Our Midfield.

[nut]

If you dont already know I hold the midfield highly when it comes to having a decent side. I've always thought that our priority should be to draft the best available midfielder than build the rest from where ever else.

Personally I was a bit annoyed we went Vickory in this draft, I really thought 1 more quality mid coming through would have set us up for a long time. But saying that I now am very happy where our midfield is at.

The inclusion of Thompson and Hislop will add grunt and competition to a midfield that was already developing at nice constant rate. Players Like Polo, Connors, Collins, Jackson and even Edwards no longer have a spots in the side ready for them. They all will have to push them selves hard and no spot is guaranteed to anyone.
So what does this mean? why does this competition and depth for a midfield spot matter so much? Basically TW and the coaching chargers can up the ante, raise the bar, set higher standards in areas like tackling, chasing and gut running, if you want a spot in the side you have to force your way in and bust your guts to keep it. It will mean our players will play harder for longer, especially if we are loosing and the players will always know that someone will be looking over there shoulder ready to pounce for your spot if you relax.

Foley, Deledio and Tuck have set themselves high standards, the inclusion of a fit and firing cousins will add even more to that and the competiton for spot as mentioned will make our midfield one of the best i the comp.
Exciting times.


oh yer and then theres richo runing around too.

 

[beaver fever]

Established: Foley, Tuck, Deledio, Cotchin.

Wannabees: Jackson, Polo, Hislop, Thomson, Edwards, Connors, Collins.

Return from injury: Coughlan and Cousins.

Still a long way to go.

 

[boodsyboy]

I love Cotchin but he is not an established player yet come on beaver thought you were a self confessed football guru.

 

[nut]

Established: Foley, Tuck, Deledio, Cotchin.

Wannabees: Jackson, Polo, Hislop, Thomson, Edwards, Connors, Collins.

Return from injury: Coughlan and Cousins.

Still a long way to go.

You forgot White, Brown, Johnson, Tambling, Raines(from all accounts has been pushing hard and has been ear marked for a spot in the midfield)

Still alot better than last year. It also has a flow on effect too, Brown now can play as a permanent forward, we have more options and can try different players in that small defender role that we so desperately need.
Trust me our midfield is there about. A bit of luck with injuries and if Cog's and cousins return to form we will be dynamic.

 

[dyl_tigerman]

You forgot White, Brown, Johnson, Tambling, Raines(from all accounts has been pushing hard and has been ear marked for a spot in the midfield)

Still alot better than last year. It also has a flow on effect too, Brown now can play as a permanent forward, we have more options and can try different players in that small defender role that we so desperately need.
Trust me our midfield is there about. A bit of luck with injuries and if Cog's and cousins return to form we will be dynamic.

also i did read somewhere that mitch morton has slimmed down and wants a crack at the midfield... as well i wouldn't put cotchimama as established yet though that second line of wannabees is decent... i really rate thomson from the trainings ive been to... he is quick and good skills and hislop as good skills needs to bulk up a bit but has the grunt we need... also with the inclusion of two high quality midfielders cogs and cousins (barring injury etc) they would get added to the estab;lished list.. many forget cogs has won a B & F... then theres sugar richo and co...

we are looking solid and have a fair bit of depth

 

[rado]

also i did read somewhere that mitch morton has slimmed down and wants a crack at the midfield... as well i wouldn't put cotchimama as established yet though that second line of wannabees is decent... i really rate thomson from the trainings ive been to... he is quick and good skills and hislop as good skills needs to bulk up a bit but has the grunt we need... also with the inclusion of two high quality midfielders cogs and cousins (barring injury etc) they would get added to the estab;lished list.. many forget cogs has won a B & F... then theres sugar richo and co...

we are looking solid and have a fair bit of depth

i would think that the tiges would want to be playing mitch as a full time forward pocket specialist or roaming around that forward line instead of in the midfield for the time being.
and with hislop i would of thought it was the other way around because he is massive except his skills look like they let him down from the training sessions ive been to.
we must have gone to different ones dyl tigerman

 

[Tigersman]

Established: Foley, Tuck, Deledio, Cotchin.

Wannabees: Jackson, Polo, Hislop, Thomson, Edwards, Connors, Collins.

Return from injury: Coughlan and Cousins.

Still a long way to go.

Missed a couple that should be on that list as mentioned by Nut.

Foley,Tuck, Deledio and Cousins would get games in pretty much any midfield rotation in the league. Cotchin would be in the mix also.

That's 4 quality players and a gun kid with half a dozen more that are capable of holding their own and have possible improvement in them. Then add Brown's touch of class to the mix.
How long has it been since our midfield went that deep?
How may other sides go deeper?

I think you underestimate Our midfield Beaver. No one has 6 or 7 A graders.

 

[dyl_tigerman]

i would think that the tiges would want to be playing mitch as a full time forward pocket specialist or roaming around that forward line instead of in the midfield for the time being.
and with hislop i would of thought it was the other way around because he is massive except his skills look like they let him down from the training sessions ive been to.
we must have gone to different ones dyl tigerman

well from what i saw his skills were clean actually u may be right he was pretty big though... i was thinking of someone else... and i wouldn't mind mitch going up the ground this year as well as playing up forward cos come to think of it i think we have robin nahas that looks like the skillful forward pocket and with browny getting older i think he may stay more at home this year... but i can say i do think i bumped into you at the same training sessions... and the funny thing is i am going to one next week but unfortunatly u won't be attending as u dislocated your knee playing two square

 

[Madtiger2006]

Established: Foley, Tuck, Deledio, Cotchin.

Wannabees: Jackson, Polo, Hislop, Thomson, Edwards, Connors, Collins.

Return from injury: Coughlan and Cousins.

Still a long way to go.

You are a foolish piece of poo Beaver

 

[rado]

well from what i saw his skills were clean actually u may be right he was pretty big though... i was thinking of someone else... and i wouldn't mind mitch going up the ground this year as well as playing up forward cos come to think of it i think we have robin nahas that looks like the skillful forward pocket and with browny getting older i think he may stay more at home this year... but i can say i do think i bumped into you at the same training sessions... and the funny thing is i am going to one next week but unfortunatly u won't be attending as u dislocated your knee playing two square

dyl tigerman i think u should take my advice and go suck on your penis

 

[dyl_tigerman]

dyl tigerman i think u should take my advice and go suck on your penis

i'd like to think that a red card or a warning is in order

 

[Madtiger2006]

We've gotta give Polo the game time he really should have had. It's obvious he has plenty of qualities to be one of our best young midfielders, but when you don't get a fair run at the selection table then you will take longer to get the experience to become that quality player. Polo and Jackson need to be played all season in the midfield. They need the experience of tagging all the better midfielders in the comp so they become quality taggers over the next 5-10 years. We have plenty of midfield depth because Polo and Jacko will considered important players in our midfield by 2010 imo. Tuck, Foley, Deledio. Cousins, Cotchin and Newman are obviously quality players in the middle. Coughlan is a pretty good chance to become the dangerous midfielder he was before all those injuries imo. He never relied on pace, he's only done his knee once and he's a few different injuries. Wasn't his fault the doctor did a crap job on the knee and they had to do the operation again . So there is nothing to say he has naturally bad knees or groins or hamstrings. He's a confident player and he only takes about 3 games to get his game together after coming back from injury. Don't be surprised if he is picking up 40 touches by Round 4 or 5.

 

[Tigersman]

We've gotta give Polo the game time he really should have had. It's obvious he has plenty of qualities to be one of our best young midfielders, but when you don't get a fair run at the selection table then you will take longer to get the experience to become that quality player. Polo and Jackson need to be played all season in the midfield. They need the experience of tagging all the better midfielders in the comp so they become quality taggers over the next 5-10 years. We have plenty of midfield depth because Polo and Jacko will considered important players in our midfield by 2010 imo. Tuck, Foley, Deledio. Cousins, Cotchin and Newman are obviously quality players in the middle. Coughlan is a pretty good chance to become the dangerous midfielder he was before all those injuries imo. He never relied on pace, he's only done his knee once and he's a few different injuries. Wasn't his fault the doctor did a crap job on the knee and they had to do the operation again . So there is nothing to say he has naturally bad knees or groins or hamstrings. He's a confident player and he only takes about 3 games to get his game together after coming back from injury. Don't be surprised if he is picking up 40 touches by Round 4 or 5.

Optimistic Madtiger. I hope your right.

 

[Madtiger2006]

Optimistic Madtiger. I hope your right.

I am
In 2005 Cogs was getting 40 touches by about Round 5 after missing 2004. Even last year when he got his Hamstrings right, he was getting 40 touches for Coburg. He's had his injuries, but he's had plenty of time to get over them now. Plenty of players come back well from a knee injury. Cogs deserves to play injury free for the rest of his career. If he does, he'll have at least 4-5 quality years left in him

 

[The Rusty Trombone]

If you dont already know I hold the midfield highly when it comes to having a decent side. I've always thought that our priority should be to draft the best available midfielder than build the rest from where ever else.

Personally I was a bit annoyed we went Vickory in this draft, I really thought 1 more quality mid coming through would have set us up for a long time. But saying that I now am very happy where our midfield is at.

The inclusion of Thompson and Hislop will add grunt and competition to a midfield that was already developing at nice constant rate. Players Like Polo, Connors, Collins, Jackson and even Edwards no longer have a spots in the side ready for them. They all will have to push them selves hard and no spot is guaranteed to anyone.
So what does this mean? why does this competition and depth for a midfield spot matter so much? Basically TW and the coaching chargers can up the ante, raise the bar, set higher standards in areas like tackling, chasing and gut running, if you want a spot in the side you have to force your way in and bust your guts to keep it. It will mean our players will play harder for longer, especially if we are loosing and the players will always know that someone will be looking over there shoulder ready to pounce for your spot if you relax.

Foley, Deledio and Tuck have set themselves high standards, the inclusion of a fit and firing cousins will add even more to that and the competiton for spot as mentioned will make our midfield one of the best i the comp.
Exciting times.


oh yer and then theres richo runing around too.

Don't worry about Vickery Nut he'll be a player for a long time and we have more than enough Mids for know. I think Vickory was the perfect pick and perfect size. With Richo getting on all our mids will need some one to kick it to and Vickory will probably be played similar to a young Spider Everite. He'll probably kick 20 goals in his first year and set up alot more because he crumbs his own ball so well.

All's good at Tigerland

 

[Rayzorwire]

We're getting a good group together now nut, but one thing which has struck me as I've been watching replays of last season is that we should be close to having the best goal kicking midfield in the league this year.

A bit of a twist on the traditional goal kicking midfielder (kicks goals on the run or crumbing while resting in the forward line), we have Deledio, Tuck, Jackson and Connors - all genuinely dangerous contested marking forwards who are very difficult to match up on if they're dragging another midfielder forward or getting one of the rebounding, defensively weak small defenders because the others are minding the likes of Brown and Morton. It's pretty rare to have multiple midfielders who can be rested in the forward line and take contested grabs - I can't think of a side who can boast anything similar, including the top sides we'll be challenging in the next few years.

It's one of the things which looms as a significant advantage for us over other sides once we get to the point where we're consistently breaking even in clearances against the top sides.

 

[nut]

Don't worry about Vickery Nut he'll be a player for a long time and we have more than enough Mids for know. I think Vickory was the perfect pick and perfect size. With Richo getting on all our mids will need some one to kick it to and Vickory will probably be played similar to a young Spider Everite. He'll probably kick 20 goals in his first year and set up alot more because he crumbs his own ball so well.

All's good at Tigerland

Like I said I'm happy now with our midfield mix wich means we can start to build the players around the mids and with Reiwoldt (first rnd pick), Hughes second round pick and now Vickory first round pick we are well on the way.

 

[Themi#9]

lol MadTiger is never wrong

 

[Rayzorwire]

We have plenty of midfield depth because Polo and Jacko will considered important players in our midfield by 2010 imo. Tuck, Foley, Deledio. Cousins, Cotchin and Newman are obviously quality players in the middle.

I dunno why you persist with this idea of Newman playing midfield (let alone already being a 'quality mid') MT, he's had his chances - most recently early last season - and blown them all.

King is the bloke everyone has left out of midfield calculations, but he'll get time there at senior level this year despite the recent swelling of our midfield ranks. Most people seem to forget he had four thoroughly deserved Brownlow votes by round four last year (twice behind only Richo for BOG) and was in excellent form before he got injured mid-season. It's very seldom that HBF/BP's leapfrog midfielders in voting and it takes a midfielder like performance (25+ possessions and serious influence on the game). He has what it takes to be amongst the challengers and his stocks only dropped last year because of injury and his overhead defensive work - which is not typically expected of midfielders.

 

[Mario Speedwagon]

Personally I was a bit annoyed we went Vickery in this draft, I really thought 1 more quality mid coming through would have set us up for a long time

I agree, shoulda got Zeibell ...using high picks on ruckman...talls in general... is risky,more so one with dodgy knees. Only Hawthorn have ever truly hit pay dirt with it ...Carlton possibly with Kruezer, but that's about it..and even then they overlooked Cotchin to get him. I don't think our mids have the depth everyone thinks, a lot of unproven , average/merely serviceable and recycled talent there..and a dud or two *cough*Hackson*cough*. People should stop regarding Tambling as a midfielder too...occasional sojourns into the middle for him at the most from now on.

I love Cotchin but he is not an established player yet come on beaver thought you were a self confessed football guru.

Bollocks....you seriously think, barring injuries, he'll ever play for Coburg again? Cotchin was born an established player.

 

[Mario Speedwagon]

I dunno why you persist with this idea of Newman playing midfield (let alone already being a 'quality mid') MT, he's had his chances - most recently early last season - and blown them all.

King is the bloke everyone has left out of midfield calculations, but he'll get time there at senior level this year despite the recent swelling of our midfield ranks. Most people seem to forget he had four thoroughly deserved Brownlow votes by round four last year (twice behind only Richo for BOG) and was in excellent form before he got injured mid-season. It's very seldom that HBF/BP's leapfrog midfielders in voting and it takes a midfielder like performance (25+ possessions and serious influence on the game). He has what it takes to be amongst the challengers and his stocks only dropped last year because of injury and his overhead defensive work - which is not typically expected of midfielders.

Haha you don't rate Newman as a mid , but you think King is. I don't think Newman is anything more than a mostly average , occasionally good player at best but he's reliable, where as King is a complete hack and an on-field liability who should've been delisted.

 

[Rayzorwire]

Haha you don't rate Newman as a mid , but you think King is. I don't think Newman is anything more than a mostly average , occasionally good player at best but he's reliable, where as King is a complete hack and an on-field liability who should've been delisted.

Newman has never in his entire career had as many possessions as King averaged in the first 11 rounds of only his second season before he got injured. Newman's never provided as much run off half-back, never been able to burn off opposition players with pace and agility like King can, never tackled or scrapped as hard at ground level as King did, and never won as many contested possessions as King does. King's way fitter than Newman after just two AFL preseasons, compared to nine of waiting for Newman to graduate from the back pocket and play a role befitting a supposedly quality senior player.

King is clearly the better midfield prospect and the coaching staff agree.

The worst accusations people can drag out for King are that he gets beaten overhead (on players taller than him which we can't play Newman on because we know in advance from horrible experience that he'll get flogged), and that his disposal is occasionally disastrously astray, which is a Newman trademark for anyone who hasn't got a dozen pairs of rose coloured glasses on.

 

[rado]

i'd like to think that a red card or a warning is in order

haha shutup
go fall down some stairs and break your leg

 

[beaver fever]

Cotchin is well established. I'd have him in the first midfield rotation no worries.

 

[beaver fever]

You forgot White, Brown, Johnson, Tambling, Raines(from all accounts has been pushing hard and has been ear marked for a spot in the midfield)

Still alot better than last year. It also has a flow on effect too, Brown now can play as a permanent forward, we have more options and can try different players in that small defender role that we so desperately need.
Trust me our midfield is there about. A bit of luck with injuries and if Cog's and cousins return to form we will be dynamic.

White will only get little bursts in the middle, brown is a forward, Johnson isn't good enough to play midfield now, tambling isn't good enough for midfield, raines is another wannabee.