Strategy MIDFIELD - 2015

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Seems to have Stevie J's knack for doing the impossible and screwing up the easier parts of football.
Has had some strange clangers for someone with such class and skill.

I don't recall his brother Dan being quite like that, IIRC he was a bit more consistent, BUT maybe Troy is really like more a Stevie J doing some ridiculous things and then messing up the basics or well... he is still young. I still think, if his attitude and application is right, he could be our best player one day (though he might have some competition if Cripps continues on his development ;) )
 
I want Murphy to really step up this year. It will be the first time in a long while where he is fit and also has support from the likes of Judd and Gibbs. If Thomas is thrown into that mix , then Murphy could get back to his creative best.
Add to these 4, Cripps who looks to me like he is just going to go from strength to strength and could be anything (no pressure!). What i like about cripps is that he brings an element to our midfield that has been missing for a long while-probably since Kouta post knee. A big bodied , quick thinking ball getter. this kid is SMART and has heart to go with it. i will go out on a limb now and say he has captain written all over him. There will not be the bullying of our midfield while he is around- extremely hard to shift.
Carazzo has shown that he is no spent force and is still one of our top accumulators. A real luxury if he doesnt have to be one of our top 4 mids
Bell has taken the next step I believe, there are still some finesse errors that need to be ironed out, but with support around him, he will do plenty of damage. He can play inside or outside and has great fitness now.
Curnow is elite with his fitness and endeavour, something that we must have in todays football.

i believe that if we get our structures and game plan right, that many of our decision making/turnover errors will drop off, something that cost us dearly in 2014.

Add to the above, Kreuzer and our midfield is looking pretty good
 
Where do people see and rate:

-Graham: still fringe 23-30 player? If so, do we think he will improve or stay at a similar level.

-Whiley: is he rated? Haven't heard much from him this preseason.

-BBoekhorst: our mature-aged draftee. Do we rats him? What are his chances of impacting this year?

These three Id like to keep Cripps, Bell, Carrazzo and Curnow on their toes. And obvioisly within 2 years will need to replace Judd Carrazzo and Simmo.
 
Our starting midfield 5 - Murphy, Gibbs, Cripps, Judd, Curnow.

rotations - Bell, Menzel, Carrazzo, Thomas, Wiley
 
Murphy, Gibbs, Judd and Curnow is what Mick would most likely start with.
Carrazzo or Thomas would fill the fifth spot.
Cripps would come off the interchange bench.
Bell might move up forward while Menzel could push into the midfield during the season.
 

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So if Whiley is as good as people have been saying he is. We are really starting to put together a deep midfield. Hope to see him push for selection early in the season once he gets a few Reserves games under his belt.
 
Where do people see and rate:

-Graham: still fringe 23-30 player? If so, do we think he will improve or stay at a similar level.

-Whiley: is he rated? Haven't heard much from him this preseason.

-BBoekhorst: our mature-aged draftee. Do we rats him? What are his chances of impacting this year?

These three Id like to keep Cripps, Bell, Carrazzo and Curnow on their toes. And obvioisly within 2 years will need to replace Judd Carrazzo and Simmo.

Graham will likely get a few games due to injury. It will be up to Graham to cement himself at AFL level since his strong VFL performances will earn him games.

I haven't seen much of Whiley and Boekhurst should be a good inclusion if his fitness is up to it.
 
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Our starting midfield 5 - Murphy, Gibbs, Cripps, Judd, Curnow.

rotations - Bell, Menzel, Carrazzo, Thomas, Wiley

I think Carrots starts in front of Curnow...

Don't want to carry 3 average paced players in the midfield. Only 2 of Bell, Carrots and Curnow should play. Need to keep the SPEED in our midfield...
 
Heaps of speed and skill on the outside but the query seems to be on depth of ball winners.

Bell and Cripps loom as being important as any players you have. Both massive bodies and natural inside midfielders. The improvements that both have made over the summer (Bell in particular seems to have evolved more subtlety to his game rather than the predictable straight lines of his first few years in the system) are timely to say the least.

Fit Judd is a bit frightening.

Why hasn't Whiley been playing? He was being talked up on our board. Given that he could provide that ball winning depth it's a bit odd that he hasn't got a run. Is he injured?
 
Cheers brunov, I think belly will be used more as a hhf that can rotate through the middle. I'm not sure if he's a in and under type but someone who can crash through and exit the pack with the ball.
But yes there seems to be improvement from last year.
Cripps will be a ripper.. :)
 
I know we all wish to have most of our players run through the centre, but I don't see Bell being one of them.

He looks good when collecting on the run but he can't do what Judd, Gibbs, Carrazzo, Murphy and Cripps can do and that is to take clean possession of he ball from a stationary position and feed it out to advantage. I doubt he'll ever be able to do that regularly.

Docherty and Menzel will, though.
 
You can think about your own game and tell yourself to play within your limits all you want, but when the time comes you always have that sense of self belief that you can beat an opponent.

Bell's mistakes come from confidence in his own abilities...I feel the only way he becomes a consistently good performer for us is if he just naturally gets good habits. In the Geelong game his hands looked much better and he dished it off much more. The long kicks even resulted in about three goals by my count.

You can't teach his level of fitness though. He and Curnow are everywhere on the ground and that extra player is priceless for our side, which traditionally doesn't run both ways very well.
 

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