Top 5 Midfields 2024

[Swanssince91]

Same Hawk fans who think Will Day is already an elite/A grade footballer just because he won their B and F

Don't get me wrong, Day is a very fine prospect whom should reach the elite/A grade level, but he clearly is not there yet.

Think some fans (of all clubs) take too much stock into Best and Fairest rankings tbh

Agree with this, end of the day they finished close to the bottom above two ordinary teams.
Their best players were Sicily and Bruest

 

[Caligo]

Agree with this, end of the day they finished close to the bottom above two ordinary teams.
Their best players were Sicily and Bruest

Newcombe was every bit as good as bruest in 2023. Sicily was head and shoulders above everyone though, and better than all but a dozen players in the league.

I don't think it is so much that supporters overrate BnF. I think it is more than oppo fans don't watch every game and make assumptions and underrate it. All supporters (but especially oppo) fail to recognise important things players do that are not always obvious, particularly on TV. I suspect you are guilty of it here with respect to Day.

 

[Swanssince91]

Newcombe was every bit as good as bruest in 2023. Sicily was head and shoulders above everyone though, and better than all but a dozen players in the league.

I don't think it is so much that supporters overrate BnF. I think it is more than oppo fans don't watch every game and make assumptions and underrate it. All supporters (but especially oppo) fail to recognise important things players do that are not always obvious, particularly on TV. I suspect you are guilty of it here with respect to Day.

I watched Day and Newcombe against the Swans, stats wise they played well.
They didn't stand out

 

[Orange crush]

I’m concerned with the focus on Adelaide and Hawthorn on this thread …. Both have potential but neither are close to top 5

 

[Swanssince91]

I’m concerned with the focus on Adelaide and Hawthorn on this thread …. Both have potential but neither are close to top 5

Crows probably could be if they had an extra good mid or two.
The forward line is really good.

 

[Orange crush]

Crows probably could be if they had an extra good mid or two.
The forward line is really good.

Yep good forward line …. But not a top 5 midfield.
I will say Crouch looked much better end of season and that helps them, but pedlar, rankine and rachele need more developing

 

[Caligo]

I watched Day and Newcombe against the Swans, stats wise they played well.
They didn't stand out

That is precisely my point. So many oppo fans judging players off a few games. Or even one.

And then they say bnf is overrated, thinking they know more than professional coaches.

Peak big footy right there.

 

[Swanssince91]

That is precisely my point. So many oppo fans judging players off a few games. Or even one.

And then they say bnf is overrated, thinking they know more than professional coaches.

Peak big footy right there.

I probably only watched 3-4 hawks games, Sicily was the standout.
If I judged it off one game Sicily would be in strife as the two young key forwards for the swans kicked 9 between them.
Amartey only played a half.
Newcombe is a bit of a plodder and has probably reached his ceiling.

 

[Jeremias]

Yep good forward line …. But not a top 5 midfield.
I will say Crouch looked much better end of season and that helps them, but pedlar, rankine and rachele need more developing

Good forward line in 2023, on the back of a career year from a 33 year-old Tex Walker.

Maybe he can back it up in 2024 but I have my doubts.

 

[Swanssince91]

Good forward line in 2023, on the back of a career year from a 33 year-old Tex Walker.

Maybe he can back it up in 2024 but I have my doubts.

They do have two young up and coming forwards plus Rankine

 

[Caligo]

I probably only watched 3-4 hawks games, Sicily was the standout.
If I judged it off one game Sicily would be in strife as the two young key forwards for the swans kicked 9 between them.
Amartey only played a half.
Newcombe is a bit of a plodder and has probably reached his ceiling.

I could have guessed you watched 3-4 gamed without you saying it. In fact, I did. It was abundantly obvious. I am not usually that accurate with my predictions.

As I said, peak big footy.

 

[Swanssince91]

I could have guessed you watched 3-4 gamed without you saying it. In fact, I did. It was abundantly obvious. I am not usually that accurate with my predictions.

As I said, peak big footy.

Peak big footy is talking about how good your players are and finishing third to bottom ahead of a couple basket cases

 

[Caligo]

Peak big footy is talking about how good your players are and finishing third to bottom ahead of a couple basket cases

That too!

And that my 5 spuds can be traded for your prime AA.

 

[Swanssince91]

That too!

And that my 5 spuds can be traded for your prime AA.

Think it was only 4
And I did say I wouldn't trade him for your best 4

 

[hawkman]

I watched Day and Newcombe against the Swans, stats wise they played well.
They didn't stand out

We got smashed by 80 points. No one stood out

I probably only watched 3-4 hawks games, Sicily was the standout.
If I judged it off one game Sicily would be in strife as the two young key forwards for the swans kicked 9 between them.
Amartey only played a half.
Newcombe is a bit of a plodder and has probably reached his ceiling.

If his ceiling is the Bulldogs game in Round 22, I will take it. Not many play much better games than that

 

[Swanssince91]

We got smashed by 80 points. No one stood out

If his ceiling is the Bulldogs game in Round 22, I will take it. Not many play much better games than that

Well the bulldogs were a rabble at the end of the year, they did get knocked off by West Coast.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

It won't change imo.

Daicos
Petracca
Neale
Bontempelli
Cripps

 

[TheUnicorn]

It won't change imo.

Daicos
Petracca
Neale
Bontempelli
Cripps

Midfields, not midfielders.

 

[Vintage]

Darcy
jackson
serong
brayshaw
young
fyfe
Johnson
JOM
chapman
aish
Brodie, Erasmus,

hmm, still a way off top 5. with any luck they develop this year and are in the conversation next year

 

[Fadge]

Darcy
jackson
serong
brayshaw
young
fyfe
Johnson
JOM
chapman
aish
Brodie, Erasmus,

hmm, still a way off top 5. with any luck they develop this year and are in the conversation next year

Freo building a very impressive, deep midfield.

Big things on the horizon for you guys I reckon.

 

[Cleansweep17]

Not in order

Pies
Blues
Dogs
Dees
Lions

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Interesting exercise using Wheelo stats for 2023, the best sides when combining clearances won, contested possessions, uncontested possessions, inside 50's, rebound 50's, tackles and hitouts to advantage* - granted this doesn't tell the entire story at all - in order were....

Adelaide (28)
Bulldogs (21)
GWS (18)
Melbourne (17)
Brisbane/GC (12)
Stk/ Frem (11)
Port/Carlton/Syd/Haw/Ess (9)
Colling/Rich (4)

Interestingly or not, Geelong didn’t rate a mention in any metric which surprised me a little, while Collingwood got their solitary 4 votes for being 4th for tackles.


*looked at the top 7 in each category, assigned a 7,6,5, 4 etc vote for each place from 1st to 7th and then recorded the cumulative score in brackets.

 

[Blackhawk42]

I probably only watched 3-4 hawks games, Sicily was the standout.
If I judged it off one game Sicily would be in strife as the two young key forwards for the swans kicked 9 between them.
Amartey only played a half.
Newcombe is a bit of a plodder and has probably reached his ceiling.

Jesus Christ.

Newcombe is one of the most complete midfielders in the AFL. There isn't one part of the game he isn't strong at.

Polling where he did in the coaches votes and Brownlow medal plus making the All Australian squad in his second full season is more proof of his ability than whatever you are seeing when you watch him play.

I'd even cop somebody saying he's overrated if it sounded line a genuine opinion, but 'plodder' is an insane call.

 

[VinnieB]

Jesus Christ.

Newcombe is one of the most complete midfielders in the AFL. There isn't one part of the game he isn't strong at.

Polling where he did in the coaches votes and Brownlow medal plus making the All Australian squad in his second full season is more proof of his ability than whatever you are seeing when you watch him play.

I'd even cop somebody saying he's overrated if it sounded line a genuine opinion, but 'plodder' is an insane call.

Newcombe doesn’t chase or defend. His opponent regularly gets 25+ and kicks goals. He has a long way to go. He isn’t a plodder but he isn’t close to A grade.

There’s a reason why teams kick big scores against the hawks, and the forwards struggle. The delivery to forwards by the midfield is ordinary and apart from Ward, they don’t run hard enough to support the backline.

Way overrated midfield who many of you judge by clearances. Richmond were the dominant team winning 3 premierships and were lowly ranked for clearances. Pies won the premiership and aren’t ranked highly for clearances.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Newcombe doesn’t chase or defend. His opponent regularly gets 25+ and kicks goals. He has a long way to go. He isn’t a plodder but he isn’t close to A grade.

There’s a reason why teams kick big scores against the hawks, and the forwards struggle. The delivery to forwards by the midfield is ordinary and apart from Ward, they don’t run hard enough to support the backline.

Way overrated midfield who many of you judge by clearances. Richmond were the dominant team winning 3 premierships and were lowly ranked for clearances. Pies won the premiership and aren’t ranked highly for clearances.

Most recent premiership teams have been more concerned with using the ball well as opposed to dominating clearances.