Review R1 v Kangaroos @ Cazalys (24 March 2018)

[17er]

Your post is good summary of the Sun's situation going into R1. Except I think you may have overstepped slightly on the above. Unless 'one of' includes 7-8 teams.

You make a good point, however, the Suns have a lot of midfield talent and heaps of them were 1st round selections. This is the current midfield depth:
Ballard, Barlow, Bowes, Brodie, Dawson, Fiorini, Hall, Hanley, Holman, Lonergan, Lyons, Martin, Miller, Powell, Rischitelli, Schoenfeld, Sexton, Swallow, Weller, Wigg, Young

There's 8 first round draft picks in there and a few who should have been. Depending on how many mids the game plan requires, 10 or 12, this group oozes talent that is a mix of potential, in their prime and experienced veteran.

If you can show me 6 or 7 midfields in the AFL with this level of skill and depth then I'll concede that I'm being one-eyed.

 

[DoItForCaptBlood]

You make a good point, however, the Suns have a lot of midfield talent and heaps of them were 1st round selections. This is the current midfield depth:
Ballard, Barlow, Bowes, Brodie, Dawson, Fiorini, Hall, Hanley, Holman, Lonergan, Lyons, Martin, Miller, Powell, Rischitelli, Schoenfeld, Sexton, Swallow, Weller, Wigg, Young

There's 8 first round draft picks in there and a few who should have been. Depending on how many mids the game plan requires, 10 or 12, this group oozes talent that is a mix of potential, in their prime and experienced veteran.

If you can show me 6 or 7 midfields in the AFL with this level of skill and depth then I'll concede that I'm being one-eyed.

Putting 2 kids just drafted in the list and counting them as depth may indicate slight one-eyedness?
I'm not going to pot shot others in that list, but will simply say, as a long suffering Tiger supporter, I put faith in 'potential' and 'average depth players' and saw the results week in week out.

I agree there is a lot of potential there, and at full strength, the Suns midfield will be damaging. But I'm not going to list players in 7-8 teams and will just say there is a reason teams finish in the 8, and the midfield often plays a major role in that. Would be great to see a relatively injury free run to see how your midfield goes all year. But already one key player is out R1.

 

[Sunny_]

The reality is Hall is one of our two prime movers in the midfield - Lyons being the other. Without him now on the inside as well as his ability to break lines, combined with the loss of Hanley, we are short of those run and carry players - something we had an advantage of over the Roos. This game has tipped from us being favourites to win to probably them.

Our first few games are legitimately winnable - round 1 the most winnable. It's just so completely vexing and frustrating that we've lost our prime movers for it. We don't need these to be any more difficult than they already are.

I know we have Fiorini growing in there, but we shouldn't be relying on him yet. I just hope Barlow can come in and have a good impact. We're going to need him to pair with Lyons and really get that contested work down to match Ziebell and Cunnington - both of which normally rip us apart.

Waite is another one who usually bobs up against us to kick several goals.

I am still worried about Holman and McPherson being in the team given their inability to hit targets - but they do offer something as smaller pressure forwards.

 

[Jirik13]

The reality is Hall is one of our two prime movers in the midfield - Lyons being the other. Without him now on the inside as well as his ability to break lines, combined with the loss of Hanley, we are short of those run and carry players - something we had an advantage of over the Roos. This game has tipped from us being favourites to win to probably them.

Our first few games are legitimately winnable - round 1 the most winnable. It's just so completely vexing and frustrating that we've lost our prime movers for it. We don't need these to be any more difficult than they already are.

I know we have Fiorini growing in there, but we shouldn't be relying on him yet. I just hope Barlow can come in and have a good impact. We're going to need him to pair with Lyons and really get that contested work down to match Ziebell and Cunnington - both of which normally rip us apart.

Waite is another one who usually bobs up against us to kick several goals.

I am still worried about Holman and McPherson being in the team given their inability to hit targets - but they do offer something as smaller pressure forwards.

Sorry, but I feel you're a bit too pessimistic. We got very good depth. I don't see big issue to find replacements for Hall, Hanley. Happy with with our Swallow/Lyons vs Ziebell/Cunnington. Barlow can come in and tag one of them. Fiorini is in his 3rd year and can handle it now. Miller had full preseason and looks to be back to his best.

Run and carry? Plenty - from half back KK, Harbrow, in midfield Weller/Martin, Sexton is also great runner. Bowes will do fine job at HB if needed. Brodie as a contested bull in wet conditions is may be exactly what we need.

Not sure why you think McPherson can't hit the target. Yes, it was only JLT but he was one of the best with 80% DE and played with confidence, great pressure. Very optimistic May/Thompson will do great job on Brown/Waite.

Last year we should had won both games if not for horrendous calls at Etihad (with Leslie as the only tall defender). But most important what gives me a good feeling is Dew's plan - play as a team, everybody knows the role, pressure, 2-way running, defence. I just hope that North will make a mistake and play too many talls. It will soapy conditions.

I am not sure about Holman. I guess we need to see him in more games in dry conditions. He could be a good tagger.

 

[Mini GF]

This is definitely a “must win” game. We have had some terrible first round efforts through the Rocket Era. I expect our fellas to have learnt from it and be ready to be hard at the ball in Nth Qld next week. I don’t really give a rats anout the make up of the team, if they put in then the result will be the right one.

 

[17er]

Putting 2 kids just drafted in the list and counting them as depth may indicate slight one-eyedness?
I'm not going to pot shot others in that list, but will simply say, as a long suffering Tiger supporter, I put faith in 'potential' and 'average depth players' and saw the results week in week out.

I agree there is a lot of potential there, and at full strength, the Suns midfield will be damaging. But I'm not going to list players in 7-8 teams and will just say there is a reason teams finish in the 8, and the midfield often plays a major role in that. Would be great to see a relatively injury free run to see how your midfield goes all year. But already one key player is out R1.

Yeah, cool, I didn't really mean name every midfield player for every team, just showing that the suns have depth in the mids and competition for spots is ratcheting up.

But I do have to take you to task on this comment "Putting 2 kids just drafted in the list and counting them as depth may indicate slight one-eyedness?" Dude, the Tigers used heaps of first, second and third year players in last year's run to the Premiership. Why wouldn't I list Powell and Ballard as midfield players in our list? I also included Academy player and Rookie listed Dawson because our Academy guys tend to come into the system with momentum and play to a high level faster than other recruits.

Good luck to the Tigers. Your recruitment team has been sensational, with so many recent picks turning out so well that players in your Grand Final side have still only clocked a handful of games.

 

[Jirik13]

Yeah, cool, I didn't really mean name every midfield player for every team, just showing that the suns have depth in the mids and competition for spots is ratcheting up.

But I do have to take you to task on this comment "Putting 2 kids just drafted in the list and counting them as depth may indicate slight one-eyedness?" Dude, the Tigers used heaps of first, second and third year players in last year's run to the Premiership. Why wouldn't I list Powell and Ballard as midfield players in our list? I also included Academy player and Rookie listed Dawson because our Academy guys tend to come into the system with momentum and play to a high level faster than other recruits.

Good luck to the Tigers. Your recruitment team has been sensational, with so many recent picks turning out so well that players in your Grand Final side have still only clocked a handful of games.

17er, you forgot potentially our best midfielder in 3 years - Scrimshaw - our own Bontempelli Future gun Ainsworth also has aspiration to play in midfield.

 

[17er]

This is definitely a “must win” game. We have had some terrible first round efforts through the Rocket Era. I expect our fellas to have learnt from it and be ready to be hard at the ball in Nth Qld next week. I don’t really give a rats anout the make up of the team, if they put in then the result will be the right one.

In 2016 we won the first 3 games and were in 1st place for about 10 minutes. That season ended the moment Steven May took out Stefan Martin and during his suspension the whole team crashed. This year it would just be good have a reasonable start that puts us in contention during the "away" phase so that the run home with games at Metricon is actually meaningful.

 

[Mini GF]

In 2016 we won the first 3 games and were in 1st place for about 10 minutes. That season ended the moment Steven May took out Stefan Martin and during his suspension the whole team crashed. This year it would just be good have a reasonable start that puts us in contention during the "away" phase so that the run home with games at Metricon is actually meaningful.

Well you didn’t mention the 2015 and 2017 Round 1 Train Wrecks. And hence my original statement of fact about Round 1s in the Rocket Era are on the money.

 

[Sunraysia]

You make a good point, however, the Suns have a lot of midfield talent and heaps of them were 1st round selections. This is the current midfield depth:
Ballard, Barlow, Bowes, Brodie, Dawson, Fiorini, Hall, Hanley, Holman, Lonergan, Lyons, Martin, Miller, Powell, Rischitelli, Schoenfeld, Sexton, Swallow, Weller, Wigg, Young

There's 8 first round draft picks in there and a few who should have been. Depending on how many mids the game plan requires, 10 or 12, this group oozes talent that is a mix of potential, in their prime and experienced veteran.

If you can show me 6 or 7 midfields in the AFL with this level of skill and depth then I'll concede that I'm being one-eyed.

Dare I say it - but you missed one... 35 disposals + 2 goals in the practice match at the weekend playing inside midfield. (5kicks 30Handballs).
A forward he's not..
Admittedly the game was very one sided with the Suns a class above. No disrespect to the opposition who applied themselves manfully.

 

[SunnerSS]

Dare I say it - but you missed one... 35 disposals + 2 goals in the practice match at the weekend playing inside midfield. (5kicks 30Handballs).
A forward he's not..
Admittedly the game was very one sided with the Suns a class above. No disrespect to the opposition who applied themselves manfully.

Rosa?

 

[Sunraysia]

Rosa?

Like it - Rosa played well in midfield as well.
That's 4 that 17er has missed off his list.......
He's very right about our midfield depth.. Lol

 

[SunsBhoy]

I think people are getting confused regarding depth , yes we numbers that can go through there but how many atm can play at elite level and get there 25-30 possys every week , I would say our main 3 swallow , Lyons and hall , Barlow capable , so when we lose one of these 3 it is going to hit us hard , can’t expect a Brodie or a Bowes to just waltzed in and start getting high possys at as a 19yos.


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[SunnerSS]

I think people are getting confused regarding depth , yes we numbers that can go through there but how many atm can play at elite level and get there 25-30 possys every week , I would say our main 3 swallow , Lyons and hall , Barlow capable , so when we lose one of these 3 it is going to hit us hard , can’t expect a Brodie or a Bowes to just waltzed in and start getting high possys at as a 19yos.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Fiorini can has shown before when released into the midfield he is a ball magnet. Miller has in the past aswell. And weller has done it at freo. Yeah brodie and bowes is a long shot but when given opportunity blokes like rosa, barlow, fiorini, miller and weller could all hit those numbers comfortably.

 

[Jirik13]

I think people are getting confused regarding depth , yes we numbers that can go through there but how many atm can play at elite level and get there 25-30 possys every week , I would say our main 3 swallow , Lyons and hall , Barlow capable , so when we lose one of these 3 it is going to hit us hard , can’t expect a Brodie or a Bowes to just waltzed in and start getting high possys at as a 19yos.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Before JLT most people would banish Hall from the team and now he is elite? He has a long way to convince me. Miller, Fiorini, Weller can do a better job. Even Holman is better in contested footy, defensive running than Hall.

 

[SunsBhoy]

Fiorini can has shown before when released into the midfield he is a ball magnet. Miller has in the past aswell. And weller has done it at freo. Yeah brodie and bowes is a long shot but when given opportunity blokes like rosa, barlow, fiorini, miller and weller could all hit those numbers comfortably.

Yeah i agree with Fiorini , hopefully he will take the next level this season , but at this second we are thin in the midfield , the potential is there , as you say there are guys capable , its just seeing if they can do it week in week out.

 

[Mini GF]

Before JLT most people would banish Hall from the team and now he is elite? He has a long way to convince me. Miller, Fiorini, Weller can do a better job. Even Holman is better in contested footy, defensive running than Hall.

+1

 

[Jirik13]

Yeah i agree with Fiorini , hopefully he will take the next level this season , but at this second we are thin in the midfield , the potential is there , as you say there are guys capable , its just seeing if they can do it week in week out.

Yeah i agree with Fiorini , hopefully he will take the next level this season , but at this second we are thin in the midfield , the potential is there , as you say there are guys capable , its just seeing if they can do it week in week out.

No doubt our young midfielders are at least a year off to play there regularly, probably two years. Brodie is my bet for wet conditions in Cairns (forecast is 2-10mm on a game day). He definitely has the body. Question is if he has a tank now and learned running patterns, developed outside game. Even in the last year humiliation by Port he had like 23 possessions. Rischitelli could step in too, also Rosa on the flank. We do have options. It should not matter too much who plays just show me the team effort and follow game plan!

 

[Peel67skin]

Yeah i agree with Fiorini , hopefully he will take the next level this season , but at this second we are thin in the midfield , the potential is there , as you say there are guys capable , its just seeing if they can do it week in week out.

I don't think one player represent the whole team ,when one player down the other will come in to cover their role, consistency will only come after players play more than 50 + AFL game , while a fit Hall will be good but putting AFL games into Florini and Brodie now will accerate their development. You don't see Port complain about SPP consistency , different players adapt to the pace of AFL differently.

 

[Stroppy]

Plenty of question marks on our midfield.

Will Swallow take a step up after getting through last year? Was a solid mid last year but a long way from his 2014 B+F form.
Can Lyons and Witts keep it up/improve? A good chance, but both had career years in 2017.
What is up with Barlow? With extended benches for the JLT, he still did not get a game.
Miller and Fiorini are unproven. Expecting them to do well but neither are locks to play well.
Bowes and Brodie are 2nd year players.

Hall might have had the fewest question marks. Was also playing very well during the JLT, looking a lot better on defense than the sieve he has been. Will be missed this week.

Still, should get a few answers soon enough.

 

[Sunny_]

FWIW Barlow did not play JLT one because he was at a friends wedding.

 

[17er]

Dare I say it - but you missed one... 35 disposals + 2 goals in the practice match at the weekend playing inside midfield. (5kicks 30Handballs).
A forward he's not..
Admittedly the game was very one sided with the Suns a class above. No disrespect to the opposition who applied themselves manfully.

I did have that player in my list initially, but a couple of sources have him moving into the Forwards this year. Given the number of forwards on the injury list, isn't it likely he'll be named at half forward flank in the NEAFL to shadow someone like Sexton. Maybe even a spot on the Emergencies. I can see this type of player being chosen to tour somewhere like Perth for the 2-game series.

 

[kreglze]

North Melbourne match thread is a good laugh if you want a smile on your face.

 

[Choppers]

North Melbourne match thread is a good laugh if you want a smile on your face.

Are you sure they've got one. I got up to page 4 of 1533 and couldn't find it.....

 

[Choppers]

Are you sure they've got one. I got up to page 4 of 1533 and couldn't find it.....

Found it.....I just didn't realize we were the Gold Coast Focus group....