Analysis 2017 Midfield Structure

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therubbernub

therubbernub

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Interested to hear others thoughts on what shape our midfield will take in 2017 . There has been a lot of skilled, fast, clean hands added to our list in the past month. How far have we gone towards fixing our Achilles heel?
 

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For the preseason competition, how about this: Rank the players by endurance tests such as beep and time trial. Pick your fittest squad of 26. That will sort out the Troy Menzels from the Charlie Curnows.

Our players aren't fit enough to last 4 quarters and with several down-hill skiers in the group who won't run and chase, sides run rings around us on a turnover.
 
Azul said:
For the preseason competition, how about this: Rank the players by endurance tests such as beep and time trial. Pick your fittest squad of 26. That will sort out the Troy Menzels from the Charlie Curnows.

Our players aren't fit enough to last 4 quarters and with several down-hill skiers in the group who won't run and chase, sides run rings around us on a turnover.
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I agree fitness and ability to run both ways is critical. Is there room for a kerridge? Effort and fitness is beyond dispute, but does he have the poise and footy nouse?
 
Cripps starts in middle with Murphy, Curnow, Gibbs & Palmer. Cuningham next as he was good in centre square late in the year. SPS looks like he can step in straight away closely followed by Fisher. I'm hopeful Charlie can play through the middle. Polson is the smokey.
 
MAINSTAY
Murph
Gibbs
Cripps
E Curnow
Palmer
Kerridge
Graham
Cuningham (limited)
SPS (limited)

Wright/Pickett/sumner/Doc/CCurnow/lamb/Simmo/fisher/polson/Plowman/Byrne/ Thomas (if he has a great pre-season) running through there for a few minutes.
 
Soapy V said:
Cripps starts in middle with Murphy, Curnow, Gibbs & Palmer. Cuningham next as he was good in centre square late in the year. SPS looks like he can step in straight away closely followed by Fisher. I'm hopeful Charlie can play through the middle. Polson is the smokey.
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Difficult to judge our potential strength ..and in a way it will never happen as Gibbs,might go Adelaide,Murphy getting on.
Cripps will need significant support in the next few years from the above list..this year will be our usual mid structure with palmer,cunners stepping up and may see SPS early with Fisher later.we may not quite have another Murphy or Gibbs however there may be better depth available in future and that i feel is a good thing and hope to see improvement overall.
 
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therubbernub said:
I agree fitness and ability to run both ways is critical. Is there room for a kerridge? Effort and fitness is beyond dispute, but does he have the poise and footy nouse?
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I'd say his spot will be Palmer's unless palmer is played forward instead. If so, Kerridge will probably be the default selection until one of Graham/SPS/Cuningham/Fisher et al take it from him.
 
ShanDog said:
I'd say his spot will be Palmer's unless palmer is played forward instead. If so, Kerridge will probably be the default selection until one of Graham/SPS/Cuningham/Fisher et al take it from him.
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Kerridge is good athlete..but some say that might be all,if he keeps turning it over bit like Bell used to,good competitor though.
 
My starting would consist of:
Cripps
Gibbs
Curnow
Kerridge or Palmer
Cunningham or Boekhorst
Pickett or SPS

Murphy I'd like to see moved to HF.

Next in line are those that miss out above, then the likes of Fisher, Graham etc. I like we have more comp for spots and decent flexibility with types that can run through there.
 
Love the Drake said:
MAINSTAY
Murph
Gibbs
Cripps
E Curnow
Palmer
Kerridge
Graham
Cuningham (limited)
SPS (limited)

Wright/Pickett/sumner/Doc/CCurnow/lamb/Simmo/fisher/polson/Plowman/Byrne/ Thomas (if he has a great pre-season) running through there for a few minutes.
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I would be shocked in Graham is playing in anything other than the bullants midfield. Only way he gets a game is if all of our young mids aren't fit enough to play.
 
Cripps, Gibbs and Murphy are our best on ballers, I'd play them in the square the whole time they're on. Then Ed, Wright, Palmer, Smedts can run through occasionally.
 

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ShanDog said:
Graham can play. He needs to find it a little more though.
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Agreed, although sometimes i worry if Graham has the tank to play 4 quarters in the AFL, hopefully he works on that over summer, would like him to have a string of 10 consecutive games in the seniors.

Hopefully our shiny new Merc (SPS) is ripped and raring to go round 1, a speedy creative type who is a decent kick on both sides, like we have been waiting since Methuselah was born to get one of those types in. (or so it seems)
 
COBALT BLUE said:
Kerridge is good athlete..but some say that might be all,if he keeps turning it over bit like Bell used to,good competitor though.
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I'm hoping that with more development he can improve this aspect of his game. We've had success in the past with Carrazzo and E.Curnow.
 
HBF said:
I'm hoping that with more development he can improve this aspect of his game. We've had success in the past with Carrazzo and E.Curnow.
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I'm hoping Kerridge sticks to his limitations. IMO he was not up to the extra responsibility when murphy went down last year. Before that he was going ok. Give him a role more suited to his strengths
 
I was initially optimistic about Kerridge getting games beyond 2017.

Looking at the direction the club is going in terms of prioritising kicking skills and rapid ball movement, I honestly doubt that he'll last.

If he doesn't improve his decision making, disposal and fumbliness, he'll be pushed out of the side by 2018.
 
Love the Drake said:
MAINSTAY
Murph
Gibbs
Cripps
E Curnow
Palmer
Kerridge
Graham
Cuningham (limited)
SPS (limited)

Wright/Pickett/sumner/Doc/CCurnow/lamb/Simmo/fisher/polson/Plowman/Byrne/ Thomas (if he has a great pre-season) running through there for a few minutes.
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rp84 said:
I would be shocked in Graham is playing in anything other than the bullants midfield. Only way he gets a game is if all of our young mids aren't fit enough to play.
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Can't really argue with this. I think the addition of Palmer in the trade period is really underrated, when you put it all together, he really is in our top half dozen midfielders.

Graham can play footy, but he lacks the attributes required to make it at AFL. He will be a great leader and contributor to the VFL and other State Leagues, 100%. Wouldn't surprise me if he captained a VFL flag one day.

I honestly think Zac Fisher will get opportunities through the middle at times next year - size aside - he just has 'it'. He is already "my man" in my group of family and friends.

I think we are all pretty excited to see what CCurnow can do through the midfield, hope we see something through the NAB to at least say they are aware of his potential.

Edit: One I forgot to mention is Smedts. I think he has a real opportunity to play through our midfield at times.
 
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slashin_velvet said:
Charlie curnow will be the surprise packet big bodied mid for mine.

Cripps and 2 curnows in close, allowing gibbs, murph, sps and pickett to spend more time on the outside.
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It's looking more and more like we see a role for Charlie there, but I think he's a natural forward who can surprise up the field, rather than the other way around.

Regardless, and whether or not Gibbs goes, we need to find another big bodied mid that can perform at AFL level, whether that be from our existing stock or the next couple of off-season periods.
 
slashin_velvet said:
Charlie curnow will be the surprise packet big bodied mid for mine.

Cripps and 2 curnows in close, allowing gibbs, murph, sps and pickett to spend more time on the outside.
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Totally agree SV. Charlie looks to me, to have all the tools and tricks to be a top line mid. I think there will only ever be one Kouta, but Charlie could be "Koutaesque"... He's a starting mid in my opinion, along with Gibbs and Cripps. Murphy should play predominantly in our forward line to add some real class and polish. And have short sharp bursts through the midfield, preferably changing with Gibbs...

That's the secret to a good midfield; to not lose anything, or at least minimise that loss when the rotations happen...

Cripps: you're always going to lose when you take him out of the guts, but his rotations should be with Ed, Gorringe or Kerridge... strong bullocking bodies.

Charlie: hard to find a like for like, but I'd like to see him rotating with Jack (yes Jack Silvagni) , Polson, and Kreuzer.... obviously with Phillips rucking.

Gibbs: class onballer, needs to change with more class. Murphy and SPS.

It's a bit out there, but overall, it gives us consistent levels of variety, depth, speed, strength, run and polish...
 
I'd never suggest gorringe is a bullocking body.

Charlie's dimensions are comparable with cripps, so they should rotate between forward, mid and bench.
 
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