Locks ranks the midfields

[Lockyer24]

Here's my first installment in a look at all the teams for 2004 and how I rank them in terms of their counterparts. The first installment is a ranking of each team's midfields and who I see as their main players- following this will be a thread ranking forwards, defenders, then I'll do a final ranking for each team altogether. I'll try and also put down what I think is the best starting 18 for each team with this one. I'll no doubt have some oversights and stuff up some of the positions...these threads will be more for discussion though than to flame me for mistakes though...I hope.

Midfields

1. Brisbane
Keating
Voss
Black
Lappin
Power
Scott

Numero Uto. 3 flags and 2 Brownlows. Not to mention they have a wide range of players who can rotate through the midfield and offer excellent service such as Hart, Scott, Copeland and Caracella. There’s also another Brownlow medal winner by the name of Akermanis but their midfield is so good they can afford to play him forward. Keating as shown on GF day 2003 is invaluable with his bodywork and ability to crash and bash the ball forward towards the Lions goal for his skilful fleet to swoop on. Voss is the leader, the inspiring playmaker who often will start a goal from a brilliant 15m handball from within the pack. Black is a mini-Voss, however has the ability to accumulate possessions rather than physically impose himself. Lappin is the most under-rated of the group, crisp delivery, fantastic work ethic around the ground and gets a stack of it. Power is the new kid on the block and he too provides great work ethic with clean disposal, however has the forward players instincts so can kick a goal or three. Rounding out the group is Chris Scott, adding the tough and uncompromising edge to a group that virtually has it all already.

2. West Coast
Gardiner
Cousins
Fletcher
Judd
Kerr
Banfield

There is another brilliant on ball brigade from beyond Victorian borders however it is not the Crows. The Eagles possess one of the most electrifying midfields in the league now they have added a young Victorian with the ‘X-Factor’ to their arsenal just recently.
To start with they have the leagues current best ruckman – Michael Gardiner. His 2003 started brilliantly before being faded by injury however his strength, leadership and unco-ordinated but excellent skill level puts him above the pack. Roving his taps is the leader of the side Cousins whose ability to run all day and link up work through the middle part of the ground is up there with the best. Fletcher is the most improved of the group, playing an uncompromising style whilst still racking up huge numbers of possessions. Pushing through the ranks are two extremely exciting talents in Judd and Kerr. Judd is the prototype midfielder for the next 10 years with his speed, evasiveness and skill. He is Robert Harvey with rockets on his feet. We’ll just have to see if he can win 2 Brownlows, chalk him in for one at least. Kerr sneaks under the guard of opposition but is a excellent midfielder in his own right. He possesses all the tools to be a 10 year midfielder and in my mind was ripped off for a Rising Star Award. Should make up for it with an All Australian or two. Finally Banfield in his twilight years adds experience and physicality to a group that is set for many years to be a power.

3. Collingwood
Fraser
Buckley
Burns
Licuria
Woewodin
Holland

Many times in 2003 the Magpie midfield’s physical approach and ability to bottle up games brought many younger and inexperienced sides to its knees. Whilst not the quickest team, their ability to win the ball in contested situations and effectively create goals out of it is pretty much second to none. Josh Fraser came of age in 2003. Whilst still lacking the strength to finish off his game he caused many headaches around the ground for his monster competitors and has a football brain that is simply too far ahead of many ruckmen going around already. The skipper Buckley, Brownlow medallist and most consistently brilliant midfielder of the last decade continues to defy age and find ways to add more value to the side as each year passes. His deputy, Sir Scott Burns should put his shock omission from All Australian team behind him and provide another great year of his physical ball winning combined with an ability to kick plenty of goals. Dual Best and Fairest winner Licuria is the heart and soul of the group, not much skill but his work ethic, concentration and balls are unrivalled. Woewodin provides the polish but also is following on from the lead of the group and exerting more physical prescence into his game. Finally Holland the negator does a fantastic job of getting under the oppositions best midfielders skin, whilst having the ability to go the other way and sneak some goals and set up play which is rare for a tagger.


4. Adelaide
Clarke
Ricciuto
McLeod
Goodwin
Stenglein
Edwards

5. Fremantle
Sandilands
Pavlich
Bell
Haselby
Headland
Cook

6. Essendon
Hille
Hird
J Johnson
M Johnson
Misiti
Rioli

7. Kangaroos
Porter
Simpson
Stevens
Grant
Harvey
Rawlings

8. Port
Brogan
Francou
Wanganeen
James
Carr
Schofield

9. Hawthorn
Everitt
Crawford
Mitchell
Vandenburg
Lekkas
Hodge

10. St Kilda
Knobel
Hayes
Harvey
Powell
Thompson
Dal Santo

11. Sydney
Ball
Goodes
Williams
Bolton
Kirk
Maxfield

12. Geelong
King
Ling
Corey
Enright
Ablett
Kelly

13. Richmond
Stafford
Coughlan
Campbell
Johnson
Tivendale
Bowden


14. Melbourne
White
Bruce
Heffernan
Johnstone
Yze
Sylvia

15. Carlton
French
Koutoufides
Stevens
Camporeale
Scotland
Harford

16. Bulldogs
Darcy
West
Johnson
Hahn
Cooney
Ray

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

just a couple of things.

the crows should be at least 3rd.
burton[roos] retired
surely the doggies have a better midfeild tahn the blues.

cheers!

 

[SCRAY72]

Bulldogs

Out Cooney (Forward line), Ray (Werribee in 2004 )

In Murphy, Gilbee

I don't think we should be 16th in this list.

 

[MarkT]

Not a bad effort Locks.

I still rank us no.2. Buckley is better than Cousins, Burns is better than Fletcher, Licuria has more impact more often than Judd at this stage (Judd will be a real gun though) and the rest are 50/50's IMO. Gardiner is way ahead of Fraser though as a pure ruckman although he isn't a better around the ground midfield player IMO. He plays a much better all round ruck game but Fraser is a tall midfielder who goes forward to kick goals and make his opponent account for him. There wouldn't be a lot in it after Brisbane who are clearly number 1 IMO. When you can leave Aka out it says a lot. He'd be number 1 midfielder at a lot of clubs.

Port I would probably have above Freo at present and definately above Essendon because their midfield is more solid. I'd have Cornes in their midfield ahead of Schofield or perhaps even Wanganeen as he can play elsewhere. Just on 2003 taking francou for Stevens Port ahve to rank very highly. Essendon have an average midfield IMO. Hille is still learning and a fair way away from being a top line ruckman, Misiti has a heck of a lot to prove, Hird is only a part time (although dangerous) midfielder and Rioli isn't really a core midfielder either. Essendon's midfield lacks pace even more so than Collingwood's and they don't have Buckley to make up for it. I'd probably also swap Carlton and Bulldogs due mainly to doubts over Kouta and the edge Darcy gives the Dog's. They can also include smith in the mix and have Murphy to add to your list.

 

[Demonheart]

Not much wrong with that except I think you are biased with the pies. The pies strength is their evenness over the whole ground, not because of a great midfield, the flankers and pockets play a big role, I would rate the crows, port and dockers as better but you have more depth.

 

[Bulldog1954]

Originally posted by Lockyer24


15. Carlton
French
Koutoufides
Stevens
Camporeale
Scotland
Harford

16. Bulldogs
Darcy
West
Johnson
Hahn
Cooney
Ray

Cooney and Ray won't play in the midfield automatically, I would imagine Cooney would start as a forward and Ray at Werribee.
And the difference in the midfields is the Darcy v French battle IMHO

 

[X_box_X]

Very good thread, Lockyer.

There are a few questionable decisions. I would include Peverill in the Essendon midfield as the tagger. I'd have Sinclair in the Kangaroos midfield. I'd have Peter Burgoyne in the Port midfield. I'd have Luke Ball in the St. Kilda midfield. I'd have Giansiracusa and McMahon ahead of Cooney and Ray for the Bulldogs, too.

Apart from that, a very good job, apart from Carlton not being ranked last, of course.

 

[peejay]

I admire you for doing such rankings (and in fact for having the time).

I would have thought that a midfield that included Kane Johnson, Mark Coghlan, Nathan Brown and Brad Ottens (both of which you did not mention) would be in the top half of the comp rather than 13th.

But as they say in the classics its only your opinion.

 

[Fred]

Thompson could struggle to get a game this year.

 

[hurricane]

Originally posted by Fred
Thompson could struggle to get a game this year.

What's happened to him? He was a gun a few years ago... is age just catching up?

 

[Portia]

Yeah, I wouldn't have Wanganeen as a Port midfielder - he only ever shows up there as a party trick a couple of times a year. For next year I'm guessing...

Ruck: Brogan
Ruck rover: Francou
Rover. Burgoyne
Wing 1: K. Cornes
Centre: Carr
Wing 2: Dew

 

[Deej]

It's hardly worth doing, rating the midfields, because fair dinkum any of these lists can beat anyone else's on any given day it's that close. Probably Brissy at full steam are in front a bit, but all they need to do is lose Voss and have Acker struggle and they're middle of the road again.

Much depends on the halfback line and what drive/creativity it can manufacture. You have to look at each club overall, and even then injuries/form/weather/various other circumstances come into play which can dictate who wins the game. Very difficult exercise this ratings thing.

 

[Fred]

Originally posted by hurricane
What's happened to him? He was a gun a few years ago... is age just catching up?

Age and poor disposal.

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

Originally posted by X_box_X
Very good thread, Lockyer.

There are a few questionable decisions. I would include Peverill in the Essendon midfield as the tagger. I'd have Sinclair in the Kangaroos midfield. I'd have Peter Burgoyne in the Port midfield. I'd have Luke Ball in the St. Kilda midfield. I'd have Giansiracusa and McMahon ahead of Cooney and Ray for the Bulldogs, too.

I think Guido and definately the Bald Headed Eagle should be in our midfield.

And in our midfield listed there are 2 team of the century players including the greatest possesion winner of the last 10 years. The ruckman was also voted the best player in the league by his peers in 2002 and depsite criticism was still very good last year playing with OP Surely those 3 alone are enough to get us off the bottom.

Last season it was our defence and forward line that were inept. The midfielders were the only one that did there job, getting I believe the most centre clearances. Ours is in my opinion at the very least considerably better than Carltons. There ruckman is incompetent, Harfords become a joke, Scotland is no more than a fringe player and despite being very good, Kouta and Camporeale are past their best

 

[JohnD]

Originally posted by Lockyer24
3. Collingwood

Dreamin

 

[DonAce]

Provided he can get over his medical problem, Ramanauskas should easily be in Essendon's list in place of Rioli or Misiti. But otherwise, fairly good effort as far as I can see.

EDIT: Oh, and as another poster said, Peverill in place of Rioli. He had a down season, but he's a good workhorse.

I'd have my 6 as: Hille, J. Johnson, M. Johnson, Ramanauskas, Peverill, Hird.

 

[floppinab]

11. Sydney
Ball
Goodes
Williams
Bolton
Kirk
Maxfield

So it was an 11th placed midfield (that includes one of the Brownlow medalists) that somehow produced a Prelim finish last year. Or did we win all our games off the backline????
Hmmmmmmmm, should be no lower than 7th.

 

[rfctigerarmy]

Originally posted by floppinab
So it was an 11th placed midfield (that includes one of the Brownlow medalists) that somehow produced a Prelim finish last year. Or did we win all our games off the backline????
Hmmmmmmmm, should be no lower than 7th.

AHHHHHH its a Sydney Supporter!!!

Sydney should be higher then 11th. Then its hard to see who to kick out..

I agree. Adelaide should be third. They have a very good midfield with plenty of experiance.

 

[Shinboners]

Originally posted by X_box_X
I'd have Sinclair in the Kangaroos midfield.

Why? Sinclair has been playing off the half-back flank for the Roos for the last two seasons.

 

[FIGJAM]

Originally posted by rfctigerarmy
I agree. Adelaide should be third. They have a very good midfield with plenty of experiance.

To replace Collingwood, or West Coast?

 

[X_box_X]

I thought that I'd give it a go. Remember, it's only my opinion. At the end of the day, the only thing the counts, though, is the coach's decision.

Adelaide:
Clarke
McLeod
Ricciuto
Bode
Goodwin
Stenglein

Brisbane:
Charman
Voss
Black
Akermanis
Lappin
Caracella

Carlton:
French
Koutoufides
Stevens
Camporeale
Scotland
McCormick

Collingwood: *
Fraser
Buckley
Licuria
Burns
Woewodin
Holland

Essendon:
Hille
Johnson
Johnson
Rammanauskas
Hird
Peverill

Fremantle: *
Sandilands
Bell
Pavlich
Hasleby
Cook
Headland

Geelong: *
King
Ling
Corey
Enright
Kelly
Ablett

Hawthorn: *
Everitt
Crawford
Mitchell
Lekkas
Vandenburg
Hodge

Kangaroos:
Porter
Harvey
Simpson
Grant
Sinclair
Stevens

Melbourne:
White
Yze
Godfrey
McDonald
Johnstone
Heffernan

Port Adelaide:
Brogan
Francou
P. Burgoyne
Schofield
Carr
James

Richmond: *
Stafford
Coughlan
Campbell
Johnson
Tivendale
Bowden

St. Kilda:
Knobel
Hayes
Harvey
Ball
Dal Santo
Powell

Sydney:
Ball
Williams
Bolton
Kirk
Maxfield
Fosdike

Western:
Darcy
Johnson
West
Hahn
Giansiracusa
McMahon

West Coast:
Gardiner
Cousins
Fletcher
Judd
Kerr
Morrison

* denotes that I agree with Lockyer.

Rankings:

1) Brisbane
2) Collingwood
3) Fremantle
4) Adelaide
5) West Coast
6) Hawthorn
7) Essendon
8) Port Adelaide

9) Kangaroos
10) Richmond
11) Melbourne
12) Bulldogs
13) Geelong
14) Sydney
15) St. Kilda
16) Carlton

 

[Effes]

Originally posted by The_Flying_Egg


Last season it was our defence and forward line that were inept. The midfielders were the only one that did there job, getting I believe the most centre clearances. Ours is in my opinion at the very least considerably better than Carltons. There ruckman is incompetent, Harfords become a joke, Scotland is no more than a fringe player and despite being very good, Kouta and Camporeale are past their best

How do you know they are both past their best......look at Robert Harveys form AFTER he had his knee reconstruction!

And the midfielders listed aren't even the ones that will play midfield

Mott
Koutoufides
Camporeale
Stevens
Johnson
Scotland

Then there is Hulme, Harford, McCormick etc etc

But I guess we'll have to wait until the seasons starts

 

[Sheik Mathious]

Bit tough on St. Kilda

Originally posted by X_box_X
15) St. Kilda

Take Knobel out and add Koschitzke.

Goddard maybe?

 

[mocaholic]

Originally posted by X_box_X
I thought that I'd give it a go. Remember, it's only my opinion. At the end of the day, the only thing the counts, though, is the coach's decision.

[Geelong: *
King
Ling
Corey
Enright
Kelly
Ablett

Hawthorn: *
Everitt
Crawford
Mitchell
Lekkas
Vandenburg
Hodge

Kangaroos:
Porter
Harvey
Simpson
Grant
Sinclair
Stevens

Melbourne:
White
Yze
Godfrey
McDonald
Johnstone
Heffernan

Port Adelaide:
Brogan
Francou
P. Burgoyne
Schofield
Carr
James

Richmond: *
Stafford
Coughlan
Campbell
Johnson
Tivendale
Bowden

St. Kilda:
Knobel
Hayes
Harvey
Ball
Dal Santo
Powell

Sydney:
Ball
Williams
Bolton
Kirk
Maxfield
Fosdike

Western:
Darcy
Johnson
West
Hahn
Giansiracusa
McMahon


* denotes that I agree with Lockyer.

Rankings:

1) Brisbane
2) Collingwood
3) Fremantle
4) Adelaide
5) West Coast
6) Hawthorn
7) Essendon
8) Port Adelaide

9) Kangaroos
10) Richmond
11) Melbourne
12) Bulldogs
13) Geelong
14) Sydney
15) St. Kilda
16) Carlton

How can you rate Syd below Melb, Geel, Tiges, Kangas & Dogs? Staggering. Pushing it for Hawks & PA, too. Each may have a 'star' but little else. Melbourne at 11? MELBOURNE??
In all fairness, too, Saints are hard done by.

 

[Pevers-Legend]

Interesting thread - and at least it has some originiality to it - my problem is though - you can;t rank a team on its best 5 midfielders but rather on its group.

Some teams have fewer rotations than others and this is where say Richmond - who have a great starting midfield drop away from some of the other teams as they lack the depth in rotation. This is why those who say I would replace him with him, and so on are saying there are a multitude of options which adds to the strength of the team. How often do you have your best 4 in the middle for very long periods of time.

anyway just my two cents....................