Player Watch Daniel Curtin

[Mr_Moogle]

We've gone a different way to most.

Midfields win flags, and we've gone and developed our spine before all else.

Part of me understands that, after all generally KPPs take a bit longer and we've now got a group that look solid. But in doing so we've left our midfield to trail behind and only now have we got what looks like a solid group.

I'm not sure I agree with the idea that we didn't invest enough top picks into our midfield. Jones top end pick, midfield bust. McHenry first rounder, midfield bust. Pedlar was a first rounder pure mid when we drafted him. I doubt Rachele and Rankine were brought in to play as stay at home forwards either. You could maybe argue that we've recruited too many hybrids and need more guys that do one thing really well.

I think we'd have taken Thilthorpe at that pick in every version of the multiverse. Really talented home grown KPFs like that don't come along very often.

 

[Crow till I die]

Certainly a far cry from the Crouch/Laird/Sloane mix

With the players we now have we really can vary the cb's as if we want real pace, we have izak, peatling and draper. If we want a combo we can mix in dawson, curtin, crouch, soligo. If we want big powerful mids, dawson and curtin

 

[DJ75]

With the players we now have we really can vary the cb's as if we want real pace, we have izak, peatling and draper. If we want a combo we can mix in dawson, curtin, crouch, soligo. If we want big powerful mids, dawson and curtin

The biggest question now is can Nicks use them?

Did he keep the Crouch, Laird, Sloane mix because it's all he had, or is it what he knows and prefers?

 

[Danger in Texas]

The biggest question now is can Nicks use them?

Did he keep the Crouch, Laird, Sloane mix because it's all he had, or is it what he knows and prefers?

I’m hoping Laird falling out of the rotation was an enlightenment moment for Nicks, rather than a temporary thing

I’d say assume, but you can never be too sure with Maffew

 

[Mr_Moogle]

I’m hoping Laird falling out of the rotation was an enlightenment moment for Nicks, rather than a temporary thing

I’d say assume, but you can never be too sure with Maffew

He seems to have fallen out of favour as a pure mid in the back half of 2024. Still given a long enough leash to be a culture killing dickhead though.

 

[Crow till I die]

The biggest question now is can Nicks use them?

Did he keep the Crouch, Laird, Sloane mix because it's all he had, or is it what he knows and prefers?

I'd like to see longmire controlling things and planning how best to operate our midfield. Nicks is always welcome to come watch on game day...from the bleachers

 

[Cromulant]

I'm not sure I agree with the idea that we didn't invest enough top picks into our midfield. Jones top end pick, midfield bust. McHenry first rounder, midfield bust. Pedlar was a first rounder pure mid when we drafted him. I doubt Rachele and Rankine were brought in to play as stay at home forwards either. You could maybe argue that we've recruited too many hybrids and need more guys that do one thing really well.

I think we'd have taken Thilthorpe at that pick in every version of the multiverse. Really talented home grown KPFs like that don't come along very often.

McHenry wasn't drafted as a midfielder, or if he was we never played him there.

Rachele and Rankine I'd say yes, and one of them has worked. Don't think Josh will ever be more than a 30/70 mid-forward and we don't need him to be

 

[Mr_Moogle]

McHenry wasn't drafted as a midfielder

 

[triggyscrewedus]

Mentioning Ned in the Curtin thread is ban worthy

 

[DJ75]

It looks to me like Curtin could be a special talent.
The only question is whether we have the coaching panel needed to get the most out of him.

 

[1990crow]

Do we ejaculate with glee if Murphy plays?

On CPH2371 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Too many sherbets today?

 

[tinman]

I liked the mid role ranks played at times last year when he started mid at centre bounces then drifted forward. Often swapping with the likes of Berry who would start on a HFF when the bounce happened then move into the midfield.

Ranks got caught out a few times not marking his opponent when the other team won the centre bounce but he is explosive in there.

Perhaps in 2025 rather than a Berry swapping on a HFF it could be curtin / draper who swaps with Ranks.

I'm really looking forward to seeing Draper, but the thought of Rankine and Curtin swapping out forward/mid is the stuff that will give opposition coaches nightmares matching up on.
I'm not sure that Curtin will see more than a few midfield bursts next season, but he has a long career ahead of him and he's an incredibly exciting prospect. Just needs to play.

 

[WeeBlake]

We’ve recruited a large quantity of mids + potential mids, just not any that were considered ready-made top-end mids (Dawson/Rankine weren’t at the time of recruiting), or ones that were high draft picks (until Draper)

Thankfully the midfield’s now becoming less of a problem, thanks to Daws/Ranks/Soligo being hit recruits, but for a while it was pretty grim. I think this time three years ago, we would’ve been expecting Schoenberg/Berry/Pedlar to be of the same or better quality that Soligo is now

Trades aside, you just gotta keep picking (and cutting) until you have at least two genuine a graders

 

[Velvet George]

It's a good question.

Peatling depth until proves otherwise.

Injuries will always make this easier.

Crouch, Draper and Soligo should be the only 'mid only' players out of that group. Dawson, Rankine and Curtin are definitely rotating through other positions at times.

However we know the coaches can make some bizarre calls, so who knows. It's probably: Draper to half forward (when he gets a game), Rachele fwd, Soligo wing, Curtin forward, Rankine mid/fwd, Crouch mid, Dawson mid. Peatling, Berry, Schoenberg and Edwards sanfl.

Peatling wasn’t sold being depth. He’s clearly going to be a starter

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Peatling wasn’t sold being depth. He’s clearly going to be a starter

He strikes me as an upgraded version of Berry.

 

[Cromulant]

He strikes me as an upgraded version of Berry.

A sizable upgrade too

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

So how are we fitting Curtin, Draper, Soligo, Rankine, Peatling and Dawson into the midfield if we're still playing Matt Crouch?

Easy - Look at my best 22.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

It's a good question.

Peatling depth until proves otherwise.

Injuries will always make this easier.

Crouch, Draper and Soligo should be the only 'mid only' players out of that group. Dawson, Rankine and Curtin are definitely rotating through other positions at times.

However we know the coaches can make some bizarre calls, so who knows. It's probably: Draper to half forward (when he gets a game), Rachele fwd, Soligo wing, Curtin forward, Rankine mid/fwd, Crouch mid, Dawson mid. Peatling, Berry, Schoenberg and Edwards sanfl.

Peatlng will be best 22 imo.

 

[Stephen2]

Curtin ... exiting prospect

I hope we get something good, after he exits J/K just picking on a typo

 

[tinman]

I hope we get something good, after he exits J/K just picking on a typo

Edited cheers

 

[cmndstab]

Peatling had firmly established himself in GWS's midfield, which is a fair bit stronger than ours. Other than injury, I can't see anything keeping him out of our starting side.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

So how are we fitting Curtin, Draper, Soligo, Rankine, Peatling and Dawson into the midfield if we're still playing Matt Crouch?

It's a good question

I wonder if Soligo will end up back on the wing? We've only really settled one wing with Sholl. The other side has been a revolving door.

Soligo is obviously tracking fine as an inside mid but I like having an inside/outside type on at least one of the wings.

Like Ed Langdon was at his best. Got into space, carried the footy and provided an outlet but also could go if it was his turn. Does the wingman stuff but can also stick a tackle when needed, occasionally win a groundball.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Peatling had firmly established himself in GWS's midfield, which is a fair bit stronger than ours. Other than injury, I can't see anything keeping him out of our starting side.

Will be interesting to see if we're prepared to blow up our midfield pecking order or whether he'll need to serve a forward flank apprenticeship.

 

[CutAboveTheRest]

He strikes me as an upgraded version of Berry.

One thing Peatling doesn't do too much is fumble.

One thing Berry does do too much is fumble.

 

[cmndstab]

Will be interesting to see if we're prepared to blow up our midfield pecking order or whether he'll need to serve a forward flank apprenticeship.

Definitely. I don't mind him spending some time in that forward flank role, but if he's not spending at least half of TOG in the midfield, something has gone awry.