Big Bodied Mids

[1981]

Really is all the rage these days, isn't it.
Not that that ought to be that surprising. At the end of the day it is the bigger, stronger players, usually who are experienced, who can last the distance, esp in finals.
But more so than ever it would seem big mids, and by that I mean 188cm+, and strong, are just so important as they can win clearances and simply impact physically on the contest for longer.

Judd of course was one of these, and Kouta was arguably the prototype.
And now we have Cripps, and Gibbs.
But we have also added Curnow and Plowman, both 190cm+. Now both of these lads are seen to be KPP types, but, they've also been spoken of in some quarters as potential midfielders down the tack.
How possible is it they will end up mids? Because if they do end up onball they will be big bodied mids.
Did we recruit these two primiarly in the hope they can eventually become bid bodied mids, and with Cripps and Gibbs we'd have a formidable big bodied onball brigade???

 

[LanceRomance]

Big Bodied Mids you make the rocking world go round

 

[1981]

Charlie is a flexible player with great endurance. Can play forward and midfield. #AskTheCoach

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

I just love the ****ing phrase 'big bodied mids', I could say it all day. Back in the 80's you would have been referred to as being 'big boned' but now it is big bodied midfielder. If Randall Bone or Terry Keys were playing in 2016 they would try and make him into a midfielder....just let the big bastards play in the key positions!

 

[Canyouhearthedrums]

THe 93 Qualifying final v Essendon was on tv over the weekend. Watching the likes of Braddles and Diesel go round, it's unbelieveable how much the game has changed.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

THe 93 Qualifying final v Essendon was on tv over the weekend. Watching the likes of Braddles and Diesel go round, it's unbelieveable how much the game has changed.

How good was Timmy Powell that night!!!

 

[Azul]

Plowman would be just happy to get through a season uninjured. As for Charlie, needs a few preseasons. There's a big difference between rotating through the midfield at U18s and doing it full time in the AFL - the tempo and endurance levels are completely different.

Anyway, the answer is Mark Whiley.

 

[1981]

Freo do it well with Mundy, Fyfe and Barlow running through there, and Pav when he feels like enforcing the situation.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

20years ago anybody over 190cm with a big frame who could run was a KPP. Anybody over 198cms was a ruckman. Now 198cms is a KPP and ruckmen have to be 202cms at least or they are considered to be undersized.

A 194cms KPP has to have strength, reach, speed and timing to make it.

When Judd started out 188cm+ mids were rare and like gold. Now they are reaching 194cms.

Players are passed over if they are under 6 foot, and god forbid anybody is under 180cms. It is a shame that the AFL is becoming unattainable for small players and those of an in between size without the athletic background to match up smaller or taller.

Still a place for the old football brain I hope.

 

[1981]

I am projecting years ahead Azul.
And, Whiley, REALLY??

 

[bad setanta]

Sorry but Plowman is not a midfielders ar**hole, big body mids are like the sith you don't want any more than 2.

 

[Hussey14]

I don't really see Plowman as a midfield, maybe up on a wing as he has a nice kick on him. Curnow is more likely in my mind to go through the mid. Although Whiley is the same height as Gibbs, he seems to always be popping up in the Carlton videos and pictures too so im hoping to see him get some early games

 

[1981]

20years ago anybody over 190cm with a big frame who could run was a KPP. Anybody over 198cms was a ruckman. Now 198cms is a KPP and ruckmen have to be 202cms at least or they are considered to be undersized.

A 194cms KPP has to have strength, reach, speed and timing to make it.

When Judd started out 188cm+ mids were rare and like gold. Now they are reaching 194cms.

Players are passed over if they are under 6 foot, and god forbid anybody is under 180cms. It is a shame that the AFL is becoming unattainable for small players and those of an in between size without the athletic background to match up smaller or taller.

Still a place for the old football brain I hope.

You will be glad to her then that Ainsworth is a 178cm small forward and could well go no.1 in this year's draft. Kid is just a little gem, impacts the game, terrific player.

Drifting off on a tangent slightly but it is possible we will have 2 draft's in a row where the no.1 pick isn't a mid or forward, ie: a FB/CHB in Weitering and a small forward in Ainsworth.

 

[1981]

I don't really see Plowman as a midfield, maybe up on a wing as he has a nice kick on him. Curnow is more likely in my mind to go through the mid. Although Whiley is the same height as Gibbs, he seems to always be popping up in the Carlton videos and pictures too so im hoping to see him get some early games

I have heard positive things too, which is good.
But he would need to improve a lot on his 2015 form as in my view he was just way too slow both by foot and mind.

 

[Hussey14]

I have heard positive things too, which is good.
But he would need to improve a lot on his 2015 form as in my view he was just way too slow both by foot and mind.

Yeah there is no denying that, i dont blame a kid making mistakes when they have only played a hand full of games but there needed to be improvement. I think he realized the same thing towards the end of the year and looks to have worked real hard of the preseason coming back in good nick and hitting the track hard

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

You will be glad to her then that Ainsworth is a 178cm small forward and could well go no.1 in this year's draft. Kid is just a little gem, impacts the game, terrific player.

Drifting off on a tangent slightly but it is possible we will have 2 draft's in a row where the no.1 pick isn't a mid or forward, ie: a FB/CHB in Weitering and a small forward in Ainsworth.

Not a size issue but I'd prefer our first pick to be more than a small forward. Best mid seems to get the way to go this year.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Not a size issue but I'd prefer our first pick to be more than a small forward. Best mid seems to get the way to go this year.

Apparently it never is ODN!

 

[Magruder]

I am projecting years ahead Azul.
And, Whiley, REALLY??

Yes, Whiley is better than he's shown to date.

Sorry but Plowman is not a midfielders ar**hole, big body mids are like the sith you don't want any more than 2.

Unless they have real toe as well.

 

[bad setanta]

Not a size issue but I'd prefer our first pick to be more than a small forward. Best mid seems to get the way to go this year.

Ainsworth is more than just a small forward he will be a mid too, at this stage he'd be pick 2 behind Petrovski-Seton not pick 1 as someone earlier suggested, anyway look at the impact Rioli has as a primarily small forward. If we could get Ainsworth and Galluci with a PP....good times good times

 

[thylacine60]

Whiley can keep doing the Mad Dog Brown impersonations as long as he likes. Sadly it's more the way he looks and moves than anything else.

 

[bad setanta]

Do you really think we'd take Ainsworth at #1?

The talk may well start off like that but it rarely eventuates any more.........just like rucks.
Grundy was going to go #1................and before you know it, #18

Why can't we speculate? At the moment he's the no1 or 2, no one is saying it's set in stone

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Whiley can keep doing the Mad Dog Brown impersonations as long as he likes. Sadly it's more the way he looks and moves than anything else.

Surely that was the bloke we delisted...Holman??

 

[Azul]

I am projecting years ahead Azul.
And, Whiley, REALLY??

Yes, really.

Give him a decent go at ball-winning instead of tagging and we'll see that that GWS highlights video wasn't just creative editing

 

[thylacine60]

Watch Whiley in a game, might just be the mop of hair but I get a lot of Fraser B from his movements.

 

[1981]

Yes Harker you are right it is early days and things can change, but I am just speculating and right now he is seen as arguably the no.1 prospect.
Point is it'd be a bit weird having a FB and small forward going no.1 consecutive years.
But I see it this way - if a player is truly exceptional, it doesn't really matter what position they play.
An absolute stand out key defender is worth his weight in gold. If you ever sat behind the goals and watched Brian Lake when he was at his best, the opposition would actually try and avoid him when they entered F50 - they'd literally try and kick to where he wasn't.
So he controlled games.
And we saw again in the GF how Rioli doesn't need 30 touches to ice a game.
If Weitering turns into a once a generation defender, and if we get Ainsworth and he becomes a game winning small forward, then so be it.
Pick the best player. If he is a small forward not a mid then so bet it.
The best players can have 12 touches yet impact the greater more profoundly than a C Grade player who gets it 25 times.
That's why the best players get paid so much, because they are game changers, game dictators.
If we can get 6-8 players like this, and then back them up with decent good footballing depth then we will be on our way.