Analysis Assessing the Midfield

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Eagleboy68

Cancelled
Jun 11, 2015
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Im wrapt to have Kelly here but agree with a lot of the above writers.Contested footy!!.Im worried by two things. [1] The ruck could be a problem.NN fully fit feeding that midfield would be a sight to behold;but what happens if he goes down again? We need muscle at the top and without NN we look bare.Hickey is not a physical beast.He tries his heart out but lacks oomph.Vardy is now a very valuable commodity.We need him fit and firing.Hes tough!!.No other big on our list looks up to it.Williams shows great promise but i see him as more a key forward.He doesnt have the physique to throw his weight around.Would love to get Lycett back!
[2] Players this year looked happy and content.Premiership under the belt,lots of babies around the "family club". Can we rediscover the hunger? We definitely need to rejuvenate the team.OAllen must become a permanent fixture.He gives us a lot of those little flicks/knockons etc that Rioli did.Brander has the size,speed,marking ability and kick to become a permanent backman.He and OAllen can switch comfortably.We need to slightly change our way of doing business in defence.We need to use Gov better.I know it sounds stupid but couldnt he play as our second ruck? Hes done it before.OAllen did it quite successfully and Gov is bigger and stronger.Plus it frees him up.I think if teams are strategising to bypass him; rucking would be ideal.NN aside the ruck is a potential achilles heel.I love the thought of Gov freewheeling through the middle.With his size,aggression,marking and elite field kicking he could do in the midfield what he does in defence.Just go where the ball is/or is gunna be.Brander needs to fill his shoes in defence.

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Genesis67

Premiership Player
Jun 6, 2006
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FWIW I've got mutual mates with Rotham and he believes he plays his best footy as a third tall backman and that's where he wants to play. Not much interest and doesn't believe he has much ability as a wing.
TBH, I have him ahead of both Nelson and Cole. He's pretty mobile for a bigger guy, and got a very good head on his shoulders. I'll be surprised if we don't see more of him in 2020.
 

Doashuey

Premiership Player
Sep 13, 2017
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The Beagles played Brander on a wing for much of last year. Maybe he can play that tall marking wing role in 2020 with the ability to go foward or back, can ping a goal from 70 and can contest in the air for our predictable backline clearances.
Would not be surprised to see it.

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The wily weagle

Premiership Player
Oct 16, 2014
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If Nic Nat is fit, we should absolutely dominate next year.

I say IF, because I am not completely sold that our fitness department will ever bite the bullet and admit Nic Nats aerobic capacity is less then stellar. If he has a full, uninterrupted pre season, but still effectively is playing half a game (50%) every week, I will be pissed.


70% of total game time should be the standard for him next year with zero excuses
 

Spange

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May 24, 2007
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I will add another update after the trade period closes - safe to say the club is very well placed in this regard now.

Go knock out a quick half marathon, have a nice kip and keep us posted when you are feeling refreshed :cool:

Not knowing and seeing much of Brander I have a question for you guys. Hearing this talk of him on the wing alludes that he has a fairly big aerobic engine. In a absolute best case scenario can he play a similar role to a Nick Riewoldt type player. A player who can cover all areas of the ground including up forward and dropping back when the heat is on. I'm not saying will he become a Nick Reiwoldt but if he can read the play well, take contested marks and put it through the sticks then I am excited to what he could become
 
Dec 19, 2007
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Go knock out a quick half marathon, have a nice kip and keep us posted when you are feeling refreshed :cool:

Not knowing and seeing much of Brander I have a question for you guys. Hearing this talk of him on the wing alludes that he has a fairly big aerobic engine. In a absolute best case scenario can he play a similar role to a Nick Riewoldt type player. A player who can cover all areas of the ground including up forward and dropping back when the heat is on. I'm not saying will he become a Nick Reiwoldt but if he can read the play well, take contested marks and put it through the sticks then I am excited to what he could become
This guy is 195cm or 6'5". I really dont think you waste a guy like that on a wing.He definitely needs to put on more bulk but he is KPP size and talent.
 

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Doashuey

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Sep 13, 2017
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This guy is 195cm or 6'5". I really dont think you waste a guy like that on a wing.He definitely needs to put on more bulk but he is KPP size and talent.
Its not a waste if it works well. I dont see him becoming a full-time winger but having the agility to play as a tall marking running winger like Riewoldt did at times and then play CHF depending on what the team needs is a great weapon to have.
Cripps is close to 6'5" I believe and he is one of the best inside mids in the game. JD is about 6'3" and one of the best CHFs in the game. Point is pigeon holing a player on height alone isn't advisable IMO.
 
Aug 14, 2004
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Go knock out a quick half marathon, have a nice kip and keep us posted when you are feeling refreshed :cool:

Haha - will try; employment and parenthood tend to get in the way ;)

Meant I will update post-trade for a comparison of competition ins and outs during the period and how the club stacks up in comparison to previous years using this system.


Not knowing and seeing much of Brander I have a question for you guys. Hearing this talk of him on the wing alludes that he has a fairly big aerobic engine. In a absolute best case scenario can he play a similar role to a Nick Riewoldt type player. A player who can cover all areas of the ground including up forward and dropping back when the heat is on. I'm not saying will he become a Nick Reiwoldt but if he can read the play well, take contested marks and put it through the sticks then I am excited to what he could become

Agree that Brander is an elite talent with terrific aerobic ability for a player of his size. Whilst I also agree that a N.Riewoldt-style role would be well-suited to his abilities, my opinion is that role itself is increasingly becoming a liability with the way the game is currently being played and tactically headed. A wing now needs to be a clearance player, offensive outlet and defensive specialist within moments.
The old days of having a tall runner on the wing just so they can out-mark their opponent are gone - try it now and the defending half backs will zone out the marking contest, whilst the direct opponent from the wing breaks into space towards the corridor to receive possession of the turnover and create a dangerous attacking forward entry.
I believe the future for Brander will be in defence. He reads the ball in flight well, covers ground easily and has great disposal. I would go as far as saying that he is not a replacement for Schofield, but an upgrade upon him who will thoroughly complement the rest of the defensive group. In time, O.Allen and Williams will become the leaders of the forward line, and I can see Brander potentially developing into one of the most damaging players in the competition through his play from and out of defence.
 

Cold Sober

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 28, 2016
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Yes I am intruding, give us Gaff or Yeo and I'll promise never to annoy you again.
1. you don't need them all. [mids take votes of each other]
2. I'm also prepared to take the injured Nic Nat off your hands.
3. Can send Woosh back to his true home.
4. And promise you that Freo will never win a flag, it's win win. Trust me.
 
Sep 28, 2009
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Yes I am intruding, give us Gaff or Yeo and I'll promise never to annoy you again.
1. you don't need them all. [mids take votes of each other]
2. I'm also prepared to take the injured Nic Nat off your hands.
3. Can send Woosh back to his true home.
4. And promise you that Freo will never win a flag, it's win win. Trust me.
You can have Mutimer. Has the running power of Gaff, the explosiveness of Yeo and the leap of Naitanui. Cant break into the side atm.
 

beatlesmith

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Haha - will try; employment and parenthood tend to get in the way ;)

Meant I will update post-trade for a comparison of competition ins and outs during the period and how the club stacks up in comparison to previous years using this system.




Agree that Brander is an elite talent with terrific aerobic ability for a player of his size. Whilst I also agree that a N.Riewoldt-style role would be well-suited to his abilities, my opinion is that role itself is increasingly becoming a liability with the way the game is currently being played and tactically headed. A wing now needs to be a clearance player, offensive outlet and defensive specialist within moments.
The old days of having a tall runner on the wing just so they can out-mark their opponent are gone - try it now and the defending half backs will zone out the marking contest, whilst the direct opponent from the wing breaks into space towards the corridor to receive possession of the turnover and create a dangerous attacking forward entry.
I believe the future for Brander will be in defence. He reads the ball in flight well, covers ground easily and has great disposal. I would go as far as saying that he is not a replacement for Schofield, but an upgrade upon him who will thoroughly complement the rest of the defensive group. In time, O.Allen and Williams will become the leaders of the forward line, and I can see Brander potentially developing into one of the most damaging players in the competition through his play from and out of defence.
The difficulty I have with replacing Schofield with Brander, or Rotham, as has been previously mentioned, is the fit.
Brander has Schofield covered in terms of talent, but we play Schofield because he takes the best forward and allows Gov and Barrass to play their natural game.
I'm not sure that either Brander or Rotham can play that role, and I now have serious doubts that Barrass will ever cut the mustard as a shutdown defender.
We have an embarrassment of riches in terms of marking tall defenders but a relative dearth of options to take on good key forwards. In hindsight, Jordan Roughead would have been a great pickup.
As much as Schofield is the obvious replacement target, I think that Brander might actually be gunning for Barrass's spot.
 
Jun 30, 2009
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This guy is 195cm or 6'5". I really dont think you waste a guy like that on a wing.He definitely needs to put on more bulk but he is KPP size and talent.
Can you imagine opposition coaches losing sleep on who to match up on him?

All year this year weve sat there on a kickout after a behind - thought about it a bit then gone right. Aaaand every team figured this out.

Imagine having a big tall winger on the left as an option.

Seen the guy pick the ball off the ground on the run? Its nothing a guy that tall has any business doing!!
 
Apr 29, 2005
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06 was a generational midfield, i doubt we'll ever see one as good, but this is our easily our best since then. Be interesting to see how they gel, but on face value Kelly is the exact type of player we've been missing imo

Not sure how possible or if it will happen next year, but also quietly excited about them being fed by an NN/Williams ruck combo
 

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