Locks ranks the midfields

[vicki]

midfields

I would agree with the Eagles ranking of 2 - but would have Andrew Embley not Banfield.

 

[Crumden]

Originally posted by Lockyer24

13. Richmond
Stafford
Coughlan
Campbell
Johnson
Tivendale
Bowden

Ottens
Coughlan
Johnson
Brown
Campbell
Newman

Ottens should make the number 1 ruck spot his own next season. Brown will spend a lot more time in the midfield than he did at the Bulldogs last year (I wouldn't be surprised if he was promised as much as part of the effort to sign him). Newman has put his hand up to play midfield and hopefully will get some opportunities to play there. Tivendale and Bowden will probably play more of a wing/flanker role with some rotation through the midfield.

 

[The Passenger]

Good rankings, and without trying to sound biased the Eagles are definetaly top 2, and the ultimate proof is in the results last year.

We played with a bit piece forward line, a pretty ordinary backline, and basically relied all on our midfield, and we were second after 15 rounds - with a gameplan that virtually 90% relied on our midfield.

When our three best performed midfielders in terms of consistency broke down - Fletcher, Gardiner, Embley - is it any surprise that we ended up dropping down to 8th position......

 

[Wrenny]

10) Richmond

i think that we are higher than 10



Ruck: Ottens
Ruck rover: Coughlan
Rover:Campbell
Wing 1: Tivendale
Centre:Johnson
Wing 2: N.Brown


Looking forward to hearing about your best forward/backs and overall team rankings but could you do an assessment on all the clubs please?

 

[MadMaxx]

Originally posted by X_box_X


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

Agree with your rankings here Xbox, although, I would put the WCE in 2nd place, and drop all the others down.

On paper, Collingwoods midfield wouldn't appear to be in 2nd (or 3rd if we put the Eagles up) place, but they have made the last 2 GF's, so they deserve a high ranking. Rucking is a key weakness.

Edit : St Kilda seem a little low too.

 

[Danny_Green]

Originally posted by MadMaxx
St Kilda seem a little low too.

I don't think they are too low..


St. Kilda:
Knobel
Hayes
Harvey
Ball
Dal Santo
Powell

Doesn't exactly fill you with fear does it.... considering the best player in that lot has 1 year left.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted 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....................

Good point PL - Quality & depth is something Brisbane definitely have!

For the Crows, there is going to be good competition for places in 2004. The starting line-up is likely to be something as follows:

R: Biglands, Goodwin, McLeod

C: Burton, Ricciuto, Stenglein

Biglands is putting in a huge pre-season, so I expect he will take over as #1 ruckman from Clarke, who will be the backup.

I expect Edwards, Bode, Ladhams & Reilly will form a significant part of the midfield rotation.

I reckon our midfield onsong is up there with the best going around.

 

[tashibatts]

Where ever the ranking- Harris should be in the Roos midfield

Go Roos

 

[Pornstar]

Pevers-Legend and Deej have made the best points in this thread so far. You've really got to look at 10 or so midfielders in each team rather than the handful that everybody keeps listing. The top 5 midfielders at each team are very close from 1st to 16th, but it's the midfielders ranked 6-10 at each club where the major discrepancies become apparent. I reckon one of the best indicators of the quality of a midfield is inside 50s because that is the midfielders primary objective. I don't care how many posessions they pick up, if they don't deliver the ball to the forward line they aren't doing their job. And Deej is right when he says a lot depends on the drive from the half backline. The kick arse defences make their midfielders look good.

 

[MarkT]

Originally posted by 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.

On the contrary. The Pies strength is the midfield.

 

[Z_K]

Originally posted by Lockyer24


7. Kangaroos
Porter
Simpson
Stevens
Grant
Harvey
Rawlings

Damn you Porter.

If Hale can come on quickly North are right up there IMO. Simpson, Harvey, and Stevens are of excellent quality. Wells will play most of this year in the midfield rotation replacing Grant IMO.

Rawlings played 80% of the year on a HBF.

Good effort Locks.

 

[floppinab]

13) Geelong
14) Sydney
15) St. Kilda

Fourteen now!!!!!! You blokes are on fire.

I'm still waiting to hear what got us to the Prelim. I guess we just got lucky right.........

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

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

Camporeale isn't coming back from a major injury like Harvey and he hasn't been good since 2001. Kouta's back from his injuries and we've seen how he is now and while still a good player he clearly isn't what he was in 99

 

[stefoid]

Robert Murphy will play midfield next year for us. Cameron Faulkner will get a run. Cooney will not.

But even on last years line-up, ranking us 16th is a joke. A midfield that comes top 3 in clearances with only a single short, OP-inflicted ruckman deserves more respect than 16th.

 

[X_box_X]

Originally posted by mocaholic
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.

Who do you want me to match up?

Melbourne / Sydney
White / Ball -------------> White 65%
Yze / Williams ----------> Yze 55%
McDonald / Bolton -----> Bolton 52%
Godfrey / Kirk ----------> Kirk 70%
Heffernan / Fosdike ---> Heffernan 55%

Sydney / Bulldogs
Ball / Darcy -------------> Darcy 65%
Williams / West --------> West 60%
Bolton / Johnson ------> Johnson 65%
Kirk / Hahn -------------> Kirk 65%
McMahon / Fosdike ---> Fosdike 70%

That's why.

 

[bLuEMoOsE]

I think u rate Essendon a little Highly given that James Hird can play at best 1 quater in the midfield before the weight of 11 years of injuries gets to him, id say we fall around 6-10th imo of course. On the other hand half back really is Essendons strength so yeah. Unless Hille comes on He will struggle against the Kings Gardiners and Darcy's of the world well at least he will on a week in week out basis. This is me trying to be unbiased.

 

[fugitive]

Sydney should be rated higher...they have a pretty decent hard working group...they knocked over Brisbane twice last year & also Port in the Finals...

 

[Sheik Mathious]

Originally posted by bLuEMoOsE
I think u rate Essendon a little Highly given that James Hird can play at best 1 quater in the midfield before the weight of 11 years of injuries gets to him, id say we fall around 6-10th imo of course. On the other hand half back really is Essendons strength so yeah. Unless Hille comes on He will struggle against the Kings Gardiners and Darcy's of the world well at least he will on a week in week out basis. This is me trying to be unbiased.

You can't be a Essendon supporter!

What about all the young guns ready to step in and fill the void?

 

[bLuEMoOsE]

they are thier they need phasing in though. Winderlich watson Walsh Bullen and co are ready but have played about 30 games between them and 20 of them are Bullens

 

[Mead]

Good thread Lockyer, and your rankings seem pretty spot on (I would say that, though, wouldn't I? )

Incidentally, for much of the year our starting midfield was Gardiner/Kerr/Judd, Embley/Cousins/Fletcher. Behind that starting six, I'd say Chick/Braun/Jones are the obvious back ups- Banfield is really a backpocket player- would be lucky to get into the midfield at any given time.

 

[Demonheart]

Originally posted by MarkT
On the contrary. The Pies strength is the midfield.

You may have missed my point, the pies strength is their depth and evenness across the ground, the fact that every player contributes, including the players coming off the bench. With the exception of Buckly you don't have the stars of the league, that's why I picked you lower than the Eagles etc. If it was the entire midfield, not just 4 or 5 players it would be different, which is what this thread was doing, comparing the top 5 players from each club.
Just my opinion.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Originally posted by The_Flying_Egg
Camporeale isn't coming back from a major injury like Harvey and he hasn't been good since 2001. Kouta's back from his injuries and we've seen how he is now and while still a good player he clearly isn't what he was in 99

On the contrary, Campo had a pretty good year last season and featured well in the possession counts. Kouta meanwhile lead the comp in hard ball gets so saying that he is not as good as he used to be to downplay his usefulness is very misleading. He has merely adapted his play to cater for the restrictions caused by injury and age.

 

[anonymous Joe]

Originally posted by bLuEMoOsE
I think u rate Essendon a little Highly given that James Hird can play at best 1 quater in the midfield before the weight of 11 years of injuries gets to him, id say we fall around 6-10th imo of course. On the other hand half back really is Essendons strength so yeah. Unless Hille comes on He will struggle against the Kings Gardiners and Darcy's of the world well at least he will on a week in week out basis. This is me trying to be unbiased.

Hille needs consitency his best performances were against Darcey Gardiner Kings etc.

Agree with Hird though he should play across HB to lengthen his career.

The question will be can the likes of Watson ALvey Reynolds winderlich Rama Bullen Mcphee etc step up and add pace and take pressure of others in the middle.

If yes Essendon will be top4 if not Essendon will strugle for to make the eight.

 

[Shinboners]

Originally posted by anonymous Joe
Agree with Hird though he should play across HB to lengthen his career.

I always wanted Carey to make the same move in his last couple of years at Arden Street. Pagan didn't make the change, and as a result, Carey would play a couple of games, get injured from the hits he would cop as a forward, and the forward line would never get settled properly.

Players like Hird are brilliant at reading the play, they fight hard to keep the ball, and they can keep their teammates organised. It would be a very good move for Hird and Essendon.

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

Originally posted by The Old Dark Navy's
On the contrary, Campo had a pretty good year last season and featured well in the possession counts. Kouta meanwhile lead the comp in hard ball gets so saying that he is not as good as he used to be to downplay his usefulness is very misleading. He has merely adapted his play to cater for the restrictions caused by injury and age.

Camporeale was nowhere near as effective this season as he has been in the past, and while Kouta may have changed his style of play he clearly does not have the same impact on games he had when he was at his best