Do the Lions have the best midfield in the comp?

[Heaps of fun]

In all my years, I've never seen such an awesome midfield as that of the Lions. Cousins, Judd and Kerr? I think the Lions easily have that covered and then some because of their very deep depth. I think about how strong the midfield was this year and I think they could even get to win 8 games next year if things fall their way. Adding Beams to their already star studded midfield has ensured that next year they will be the ultimate defensive two way running midfield. Watch out Hawthorn!

The bile...

 

[The Joker]

Adding Beams and Bundy has all of a sudden taken a top 10/15 midfield to number 1, give me a break.

 

[Big Fresh]

Not even close.

 

[Dredd]

Your boys will make the 8 next season. Comfortably.

lol.
yeah, nah.

 

[askdotcom]

is a really strong midfield but not near best atm in about 3 years time it will be up there with Goldcoast and GWS.

 

[Tas]

Essendon, Richmond,North, geelong, Gold Coast, gws, freo, there are more


We have 4 or 5 A grade midfielders brisbane have 2 or 3

How did a team with 5 A-grade midfielders not make the top 8?

 

[Dom PC]

Adding Beams and Bundy has all of a sudden taken a top 10/15 midfield to the number 1, give me a break.

I agree we aren't the best in the comp (we do have the potential to be though).

In reality we are adding Rich, Redden, Beams, Christensen, Robinson and Leuenberger for 2015. Rich, Redden and Leuenberger played a total of 20 out of 66 possible games in 2014. So saying we are only adding Beams and Bundy isn't really correct. Then on top of that Mayes, Aish and Taylor will have another preseason into them. So I think our midfield will be better than you are giving it credit for.

 

[TigerTime3]

The Lions have the best midfield in the comp.

And their FF is Luke McGuane.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

The Lions have the best midfield in the comp.

And their FF is Luke McGuane.

Premiership favourites

 

[blitzer]

I like the Brisbane midfield and the age demographic is fantastic. I agree Brisbane will be close to top 8 at least. That said - no i don't agree they are the best midfield. Right now they only have 2 bonafide AA level midfielders in Beams and Rockcliff. Also whilst both those players are great - i don't think either of them would be much better than top 10 in comp at best. So whilst they do bat very deep i don't know if its genuinely the best. I personally think with the midfield its more about the top end quality than the depth. I mean rotations are wonderful and all but its much better to have those gun players that you can always rely on. Also talent does not = performance and with such a young group they will have ups and downs.

I'd be completely unsurprised if both Hawthorn and Sydney midfield outperform Brisbane next year. Also Port and Gold Coast obviously have great midfields as well. There are a few other teams that are pretty good as well in the midfield stakes.

 

[Kappa]

Won't make the 8 next year, any team with such a supposed elite midfield would easily be in top 4 contention

 

[sonnywalters]

Best midfield in the AFL in my opinion.

As others have said - you still need to find some KPPs to play and/or win finals.

 

[GOTHELIONS16]

Would be close on paper but games aren't won on paper. and a good midfield doesn't mean that much with poor KPP

Would be surprised if the Lions were better than 10th or 11th next year

I think people are forgetting that the lions have a really promising key forward and key back set up that also boasts some classy experience. Luke McGuanne and Brett Staker up front with Paine, Freeman, Paparone and Close as reserves. Daniel Merrett, Maguire, Clarke, Gardiner and Mcstay as the key positon backs. And with Rich, Hanley and Adcock running from Half back and not to mention that Staker, Mcguanne and Martin (forward as well) can also play center half back. The Lions have a pretty impressive Kpp line up to me! If you ask me, the lions have the most in depth team at each section of the ground.

Potential Key position Forwards: Mcguanne, Staker, Merrett, Martin, Paine, Close, Paparone, Mcstay, Freeman (extremely promising and will only get better)
Other players that can reguarly play Forward: Zorko, Robinson, Christensen, Green, Mayes, Bewick, Taylor, Rockliff, C.Beams (Best small/mid forwards in league)
Players that regularly play midfield: Rockliff, Redden, Rich, Hanley, D.Beams, C.Beams, Christensen, Robinson, Zorko, Green, Mayes, Bewick, Taylor, Aish, Robertson, O'Brien (best in league)
Half-backs/small backs: Adcock, Rich, Hanley, Mayes, Harwood, Golby, Dawson (Best depth in league)
Potential key position Backs: Merrett, Mcguanne, Staker, Maguire, Martin, Clarke, Gardiner, Bourke, Mcstay
Ruckman: Leuenberger, West, Martin, Smith (no doubt best ruck group in league)
Better than Hawthorn, port, sydney, north melbourne, Fremantle, Gold Coast, Geelong, Richmond and Essendon's depth if your honest with yourself.
Lions should make top 4.
The fact is all teams suffer from injuries and very rarely get to take their best team into a match throughout the season. When all the other teams have injuries, cracks will start to form whereas the lions have it covered at every single blade of grass on the field. Those of you who say that the lions have poor key position players must be both mindless and extremely jealous of what the lions have created over the last 12 months.
Brett Staker, Luke Mcguanne, Stefan Martin, Matthew Leuenberger, Trent West, Daniel Merrett, Matt Maguire and Justin Clarke are all at least B graders. Jonathan Brown has just retired so we're not going to get the classy key forward until round 1 when a player has the opportunity to step up and prove it. You'll see come round 1 against collingwood! Remember if there is one coach in the afl that has the potential to develop some A grade key positon players there is no one better than the great Justin Leppitsch. You'll see!

 

[jackess]

How did a team with 5 A-grade midfielders not make the top 8?

Rich and Leuey missing the whole season and Redden half. Hanley only became an A grader mid way through the season. Martin only played half the season.

FWIW I rank our midfield like this

A graders: Rockliff, D Beams and Hanley
B graders: Rich, Redden, Martin and Zorko
C graders: Bewick, Lester and West (plus maybe Mitch Robinson)

Due to age or injury Leuenberger, Christensen, C Beams, Aish, Taylor, etc are a bit hard to rate ATM.

 

[Tas]

Rich and Leuey missing the whole season and Redden half. Hanley only became an A grader mid way through the season. Martin only played half the season.

FWIW I rank our midfield like this

A graders: Rockliff, D Beams and Hanley
B graders: Rich, Redden, Martin and Zorko
C graders: Bewick, Lester and West (plus maybe Mitch Robinson)

Due to age or injury Leuenberger, Christensen, C Beams, Aish, Taylor, etc are a bit hard to rate ATM.

Hanley is a half-back isn't he?

You will find as your midfield improve, opportunity diminishes, it is exceptionally hard to have 5 A-grade midfielders, the reality is having 3 is exceptionally hard, once you get more than 2 they tend to push the rest of the group lower and lower, they get starved of opportunity and they find it hard to blossom. I think while the new recruits will make Lions stronger next year, I think guys like Aish might struggle for quality opportunity and might get tempted by offers to return home.

 

[JasRulz63]

Hanley is a half-back isn't he?

Played the last two seasons pretty much purely in the midfield.

On the OP, I like our midfield, but I'm going to wait until we play some games before making such a big call. Midfields like Sydney and Hawthorn have been there and done that.

 

[Stratton_Gun]

Lions should make top 4.

Not going to pick apart you're whole post but this epitomizes your delusions

 

[jackess]

Hanley is a half-back isn't he?

You will find as your midfield improve, opportunity diminishes, it is exceptionally hard to have 5 A-grade midfielders, the reality is having 3 is exceptionally hard, once you get more than 2 they tend to push the rest of the group lower and lower, they get starved of opportunity and they find it hard to blossom. I think while the new recruits will make Lions stronger next year, I think guys like Aish might struggle for quality opportunity and might get tempted by offers to return home.

Half backs don't get 45 possessions in a game. He's an A grade midfielder.

 

[pOleK]

People are saying our forwards and defense structure are weak.
Give some players such as gardener, mcstay and paparone some experience and add players such as taylor, aish and green who play forwards and kick goals and toss in merrit and maguire who are there bigger defenders into the mix, the lions do have a decent team in 2-4 years time

 

[GOTHELIONS16]

I think people are forgetting that the lions have a really promising key forward and key back set up that also boasts some classy experience. Luke McGuanne and Brett Staker up front with Paine, Freeman, Paparone and Close as reserves. Daniel Merrett, Maguire, Clarke, Gardiner and Mcstay as the key positon backs. And with Rich, Hanley and Adcock running from Half back and not to mention that Staker, Mcguanne and Martin (forward as well) can also play center half back. The Lions have a pretty impressive Kpp line up to me! If you ask me, the lions have the most in depth team at each section of the ground.

Potential Key position Forwards: Mcguanne, Staker, Merrett, Martin, Paine, Close, Paparone, Mcstay, Freeman (extremely promising and will only get better)
Other players that can reguarly play Forward: Zorko, Robinson, Christensen, Green, Bewick, Taylor, Rockliff, C.Beams (Best small/mid forwards in league)
Players that regularly play midfield: Rockliff, Redden, Rich, Hanley, D.Beams, C.Beams, Christensen, Robinson, Zorko, Green, Taylor, Aish, Robertson, O'Brien (best in league)
Half-backs/small backs: Adcock, Rich, Hanley, Harwood, Golby, Dawson (Best depth in league)
Potential key position Backs: Merrett, Mcguanne, Staker, Maguire, Martin, Clarke, Gardiner, Bourke, Mcstay
Ruckman: Leuenberger, West, Martin, Smith (no doubt best ruck group in league)
Better than Hawthorn, port, sydney, north melbourne, Gold Coast, Geelong, Richmond and Essendon's depth if your honest with yourself.
Lions should make top 4.
The fact is all teams suffer from injuries and very rarely get to take their best team into a match throughout the season. When all the other teams have injuries, cracks will start to form whereas the lions have it covered at every single blade of grass on the field. Those of you who say that the lions have poor key position players must be both mindless and extremely jealous of what the lions have created over the last 12 months.
Brett Staker, Luke Mcguanne, Stefan Martin, Matthew Leuenberger, Trent West, Daniel Merrett, Matt Maguire and Justin Clarke are all at least B graders. Jonathan Brown has just retired so we're not going to get the classy key forward until round 1 when a player has the opportunity to step up and prove it. You'll see come round 1 against collingwood! Remember if there is one coach in the afl that has the potential to develop some A grade key positon players there is no one better than the great Justin Leppitsch. Youll see!

Not going to pick apart you're whole post but this epitomizes your delusions

What delusion, the depth in the lions squad is the best in the comp not to mention the starting 22.

FB: Clarke, Merrett, Adcock
HB: Hanley, Maguire, Rich
Rucks:Leuenberger, Rockliff, D.Beams
C: Christensen, Redden, Robinson
HF: Zorko, Martin, Taylor
FF: Green, McGuanne, Staker
Inter: Bewick, Mayes, Aish
Sub: C.Beams
This starting 22 leaves out Darcy Gardiner, Daniel McStay, Ryan Lester, Michael Close, Marco Paparone, Ryan Harwood, Mitch Golby, Jackson Paine and Trent West who all played multiple games in 2014.

 

[pOleK]

People are saying that Hanley should be talented enough for All Australian Side

*NEWSFLASH* HE'S IRISH< HE PLAYS FOR IRELANd

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Lions still not a patch on the Hawks.

Inside: Mitchell, Hodge, Burgoyne, Lewis, Shiels, Langford, Woodward...

Outside: Smith, Hill, Hartung, O'Rourke...

Rotations: Rioli, Roughead, Bruest...

 

[Tas]

Half backs don't get 45 possessions in a game. He's an A grade midfielder.

I can't say I noticed him play all game in the middle every week. Then again, Lions aren't on TV here a lot.

 

[SterlingArcher]

swap Rich with Hanley
Beams/Rocklif/Hanley is well and truly the best top 3 you can get

Geez. Bit over the top.

Dare say Hodge, Lewis and Mitchell wipe the floor with them.

 

[SterlingArcher]

What delusion, the depth in the lions squad is the best in the comp not to mention the starting 22.

FB: Clarke, Merrett, Adcock
HB: Hanley, Maguire, Rich
Rucks:Leuenberger, Rockliff, D.Beams
C: Christensen, Redden, Robinson
HF: Zorko, Martin, Taylor
FF: Green, McGuanne, Staker
Inter: Bewick, Mayes, Aish
Sub: C.Beams
This starting 22 leaves out Darcy Gardiner, Daniel McStay, Ryan Lester, Michael Close, Marco Paparone, Ryan Harwood, Mitch Golby, Jackson Paine and Trent West who all played multiple games in 2014.

Absolute flogging bullshit.

It's the best in Queensland, I'll give you that.