- Sep 13, 2013
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Also St. Kilda, but that's...
Analysis Adams, Fasolo, Seedsman, Sinclair, Thomas, Williams
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Also St. Kilda, but that's...
Yes but it was also a game where he stood up in the absence of experienced midfielders which is exactly what we need this year.
- Dec 13, 2012
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He was actually quite poor in 2014 except for one.....maybe 2 games. In 2013 he showed much more promise. Its a make-or-break year
- Dec 13, 2012
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No you are probably in the majority. Elliot doesnt posses many skills that strike me as a midfielder. Could rotate through there but he is a forward
Gone Critical
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I see him as a potential mid in much the same way as Fas was being groomed for such a role in 2013 before injury struck. Forwards with great ball sense and ability to read the play have a skill set that transfers to the midfield easily. Its no fluke that in days gone by the rover, usually the teams no 1 midfielder was also often a potent goalscorer when resting forward
Recent times we have seen the likes of Stevie J, Chappy, Aka, Rioli etc transfer their game seemlessly to the midfield either part time or full time. Likewise for the Pies Dids or Leon could play midfield at a very dangerous level.
The only thing that holds back such guys is their tank. If they develop a tank that allows them to play midfield their skills will automatically and successfully transfer to the midfield in most cases
Elliot could be a dynamo in the midfield as long as he gets the tank IMHO
English is also Germanic, so maybe he's a Pom!
The fact that Adelaide have a huge German-origin population might give us a fair clue...
Does he have a great ability to read the play? Don't think that is proven. Most of his goals come from marks. He does do some crumbing goals but not more than any other forward pocket. No saying he can't play midfield but I haven't seen any indication that says its where he should be.
Gone Critical
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To mark like he does you need to read the play extremely well to begin with. He is the driver in where he goes and reads the ball so he can take those marks. He is good at ground level, has elusiveness, provides good tackle pressure and attack on the ball. Breust, Rioli, Milne or Betts all have the same skill set. The thing that mainly prevents them having full time mid roles is their tank and in the Hawks case their midfield is already well serviced.
Essentially for me any small forward who kicks bags of goals has a significant ability to read the play and get where the ball is. They are creators as are the attacking midfielders. In the main team needs and their tanks are what keeps them as forwards exclusively.
- Dec 13, 2012
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His best attribute is his marking. His general play is not even in the same league as those other guys you mentioned but who knows how good he can become. I just doubt his ability to make it as a mid and think it would be rather sad if we couldnt get enough guys running through the midfield such as De Goey, Freeman, etc that Elliot is forced out of the forward line. If the club is to improve he must be played down forward and work on his crumbing and goal kicking.
Gone Critical
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I see him as having the tools. Its just his marking has been such a focal point that people miss that he does the other stuff well also.
As far as "forcing" him out of the forward line I think that is the opposite of what I am thinking. He would go to the midfield if it was felt it would enhance the team not diminish it. Any mid role would have a real forward bent to it. It would just get him into the play more often and make better use of someone who is hopefully heading towards A grade status. Him going to the midfield isn't going to mean Freeman and De Goey , if they become the players we hope for, cant also have a mid role. I would also hope Fas is able to rebuild his tank and also become a mid forward in the seasons ahead in much the same way Elliot could
If you take away his elite marking Elliot is really only an average player
There is different kinds of play reading. I hardly think because someone is good at reading one part of AFL means he can read anything well. Otherwise you could say that anyone who can play one position can play any position (assuming they have the physical capabilities). Reading the play in the air to mark is a different skill to getting to the right position to receive a handball or the next kick in the chain.
Elliot is a good kick for goal but I've never really thought of him as really creative kick. Look I don't mind them trying him there but at the same time I don't get the obsession people have with moving a player to the midfield. It was constantly discussed with Heater and already is with Langdon and Sharenburg. Is it so hard to beleve that some players play their best in a position that isn't midfield?
At the moment we struggle for targets inside 50. Moving Elliot to midfield means we have a gaping hole in the forward line. So he would have to perform extremely well as a midfielder to make up for that. Why bother when in all likelihood he won't be any better than the current midfielders we have starting? We would probably lose something for not much gain.
Gone Critical
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A couple of things I look at differently here
1st I am not saying because a player reads his position well he could play any position. Rather there is a commonality to what the good creative small forwards and the good creative midfielders bring to the table. Between these two groups there is a good crossover of skills. That doesn't mean I think a line breaking HB who reads the oncoming play well is necessarily going to do well in the midfield. For what it is worth I don't think Heater would be well suited to the midfield nor Langdon. Scharenberg I cant comment on.
Elliott has shown an ability to read the play and pick up good numbers of stats in a position that can be a graveyard for possessions. I think a Heater or a Langdon might find there supply dried up if they went forward but a Swan or Pendlebury or Beams could thrive as a small forward. You wouldnt play them there as they are too valuable as an attacking creative mid due to their skills and tank.
2nd If Elliott were to make a successful move to midfield time its a gain not a loss. To have him capable of being a dangerous small forward or a dangerous creative mid who kicks goals is only a win and gain. If we need him forward we play him there but if a times going into the centre opens up options for us with team structure I see only benefits for us. In fact if Fasolo is injury free this year both he and Elliott could start having a few midfield cameos in rotation. I think they can form a great forward combo and would work even better if the option to swing one into the middle existed.
If Elliott was being successfully tagged a move to the square could help him break that, if our midfield was struggling a move by him might tip the balance back to us. Having options with a potential A grader like Elliott can only be a benefit not a loss going forward.
