Midfield Replacements

[jmorg1]

As many have pointed out, our midfield led by Roo, Goodwin and Edwards are probably nearing their last legs. With that in mind, I think the likes of Mattner, Reilly, Knights etc. will really need to step up big time next season.

I'd like to see at least one of the backbone group to emerge as a genuine 20+ possession per game onballer. Do you see this as a possibility?

 

[DaveW]

Have we given up on Stiffy becoming a midfielder?

Certainly the lack of early to mid 20s midfielders is a worry. Ideally Thompson should be on ball a lot more next season. I think his pre-season was injury interrupted last time around, so the next six months gives him a chance to develop his fitness base.

Other than that, what are the options? Trade vigorously? Hope that Reilly steps up? Hope that Van Berlo can become a fixture in his second season?

 

[dogs105]

As many have pointed out, our midfield led by Roo, Goodwin and Edwards are probably nearing their last legs. With that in mind, I think the likes of Mattner, Reilly, Knights etc. will really need to step up big time next season.

I'd like to see at least one of the backbone group to emerge as a genuine 20+ possession per game onballer. Do you see this as a possibility?

Yes.

Got games into Mattner, Skippy, Reilly this year, as well as some time for VB and Knights.

The logical replacement for a gun midfielder, is Thompson, and hopefully one of the kids can step up to be the next Thompson over the next couple of years.

 

[Stiffy_18]

I am not sure whether Martin Mattner would be a true midfielders. He is more of a wingman and I am not sure if he can add that string to his bow.

I think the player that will get better next year is Scott Thompson. This is the first time in his proffesional career that he has played a whole season without missing a game through injury. He played this year without any real pre-season and he was always going to struggle late in the season. If he can have a good pre-season under his belt, I think he will emerge as a genuine full time midfielder next year.

He had some huge games for us this year. He hasn't been overly consistent. I expect him to be a better player next year.

I expect Reilly to step up. He MUST work on his game during the pre-season and get his fitness up. Improve his work rate and attack on the ball. Those are 2 players I expect to step up even further next year.

I think Boogie Knights can develop into a hard running, ball magnet. He has the potential to become one of the best midfielders in the competition but only if he improves his disposal by foot and his "non-preffered" handball which is a bit "mechanical". I don't think he will spend a hell of a lot time in the midfield next year. I think he will spend quite a bit of time on HFF and have an occasional run onball.

Nathan Van Berlo has enourmous aerobic capacity. As far as that is concerned, he could be a gun midfielder. He needs to beef up and develop his game as a midfeilder during the pre-season. I woudl like to see him used more as a run with player next year. He could learn a lot by playing on best midfeilders week in week out.

Johncock is always an option but he strikes me as one of those players that are just not naturally fit enough to be midfielders. He has worked so hard over the last 2 seasons to get his aerobic capacity to the level of a midfielders but he just doesn't appear to be able to crack that 17:30 mark for the 5km time trial. We can always hope.

Other than that, I think our ranks are a bit thin. We definetly need to look at drafting some good midfielders and trading for a good young midfielder should also be one of the priorites.

 

[A gift from above]

Other than that, I think our ranks are a bit thin. We definetly need to look at drafting some good midfielders and trading for a good young midfielder should also be one of the priorites.

i know you are a supporter of james, but i think you are right here we are very thin and some guys will really need to step up for us to improve next yr. It seems very unlikely, but it didnt seem likely that we'd find bock or rutten to be this good this yr either so you never know.

Overall our drafting/recruiting from 4ish yrs ago is hurting us now you feel. We are looking for players like knights and van berlo to step up and make an impact, they are 18. Its the 20-21 yr olds that should be ready to step up. Even thompson who is class you can see even he is not in the same class as some of the wcoast youngsters. Its not necessarily james' fault either, cause you get good players from having good picks and we either been up the top and got late picks or have traded high picks on. Hopefully they learn from it from now on. I know wells is no judd, but he'd be pretty handy. You can see today the difference too, there is no roo or macca coming through for us atm.

 

[Stiffy_18]

i know you are a supporter of james, but i think you are right here we are very thin and some guys will really need to step up for us to improve next yr. It seems very unlikely, but it didnt seem likely that we'd find bock or rutten to be this good this yr either so you never know.

Overall our drafting/recruiting from 4ish yrs ago is hurting us now you feel. We are looking for players like knights and van berlo to step up and make an impact, they are 18. Its the 20-21 yr olds that should be ready to step up. Even thompson who is class you can see even he is not in the same class as some of the wcoast youngsters. Its not necessarily james' fault either, cause you get good players from having good picks and we either been up the top and got late picks or have traded high picks on. Hopefully they learn from it from now on. I know wells is no judd, but he'd be pretty handy. You can see today the difference too, there is no roo or macca coming through for us atm.

You are correct.

I think in the past we were all too happy to trade a first round pick for a player in the midddle of his career or a player in the twilight of it so we could top up and be competative. I think a lot of that goes back to the coach. He is the one that says I want that player or I want this player. Either way we were to quick to trade these picks on players that would not be around in 5 years time. As a result we really are lacking in that 20-24 age bracket in terms of real classy players.

Craigy has said a number of times that its imperative that we either keep those picks and use them wisely or trade them wisely. We gave up pick 12 for Thompson and he has been VERY good this year on practically no pre-season. He is our best midfielder in the 20-24 age bracket. We need to be very smart about the way we go about both trading and drafting this year.

If we can get the AFL to do the right thing with the F/S rule, we could draft a gun next year. He would be our cream of the crop.

Midfield depth is weakish but you would have to be pretty happy with the quality of our KPP who are in that 20-24 age bracket.

 

[A gift from above]

If we can get the AFL to do the right thing with the F/S rule, we could draft a gun next year. He would be our cream of the crop.

this may be possible now we havent won the premiership, i'd say our chances would of dramatically decreased had we won it.

Midfield depth is weakish but you would have to be pretty happy with the quality of our KPP who are in that 20-24 age bracket.

defensive KPP is very good, alot depends on how watts goes in terms of finding that A grade forward. The B graders didnt really stand up for us today. Hentschel looks classy, and potential A grader, but it really depends on how he develops. I think we need to put him at CHF next yr and let him get a greater percentage of the play through him. Atm he floats around a bit too much instead of smashing a pack open. Normally midfielders are easier to find than KKP talent so that we are quite good in that area is a positive. Again hard to see where alot of the improvement in our youngsters will come, which will be needed to take up the slack from the older guys unfortunately.

 

[CaptainDangerfield]

You are correct.

I think in the past we were all too happy to trade a first round pick for a player in the midddle of his career or a player in the twilight of it so we could top up and be competative. I think a lot of that goes back to the coach. He is the one that says I want that player or I want this player. Either way we were to quick to trade these picks on players that would not be around in 5 years time. As a result we really are lacking in that 20-24 age bracket in terms of real classy players.

Craigy has said a number of times that its imperative that we either keep those picks and use them wisely or trade them wisely. We gave up pick 12 for Thompson and he has been VERY good this year on practically no pre-season. He is our best midfielder in the 20-24 age bracket. We need to be very smart about the way we go about both trading and drafting this year.

If we can get the AFL to do the right thing with the F/S rule, we could draft a gun next year. He would be our cream of the crop.

Midfield depth is weakish but you would have to be pretty happy with the quality of our KPP who are in that 20-24 age bracket.

Have you heard anything with regard to this issue Stiff?

 

[Stiffy_18]

Have you heard anything with regard to this issue Stiff?

No, apart from us putting a case forward to the AFL on why the rule shoudl be changed.