Analysis Assessing the Midfield

[RookiePick]

Interesting how the Bont and Danger are outside mids.

I think slightly outside is reasonable from my recollection of their play style. Generally looking to be that first outlet and either break out of congestion with run/strength or get it further outside if they are under the cosh. They both definitely work on the outside of stoppages a decent chunk of the time IMO.

 

[06Premiers]

Interesting how the Bont and Danger are outside mids.

Yeah should be half forwards, right AA committee?

 

[ChampRevesby]

I think our lack of forward pressure due to missing Venable, Lecca and Rioli has really hurt our potency. If we can get Kelly, Yeo and Shuey fit and firing for an entire year with some manic pressure up forward we might be able to push top 4 again.

 

[shooshka]

So season 2020 is done.

Here are the top 50 players for the 2020 season according to this means of ranking (minimum 5 games played):

View attachment 1002283
Top 50 midfield rankings 2020: note once again the highest ranked player is also the Brownlow medallist (since 2010 only twice has that year's medallist placed outside of the top three rankings).


West Coast are one of just two clubs (the other being Richmond) to have 5 players ranked inside the top 50 and is the only club in the competition with 4 players inside the top 30.

Naitanui at 14th is just the second time a ruckman has placed inside the top 20 since this system's commencement in 2005 - the other occasion being Sandilands in 2010.

The expectations for the best six from the club after last year's trade period were not unfounded - they ranked clearly ahead of all other clubs:

View attachment 1002288
Club midfield rankings comparison: Top 6 players, post trade period 2019 and post season 2020. Note West Coast is a standout #1 here, ahead of Richmond, who improved significantly. GWS fell a staggering 14 places from 2nd to 16th.


Yet, for all of the strength of the above, the club ranked 15th in the competition for both contested possessions and metres gained per game in 2020.

It is the same story again as the previous year, a lack of support for that top tier of players.


Here is the list of club midfield rankings for the 2020 season:

View attachment 1002289
West Coast Eagles midfield rankings 2020: note the improvement from Naitanui and the quality falling off a cliff beyond Gaff. Alarmingly, Redden has now dropped 78 places over the past two seasons.

A complete lack of assistance for that elite bracket. The story of the season is when members of that group were not available for decisive matches, the club had no-one to call upon and cover their loss.

Indeed, when we look beyond the best six ranked players the club is without question the worst in this area when compared to the rest of the competition:

View attachment 1002293
Competition midfield rankings 2020: note that 3 of the 4 Preliminary finalists occupy the highest positions for players ranked 7-12 and 13-20, whereas West Coast come in at a miserable 17th and 18th.


The 2020 season, despite all of its novelties and upheavals, ended up being a repeat of 2019.

The quality of first choice midfield was the best of any, but the supporting cast were woefully inadequate.

Aside from the procurement of T.Kelly, nothing was done to improve this gaping deficiency and perhaps it should then not come as any surprise that the season delivered a similar result.


The club is not in need of big name targets for its improvement. What needs to take place is the acquisition of a number of B and C grade players who are capable of facilitating a role and elevate that 7-12 group to improve the squad overall.

Whether it occurs at the trade table or through mature-aged draftee selections that can provide immediate contribution, if the club fails to address this area then 2021 is likely to go down the same worn path of underachievement as 2019 and 2020.


Further notes:

• refer to the OP for the method of ranking calculation.
• this method is far from perfect, but allows an "apples-for-apples" comparison with previous seasons going back to 2005.
• There is a more comprehensive ranking system that covers other positions in addition to midfielders available within the Squad Selection & Ratings resource.

I'm surprised NN is listed as complete - rather than inside dominant (at least).

192 disposals, 152 contested possessions (I've removed the 8 contested marks).

96 of his 192 disposals (so half) were clearances.

 

[xInfected_Virus]

The 2020 season, despite all of its novelties and upheavals, ended up being a repeat of 2019.

The quality of first choice midfield was the best of any, but the supporting cast were woefully inadequate.

Aside from the procurement of T.Kelly, nothing was done to improve this gaping deficiency and perhaps it should then not come as any surprise that the season delivered a similar result.


The club is not in need of big name targets for its improvement. What needs to take place is the acquisition of a number of B and C grade players who are capable of facilitating a role and elevate that 7-12 group to improve the squad overall.

Whether it occurs at the trade table or through mature-aged draftee selections that can provide immediate contribution, if the club fails to address this area then 2021 is likely to go down the same worn path of underachievement as 2019 and 2020.

Great post Dylan82. I did talk about how poor the team's midfield and even more shocking small forward depth is on the draft and trade thread.

I reckon the team could turn Nelson, Duggan and Cole into genuine midfielders as the team didn't have the needed depth when it came to important games and plus they have a plethora of HBFs. Having the required depth allows the team to rest top tier players and the best time to rest players was against GWS the game before the team headed to Gold Coast for their second stint of the hub and the result would've been different and the team would've finished top 4 as big names would've been fresh but the lack of depth meant the club were forced to play the best players. Not sure what would happen to Yeo though.

Unfair to include Ryan and Cripps there as they're mainly small forwards although the team is in huge need of small pressure forwards as the current crop except for Cripps and Ryan are woefully out of form but getting Zac Langdon

7

Zac Langdon

Age

30

Ht

177cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

6.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.3

2star

T

3.3

5star

G

0.3

3star

D

6.3

1star

K

3.3

1star

HB

3.0

2star

M

1.3

1star

T

3.3

4star

G

0.3

3star

D

6.3

2star

K

3.3

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.3

2star

T

3.3

5star

G

0.3

3star

should help if he can return to his 2018 form. Due to the lack of small forwards, the team was forced to play an out of form Petch, AhChee and WAFL standard Ainsworth in the elimination final.

 

[BeornJ]

Thanks for the analysis Dylan.

Duggan to the midfield, Langdon doing stints in the midfield and the continued development of O'Neill will hopefully help fix the woeful 7 to 12 rating.

Another preseason of Kelly gelling with the rest of the team should improve the top end talent as well.

 

[KERRPOW]

I think our midfield has proven to be the worst in the comp. Not one of....THE WORST.

outside of shuey and yeo, there is daylight between the rest.

We overpaid for a front runner in kelly.

Time to shift duggan back to defence and bring in someone who seems to have some campaigner in him in trew.

Redden has fallen of a cliff. Feels like fletcher and stenglein all over again. We just cant cover the crab he has become.

The only reason our mids smashed port last week was they were 20% of and shuey carried that entire midfield brigade he damaged his hammy again

 

[KERRPOW]

We have too many softcocks in the middle, kelly, sheed, redden, gaff, brander.

Wheres the hardness, on the injury list

 

[Coasters7]

We have too many softcocks in the middle, kelly, sheed, redden, gaff, brander.

Wheres the hardness, on the injury list

The issue is none of them are clearance players (maybe Kelly, but if he’s on his own it’s not hard to shut him down). We haven’t got our 2 best ones. That can’t be understated. For perspective.. take Steele and Crouch out of the Saints midfield and have Brad Hill as their primary mid. We would have won by 70 even without Shuey and Yeo. Take the two best clearance players out of any side and see how badly they get beaten up.

The loss looks worse than it is because we were up by 6 goals (looks like we dominated then took the foot off).. but the reality was, it was a tight game from the outset and we were lucky to be up by that many so it was always a possibility they’d find a way back. The disappointing thing is not necessarily losing the lead but it was not fighting back once they were close.

Our issue is the backline shat the bed when we needed them. The midfield result was expected imo (and we’re going to need to get used to it for the next couple of months) but that’s happened in the past and our backline has always been there to carry us through. 100% if Hurn played out the game we scratch out a win. Which is all we need until the midfield cavalry arrive. We’ve lost our 3 most influential leaders/players and we expect to be pumping teams by 50 every week.

I think it stands to reason that we are an average/good team until we have our elite players back. That’s not an outlandish statement and I don’t know why everyone is so shocked that we aren’t the best side in the comp without our best players..

 

[Carbine Chaos]

I don’t expect us to be the best team. Nor do I expect us to win by 50 each week.

I expect us to kick over the man on the mark from 15m out and not blow 6 goal leads in the third quarter. Is that too much to ask?

 

[THE A5]

why is Adrian Hickmott

Adrian Hickmott

Age

53

Ht

182cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.3

4star

K

8.7

3star

HB

6.5

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.1

4star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

11.4

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.2

3star

our midfield coach? wasn't even a mid and had great success as a defensive coach

 

[FKASC]

It’s not even about having the right midfielders or midfield game plan. It’s 100% about intent and effort, and applying that regardless of what the scoreboard says or who the opposition is.

We have everyone going in with 100% effort, we will almost always win. That’s basically how simple it is given our talent.

That doesn’t just apply to the midfielders, it’s everyone on the field. It’s just that the midfielders stand out badly because intent/effort in contests around the middle of the ground is what will determine whether the game’s won or lost.

 

[Priddis Is Done]

Gerard Neesham would be proud. Water Polo tactics and keepers off.

We draft mids and tell them to forget about tackles and hard ball gets. Your kpi is how many coralls you can do.

 

[Sammy J]

Most of the issues we have would be fixed with a healthy Shuey, Yeo and Rioli back.

Just about any team in the comp would struggle without 2 of their best mids. We need more from Kelly and Sheed though until those guys get back. There’s not a heap in reserve that’s going to help otherwise.

 

[Get_The_Gaff]

How many other teams would beat a top 6 team from the previous year , interstate , without their best 2 mids ?

I know we shat the bed but it seams interstate wins have been hard to come by this season .

Redden was very good against Port. He should be our 5/6th mid but is having to play at the coal face against the opponents biggest body every week . He is 30 and was never very quick to begin with.
Redden is averaging 24 touches 6marks 3 tackle and 4clearances this season .

Redden along with sheed have been our best mids this year .

Our centre square set up is so slow ATM with our 2 quickest mids out we are getting killed on the spread from contests , our lack of pace also stops us getting to the ground balls

Simmo has tried JJ at the centre bounces but just isn't a mid .

Maybe we should be fast tracking brander in the centre square and even getting petrecelle/Ryan in for a few bounces .

Kelly this year has been

 

[Tugga27]

How many other teams would beat a top 6 team from the previous year , interstate , without their best 2 mids ?

I know we shat the bed but it seams interstate wins have been hard to come by this season .

Redden was very good against Port. He should be our 5/6th mid but is having to play at the coal face against the opponents biggest body every week . He is 30 and was never very quick to begin with.
Redden is averaging 24 touches 6marks 3 tackle and 4clearances this season .

Redden along with sheed have been our best mids this year .

Our centre square set up is so slow ATM with our 2 quickest mids out we are getting killed on the spread from contests , our lack of pace also stops us getting to the ground balls

Simmo has tried JJ at the centre bounces but just isn't a mid .

Maybe we should be fast tracking brander in the centre square and even getting petrecelle/Ryan in for a few bounces .

Kelly this year has been

I think Kelly is only 2nd to NN in this year's coaches votes.
I Reckon he would also be in our top 3 for the F&B so far this year.

TBH, it's his only bad game for the year so far.

 

[Balls In]

How many other teams would beat a top 6 team from the previous year , interstate , without their best 2 mids ?

33 points up half way into the third quarter?

Probably 95-98 out of 100 I reckon.

 

[Godfather32]

Most of the issues we have would be fixed with a healthy Shuey, Yeo and Rioli back.

Just about any team in the comp would struggle without 2 of their best mids. We need more from Kelly and Sheed though until those guys get back. There’s not a heap in reserve that’s going to help otherwise.

Most other teams wouldn't put themselves behind the 8-ball by replacing their topline midfielder with an underdone tall forward though

 

[Cuzz09]

Assessing the midfield:

we have a midfield?

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

Take out Yeo and Shuey, and we have barely a midfield.

 

[footballfreak]

Nic Nat only has chemistry with Shuey.

Left over is Sheed, Redden, Gaff, Kelly

Sheed tries hard but hasn't taken that step forward to be a genuine A grader.

Redden plays more as a negating midfielder

Gaff is too soft and small to be a inside midfielder and can't tackle properly

Kelly struggles on the inside, looks okay on the outside, but he can butcher the ball

 

[Cuzz09]

Yeah NN to Shuey is seamless.

NN to anyone is looks fumbly, stop start or not quite timed right.

Almost works but not quite

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

Yeah NN to Shuey is seamless.

NN to anyone is looks fumbly, stop start or not quite timed right.

Almost works but not quite

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

NicNat and Kelly are developing but it took time for Shuey and NicNat to build that connection. Brander is less than 20 games who knows what he and XON will develop into long-term. Hutchings dropping away completely doesn't help our defensive aspect at stoppages either. We are still struggling with this midfield group without the captain hopefully we get some growth in his absence.

 

[CCJK]

We have too many softcocks in the middle, kelly, sheed, redden, gaff, brander.

Wheres the hardness, on the injury list

The Saints gave us a repetition of 2019 and 2020. We can't maintain big leads late into games; don't have it in us to go for the kill.

We're now seeing firsthand what happens when Shuey and Yeo are not in the side. The result is an overrated, slow and mentally fragile midfield. Sheed, Redden and Gaff are overhyped. They've been exposed too many times now and their lack of presence in the middle is costing us games. We have a lot of pretenders in that midfield, and Simpson either doesn't see it or won't change it.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

We went into yesterday’s game with four genuine mids, gaff, sheed, Kelly and redden. A lot of others who aren’t primarily mids like Duggan, brander etc.
Not surprising we got smashed in the midfield.

waterman in for Shuey was terrible from the moment it was announced.