and accurate disposal (especially by foot), I'd like to see what he can do when freed from a tagging role.

Some of the goals he kicked this year (ok I know he didn't kick that many but ...) were semi-freakish. Not Ablett like by any stretch of the imagination but certainly ones which you would not be able to pull off without a certain degree of skill.

I didn't mention Shirls becuase he will be 26 this year.

[SpringChoke]

[QUOTE=Stiffy_18]I
Reilly is REALLY at the cross roads now. This is his final chance to prove to us that he was worth the pick 12 in the strongest draft. I know we have been saying this for some time now but 2006 is a final chance. Arguably he has gone backwards in 2005 despite playing majority of the games. He just has to step up. If he doesn't then I think we need to look elsewhere.


I am not sure that Pfeiffer is an inside midfielder. To me he is more of an outside player that is super courageous. A bit like Torney in the courage department. His build and overhead marking reminds me a bit of Simon Goodwin. If we can become anywhere near as good as Goodwin, we would be absolutely STOKED.

QUOTE]

I agree, make or break year for Reilly. If he doesn't preform this year, I would trade him why there is still some interest.

As for Pfeiffer I have heard representatives from the AFC comment that he has "enormous commitment at the ball" and "ball winning qualities" which to me would imply he is more inside that outside.