Michael Voss

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Killer Power said:
Good start but I will need more evidence to become a believer.
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Agreed good start, and let's hope there is plenty more to come but I'm not 100% convinced yet either, the midfield appeared to go backwards in a number of areas that didn't have much, if anything to do with having a dominant ruckman, eg the two way run and spread that was there in 2013-14, but often went missing in 2015-16.

A ruckman of the quality of Ryder obviously makes an enormous difference to in particular the centre square stuff, but he was there in 2015, and the set ups didn't look anywhere near as good as they did on Saturday against the swannies, so the Lade influence probably needs to be taken into account as well.

Maybe by informing the recruiters that the midfield was short of a couple of hard nuts, Vossy could have had some influence on the drafting of SPP and Attley, but it would be drawing a long bow to suggest he asked for anyone specifically. ;)
 
1954 said:
... Vossy could have had some influence on the drafting of SPP ...
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Chris Davies in the jumper presentation video says that he and Ken and the other coaches first saw SPP on June 18 2016 when he played in a curtain raiser before the Freo game, "... from that moment on the club started to look at its draft strategy and trade strategy to make sure we got you into the club ...". Vossy may have been a big influence on that decision or he may not have been.
 

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*Controversial opinion*

Our midfield looks much better when Gray is used only as a pinch hitter. He's a one way player and that hurts when you are playing quality opposition. Rotating him between the midfield and forward line keeps the opposition guessing and is a much better use of his party trick style of football.
 
TeeKray said:
*Controversial opinion*

Our midfield looks much better when Gray is used only as a pinch hitter. He's a one way player and that hurts when you are playing quality opposition. Rotating him between the midfield and forward line keeps the opposition guessing and is a much better use of his party trick style of football.
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Yep. 80/20 Forward/Mid split - maybe with increased time in the guts if we have momentum against us and we need to change things up a little.
 
Shaucob_Burjan said:
Thing is under Voss the skills have gone backwards completely, whether that is because of him or something else is unknown.

However we are a lot better defensively. Tackling is better, defensive pressure as a team is better, defensive setups are good.

We were also completely terrible in how we setup at midfield, it was like a complete Russian Roulette that depended on Lobbe (lol) winning the ruck. We've actually become a lot better ever since Trengove became a 1st ruck.
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You can't blame Voss for our poor kicking - especially delivery inside 50 on Saturday - when the players had time and made poor choices and/or poor execution errors.
 
One hot day doesn't make a summer.

All the tools in the shed make it easier to fix things.

When the bin stinks something is rotten.

The glass is half full.

I say potatoes when you say potarto
 
TeeKray said:
*Controversial opinion*

Our midfield looks much better when Gray is used only as a pinch hitter. He's a one way player and that hurts when you are playing quality opposition. Rotating him between the midfield and forward line keeps the opposition guessing and is a much better use of his party trick style of football.
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I think we look very good with Brad Ebert partnering Ollie Wines in the midfield. If that frees Gray to run amok up forward, then you little ripper.
 
PJ Power said:
I think we look very good with Brad Ebert partnering Ollie Wines in the midfield. If that frees Gray to run amok up forward, then you little ripper.
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Yep Ebert, playing a more defensive role and Ollie and SPP are our 3 biggest bodied mid fielders and that's why they were able to compete with the swans and these 3 rack up 25 clearances. I reckon our starting line up at each quarter unless we are getting slaughtered or have injuries, should be Ryder, Ebo, Ollie and SPP.
 
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TeeKray said:
*Controversial opinion*

Our midfield looks much better when Gray is used only as a pinch hitter. He's a one way player and that hurts when you are playing quality opposition. Rotating him between the midfield and forward line keeps the opposition guessing and is a much better use of his party trick style of football.
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Absolutely.

I've said before that Gray is a creator and not a disruptor. He's the guy you put into the midfield when you want to make something happen out of nothing - the X factor. He's never going to win a Brownlow because he doesn't defend (and that's why he doesn't get the superstar treatment - the umpires believe he's a show pony), but that's okay - when you've got those sort of skills, sometimes the best defence is a good offence. Wingard is the same - they are both attacking midfielders rather than the balanced midfielders of a Boak, Ebert or Wines.

I don't think Gray was injured at all during the preseason. I think we kept him out so the midfield could learn to operate without relying on him. He's the guy you want in the midfield in the fourth quarter when the game is on the line, not the guy you want grinding away for three quarters in the mid so he can't be effective in the last.
 
Chrizzt said:
Yep. 80/20 Forward/Mid split - maybe with increased time in the guts if we have momentum against us and we need to change things up a little.
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Gray the forward is a handy player on the Luke Breust or Mark LeCras level. Gray the midfielder is an AFLCA MVP. You've got those numbers the wrong way around.

I'm not generally one for big hot take statements, but a fully fit Robbie Gray combined with Paddy Ryder as sole ruck will be the new Lade/Burgoyne, but better. Bookmark it.
 

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Schulzenfest said:
Gray the forward is a handy player on the Luke Breust or Mark LeCras level. Gray the midfielder is an AFLCA MVP. You've got those numbers the wrong way around.

I'm not generally one for big hot take statements, but a fully fit Robbie Gray combined with Paddy Ryder as sole ruck will be the new Lade/Burgoyne, but better. Bookmark it.
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In the back half of the year when everyone slows down and space opens up, sure. But right now, we roll with Ebert, Wines and Powell-Pepper in the midfield because every man and his dog still thinks the way to beat us is to bring the heat in the contest. Eventually, they'll start to sag off a bit and try to use a perceived poor efficiency rating as a way to get us, and that's when we play Gray and Wingard through the middle because they are our best creators.

It's not like we're not 1st in the league in clearances or anything. Against Sydney. We're doing just fine without him.
 
Janus said:
In the back half of the year when everyone slows down and space opens up, sure. But right now, we roll with Ebert, Wines and Powell-Pepper in the midfield because every man and his dog still thinks the way to beat us is to bring the heat in the contest. Eventually, they'll start to sag off a bit and try to use a perceived poor efficiency rating as a way to get us, and that's when we play Gray and Wingard through the middle because they are our best creators.

It's not like we're not 1st in the league in clearances or anything. Against Sydney. We're doing just fine without him.
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The extra dimensions we have added to our team this year are looking huge.

Powell-Pepper and Ebert rotating through the middle a lot more, crashing around and winning clearances all over the place is going to be huge in wrestling back momentum through the midfield. The improved short passing game we have shown is going to be critical in getting out of the back half, and in having effective inside 50 entries. Finally, the welcoming back of ryder gives us the option to absolutely destroy almost any team that gives us freedom at stoppages.

I'm still very interested in how we will handle Adelaide, West Coast and Melbourne, who I reckon will be hard to shut down, but I'm insanely confident against every other team right now.
 
What a great performance by the midfield, I feel we are building to something great again.

Our next great test is consistency and how we adapt to defensive tactics as the opposition try and work us out.
 
Powerade 08 said:
So is every other teams marquee mid.
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So much this. That 'he won't win a Brownlow because he doesn't defend' comment was laughable. Matt Priddis is the only Brownlow medallist who defends since Wanganeen in '93.
 
Doctor Feel said:
Nat Fyfe when talking about his battle with Danger at AO in 2015, he said "It wasn't natural for me because i'm not exactly known for my accountability"
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Fyfe and Dangerfield don't even put in a token effort lol. If they don't win the ball they just stand there and watch the game.
 
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Powerade 08 said:
Fyfe and Dangerfield don't even put in a token effort lol. If they don't win the ball they just stand there and watch the game.
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This was highlighted in depth with a massive invasive 'Danger watch' picture in picture which took up close to half the TV screen in the Freo vs Cats game, got a first hand look at Danger walking around aimlessly for about 5 minutes.
 
Schulzenfest said:
Gray the forward is a handy player on the Luke Breust or Mark LeCras level. Gray the midfielder is an AFLCA MVP. You've got those numbers the wrong way around.

I'm not generally one for big hot take statements, but a fully fit Robbie Gray combined with Paddy Ryder as sole ruck will be the new Lade/Burgoyne, but better. Bookmark it.
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Here's the thing. Lade Burgoyne looked great but how mamy games did it actually win us.

Maybe Robbie in the guts is the same. If the workhorses win us games then I eill happily go without the flashy moments of brilliance.

If we are 3 goals down with 5 to go though get Robbie in the guts, much like the Hawks do with Burger.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 
If Vossy is about building a big bodied midfield then Atley must be ready to tip out a teammate. :D
 
Suggestions that R. Gray is a one way runner are way off the mark. If he was not playing the role he has been asked to play to a tee, he would not have been awarded three B&Fs in a row by the coaches.

Robbie's reduced time in the midfield in the early rounds of the season has everything to do with managing our most valuable playing asset and nothing to do with his effectiveness when in the guts.
 
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