Analysis Individual Player Analysis Pre 2018 Season - Liam Shiels

[RIOLINWITPUNCHS]

Next up thanks to the google random number generator is the #26.

For all you media contingent out there, this bloke's surname is SHIELS. Not Shiel (he is a jet who plays for the AFL team), nor Shields as I saw it spelt recently in a Hawthorn best 22.

The recruiting staff at the club were very, very clever when they took this bloke as an under-ager back in the day when you could still do it with pick 34.

From my recollection his first 2 years were pretty bloody good for a young player and I remember saying to myself at one point gee this bloke could be a brownlow medallist.

I admit now that this is very unlikely but what we have in Shiels is a bloke that turns up every single week and you know exactly what you are going to get. He is the type of player every premiership team needs.

Shiels has shown to be extremely durable and has now played 163 games.

There is no doubting he will rarely end up on many highlight reels given the role he plays but he is such an important player for us.

In 2016 he was the #1 pressure player in the comp to go with the #1 player for 1 percenters if I am not mistaken. I am not sure how his 2017 season panned out in relation to these numbers but I have no doubt he would have been right up there.

Shiels is 100% in the best 22 despite some supporter's thinking he is a bit vanilla.

There is no doubt he has a weakness or two, namely his penetration in kicking and lack of goals kicked but as previously stated he more then makes up for this with his other strength's.

Shiels is in his prime entering the season as a 26 year old and although he may not improve too much, he is a very important cog in the midfield and a player not easily replaced given what he brings to the team.

No doubt one of clarko's favourite "soldier's".

 

[Hodginator]

Very underrated is Shiels. Even by a lot of our own supporters.

Bob Murphy had him in his 5 most underrated last year too - https://www.sen.com.au/news/2017/04/11/bobs-top-5-underrated-players-in-the-afl/

From memory, he never seems to poll that well in the PCM either for some reason.

 

[MasterSamurai]

Although this is a good idea, I think it'd be better if you had season stats available instead of guessing whether a player had a good season or not.
I for one, was extremely disappointed with him in 2017 ( along with Breust) they were the two most disappointing players from last year.
Shiels at this stage of his career should be looking to add to his game and force himself to be close to elite but he is way off, just a soldier doing the hard yards.. To think some thought he may be a natural replacement for Jordan!! . .

 

[threesixpio]

Although this is a good idea, I think it'd be better if you had season stats available instead of guessing whether a player had a good season or not.
I for one, was extremely disappointed with him in 2017 ( along with Breust) they were the two most disappointing players from last year.
Shiels at this stage of his career should be looking to add to his game and force himself to be close to elite but he is way off, just a soldier doing the hard yards.. To think some thought he may be a natural replacement for Jordan!! . .

But I also remember his 2016 and he was really beginning to go up a notch. Didn’t he have some niggles last year?

I wonder how Shiels will go in a more defined midfield ie Jaegar in and Mitchell being “understood” in the team.

 

[MrPremiership]

What role does he play this year?

If Howe is the tagger/run-with player, then does that release Pup to win his own ball? Is Pup damaging enough to play that role? Can he accumulate?

Or do we release Howe as that player and keep Pup as the shut down player and expect 8 tackles per game?

I think I'm being harsh, but I'm expecting a lot more from Pup from now on, given the players we've lost and what we need him to become after close to 150/200 games

 

[LRobbo]

Think Shiels will be given the license to get his own footy this year with Howe likely the bigger body lockdown player we’ve been looking for since Sewell.

Shiels is interesting, gets zero plaudits outside of Hawthorn, but you realise how integral he is when he misses through injury.
2016 I think it was when he missed a few early games and I remember us not having an answer for Selwood or Dangerfield that day at the G when Danger went nuts.

Important cog in the guts for us, will allow Jaeger to be more outside hopefully away from the heavy traffic

 

[threesixpio]

What role does he play this year?

If Howe is the tagger/run-with player, then does that release Pup to win his own ball? Is Pup damaging enough to play that role? Can he accumulate?

Or do we release Howe as that player and keep Pup as the shut down player and expect 8 tackles per game?

I think I'm being harsh, but I'm expecting a lot more from Pup from now on, given the players we've lost and what we need him to become after close to 150/200 games

No this is a fair question. But weirdly enough I want both to be both. Shiels showed he could do more in 2016 and (I am a big D Howe fan) I think Dan is ready to be more offensive. He actually manages to win his own ball quite a lot when in a tagging role last year.

I’m not sure if I’m getting ahead of myself with Dan because there are some posters on this board who I really respect who think he has a lot more to learn - but I honestly think that his 2017 form helped us hugely in getting out of the slump we were in early on in the season. And the thing I like about Dan is that he really likes winning and believes in his team mates. His post game interviews were always chock full of optimistm and grit.

Big fan of Dan.

But alas I’m derailing.

Shiels is only 26 and yet is a veteran. By all accounts his fitness seems to be right on track this preseason. I am confident he will step up and work really well with a younger midfield

 

[LRobbo]

No this is a fair question. But weirdly enough I want both to be both. Shiels showed he could do more in 2016 and (I am a big D Howe fan) I think Dan is ready to be more offensive. He actually manages to win his own ball quite a lot when in a tagging role last year.

I’m not sure if I’m getting ahead of myself with Dan because there are some posters on this board who I really respect who think he has a lot more to learn - but I honestly think that his 2017 form helped us hugely in getting out of the slump we were in early on in the season. And the thing I like about Dan is that he really likes winning and believes in his team mates. His post game interviews were always chock full of optimistm and grit.

Big fan of Dan.

But alas I’m derailing.

Shiels is only 26 and yet is a veteran. By all accounts his fitness seems to be right on track this preseason. I am confident he will step up and work really well with a younger midfield

Agree with you, big fan of Howe.
I think post bye, he looked like he felt he belonged. Clarko must’ve come up to him and said ‘you’ll be staying in the side, you’ll be going to the best mid’. His footy took off after that.
Remember the run down tackle on Buddy deep in time on?
Important cog

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Huge fan of Pup. Like Stratts, probably valued more highly inside than outside.

Expect if Jags stays fit, Mitchell has another great year and Howe and a few others step up, he will have more freedom and impact games even more.

 

[Dewnior]

I think David Mirra is going to be great for us in 2018.

The leadership department has taken a hit in the past 2 seasons - departure of Gibbo and Hodgey, the still raw departure of Mitchell and Lewis and the hefty burden on Rough last season in his first year back + first year as captain I think we (Clarko) has made an astute decision in picking up Mirra, a proven, successful leader of men for virtually nothing. There is obviously a massive jump from VFL to AFL but the respect would certainly be there from the senior boys and he could really step up and fill a void left by the champs. Whether it be on field, I think his impact on the squad off field alone will be a huge benefit for us in 2018. In saying that, I reckon we'll be seeing him down back at some point throughout the year and I wouldn't be surprised if he performs well for us.

 

[Easy Slips Catch]

Saw Sheila get forty touches at a VFL game and was dominant. Clarko has molded him into a run with player. I could see Sheila owning a wing. Let off the chain he can find the footy pretty easily and often.

 

[Wizzmania]

Has stagnated. Could have established himself in the elite midfielder bracket of the competition after 9 seasons at the Hawks. Disposal by foot, esp goal kicking, remains the number one criticism. Still only 26.
Honest as the day is long, but will need to take his game up a notch in 2018. Must impact the scoreboard.

 

[MasterSamurai]

2011 stats for Pup are actually quite good, career high in a few areas, he was playing on the wing mostly that year.. Maybe that's where he's suited but if only jaeger is up and running, Howe continues to develop plus the likes of Lovell , Jor, Morrison, cousins take the next step as inside mids.

 

[Bardo State]

Shiels is obviously a very hard working, solid player but I'd be lying if I said he wasn't somewhat of a disappointment. There just hasn't been much obvious development or progression since he was about 20. Ideally he's your 5th-7th midfielder picked on a contender I think.

 

[Roger Rogerson]

Has stagnated. Could have established himself in the elite midfielder bracket of the competition after 9 seasons at the Hawks. Disposal by foot, esp goal kicking, remains the number one criticism. Still only 26.
Honest as the day is long, but will need to take his game up a notch in 2018. Must impact the scoreboard.

Not many make it to the elite level. I don't expect Shiels will. He won't get much better. What we do know is that in a good side playing alongside stars he is a very very dependable midfielder. What we should be hoping is that more gifted mids around him rise to the elite level as he is a key part of the midfield diversity.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Shiels is obviously a very hard working, solid player but I'd be lying if I said he wasn't somewhat of a disappointment. There just hasn't been much obvious development or progression since he was about 20. Ideally he's your 5th-7th midfielder picked on a contender I think.

I think this is a bit harsh. He was taken at pick 34.

This assessment would be fair enough if talking about Xavier Ellis, but how often does a pick 34 turn into the player and leader Shiels is... ???

 

[RIOLINWITPUNCHS]

I think this is a bit harsh. He was taken at pick 34.

This assessment would be fair enough if talking about Xavier Ellis, but how often does a pick 34 turn into the player and leader Shiels is... ???

Not to mention he does all the team things that most players are not willing to do.

He doesn't do any glamorous things but he is the type of player you need.

If you have 6 Patrick Dangerfields and no Shiels you aint winning the premiership.

 

[Billyc]

Not to mention he does all the team things that most players are not willing to do.

He doesn't do any glamorous things but he is the type of player you need.

If you have 6 Patrick Dangerfields and no Shiels you aint winning the premiership.

Reckon you might win a flag with 6 Dangerfields just quietly.

 

[RIOLINWITPUNCHS]

Reckon you might win a flag with 6 Dangerfields just quietly.

Not if you don't have defensive mids willing to do the team stuff.

Just look at GWS.

 

[Billyc]

Not if you don't have defensive mids willing to do the team stuff.

Just look at GWS.

They have 0 Dangerfields

 

[RIOLINWITPUNCHS]

They have 0 Dangerfields

My point is you could have 22 Dangerfields or a stacked midfield like GWS but it means fcuk all.

A champion team vs a team of champions etc etc.

 

[mustang]

But I also remember his 2016 and he was really beginning to go up a notch. Didn’t he have some niggles last year?

I wonder how Shiels will go in a more defined midfield ie Jaegar in and Mitchell being “understood” in the team.

I think 2015 was he better year he moved away from being the tagger with Langford taking that role which freed him up and in 2016 Langford didn’t play well so he had to return to being the tagger.

 

[Chubberson]

Shiela will be fringe best 22 this year if two things happen, JoM stays fit, one of Lovell or Cousins breaks out.

 

[Qlder_19]

Lovell and cousins would need to be spe tacular to keep a triple premiership player out of the side

 

[Chubberson]

His 16 and 17 seasons were poles apart. If he gets back to his best they won't push him out, but if his output is 17esque he may find himself in the magoos pretty quick.