Analysis Anyone else worried about our severe lack of experienced midfield depth?

[coniglio_number1]

current midfield depth outside the 22 since Barrett was delisted stands at Matt Kennedy. This is leaving me feel a little uncomfortable if we are going to be relying on first years to potentially fill the hole in a year we are going to be making a genuine grab at the premiership.

We still have ways to shuffle defenders like Wilson and Williams into the midfield if required with buntine or Adam Kennedy filling the defensive hole but we have such a gulf between best 22 and next 22.

Also if we happen to lose Whitfield for the season then we are going to be seriously stretched.

 

[Bokonon]

current midfield depth outside the 22 since Barrett was delisted stands at Matt Kennedy. This is leaving me feel a little uncomfortable if we are going to be relying on first years to potentially fill the hole in a year we are going to be making a genuine grab at the premiership.

We still have ways to shuffle defenders like Wilson and Williams into the midfield if required with buntine or Adam Kennedy filling the defensive hole but we have such a gulf between best 22 and next 22.

Also if we happen to lose Whitfield for the season then we are going to be seriously stretched.

You forgot Toby who can easily fill in and rest down forward. Williams is really playing as outside mid most of the time anyway isn't he?
Cant see Lachie not playing for a year but if so then Rory gets a chance to develop his skills as a winger maybe?

 

[Giant Pete]

Players that can play midfield:
Cogs, Ward, Shiel, Griffen, Deledio, Kelly, Whitfield, Scully, Greene, Williams, Smith, Hopper, Kennedy.
Obviously some of those spend more time in the backline or forward line, but there is excellent flexibility imo.
I hope Hopper and Kennedy come on really well so if there are injuries to inside mids they can come in and play a role.
I'm more worried about experienced depth in the kpf department.

 

[Bokonon]

Players that can play midfield:
Cogs, Ward, Shiel, Griffen, Deledio, Kelly, Whitfield, Scully, Greene, Williams, Smith, Hopper, Kennedy.
Obviously some of those spend more time in the backline or forward line, but there is excellent flexibility imo.
I hope Hopper and Kennedy come on really well so if there are injuries to inside mids they can come in and play a role.
I'm more worried about experienced depth in the kpf department.

Take your point, I.wonder if.the Bulldogs have asked some questions about whether the traditional Talls are as important as they were.

 

[coniglio_number1]

The KPF depth is a real issue as well but himmelberg and Finlayson both played up front as juniors so could swing when required. I just have a feeling that the new batch of draftees will get a few games earlier then they should

 

[Determinant]

Players that can play midfield:
Cogs, Ward, Shiel, Griffen, Deledio, Kelly, Whitfield, Scully, Greene, Williams, Smith, Hopper, Kennedy.
Obviously some of those spend more time in the backline or forward line, but there is excellent flexibility imo.
I hope Hopper and Kennedy come on really well so if there are injuries to inside mids they can come in and play a role.
I'm more worried about experienced depth in the kpf department.

Op is correct though, being kind only Ward, Hopper and Kennedy are genuine inside mids, with Grif and Toby also able to play there sacrificing another role.

I dont think Lachie missing will cripple us, whilst he is a gun we have better depth on the flanks, if that happened I'd love to see Tommo reinvented as a winger, I think he could be the ultimate tall mid, but admit bias.

It would certainly not be a bad outcome for the club if Jake can't find a home and we redraft him, though that feels unlikely.

 

[Giant Heart]

Take your point, I.wonder if.the Bulldogs have asked some questions about whether the traditional Talls are as important as they were.

Without one notable KPF inclusion in their side they wouldn't have won the Preliminary Final, let alone the Grand Final.

 

[Giant Heart]

Op is correct though, being kind only Ward, Hopper and Kennedy are genuine inside mids, with Grif and Toby also able to play there sacrificing another role.

I dont think Lachie missing will cripple us, whilst he is a gun we have better depth on the flanks, if that happened I'd love to see Tommo reinvented as a winger, I think he could be the ultimate tall mid, but admit bias.

It would certainly not be a bad outcome for the club if Jake can't find a home and we redraft him, though that feels unlikely.

I think this is where we're missing Treloar. His particular strengths in winning the contested ball is something we don't have a surplus to requirements.

 

[coniglio_number1]

I think this is where we're missing Treloar. His particular strengths in winning the contested ball is something we don't have a surplus to requirements.

Losing Steele hurts here as well but Kennedy and hopper will be locks for best 22 in 2017/18

 

[Bokonon]

Without one notable KPF inclusion in their side they wouldn't have won the Preliminary Final, let alone the Grand Final.

I keep the team and their flog supporters separate in my mind. I do think the Bulldogs may have changed the game last year, as other coaches will be studying them closely. They beat good sides sides like WC who have a strong spine by essentially making the talls irrelevant.
In my view it comes down to how much of their game is possible because of their midfield talent, and how much can be coached, and that's arguable.
I belive we have a great midfield that will need to step up and meet their challenge next year, and I think they will. We also have a side with better talls who were somewhat taken out of the game by their mids in the PF, again in my opinion. It was a close game.

 

[Andre the Giant]

The only position to worry about is ruck.

We have more depth than just about any other team in every other position but we are very vulnerable at ruck if Mummy goes down.

Time will tell if that bites us in 17' but with the salary cap being reduced early we were probably limited in what we could do.

Every other team looks at our midfield depth and dies a little inside, and don't forget what we are just about to bring in.

 

[Bokonon]

The only position to worry about is ruck.

We have more depth than just about any other team in every other position but we are very vulnerable at ruck if Mummy goes down.

Time will tell if that bites us in 17' but with the salary cap being reduced early we were probably limited in what we could do.

Every other team looks at our midfield depth and dies a little inside, and don't forget what we are just about to bring in.

You'd think we keep Tom Downie and Hope Flynn has a good off season in the Gym. Lobb can do it but it costs us a forward if he is primary ruck?

 

[Giant Strides]

I must admit that when I looked at the revised list after trade, my first thought was that we were pretty thin in the midfield depth. Which is why I preferred to hold onto Barrett, as at least he's NEAFL-hardened and could step in with a reasonable degree of understanding of the GWS game approach. After looking again, I'd still say that we're thin for ready depth, but the versatility of some of our players such as Smith, Greene, Williams & Deledio offsets the lack of pure numbers. And on the other side of the ledger, the new mids drafted this year will know that they're closer to a first team berth, and there may be opportunities for them in 2017. If we do get McGrath (or McCluggage or Ainsworth), we need to play them sooner rather than later and for a reasonable number of games, otherwise they'll walk away in 2 years.

The other point is, if you look at it more broadly, only Steele & WHE were major midfield options in 2017 who left. Ahern was injured, and even before his second knee, would always have spent most of 2017 getting his fitness & game sense back. Pickett was similar, in recovering from injury, plus his reputed training issues. I'd also think Reid is a chance to come onto the main list, and obviously is there for promotion if there's a long term injury, so GWS has another experienced option other than simply Matty K.

In respect of the KPFs, I'm probably less worried. We have the luxury of 3 quality young - and (mostly) improving - KPFs, so if one goes down we're probably no worse off than most teams. I could see us staying with only 2 talls forward, and use our medium & small forwards more. But there's always the option of throwing HH, Tommo or Finlayson forward, so I am not too worried. Of course, if we lost Jezza or the General it would hurt, but Stewart wasn't at their level anyway.

I agree that ruck remains a potential sticking point - but that's a midfield issue also: our mids have to learn to dominate without Mumford.

 

[Bokonon]

I must admit that when I looked at the revised list after trade, my first thought was that we were pretty thin in the midfield depth. Which is why I preferred to hold onto Barrett, as at least he's NEAFL-hardened and could step in with a reasonable degree of understanding of the GWS game approach. After looking again, I'd still say that we're thin for ready depth, but the versatility of some of our players such as Smith, Greene, Williams & Deledio offsets the lack of pure numbers. And on the other side of the ledger, the new mids drafted this year will know that they're closer to a first team berth, and there may be opportunities for them in 2017. If we do get McGrath (or McCluggage or Ainsworth), we need to play them sooner rather than later and for a reasonable number of games, otherwise they'll walk away in 2 years.

The other point is, if you look at it more broadly, only Steele & WHE were major midfield options in 2017 who left. Ahern was injured, and even before his second knee, would always have spent most of 2017 getting his fitness & game sense back. Pickett was similar, in recovering from injury, plus his reputed training issues. I'd also think Reid is a chance to come onto the main list, and obviously is there for promotion if there's a long term injury, so GWS has another experienced option other than simply Matty K.

In respect of the KPFs, I'm probably less worried. We have the luxury of 3 quality young - and (mostly) improving - KPFs, so if one goes down we're probably no worse off than most teams. I could see us staying with only 2 talls forward, and use our medium & small forwards more. But there's always the option of throwing HH, Tommo or Finlayson forward, so I am not too worried. Of course, if we lost Jezza or the General it would hurt, but Stewart wasn't at their level anyway.

I agree that ruck remains a potential sticking point - but that's a midfield issue also: our mids have to learn to dominate without Mumford.

The bit I query about our mids is they may be ok without Mummy, given he missed one game I dont see how we tell. I'm too aparhetic to try and do stats for clearances etc while he is resting and that may not work because we probably make him available at critical times when the pressure is greatest.
Yeah it was an issue in 2015 and I remeber the North game with horror. But we've moved on.

 

[Colonial]

Like most am worried what happens if Mummy goes down.
How would Lobb handle the job on his own, i have confidence in him but still a worry.

 

[Giant Pete]

Lobb will be unstoppable next year.

 

[coniglio_number1]

Like most am worried what happens if Mummy goes down.
How would Lobb handle the job on his own, i have confidence in him but still a worry.

to be honest I felt that mumford wasnt as dominant as he has been lately. plenty of times our midfield simply sharked the opposition ruck taps

 

[Colonial]

to be honest I felt that mumford wasnt as dominant as he has been lately. plenty of times our midfield simply sharked the opposition ruck taps

Actually thinking back you are right.

But he does still have the aura of pain about him still.
If he is nearby you may not be feeling 100% tomorrow.

 

[coniglio_number1]

If for example we had a ruckman such as Naitanui then I cant see the oppostion ever getting a centre clearance

 

[Colonial]

If for example we had a ruckman such as Naitanui then I cant see the oppostion ever getting a centre clearance

Would love it.
Would be brilliant on and off the field for the club.

Pipe dream though.

 

[coniglio_number1]

Would love it.
Would be brilliant on and off the field for the club.

Pipe dream though.

but a man can dream

 

[Colonial]

but a man can dream

And what a wonderful dream it is.

 

[dlanod]

to be honest I felt that mumford wasnt as dominant as he has been lately. plenty of times our midfield simply sharked the opposition ruck taps

I felt his ruck work wasn't as effective but his work on the ground still made up for it.

 

[Giant Heart]

Lobb will be unstoppable next year.

Where will he play predominantly - ruck or forward?

 

[Danny88]

Where will he play predominantly - ruck or forward?

He will always be a forward/ruck not the other way around imo