Prediction Michael Barlow

[Elite Crow]

I guess my interest in Barlow is based on Thompson playing limited game time next year and the net ins/outs would be Thommo and Lyons out, for Barlow plus a Milera/Hampton. I'd love to be able to give the spot to Douglas, given his best is borderline A-Grade, trouble is he was putrid in the midfield early last year, hence we had to hide him on the HFF.

Did we play Douglas as a mid at all last year except for some second halfs late in the season? I was at the second game of the season and he was playing half forward then.

 

[Elite Crow]

He's not quick but he is not as slow as Thompson/Grigg/M.Crouch/Lyons.
Did you watch the footage of him from a few pages back. He can definitely spread from a stoppage quicker than those listed above.

Where he handballed a lot and kicked poorly?

 

[Elite Crow]

Agree. Hampton a very outside player too, we need bigger bodies in the guts more than anything.

I'm not too optimistic about Hampton's chances. Reckon Seedsman will always be a better option.

Hampton has said himself he wants to play as a mid and I'm pretty sure based on what posters were saying he was spending time in the midfield last year.

 

[Pugsley]

To make our midfield grow, we're going to need to sprinkle some manure on it.

 

[Danger in Texas]

Hampton has said himself he wants to play as a mid and I'm pretty sure based on what posters were saying he was spending time in the midfield last year.

Yeah he was, as an outside mid though. That's his best position.

We need bigger bodies in the guts. Hampton does not strike me as a dynamic inside mid at all.

 

[skoobydoo]

I'm not convinced it's as simple as "he's slow and a poor kick, therefore he's useless".

We need a player who can win the ball in the centre of the ground. In the past we've relied extremely heavily on Thompson and Dangerfield. Now Danger is gone and Thompson probably should be as well. Who's going to do it in 2017? I guess we'll ask CEY to come in and do it? Or hope that Douglas gets back into form? We can't leave it all to Sloane, and besides, he's better in a role that allows him to go a bit more outside anyway.

It's all well and good to say we need to play guys like Menzel, Milera, Knight etc, and I agree, we do. But those guys aren't going to be winning the ball in tight. They're the guys who receive it from players like Barlow.

I think he would be quite valuable. I do agree that if we do recruit him, it won't be as depth.


Obviously if we could have brought in a player who could win the inside ball and use it as well, that would have been great. But we didn't. So we have to make do with what's still available.

I think the words 'make do' are salient here. I just don't see any real dinkum front foot stuff from AFC going/staying with twilight leftovers. We have to get more serious!!!

 

[Croweater23]

Perhaps, but give him a year what about 2018 and beyond?

I think people have to realise we are not winning the flag with our midfield even if we add Barlow. It's nowhere good enough, we need organic growth to have a decent tilt at 2018.

May as well not even bother with next year then, eh?

 

[FR0GGY]

To make our midfield grow, we're going to need to sprinkle some manure on it.

The manure is there, we need the seeds

 

[Pugsley]

The manure is there, we need the seeds

I'll call the father in law.

 

[Elite Crow]

May as well not even bother with next year then, eh?

Yeah cause that's what I said. 2017 is about preparing us for the future now that we haven't added quality mids.

It's all great to be positive but you've got to be realistic, I said after we lost to West Coast we had no chance and I was told I was negative, as it turns out we were once again exposed in the midfield.

 

[Geoffa32]

I think 2017 will be about the further development of the Crouch brothers, Cameron, Atkins CEY and Knight in the middle.

Then we bring in Rocky or (dare to dream) Fyfe for a real assault on a flag in 2018.

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[WaynesWorld19]

I think 2017 will be about the further development of the Crouch brothers, Cameron, Atkins CEY and Knight in the middle.

Then we bring in Rocky or (dare to dream) Fyfe for a real assault on a flag in 2018.

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no disrepect .....but gee this constant line is giving me the sh....s ......don't think we could have got Rockliff this year if we wanted him ? ...........we clearly do not want Rockliff, and at what point does this point f......g sink in to people !!!!!!

 

[craig crowing]

Who would MB be keeping out of the best 22 if he was picked? We have no clue at this stage, but CEY looks like the bloke that might be shaking his head if we pick Barlow up. But what if he kept Greenwood out of the side? What if Greenwood has the potential to become an elite midfielder and we never see it in full flight because of MB?

That is the $64,000 question I guess. Is he replacing someone on the list / in the 22 that he shouldn't?

I get why he is worth picking up for depth, but will we play him when we shouldn't ... that is the fear I am seeing (rightly, from a historical pov) expressed in this thread by some.

I suppose the other thing we as supporters tend to do is over-value the players we have on our list. Maybe Greenwood and CEY and Hampton are the depth?

I hope the player he would be keeping out is Thommo, as really believe that if don't get Barlow that this give them a outlet to put Thommo in as main inside mid like last year. This still leaves a young to come into the mid and Thommo used if needed in AFL due to injuries etc.
I am excited as anyone in potential of Greenwood but to say have to make space for him in starting line up when he is still a rookie and likely for another season is too forward in thinking.

 

[Elite Crow]

no disrepect .....but gee this constant line is giving me the sh....s ......don't think we could have got Rockliff this year if we wanted him ? ...........we clearly do not want Rockliff, and at what point does this point f......g sink in to people !!!!!!

Perhaps before you throw another Wayne, consider that maybe the club would like to see how he responds this year and next year we get him for nothing.

 

[Tex200]

I hope the player he would be keeping out is Thommo, as really believe that if don't get Barlow that this give them a outlet to put Thommo in as main inside mid like last year. This still leaves a young to come into the mid and Thommo used if needed in AFL due to injuries etc.
I am excited as anyone in potential of Greenwood but to say have to make space for him in starting line up when he is still a rookie and likely for another season is too forward in thinking.

If we've decided we need that big mid type then clearly CEY is the option. Can both CEY and MB play? Doubtful.

Then the other option who is exciting but still to develop is Greenwood. Ideally CEY is playing the role and Greenwood gets a chance to be the main man for the 2's.

Problem with having MB is the knock on effect. If he plays then CEY is stuck in the 2's and Greenwood is stuck behind him. So 2 players are not moving on in their development.

 

[Geoffa32]

no disrepect .....but gee this constant line is giving me the sh....s ......don't think we could have got Rockliff this year if we wanted him ? ...........we clearly do not want Rockliff, and at what point does this point f......g sink in to people !!!!!!

Every club went cold on him after his Twitter comments. And his high salary.

Next year he may be more appealing and a Free Agent.

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[dylan123]

Our 2016 team had almost no injuries and a game plan that caught people on the hop

Neither is likely to be true in 2017. A fair few teams around us have improved too

We'll do very well to repeat our 2016 finish

Barlow makes a bit better but not good enough imo, and will therefore just be blocking someone who might be good enough

We made our bed I'd hate for us to not even lie in it

Oh I don't disagree that we had a great run injury wise in 2016 that we're unlikely to see again in 2017 but DABM's post basically says we go backwards with Barlow in with everything else remaining the same and yet we're a better side with one of those younger players in team instead like Milera, Knight, Hampton etc which I find it hard to believe, at least for 2017.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Every club went cold on him after his Twitter comments. And his high salary.

Next year he may be more appealing and a Free Agent.

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And don't forget ...his game style

Clubs rarely change their opinions on players ......our opinion on Martin and Rockliff will not change

 

[WaynesWorld19]

If we've decided we need that big mid type then clearly CEY is the option. Can both CEY and MB play? Doubtful.

Then the other option who is exciting but still to develop is Greenwood. Ideally CEY is playing the role and Greenwood gets a chance to be the main man for the 2's.

Problem with having MB is the knock on effect. If he plays then CEY is stuck in the 2's and Greenwood is stuck behind him. So 2 players are not moving on in their development.

Most of the 2nd half of the season, both CEY and Greenwood were playing midfield roles at SANFL level ......so i don't understand your point ?

 

[Geoffa32]

And don't forget ...his game style

Clubs rarely change their opinions on players ......our opinion on Martin and Rockliff will not change

I don't think Martin was ever leaving Richmond. His management used threat of leaving to get his contract adjusted.



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[Tex200]

Most of the 2nd half of the season, both CEY and Greenwood were playing midfield roles at SANFL level ......so i don't understand your point ?

That I would like to see Greenwood develop in the SANFL without CEY in the same side. Greenwood did very well for his first year but still has a ways to go. In particular he could get his hands on it more as generally his possession count wasn't huge.

Take CEY out of that side and Greenwood must step up and take a more senior lead in the mid group. CEY stays he continued to be our prime mover.

Rather see CEY taking his next step which is AFL

 

[relapse]

That I would like to see Greenwood develop in the SANFL without CEY in the same side. Greenwood did very well for his first year but still has a ways to go. In particular he could get his hands on it more as generally his possession count wasn't huge.

Take CEY out of that side and Greenwood must step up and take a more senior lead in the mid group. CEY stays he continued to be our prime mover.

Rather see CEY taking his next step which is AFL

One thing I will say about Greenwood from what I have seen is that almost every touch he seems to do something damaging with. The next step for him is being able to increase his possession count.

If he can go from 10-15 possessions a game up to 25 then I honestly believe he could easily be a first 22 player.

 

[70lethal]

From this thread most people have a bigger issues with the coaching group than Barlow because of their history of not making tough decisions or pulling off major trades.

I think its worth remembering its only Don Pykes 2nd year. He would have been foolish to make wholesale changes considering the turmoil of the previous few years.

Adelaide has done pretty well in recent years to rebuild the team that was stripped of quality and draft picks.

The most potent forward line is built around Tex and consists of trades picks 31 and 37 for Jenkins and Lynch. Eddie a free agent, shooter draft 43. Many doubted if Eddie was worth the 500k at the time but they had no choice.

They've followed a similar process with defence building it around Talia. Laird and Hartigan off the rookie. Cheney a mid draft pick. 1st round Smith and Brown then added the class of Lever and hopefully Doedee works out.

Maybe they think they can duplicate the process around Sloane. Draft picks in the 30's in Hampton, Menzel and Seedsman. Cameron off the rookie. Milera and BCrouch high draft picks allong with MCrouch. Rat was tipped to go in the 40's in his draft and I think will be a gun. Ave 20 disposals in his 2nd year. If we chuck some experience in there with Barlow and pick up another gem with pick 13 this year we may see a similar transformation.

Betts is a far better player for the crows than carlton. Is there any reason Barlow cant be a better player at the crows than Freo?

If it turned out that way we would have a pretty good midfield.

I dont see a slow centre square with
Barlow, BCrouch, Cameron
Sloane, MCrouch, Milera
Sloane, Smith, Atkins or
Barlow, Sloane, BCrouch
Barlow, Sloane, Milera
Barlow, Sloane, Cameron

I think he becomes the link that allows the smaller bodies of Cameron, Milera, Atkins, etc to function on the outside while going head to head with someone like Josh Kennedy in a final.

 

[robboaustralia]

I want Barlow!

 

[marty36]

And don't forget ...his game style

Clubs rarely change their opinions on players ......our opinion on Martin and Rockliff will not change

Are you saying Dusty Martin as a free agent isnt one you would want. If we have the cash, he is elite, it wont cost us picks or players and the $$$ we were spending on Gibbs would contribute greatly to the godfather deal. Martin is a must target for almost every club in the comp it will come down to who can afford him, Luckily with Fyfe and Kennedy becoming FA's it will even out the field