Jack Grimes to Midfield

[joelpatful]

With Brock Mclean leaving Melbourne, will Jack Grimes move up into the midfield next year or will he have another year to develope across half back. I see him been a gun midfielder and the star player Melbourne has been crying out for, for years.

 

[Crimson Azure]

Half back & part of rotation through the mid.

 

[Dez!]

I'd say more time in the midfield but still stints across half back, he'll be a lot more midfield ready after this pre-season.

Will be great to watch Grimey go round in 2010.

 

[Future Star]

Probably depends on whether Strauss/Bennell/Cheney develop as small defenders. If this happens i can see Grimesy moving into the midfield to gain experience. I dont really care where he plays as long as he is playing. We need to just gain depth everywhere, such as Geelong who have James Kelly who would be a starting mid in most teams playing on the HBF because of there midfield depth.

 

[melbournemartin]

Grimes was always going to push into the midfield. I think that it's important for midfielders to know how to play half back as well though. If you're being tagged heavily then you need to be able to get out of the guts yet still be damaging. I remember watching Daniel Rich be shut out of the game in the middle against the Dogs in the final and then move to half back where he still had no influence.

It's crazy the amount of gun midfielders we'll have rotating through the middle:

One's we've come to know and love:

Moloney
Jones
Bruce
McDonald

New ones:

Sylvia (from a centre bounce point of view, although he was there a bit last year)
Grimes
Scully
Trengove (it's basically locked in after yesterday)
Blease

 

[ExTasDeeMan]

I'm quite happy with Grimes putting Yze darts into the forward 50 off half back.
He can easily take the Hodge role.

 

[The Dr]

Probably depends on whether Strauss/Bennell/Cheney develop as small defenders. If this happens i can see Grimesy moving into the midfield to gain experience. I dont really care where he plays as long as he is playing. We need to just gain depth everywhere, such as Geelong who have James Kelly who would be a starting mid in most teams playing on the HBF because of there midfield depth.

Good comparison imo.

 

[The Professor]

Good comparison imo.

bad comparison. I'll be shattered if Jack Grimes became James Kelly. Absolutely shattered.

James Kelly is a good player but he's a 5th to 6th midfielder who had to reinvent himself as a HBF. He would be an ok middle of the range midfielder without the likes of their studs in Ablett, Selwood or Bartel.

I've got high hopes with Jack and I'll plug him right in the middle next year. Slip to HB if he's getting a real tight tag and set up play.

When it gets hot, you want Jack in there. With TomJack on board, we've basically got a brand new engine in the midfield.

 

[The Dr]

bad comparison. I'll be shattered if Jack Grimes became James Kelly. Absolutely shattered.

James Kelly is a good player but he's a 5th to 6th midfielder who had to reinvent himself as a HBF. He would be an ok middle of the range midfielder without the likes of their studs in Ablett, Selwood or Bartel.

I've got high hopes with Jack and I'll plug him right in the middle next year. Slip to HB if he's getting a real tight tag and set up play.

When it gets hot, you want Jack in there. With TomJack on board, we've basically got a brand new engine in the midfield.

I think you completely underrate Kelly. He is an incredible footballer that has re-invented himself as a HBF. If Ablett and Bartel fell over, he would be able to go straight back in the middle and dominate. His flexibility doesn't mean he's not good enough to be a gun mid.

I have massive hopes for Grimes and he may well become a better player than Kelly (he still has a way to go mind you) but as far as the type of player he is (adaptable, great overhead, clean by foot etc) I think the Kelly comparison is on the mark.

 

[master bate]

We haven't seen Grimes play in the middle yet but if he does end up permanantly across half back he wouldn't be an after thought. It's a very important position and Enright, Mackie and Kelly are so important to the Cats.

I think we give him time in both, and his future depends on the way Scully and others adopt to AFL level.

 

[melbournemartin]

Where did he play in junior football? I was under the impression that he was largely a midfielder.

Don't forget that we have the deadly Strauss and Bennell combination in the works!

 

[The Professor]

I think you completely underrate Kelly. He is an incredible footballer that has re-invented himself as a HBF. If Ablett and Bartel fell over, he would be able to go straight back in the middle and dominate. His flexibility doesn't mean he's not good enough to be a gun mid.

I have massive hopes for Grimes and he may well become a better player than Kelly (he still has a way to go mind you) but as far as the type of player he is (adaptable, great overhead, clean by foot etc) I think the Kelly comparison is on the mark.

Without Ablett and Selwood and with James Kelly holding the reigns, the cats midfield would be run of the mill, average, another middle of the road midfields.

Don't get all googly eyed because he plays for the great Geelong team. There are studs that carry the team, some A grade players that help and plenty of role players which James Kelly is one of them.

James Kelly is a good player but he's a role player who is a 5th, 6th or may likely 7th type midfielder and i would be shattered if Jack Grimes was that.

 

[CaptainDavey]

I keep forgetting that we have Blease to look forward to

I agree with the idea of keeping Jack at half back with some stints in the midfield, his overhead marking in the backline is brilliant

 

[HiHoEverybody]

I asked Dean Bailey this exact question at a Casey game this year. He said he's a midfielder and as soon as he has full confidence that he's fully over his back injury he'll be played as a mid.

 

[melbournemartin]

Good to hear. I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is a lot of Jimmy Bartel in Jack Grimes.

 

[GriffBlick]

Grimes was always going to push into the midfield. I think that it's important for midfielders to know how to play half back as well though. If you're being tagged heavily then you need to be able to get out of the guts yet still be damaging. I remember watching Daniel Rich be shut out of the game in the middle against the Dogs in the final and then move to half back where he still had no influence.

It's crazy the amount of gun midfielders we'll have rotating through the middle:

One's we've come to know and love:

Moloney
Jones
Bruce
McDonald

New ones:

Sylvia (from a centre bounce point of view, although he was there a bit last year)
Grimes
Scully
Trengove (it's basically locked in after yesterday)
Blease

how can you say those guys are gun midfielders?

Moloney used to be one of my favourite players, good player, but he is not a GUN.

there is no way Jones is a GUN, surely not even the most die-hard melbourne supporter could say that?! he is slow and has average disposal skills.. sure hes tough (hes got a tattoo).. but not a GUN

Blease has never played a game, looks very skinny and has a broken leg.. GUN? i think not

McDonald = workman, but wont win you a game off his own boot, therefore not a GUN

Bruce was a GUN, a couple of years ago.. then he got cleaned up by s.baker (st kilda) with a cheap hit off the square.. has never been the same since

melbournemartin you are a SPUD! and i think it is you that is crazy and not our midfield

 

[Dez!]

how can you say those guys are gun midfielders?

They don't need to be guns, he exaggerated a little get a grip for God's sake.

Moloney used to be one of my favourite players, good player, but he is not a GUN.

Tough, passionate and dedicated. Very good player when he's up and running, although not a gun he's better than just a good player.

there is no way Jones is a GUN, surely not even the most die-hard melbourne supporter could say that?! he is slow and has average disposal skills.. sure hes tough (hes got a tattoo).. but not a GUN

His disposal improved immensely over the course the season, he's not slow but he isn't quick, he has adequate pace. Not a gun but you are underrating him quite a lot.

Blease has never played a game, looks very skinny and has a broken leg.. GUN? i think not

True you can't call him a gun at the moment but there's no reason he can't become one if you've seen him play before.

McDonald = workman, but wont win you a game off his own boot, therefore not a GUN

Midfielders don't win games off their own boots, in his prime Junior won games with his tackling, he was a gun.

Bruce was a GUN, a couple of years ago.. then he got cleaned up by s.baker (st kilda) with a cheap hit off the square.. has never been the same since

It was Brent Guerra.

melbournemartin you are a SPUD! and i think it is you that is crazy and not our midfield

Harsh and stupid by you.

 

[GriffBlick]

Midfielders don't win games off their own boots, in his prime Junior won games with his tackling, he was a gun.
quote]

hahaahah how foolish of you! Paul Chapman did it yesterday by getting 26 touches and 3 goals in a grand final he is a GUN not jones, if you watched that last quarter u would no he won it off his own boot (and don't say "he is a forward, not a midfielder" pleanty of midfielders spend time in different positions).

anyway you just agreed with most things i said. that melbournemartin is a clown for saying those players are guns.. and you no it

 

[Dez!]

Midfielders don't win games off their own boots, in his prime Junior won games with his tackling, he was a gun.
quote]

hahaahah how foolish of you! Paul Chapman did it yesterday by getting 26 touches and 3 goals in a grand final he is a GUN not jones, if you watched that last quarter u would no he won it off his own boot (and don't say "he is a forward, not a midfielder" pleanty of midfielders spend time in different positions).

anyway you just agreed with most things i said. that melbournemartin is a clown for saying those players are guns.. and you no it

Chapman IS a medium forward as IS Steve Johnson, they have stints in the midfield but mostly play off half forward.

No I didn't agree with you. He exaggerated a little bit as people tend to do, just as you exaggerated in your "assessments" if you could call them that.

No need to be calling him a clown or a spud, get a grip.

 

[GriffBlick]

No need to be calling him a clown or a spud, get a grip.

who made you the moral police mate? lets just talk footy, and leave the moral policing to the moral police.

 

[WattsGoodForYou]

who made you the moral police mate? lets just talk footy, and leave the moral policing to the moral police.

He played mostly in the mid.

 

[davey_magik]

IMO Grimes reminds me of Hodge more than anyone else. Elite kicking skills, courageous and has leadership qualities.

 

[FOOOOTY]

wouldnt surprise me at all if in 5 yrs time this bloke is remembered as the best from the 07 draft.

 

[GriffBlick]

He played mostly in the mid.

we could be bigfooty allies.

 

[melbournemartin]

Ouch.

I reckon I'll just pack up my bags and leave after that pasting.