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Midfield 2026

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Ralll

Club Legend
Apr 19, 2009
1,976
3,265
AFL Club
Richmond
Wonder how they set up the midfield next season.

The win clearances with a strong slow midfield and play a forward half game didn't work very well.
Our first possession numbers were ok but we couldn't get it to the outside.
I can see the logic in what they tried considering our list make up, but I think overall it was the wrong strategy.
It will work better when the class of Smillie, Lalor, Hotton and McAuliffe replace the McIntosh/Dow/Tresize/Ross types for sure.
But Yze also mentioned getting more speed in there towards the end of the season so will be interesting to see if they make any wholesale changes.

Personally I think we need to go with more speed. Hotton, McAuliffe, Mansell, Rioli, Brown, Campbell, Sonsie, 2x top5 draftees are all there to utilise in different ways to get more speed in there.
It would also help stop the oppo's outside run that was a problem for us.

Interested to hear others opinions on how we should set up the midfield next season.
 
Wonder how they set up the midfield next season.

The win clearances with a strong slow midfield and play a forward half game didn't work very well.
Our first possession numbers were ok but we couldn't get it to the outside.
I can see the logic in what they tried considering our list make up, but I think overall it was the wrong strategy.
It will work better when the class of Smillie, Lalor, Hotton and McAuliffe replace the McIntosh/Dow/Tresize/Ross types for sure.
But Yze also mentioned getting more speed in there towards the end of the season so will be interesting to see if they make any wholesale changes.

Personally I think we need to go with more speed. Hotton, McAuliffe, Mansell, Rioli, Brown, Campbell, Sonsie, 2x top5 draftees are all there to utilise in different ways to get more speed in there.
It would also help stop the oppo's outside run that was a problem for us.

Interested to hear others opinions on how we should set up the midfield next season.
Mansell, Rioli Brown Campbell NO. If Macca Lalor and Hotton don't come on, we are farked. Otherwise, same old.
 
Mansell, Rioli Brown Campbell NO. If Macca Lalor and Hotton don't come on, we are farked. Otherwise, same old.
It's not inconceivable that Macca, Lalor and Hotton come we keep everything the same and it clicks.
I like the Hawthorn setup rotating their small forwards through he midfield/wings. It's a way we could fix a few problems while we wait for the kids to mature.
 

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In Nank's interview on the club's website a week or 2 ago he said that we were going to be pursuing a faster midfield mix - which we were doing a bit towards the end of the season.

So more of Hotton, McAuliffe, Rioli, Campbell. Then maybe the other guys to play more midfield as well.
 
In Nank's interview on the club's website a week or 2 ago he said that we were going to be pursuing a faster midfield mix - which we were doing a bit towards the end of the season.

So more of Hotton, McAuliffe, Rioli, Campbell. Then maybe the other guys to play more midfield as well.
I just listened to an interview with Nank from 2 weeks ago on the website, I assume it was the one you're referring to.
He said of Seth, Maurice, Taj and Mansell 'another preseason no doubt they will get more exposure' (In the midfield).
Not quite the 'we were going to be pursuing a faster midfield mix' I was hoping for, but with Yze's comments of late I can understand your extrapolation and I personally hope you're correct.
I would still like to hear it directly from Yze though.
 
I just listened to an interview with Nank from 2 weeks ago on the website, I assume it was the one you're referring to.
He said of Seth, Maurice, Taj and Mansell 'another preseason no doubt they will get more exposure' (In the midfield).
Not quite the 'we were going to be pursuing a faster midfield mix' I was hoping for, but with Yze's comments of late I can understand your extrapolation and I personally hope you're correct.
I would still like to hear it directly from Yze though.

Yeah OK. I took him saying 'more exposure' in the middle to mean playing more in the middle. But I think that it was in the context of a more dynamic midfield.

So yep, I was extrapolating. But also it seems pretty clear that if the Captain is saying that, and Ooooze something similar, then we are planning on playing these guys more.
 
Yeah OK. I took him saying 'more exposure' in the middle to mean playing more in the middle. But I think that it was in the context of a more dynamic midfield.

So yep, I was extrapolating. But also it seems pretty clear that if the Captain is saying that, and Ooooze something similar, then we are planning on playing these guys more.
No worries, I wasn't trying to call you out and I agree with the extrapolation considering Nanks and Yze's comments of late.
I'm still just a bit nervous that their idea of a more dynamic midfield is not quite what I am hoping for.
 

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Smillie, Prestia, Taranto, Hopper, McAuliffe, Hotton, and Lalor would be the first choice.

That does not include any additional midfielders acquired during the draft, it's looks like a bit of a bottleneck for getting games into players.
 
No worries, I wasn't trying to call you out and I agree with the extrapolation considering Nanks and Yze's comments of late.
I'm still just a bit nervous that their idea of a more dynamic midfield is not quite what I am hoping for.

Ok, so we are going back here to when we had a very dynamic midfield.
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Rotation 1 - Taranto Hopper Prestia

Rotation 2 - Prestia Hopper Taranto
Blaming Spider-Man GIF
 

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In Nank's interview on the club's website a week or 2 ago he said that we were going to be pursuing a faster midfield mix - which we were doing a bit towards the end of the season.

So more of Hotton, McAuliffe, Rioli, Campbell. Then maybe the other guys to play more midfield as well.

tigs2010

Robey not gunna happen mate.
 
Tigercast said he was exploring options
won't happen.... he finally gets healthy enough to get to his first preseason and stays injury free and plays a very solid first full season.....surely no one is trying to offload him. bloke is built like a brick shitehouse....surely we just get a few quick runners around the side door ready to run off. taranto can also spend a bit more time closer to goal tims class can get us 2 goals most games.
 
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won't happen.... he finally gets healthy enough to get to his first preseason and stays injury free and plays a very solid first full season.....surely no one is trying to offload him. bloke is built like a brick shitehouse....surely we just get a few quick runners around the side door ready to run off. taranto can also spend a bit more time closer to goal tims class can get us 2 goals most games.
2nd in the league for avg hard ball gets, his best return ever.
Agree some outside speed and class around him and we would see his true potential.
 

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Midfield 2026

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