Prediction Michael Barlow

[MRB37]

Seed or Hampton will replace Dmacs role in the team IMO. Knight will play similar to Lyons role.
How many games did Smith, DMac & Seedsman play together in the same team this year? Without checking the stats because I'm too lazy I'd say like one or two matches.

All 3 played

Round 1 VS North
Round 2 VS Port
Round 3 VS Richmond
Round 4 VS Sydney
Round 5 VS Hawthorn
Round 6 VS Fremantle
Round 7 VS Bulldogs
Round 12 VS West Coast
Round 17 VS Collingwood
Round 19 VS Essendon
Round 20 VS Brisbane

Mackay missed Rounds 8-11 with a hamstring injury (and his token SANFL tuneup) and was dropped for Round 18. Seedsman missed Rounds 14-16 with a hammy (and a token SANFL tuneup) and was dropped for Round 18, then missed 21 onwards because of a corked buttock. Smith only missed the last game against the Eagles.

So bar for 1 game (round 18 vs Geelong) where both Seedsman and Mackay were dropped (to bring in Laird and Brown), every game that all 3 were fit we played all 3.

 

[The Big Sauce]

Not sure if it has been covered in the 38 odd pages on the issues but Ross Lyon also pushed out Luke Ball at a similar point of his career. Luke Ball ended up having a few very good seasons in an excellent Collingwood team before his body finally gave up on him. Barlow is a very similar type of player who could have an impact at a club that can harness his talents. He was very good as a tagger last season when given the opportunity, which is something we have sorely lacked for about 5 years. This could help add a defensive backbone to our midfield unit which typically struggles against higher level talent. If he could help curtail that then it would make us a more formidable team in 2017.

He automatically improves our best 22 in its weakest area. He would walk into our best 22 as our 4th best midfielder and would provide a key component to keeping Thommo in the reserves. Front load the deal with some of the cap space left over by the failed Gibbs bid and he's on our books for bugger all for 2018 and possibly 2019.

 

[Ozzie]

Yeah my first member ......it's been quite lonely at the meetings

I told you ages ago I was a fan as well...so now there is 3 of us. I'm disappointed in you Wayne...you have let me down.

 

[Donkey Magoo]

Sorry for my ignorance, if this happens whats the timeframe on this? Do we sign him before the draft?

 

[Thinker]

Oops, didn't he have a similar song or was it a cover?

Not sure mate. Not really an Urban fan!

 

[Iron]

Quite a few posters are saying that recruiting Barlow is fine, that it won't stop the young players developing because it's likely Thompson, Douglas and/or Mackay will make way.

Which should and could be the case. If they end up picking Thompson every week alongside Barlow we'll be unhappy about selection not Barlow. I would have thought.

 

[Pugsley]

Oops, didn't he have a similar song or was it a cover?

Research it, oh one with superior intelligence.

 

[skoobydoo]

I still can't believe people think Thommo will be playing in the SANFL haha. You guys haven't been paying attention

You could be right. Maybe we are recruiting, building and developing the future team around Thompson.

 

[Crowbots are dead]

We can't play thommo and Barlow in the same team . We would get ripped apart. I would prefer Barlow now. Thommo must be in seconds unless absolute emergency

 

[feenix67]

Every midfield in the AFL has a slow midfielder or two in it. Kennedy and Parker are certainly no speed demons. As for average footskills, he is no worse than Thompson or Lyons who he will be replacing.

Aren't we trying to get better?

 

[GreyCrow]

Why should he trust the coaching panel?

With Barlow and the Crouch boys we will have 3 mids that handball a lot and aren't great kicks and 2 of them are slow, you happy with that?

The biggest issue is where the extraction happens. It was always the small 1m handballs that annoyed me. Design a coaching play that utilizes your outside speed in Cameron, Smith and Seedsman etc.

The biggest issue I had with Thommo was he let his man run off. Now that's ok if Thommo gets the handball outside to the runner as it should mean both players are away from the contest. But a 1m handball leaves Thommo exposed when the tackle is applied and his opponent runs with the tackler/runner.

Anyway back on the fence.

 

[Rotayjay]

Aren't we trying to get better?

No no no. Remember, we are already contenders and just need to back in our current systems and players. That includes our seasoned stars Mackay, Thompson and Douglas. When we were smashed by the Bulldogs, Cats, Eagles and Swans, they were just off days.

 

[Mismatched]

Why should he trust the coaching panel?

With Barlow and the Crouch boys we will have 3 mids that handball a lot and aren't great kicks and 2 of them are slow, you happy with that?

That's okay if we surround them with the right players and develop a structure/plan that involves dishing out to running players. I think if we can work players like Atkins, Smith, Milera, Cameron, Seedsman and Hampton in around these guys then it works well. If we're relying on these guys to regularly deliver inside 50 then we're in trouble.

 

[Tex200]

I actually said he was a good player .....who has some poor footskills ........those statements don't contradict each other

Dangerfield is elite ....but has erratic footskills ......does that make him a poor player ? .....I'm saying no, you're claiming yes i gather ?

You didn't confine it to foot skills - you simply said he has poor skills.

Are you suggesting players with poor skills can be good players?

 

[marty36]

Not sure if it has been covered in the 38 odd pages on the issues but Ross Lyon also pushed out Luke Ball at a similar point of his career. Luke Ball ended up having a few very good seasons in an excellent Collingwood team before his body finally gave up on him. Barlow is a very similar type of player who could have an impact at a club that can harness his talents. He was very good as a tagger last season when given the opportunity, which is something we have sorely lacked for about 5 years. This could help add a defensive backbone to our midfield unit which typically struggles against higher level talent. If he could help curtail that then it would make us a more formidable team in 2017.

He automatically improves our best 22 in its weakest area. He would walk into our best 22 as our 4th best midfielder and would provide a key component to keeping Thommo in the reserves. Front load the deal with some of the cap space left over by the failed Gibbs bid and he's on our books for bugger all for 2018 and possibly 2019.

Correct me if I am wrong but Luke Ball left StKilda, in this instance Freo got rid of Barlow because tthey dont believe he can do anything in their top 22

If he cant make Freo's 22 and Freo feels he has nothing left to offer the group why the helll will he make ours

Everyone is fully aware of Barlows injury history

 

[Vader]

Seed or Hampton will replace Dmacs role in the team IMO. Knight will play similar to Lyons role.
How many games did Smith, DMac & Seedsman play together in the same team this year? Without checking the stats because I'm too lazy I'd say like one or two matches.

Seed is already in the team most weeks, so I don't see him as an inclusion.

I think we'll see 3 changes to the team next year - Lyons, Thompson & Mackay all making way (Lyons is already gone).

If we get Barlow, then he'd be one of the players to come into the side. I think Knight would effectively replace Mackay. I think they will move Douglas back into the midfield, freeing up a position on the HFF for Milera (or possibly Menzel).

I don't have high hopes or expectations for Hampton or Menzel.

 

[marty36]

Seed is already in the team most weeks, so I don't see him as an inclusion.

I think we'll see 3 changes to the team next year - Lyons, Thompson & Mackay all making way (Lyons is already gone).

If we get Barlow, then he'd be one of the players to come into the side. I think Knight would effectively replace Mackay. I think they will move Douglas back into the midfield, freeing up a position on the HFF for Milera (or possibly Menzel).

I don't have high hopes or expectations for Hampton or Menzel.

I would give Hampton the benefit of the doubt he was cuelly injured for the majority of last year. However realistically he will play HBF or maybe wing and thats it.

As for Menzel, its all between his ears, he needs to go to a physcologist and get his head switched on. What I saw him do for carlton inconsistenetly needs to be done on a regular basis. If he cant get his head right piss him off.

 

[Big Gazoongas]

Every midfield in the AFL has a slow midfielder or two in it. Kennedy and Parker are certainly no speed demons. As for average footskills, he is no worse than Thompson or Lyons who he will be replacing.

Add Hawks to that list. There are at least 3 the Hawks rotated through there at times.

Its more of how the ball is distributed by these inside mids once they get the ball and where they position themselves after they have distributed.

Hawks mids set up, distribution and positioning has been elite.

 

[Wood_Duck]

Are you suggesting players with poor skills can be good players?

Dangerfield won the brownlow.

 

[feenix67]

Seed is already in the team most weeks, so I don't see him as an inclusion.

I think we'll see 3 changes to the team next year - Lyons, Thompson & Mackay all making way (Lyons is already gone).

If we get Barlow, then he'd be one of the players to come into the side. I think Knight would effectively replace Mackay. I think they will move Douglas back into the midfield, freeing up a position on the HFF for Milera (or possibly Menzel).

I don't have high hopes or expectations for Hampton or Menzel.

If there's not a spot for CEY in the midfield, then we've done the lad a disservice by keeping him on the list. If we're going to put Barlow in that inside spot at the expense of CEY, it's an utter waste of a list spot and Cameron should have been left in no doubt that he wasn't likely to get a game in 2017.

 

[Big Gazoongas]

If there's not a spot for CEY in the midfield, then we've done the lad a disservice by keeping him on the list. If we're going to put Barlow in that inside spot at the expense of CEY, it's an utter waste of a list spot and Cameron should have been left in no doubt that he wasn't likely to get a game in 2017.

Ha?

 

[feenix67]

Ha?

It's his first name yeah?

 

[Scorpus]

If there's not a spot for CEY in the midfield

I don't see a spot in the midfield for CEY with or without Barlow

 

[feenix67]

I don't see a spot in the midfield for CEY with or without Barlow

Weren't impressed by his efforts under Walsh in 2015?

We play him for half a season and he does well. We play him for 5 minutes in an unfamiliar role this year and he kicks goals. The kid does well whenever we put him on the park. Id rather give him a spot and see what he can do for a season. He gets it often and uses it better than people give him credit for.

He stated he wanted more game time, the Crows kept him on. If they don't want to give him the opportunity, then they should have done a Lyons and made it impossible for him to stay. It would be a waste of a list spot to keep him and not play him.

 

[marty36]

Ha?

CAMERON Ellis Yoman