Midfield are a disgrace-Worst in the league

[Shemp 54]

Up until midway through the last quarter, Gia had a kicking efficiency of 14%..

14%

Thats not what we expect from an AFL footballer of his experience

What was the efficiency of the other players?

 

[Lightning_Mcqueen95]

Again we have always known that Cross doesnt have the pace, but before he was INJURED, he was our best player, he was starring today! Boyd may not have the highest efficiency but week in week out he has a crack, and to question his leadership is absurd.
Cooney is injured and that is effecting his performance, an interrupted pre season is going to have negative effects so why stick the boot in when he is clearly in some pain.
Griff has been great this season overall but has had a few down weeks.Did you not watch the finals last year or the first 14 or 15 rounds of the season or are you simply basing your opinion by 2 games?
Again why hate Gia? He single handedly provided an avenue to goal when there appeared to be none. He was kicking 3 or 4 goals a game when we seemed unlikely to kick a winning score. After the Carlton game everyone is suggesting that hes in career best form and is an extremely dangerous medium FORWARD (not midfielder so the point is irrelevant because the thread regards midfielders) but now after 2 down games you and the other clown thinks its perfectly ok to put him down and tear shreds off him.... It realy does baffle me how fickle supporters can be.
So no the points are not valid and I don't understand how you 2 think they are.

You can be defensive about these players but its all been said before. Unfortunately having a crack is only part of the recipe for success. At some stage you have to look at an individual and assess what the bring to the team. Good users of the ball is what we need in our team and clearly we lack these players. We have to many poor users at the moment. Gia on the other hand is a good user who apart from the last month has been poor at having a crack. Look I have not been having a go at players this year because simply I believe our list is poor. It should have been cut a lot deeper two drafts ago but we tried to fluke a premiership with the oldies. No problem in trying but now Eade who was at the helm must cop the criticism for list management.

 

[_Mike_]

He's also kicked 27 goals in his last 9 games

Cross cops it here but he got more tackles today than any Swan. Went off in the 2nd quarter. People are keen to point out his weaknesses, I think a bit of balance is nice

3 goals an average for the last 3 games wass good yet it didnt help yesterday. My point was clear, he was ineffective and his disposal rate was atrocious. Not the reason why we lost, but we should see better results than that from a player of his calibre.

as for the rest of the team, I have no idea. This stat was pointed out in the match summary on triple M

 

[_Mike_]

Some match stats;

Clangers - Boyd (8) Djerkurra (7)

The efficiency of the midfield was - Cross (80%) (his loss was the turning point of game).. Boyd (45%), Cooney (50%), Griffen (50%)

 

[Dollhouse#40]

definately not the worst in the league, but the past two weeks our midfield has been smashed.

Jack, Zieball, Swallow, Goodes.. all creamed us, and both teams have destroyed us in disposal. We didnt even reach 300 yesterday..

 

[Dollhouse#40]

Hard for Gia to play well as a small forward with limited oppurtunities and forward 50 entries...to make matters worse he had flogs like addison running around in midfield trying to deliver a wet ball to him.

Prior to 2011 i was a huge gia basher, this year i think he's definately stepped up a gear, and to me is quite a good leader. The above is spot on.

But on Boyd, he cant kick for sh**. Every time he get's it, i cringe. Leading the league in disposals, but also in clangers. He's two quick to boot it as far as he can, and his up and unders always favor the opposition, and put us on the backfoot, with them kicking a turnover goal.

Name another leader in the league who singlehandidly delivers the ball to the other team. I believe the captain in 2012 should be Dale Morris, who works to his own limitations, and always wins the contest.

 

[StringyDog]

But on Boyd, he cant kick for sh**. Every time he get's it, i cringe. Leading the league in disposals, but also in clangers. He's two quick to boot it as far as he can, and his up and unders always favor the opposition, and put us on the backfoot, with them kicking a turnover goal.

Name another leader in the league who singlehandidly delivers the ball to the other team. I believe the captain in 2012 should be Dale Morris, who works to his own limitations, and always wins the contest.

Boyd's efficiency/clangers are overated on this board and are very similar to other players who play that role for other teams including Mitchell, Kelly, Thompson, O'Keefe, Cotchin, Corey, Black etc etc. He has had some poor games where he has turned it over too much but has generally been pretty good, would be in top 5 in best and fairest and was the correct choice as captain.

 

[ctrain07]

You can be defensive about these players but its all been said before. Unfortunately having a crack is only part of the recipe for success. At some stage you have to look at an individual and assess what the bring to the team. Good users of the ball is what we need in our team and clearly we lack these players. We have to many poor users at the moment. Gia on the other hand is a good user who apart from the last month has been poor at having a crack. Look I have not been having a go at players this year because simply I believe our list is poor. It should have been cut a lot deeper two drafts ago but we tried to fluke a premiership with the oldies. No problem in trying but now Eade who was at the helm must cop the criticism for list management.

I agree that we don't have enough of outside players who can use the ball extremely well and we have invested possibly too much in drafting players who are in and under which is why we have a high amount of players such as Boyd, Cross, Libba, Ward, Wallice etc. But Boyd in my opinion has been great at leading a midfield that has been changing each week. Each week we have seen 2 or 3 changes and that is not easy when you are trying to captain a side for the first time, then when you look at the fact we have lost Johno, Eagleton, Harbrow from the team Lake, Hargrave and COoney, Wood to injury at various times it just gets tougher and i think hes handled the team issues and onfield troubles brilliantly, and his kicking efficiency is probably as good as the likes of mitchell and others, but it is just that we only see the highlights of these players and not the actual whole game where the efficiency of these players are actually lower than what it seems.

Rodney Eade has been to quick to act with some players and therefore there has been no stability in this side and players can become unsure as to what there role is when it changes on a weekly basis. The solection team also needs to be looked at and why you would play Cooney when he is clearly not right is beyond me, it will only do more damage, then why you bring lake in for a few weeks and then toss him back out and bring in Hill, Stack, DJ when they probably havn't earnt there spot back in VFL and then play an aging ruckman in Hudson as the solo ruck with Jones a natural forward expected to ruck as well as play forward is also just very confusing.

There are many reasons as to why we are where we are and to simply blame the midfield is too harsh, we need to lift our intensity i agree but to simply turn on the players in which he/she has named is foolish considering most if not all have been very solid contributors this season.

 

[rohjoh54]

We get smashed in clearances week after week. Cooney( when fit) & Griffen give us run and carry, Ward is hard at it, the rest give us stuff all. Boyd, Cross are great competitors but do not hurt opposition teams by hand or foot. Gia is just ordinary when we are being challenged and consistently falls over in one on one contests

 

[stefoid]

Against the Swans, Boyd is credited with 20 turnovers from 30 possessions , which is pretty mind blowing, particularly if long kicks to contests arent counted as turnovers, which I assume is the case.

I think once you get to these sorts of figures, we should instruct Boyd to try and spot up the opposition instead

DJ with 13 turnovers from 18 possessions was no slouch in getting the ball into swan hands either.

Its a bit like the swans were playing with two extra players that were kicking the ball n the wrong direction.

 

[Sween54]

I agree the last couple of weeks the midfield has be down, just have a look at our oppents shots on goal and inside 50's. I sure the reason cross and boyd aren't the most effective is because most of their disposal and under presure after winning a contest. I also notice that Wards game is becoming more balanced getting the ball inside and providing an options, a couple of his passes inside 50 today resulted in goals he's been good. Cooney & Griff injuried Higgins is just learing how to play indefence but bird gave him a flogging. Gia had an off day it happens, Well this week we'll get to look at Wallis and Reid again if its true both cooney and griff are to miss. And Roughead and Cordy may get a chance

 

[Lex22]

Oh my god! You have got to be kidding me! Matthew Boyd has been a brilliant leader and skipper this season in some games he has sigle handedly tried to lift his team. He is a great leader and for you to suggest he isn't is a joke.
Cooney has a bloody plastic knee and requires a injection prior to games to get him to play, you try and do that.
Griffen has been very good this season, he can be forgiven for having a few quiet games but for you to get on here and rubbish him is another joke.
Cross was BOG until he was substituted, he doesn't have the pace but his role this year has been a deglecting one and he has done it well.
Higgins I agree looks a man without confidence and at the moment is too unsure of himself.
GIA HAS BEEN GREAT ALL YEAR! HOW CAN YOU EVEN SAY THAT! YOU SIR HAVE NO IDEA!

Still goes missing when we need him most. Gap between his best and worst is far too much.

 

[ctrain07]

Still goes missing when we need him most. Gap between his best and worst is far too much.

In the last 2 weeks there is no doubt he has, but i think there are some that jump on his back too early. Overall this year he has been one of our best players but yes in recent weeks he has been down. But once again if you can't get it outisde of your opponents 50 then its hard for him to be a massive contributor.

 

[boydsno1]

I though he played well against North considering he was held onto all night with no reward. Was like he was being assulted all night.

 

[gs17]

Against the Swans, Boyd is credited with 20 turnovers from 30 possessions , which is pretty mind blowing, particularly if long kicks to contests arent counted as turnovers, which I assume is the case.

I think once you get to these sorts of figures, we should instruct Boyd to try and spot up the opposition instead

DJ with 13 turnovers from 18 possessions was no slouch in getting the ball into swan hands either.

Its a bit like the swans were playing with two extra players that were kicking the ball n the wrong direction.

Boyd went at 44.83% efficiency which is low, but put in perspective O'Keefe went at 39.13%, Jack at 52.94%, Shaw at 48.15%, Griffen 50.00%, Dahlhaus at 41.67%, to name a few which shows that he wasn't the only one to struggle in the conditions. On the other hand Crossy was going at 80.00% before going off, and is going at 74.87% this year which is above average.