elite midfielder

[hougie]

Because thats the way the game has developed. Talls dont win games, it's the midfield rotations that win footy games. Look at North, Dog's and even the Cats... they win by attacking from defence with a hard running midfield. No big named forwards at those three clubs.

What about the Hawks..? Oh.

Forward's are extremely important, but I agree, the midfield is where it is fundamentally won.

 

[beaver fever]

Because thats the way the game has developed. Talls dont win games, it's the midfield rotations that win footy games. Look at North, Dog's and even the Cats... they win by attacking from defence with a hard running midfield. No big named forwards at those three clubs.

Pavlich, Riewoldt, Brown, Franklin, Richardson, Bradshaw, Roughead, Fevola. All match winners and highly prized commodities.

 

[nut]

Pavlich( Feo not in the 8), Riewoldt( saints just scraped into the 8), Brown( Lions not in the 8), Franklin, Richardson( not in the 8), Bradshaw( Lions not in the 8), Roughead, Fevola( not in the 8). All match winners and highly prized commodities.

so out of the all the players above only 2 sides are playing in the Finals...hmmm it makes you wonder how important these commodities are to a side???

 

[nut]

What about the Hawks..? Oh.

Forward's are extremely important, but I agree, the midfield is where it is fundamentally won.

We beat the Hawks.....

 

[beaver fever]

so out of the all the players above only 2 sides are playing in the Finals...hmmm it makes you wonder how important these commodities are to a side???

Only to morons. If reasonable people were involved in a fantasy draft of the entire AFL, these players would be amongst the first picked.

 

[sante]

Only to morons. If reasonable people were involved in a fantasy draft of the entire AFL, these players would be amongst the first picked.

Because they jump on the media's bandwagon. They kick the goals and take the marks but if it wasn't for the midfield, they'd do **** all.

Riewoldt will make it as a Tall forward. There aren't true positions anymore, look at the Doggies.

 

[richoatthedisco]

Because they jump on the media's bandwagon. They kick the goals and take the marks but if it wasn't for the midfield, they'd do **** all.

Riewoldt will make it as a Tall forward. There aren't true positions anymore, look at the Doggies fail to make an impact in the finals because they don't have a key forward.

Key forwards are important because when the heat's on and there's no time to spot up a target and you bang it on your boot in hope, they mark it/bring it to ground.

 

[Rayzorwire]

I was listening to the saints and crows game today and Nathan Brown was on.
He was asked after the game how he thought we were positioned for 2009 and he said we were only an elite midfielder short. The way he said it sounded like he knew something. Thoughts?

Only that the recruiting department and the club's inner sanctum would surely be smart enough to not let Nathan 'only my ego is bigger than my total disrespect for discretion' Brown know what they are planning.

Like and support him as a player...find it impossible to like him based on what comes out of his mouth and his whole public persona.

 

[nut]

Only to morons. If reasonable people were involved in a fantasy draft of the entire AFL, these players would be amongst the first picked.

Ok the as the ladder stands... and the top 2 KPF's goal count

1 Geelong.... Mooney 44 Steve Johnson (KPF??) 40
2. Hawks.... Franklin 98 Roughead 61
3. Bulldogs... Brad Johnson (KPF???) 47... Jason Ackermanis (KPF??) on 43
4. North.... Lindsay Thompson(KPF???) and Corey Jones(KPF???) both on 32???
5. Collingwood.... Paul Medhurst(KPF???) on 48 and Travis Cloke on 36
6. Adelaide.... Brett Burton(KPF???) on 34 and goodwin on 33(KPF???)

do I have to go on??????

7. Saints... Riewoldt on 52... and Milne(KPF???) on 47
8. Swans ... Oloughlin(KPF???) on 36 and Hall on 33


Apart from the Hawks where are these Power Forwards???


Small forwards and Midfielders are taking over... surely the above is evidence of that????

 

[nut]

Key forwards are important because when the heat's on and there's no time to spot up a target and you bang it on your boot in hope, they mark it/bring it to ground.

yes and as Geelong has proven you can get a player of Mooney's ability to provide that... you dont have to sell the farm to get a Power forward to bring success as it was in the past.

I'm surprised people still cant see this.

 

[beaver fever]

If Geelong lost Mooney and Lonergan to injury they would be in a lot of trouble. The structure they provide to the side is of vital importance.

 

[nut]

If Geelong lost Mooney and Lonergan to injury they would be in a lot of trouble. The structure they provide to the side is of vital importance.

Structure that can be easily replaced by average players which they are.

Shulz, Hughes, JR would slot straight into that Geelong forward line and hold it together with the supply that they would get.

 

[hougie]

Structure that can be easily replaced by average players which they are.

Shulz, Hughes, JR would slot straight into that Geelong forward line and hold it together with the supply that they would get.

Our three boys aren't any better than a Hawkins, who can't break into the side - don't underestimate Mooney or to a lesser extent Lonergan.

In any case, why have average players strengthening a team's structure? Why not have good one's instead?



I'd hope for a tall forward, a classy mid and a small back in this season's draft and investigate ruckmen in the '09 off-season if none of Patto, Graham or Putt show anything.

 

[nut]

Our three boys aren't any better than a Hawkins, who can't break into the side - don't underestimate Mooney or to a lesser extent Lonergan.

In any case, why have average players strengthening a team's structure? Why not have good one's instead?



I'd hope for a tall forward, a classy mid and a small back in this season's draft and investigate ruckmen in the '09 off-season if none of Patto, Graham or Putt show anything.

Hawkins is getting a better education playing as the number 1 forward for the 2's as is Hughes, instead of playing as a third tall in the ones and getting little supply.

...as for your wishlist I agree.

I just dont see the club being quite this off season.... thats Why I want a young up an coming mid that would fit into our age bracket and would cost lots salary wise, sure we might pay more than he is worth at the trade table but I think he is the type we should be after. Prismall that is.

 

[tigers_of_old_08]

Hawkins is getting a better education playing as the number 1 forward for the 2's as is Hughes, instead of playing as a third tall in the ones and getting little supply.

...as for your wishlist I agree.

I just dont see the club being quite this off season.... thats Why I want a young up an coming mid that would fit into our age bracket and would cost lots salary wise, sure we might pay more than he is worth at the trade table but I think he is the type we should be after. Prismall that is.

Agree we chase someone like Prismall. You've made some very compelling arguments on this thread, nut. Great posts backed by facts, kudos to you on that.

 

[bigstyletiger]

Where 1 ruckman short, 1 mid short, 1 small defender short, at least 1 tall fowards short

Small forwards? Where is our Davey, Thomas, Rioli, Campbell? Hurry up Collard.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Pick 8.hmmmmmmmmmmm.If we dont use pick 9 in a trade then i think Vickery will come into our calculations.Would prefer Ziebell but i doubt he,ll be there at 8.A tad over the odds for Vickery however he would solve our 2 problems.KPF/Ruck.
Added bonus Putt makes it

 

[courtjester]

Small forwards? Where is our Davey, Thomas, Rioli, Campbell? Hurry up Collard.

Nathan Brown

 

[Bifrost]

At his best, Cogs is an elite midfielder. There you go, problem solved.

We do need another top-line ruckman, so if someone would like to step up please? Carledge? Graham? Patto?

But if we can have a core midfield group of Deledio, Foley, Cotchin, Coughlan and Tuck, we are in a damn good place. There's hard work, hard tackling, elite skills and serious speed in there. They're all relatively young, all very good, some already elite and none of them have stopped improving yet.

Then we have the likes of Edwards, White and Tambling as rotations and depth. None of these guys are fillers - they've all got something to give and all still impvroving.

 

[Delids]

I would be stoked if we go Tyrone Vickery, he is a player we need, tall Ruck /Forward with a lot of grunt. I think he wont be around when its our turn.
N Brown says we need a midfielder, Richo says we need more Key Positions.
I think we need a ruck first.

 

[blxx]

this thread is a beauty, and so glad it hasnt degenerated into the normal name calling, personal tirade threads on here often do.

excellent analysis nut, bigups to you.

while i agree that good strong bodied tall targets are indeed handy in the forward line im definately sold by your arguments that the game has swung to a "midfield shootout" sport where the fittest, fastest and most skillful midfield will more than likely win you matches more than the tallest, strongest, musclebound gorillas.

times have changed indeed.

so if our target is Jack Ziebell, we must try and get a higher pick.

what id like to know with one round to go, whats the lowest we can finish on the ladder if we (god forbid) tank this weekend

 

[beaver fever]

11th if we lose and brisbane and carlton win. About as much chance of happening as us slipping into the 8 on percentage.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

I would be stoked if we go Tyrone Vickery, he is a player we need, tall Ruck /Forward with a lot of grunt. I think he wont be around when its our turn.

Vickery will be avail at pick 8 no worries about that.Its just a question of who,s also available at 8

 

[JSFish]

Because thats the way the game has developed. Talls dont win games, it's the midfield rotations that win footy games. Look at North, Dog's and even the Cats... they win by attacking from defence with a hard running midfield. No big named forwards at those three clubs.

I agree they are the most important area, but emphasis still needs to put on talls. We will have Cotchin, Deledio, and Foley as our starting three, with Tuck, White and Coughlan if he gets back capable back ups. Add to that the players that can move into the midfield from another position if needed - Edwards, Connors, Tambling are a couple. Plus players who aren't getting a regular game right now like Polo, Jackson, Collins maybe. That's currently 12 possibilities. More than half of a team.

And anyway, if such a large amount of players need to be midfielders, will one really make that much difference? We will have 13 instead of 12.

Just on the Cats...they rebound from defence yes, but predominantly through their defenders, not through their strict midfielders. In that category we have Newman, McMahon, Tambling when he's back there, Connors when he's back there, and Kel Moore who can do a bit of it despite being a tall.

so out of the all the players above only 2 sides are playing in the Finals...hmmm it makes you wonder how important these commodities are to a side???

That's irrelevant. You can't say tall forwards aren't important because a lot of teams who have them aren't good. 21 other players have a fair bit to do with that.

I agree that mids are the most important position, but can't with the lack of emphasis you're placing on other positions.