Centre Square

[half_back_flank]

Pendlebury hap been getting the hard tag for a while. Don't expect it will slow him down. The man is a gun.

Agree, Beams copped the tag a few times in 2012, but Pendles has handled the tagger the vast majority of the time since then and it hasn't slowed him down.

 

[Finnishpie]

True. Our 2015 midfield has promise but is a long way off the 2010 version. A lot will be asked of Greenwood and Adams but I fear we will struggle.

Yep. The problem is that we've lost class. Greenwood and Adams will both be good, but the difference between good and great in immense in the modern game. Who looks like they have class now? Broomhead, I'd say. De Goey and Freeman. Maybe Kennedy, though the jury is still out. In any case, they're all a year or two off showing it - that's why I think Pendles is in for a battering this year, and why I started this thread.

 

[jmac70]

Yep. The problem is that we've lost class. Greenwood and Adams will both be good, but the difference between good and great in immense in the modern game. Who looks like they have class now? Broomhead, I'd say. De Goey and Freeman. Maybe Kennedy, though the jury is still out. In any case, they're all a year or two off showing it - that's why I think Pendles is in for a battering this year, and why I started this thread.

Maybe. As others have said the concept of a traditional midfield is non-existent. A lot will depend upon our pressure and how many tackles we can lay. We will struggle at time this year but experience is the main goal.

 

[Big Bryza]

He's as big a loss to us as GAJ was to the Cats in 2012. But it gives others opportunity and hopefully one of the young kids will step up and make it HIS spot.

That's it. Will it be Adams, Thomas, Kennedy, Freeman, De Goey. There's plenty of talent there and they'll all get a crack at it. Exciting times.

 

[Big Bryza]

Not slowed down but contained. Even Ablett got contained by Caff. Pendlebury imo is going to find it harder without Beams and will be targeted more than ever.

Yeah but you see the negative in everything.

They'll tag Pendles... And he'll continue to dominate.

But when Greenwoods getting 30 touches and 10 clearances, Adams likewise, Swanny 25 and kicking 4 goals. Plus Adams, Kennedy and Freeman are chipping in, what are oppositions going to do?

 

[Big Bryza]

I think we need to protect him though. So much of that gun 2010 midfield is gone now: Daisy, Beams were both elite. Swan is on the decline. I'd like to see Pendlebury on the outside a lot more .

The bloke is 27 in his prime. This isn't ****ing Auskick. He plays midfield, plain and simple.

 

[Finnishpie]

The bloke is 27 in his prime. This isn't ******* Auskick. He plays midfield, plain and simple.

The club also said they wanted to protect him a bit: that's one of the reasons they got Greenwood. So yes, he plays midfield, but more on the outside. And no, it's not **** Auskick. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[jmac70]

The club also said they wanted to protect him a bit: that's one of the reasons they got Greenwood. So yes, he plays midfield, but more on the outside. And no, it's not **** Auskick. Thanks for the clarification.

When I see your username I always think of a fish pie.

 

[Obese Arachnid]

When I see your username I always think of a fish pie.

Mmmm, usually makes me think of the last pie I ate.

 

[Horaceg]

I'd like to see Langdon have a crack or at least of a wing

I would like to see if Langdon can hit the scoreboard and push him up the field, I like it.

 

[jmac70]

Mmmm, usually makes me think of the last pie I ate.

I had a scallop pie in Tassie once.

 

[Obese Arachnid]

I had a scallop pie in Tassie once.

Yep, get a nice one at Salamanca market. Personally though prefer me scallops flash fried, S&P with a bit of lemon.

 

[jmac70]

Yep, get a nice one at Salamanca market. Personally though prefer me scallops flash fried, S&P with a bit of lemon.

Bit of flattie goes alright too. Had some cooked that way on the back of a boat once.

 

[Laurie Holden]

I'm hungry!

 

[Finnishpie]

When I see your username I always think of a fish pie.

That's funny.

 

[mike123]

I'd like to see Langdon have a crack or at least of a wing

I would like to see if Langdon can hit the scoreboard and push him up the field, I like it.

The problem is we are moving our best intercept marker away from the backline in doing that.

 

[NT.Thunder]

The problem is we are moving our best intercept marker away from the backline in doing that.

I believe eventually we have better prospects to fill Langdon's position in Defence than what we do have running through the middle. Langdon IIRC was a gun midfielder in TAC and last season late he seemed to venture high up the ground and make an impact. But yeah, immediately he may need to stay back.

 

[Horaceg]

The problem is we are moving our best intercept marker away from the backline in doing that.

Ben Reid goes OK just quietly.

 

[PTpie]

Pendlebury will treated like Ablett or Judd (in his prime). Them opposition will either tag the crap out of him and try and bash him all game. Or just tell his direct opposite to play aggressively forward of the ball forcing Pendles to either defend or push high forward himself.

Either way at his age, with his body size and shape I think he'll be fine. Pendles is a pretty big unit for a midfielder and it would take someone like Cloke to lay the smackdown on him. If they work on restricting his kicks all game, well, goodluck. I personally feel Pendles has the best handball in the game and is more creative when using his hands in close than any other player I've seen.

As for our centre square for the near future, we'll probably struggle for the first half of the year. It will be an almost entirely different line up and will affect our fluency and cohesiveness as a group. Towards the end of the season I would expect to see some games where we dominate though. We have so many talented players that will run through the middle that eventually the cream will rise to the top.

 

[Collingwood pro]

Ruck Grundy 60%, Witts 30 - 40% (depending on if white plays)
C Adams
R Greenwood/Swan
RR Pendlebury

 

[Horaceg]

Pendlebury will treated like Ablett or Judd (in his prime). Them opposition will either tag the crap out of him and try and bash him all game. Or just tell his direct opposite to play aggressively forward of the ball forcing Pendles to either defend or push high forward himself.

Either way at his age, with his body size and shape I think he'll be fine. Pendles is a pretty big unit for a midfielder and it would take someone like Cloke to lay the smackdown on him. If they work on restricting his kicks all game, well, goodluck. I personally feel Pendles has the best handball in the game and is more creative when using his hands in close than any other player I've seen.

As for our centre square for the near future, we'll probably struggle for the first half of the year. It will be an almost entirely different line up and will affect our fluency and cohesiveness as a group. Towards the end of the season I would expect to see some games where we dominate though. We have so many talented players that will run through the middle that eventually the cream will rise to the top.

Swan and Pendlebury will rise to the top this year, Greenwood and Adams will be solid and Witts and Grundy taking their games to the next level. Might see Williams taking on a run with type role in the abscence of the Caff from time to time.

 

[rustyg70]

I hope like hell that we drop the tagging role (sorry Caf.)
We are robbing ourselves of the one place that we can not afford to lose with two inexperienced ruckmen.
We need all hands on deck as often as possible when there is a ball up.
If we are going to go with a tagger, make him start outside the centre square to allow us the the opportunity of at least going at the ball with the same amount as the opposition.
Sure, there is a time and place for a tagger, but we don't need one for every game.
I'd prefer we go one on one and let our boys do what they do best.

 

[speedytiger]

When I see your username I always think of a fish pie.

When i think fish pie, i think fish stew. I sing to the lovely 'you want me to fish stew?'

 

[Boris the Contradiction]

I like a lot of the posts in here but not all the Williams and Langdon to the midfield calls, especially given the fact that Scharenberg has been earmarked as a long term mid.

Great teams almost always have great backlines and these two have shown fantastic potential in their defensive roles. I hope they form part of our backline core for the next decade.

Adams is essential this year. He has a few years in the system and 43 games experience. I honestly think Ball went one year too long but with he and Beams out of the team, the stage is set. The time for Adams is now.