Opinion Rank the AFL midfields

[SizeMatters]

2012 was so 2 years ago... Beams will have a very tough road ahead of him to even get close to replicating his 2012 form. Blokes like Selwood, Ablett and Pendles have been bringing the goods for years on end. That IMO is a major part of being elite. Having one good year doesn't automatically make you elite, just look at Cooney and Woewodin who both won Brownlows yet have never been considered elite. They were just very very good for one year, Beams will have to be very good for a few years to be even considered elite.

 

[GutsyBug]

2012 was so 2 years ago... Beams will have a very tough road ahead of him to even get close to replicating his 2012 form. Blokes like Selwood, Ablett and Pendles have been bringing the goods for years on end. That IMO is a major part of being elite. Having one good year doesn't automatically make you elite, just look at Cooney and Woewodin who both won Brownlows yet have never been considered elite. They were just very very good for one year, Beams will have to be very good for a few years to be even considered elite.

You could see even in the few games that Beams played in 2013 he is back to his 2012 form, and with another preseason under his belt he should improve from that.

Also, I disagree that players have to have multiple years up the top to be elite. Beams has proven again and again that he is in the elite bracket, now all he has to do is maintain his form.

 

[SizeMatters]

You could see even in the few games that Beams played in 2013 he is back to his 2012 form, and with another preseason under his belt he should improve from that.

Also, I disagree that players have to have multiple years up the top to be elite. Beams has proven again and again that he is in the elite bracket, now all he has to do is maintain his form.

Not sure how you could disagree with my comment about being consistent...you said the exact same thing

 

[GutsyBug]

Not sure how you could disagree with my comment about being consistent...you said the exact same thing

You said that he needs to replicate his 2012 form for a few years before he is considered elite, I think he is elite now and if he maintains his form there will be no doubt of it.

 

[Shaneprice97]

2012 was so 2 years ago... Beams will have a very tough road ahead of him to even get close to replicating his 2012 form. Blokes like Selwood, Ablett and Pendles have been bringing the goods for years on end. That IMO is a major part of being elite. Having one good year doesn't automatically make you elite, just look at Cooney and Woewodin who both won Brownlows yet have never been considered elite. They were just very very good for one year, Beams will have to be very good for a few years to be even considered elite.

The second half of 2011, from about the halfway mark to just before the Hawthorn PF(when he was injured) he averaged 28.5 disposals and 1.8 goals from memory. For the season from memory he averaged 23-24 disposals and 1.2-1.4 goals a game, which is good football from anyones standards. He was a deadset freak in 2012 and he backed it up in 2013 after having about 4 months off and he improved is contested game while still keeping his elite efficiency by foot and hand, he was also our best against Port in our final. I have no doubt his 2013 would have been as good as his 2012 if injury hadnt ruined it, i also have no doubt he will be in AA contention again in 2014, he is imo clearly our second best midfielder.

 

[SizeMatters]

If he plays just as well as 2012/2013 this year he will imo be considered elite. He should do it but a lot can happen in 6 months of footy. I hope he can play well so he can be a vital cog in the Lions midfield along with Claye when we are pushing for another premiership.

 

[GutsyBug]

If he plays just as well as 2012/2013 this year he will imo be considered elite. He should do it but a lot can happen in 6 months of footy. I hope he can play well so he can be a vital cog in the Lions midfield along with Claye when we are pushing for another premiership.

Keep dreaming.

 

[Shaneprice97]

If he plays just as well as 2012/2013 this year he will imo be considered elite. He should do it but a lot can happen in 6 months of footy. I hope he can play well so he can be a vital cog in the Lions midfield along with Claye when we are pushing for another premiership.

Claye will be the Nathan Ablett of the Beams family unless he requests a trade to Collingwood so we can unleash is potential. I think Dayne enjoys playing with A graders in Swan and Pendlebury so i dont see why he would request a trade to Brisbane to play alongside Tom"my touches dont damage, at all"Rockliff and the rest of the C graders over at Brisbane.

 

[shaqsuns]

after seeing the suns midfield kill the collingwood midfield today in the first half without gary........ I'm going to say the suns have the best mids in the game unlucky for us we really struggle in the backline/forward line.....

 

[GutsyBug]

after seeing the suns midfield kill the collingwood midfield today in the first half without gary........ I'm going to say the suns have the best mids in the game unlucky for us we really struggle in the backline/forward line.....

Watching the game, the oldies like Swan Pendlebury etc weren't even turned on until we went down by 10 goals. Don't get me wrong, you have a very good midfield, but don't base it being better than Collingwood's after one practice match.

 

[timtamWB]

after seeing the suns midfield kill the collingwood midfield today in the first half without gary........ I'm going to say the suns have the best mids in the game unlucky for us we really struggle in the backline/forward line.....

As of right now? No you don't have the best mids. It's a practice match, intensity goes up a lot during the regular season.

But in a few seasons? You should have the best mids in the game.

 

[scaryness]

Updated the lists.

My ranks:
(1) Sydney:
Kennedy, Jack, McVeigh, Hannebery, Parker, McGlynn, Bird

(2) Fremantle:
Mundy, Barlow, Fyfe, Crowley, Hill, Pearce, Neale

(3) Port Adelaide:
Boak, Ebert, Wines, Gray, Hartlett, Cornes, Polec

(4) Gold Coast:
Ablett, O'Meara, Prestia, Swallow, Rischitelli, Martin, Bennell

(5) Collingwood:
Pendlebury, Beams, Sidebottom, Ball, Swan, Macaffer, Young

(6) Essendon:
Watson, Goddard, Stanton, Zaharakis, Heppell, Myers, Hocking

(7) Geelong:
Selwood, Johnson, Kelly, Bartel, Stokes, Duncan, Christensen

(8) Hawthorn:
Mitchell, Hodge, Burgoyne, Smith, Lewis, Sewell, Hill

(9) Adelaide:
Dangerfield, Thompson, Sloane, Crouch, van Berlo, Douglas, Wright

(10) North Melbourne:
Swallow, Wells, Dal Santo, Harvey, Ziebell, Bastinac, Cunnington

(11) Brisbane:
Rockliff, Redden, Rich, Zorko, Mayes, Aish, Taylor

(12) GWS:
Ward, Treloar, Whitfield, Scully, Coniglio, Shiel, Smith

(13) Carlton:
Murphy, Gibbs, Judd, Curnow, McLean, Carrazzo, Robinson

(14) Richmond:
Cotchin, Martin, Deledio, Ellis, Miles, Foley, Conca

(15) Western Bulldogs:
Griffen, Boyd, Liberatore, Macrae, Bontempelli, Cooney, Dahlhaus

(16) Melbourne:
N. Jones, Tyson, Trengove, Vince, Cross, Viney, M. Jones

(17) West Coast:
Priddis, Shuey, Selwood, Masten, Gaff, Rosa, Wellingham

(18) St Kilda:
Hayes, Montagna, Steven, Jones, Armitage, Dunstan, Ray

 

[timtamWB]

Surely Carlton is too high? I'd have them behind the Dogs and move Tigers and Dogs up a spot. I would make arguments for why the Dogs should be higher but to be honest it's probably just bias

 

[Bailey01]

Surely Carlton is too high? I'd have them behind the Dogs and move Tigers and Dogs up a spot. I would make arguments for why the Dogs should be higher but to be honest it's probably just bias

Yer the dogs should be higher, they've hot a great midfield. Better than Carltons and Richmonds. Most of their problems is in the forward line.

 

[matt_bas]

1) Sydney:
Kennedy, Jack, McVeigh, Hannebery, Parker, McGlynn, Bird

(2) Fremantle:
Mundy, Barlow, Fyfe, Crowley, Hill, Pearce, Neale

(3) Gold Coast:
Ablett, O'Meara, Prestia, Swallow, Rischitelli, Martin, Bennell

(4) Port Adelaide:
Boak, Ebert, Wines, Gray, Hartlett, Cornes, Polec

(5) Collingwood:
Pendlebury, Beams, Sidebottom, Ball, Swan, Macaffer, Young

(6) Essendon:
Watson, Goddard, Stanton, Zaharakis, Heppell, Myers, Hocking

(7)Adelaide:
Dangerfield, Thompson, Sloane, Crouch, van Berlo, Douglas, Wright

(8) Hawthorn:
Mitchell, Hodge, Burgoyne, Smith, Lewis, Sewell, Hill

(9) Geelong:
Selwood, Johnson, Kelly, Bartel, Stokes, Duncan, Christensen

(10) North Melbourne:
Swallow, Wells, Dal Santo, Harvey, Ziebell, Bastinac, Cunnington

(11) Brisbane:
Rockliff, Redden, Rich, Zorko, Mayes, Aish, Taylor

(12) GWS:
Ward, Treloar, Whitfield, Scully, Coniglio, Shiel, Smith

(13)Western Bulldogs:
Griffen, Boyd, Liberatore, Macrae, Bontempelli, Cooney, Dahlhaus

(14) Richmond:
Cotchin, Martin, Deledio, Ellis, Miles, Foley, Conca

(15) Carlton:
Murphy, Gibbs, Judd, Curnow, McLean, Carrazzo, Robinson

(16) Melbourne:
N. Jones, Tyson, Trengove, Vince, Cross, Viney, M. Jones

(17)St Kilda:
Hayes, Montagna, Steven, Jones, Armitage, Dunstan, Ray

(18) West Coast:
Priddis, Shuey, Selwood, Masten, Gaff, Rosa, Wellingham

 

[Wild Bill]

If you guys want to use stats to back up your heppel vs hanley argument - go look at the goal assists, marks , score involvments and goals (hanley kickef twice as many goals) stats for 2013. Plus hes only marginally behind in disposals(2 disposal discrepancy means nothing when you create as many scores as hsnley does)

I think this debate ended this year.

 

[carnthedons]

I think this debate ended this year.

Agreed. Would love the Irishman running the wings for the bombers though.

 

[Wild Bill]

Agreed. Would love the Irishman running the wings for the bombers though.

It may happen.

 

[Wild Bill]

Inside player vs winger - what do you expect in those stats?

We were both wrong.

Heppell >>> Hanley

He went past him this year.

 

[The Bomb]

Heppell is an over rated flog. He gets the ball and just bombs it down the boundary line playing it safe...Heppell better than Hanley? Laughable considering Heppell isn't fit enough to even tie Hanleys boots.

Is this a Irish joke?

 

[Schmiddy73]

crows rated too high for mine. Very thin after Danger and Slaon. Thompson on down slide and Crouch still unproven ( but lots of potential)
Keep an eye out for Brisbane midfield too, if they get Beams and Rich comes back its very solid

 

[cotter101]

crows rated too high for mine. Very thin after Danger and Slaon. Thompson on down slide and Crouch still unproven ( but lots of potential)
Keep an eye out for Brisbane midfield too, if they get Beams and Rich comes back its very solid

Rockliff, Beams, Hanley, Redden, Rich, Zorko, Christensen, Mayes, Aish and Taylor.... Add in Martin/Leuenberger in the rucks and that's going to be one hell of a midfield.

 

[Wargreymon90]

Rockliff, Beams, Hanley, Redden, Rich, Zorko, Christensen, Mayes, Aish and Taylor.... Add in Martin/Leuenberger in the rucks and that's going to be one hell of a midfield.

Yeah midfield is definitely not your issue. Pretty scary for the future

 

[Wild Bill]

Rockliff, Beams, Hanley, Redden, Rich, Zorko, Christensen, Mayes, Aish and Taylor.... Add in Martin/Leuenberger in the rucks and that's going to be one hell of a midfield.

Need someone to kick it to and some players to defend when the opposition go forward. With Patful gone who are you KPP next year?

 

[cotter101]

Need someone to kick it to and some players to defend when the opposition go forward. With Patful gone who are you KPP next year?

Freeman and Close shown some signs up forward. But yes, need someone with some experience as they are still 2+ years off. Staker probably our best bet up forward.

Patfull was never really playing as a KPD or even third tall this year. Played smaller and as an intercept player. Clarke and Maguire will most likely be our key defenders. With Bourke/Gardiner to fill the Patfull role.

Clarkes still young but had the second least goals kicked on him out of any key defender(second to Lonergan) after round 22. Was badly beat by Hawkins in round 23 though.

For the future, we're starting to look okay for Key Defenders.

My preferred forward line probably looks something like this:

Zorko Staker Mayes
Green Freeman McStay

Got to fit both Leuenberger and Martin in the side though so one will have to rest forward. Would rather see Staker go down back if need be rather than McStay play down there.