Simpson has got one thing right

[GO EAGLES]

In his press conference he said that bigger and stronger players are needed.

This must mean that the players have to get bigger in the gym.
Also bigger midfield bodies might be recruited in the draft.

We are in long term trouble unless we draft well in the next 2 years.

 

[ChampRevesby]

In his press conference he said that bigger and stronger players are needed.

This must mean that the players have to get bigger in the gym.
Also bigger midfield bodies might be recruited in the draft.

We are in long term trouble unless we draft well in the next 2 years.

Inb4 but Kerr and Cousins were small rubbish. If you are a champion A grader size means shit. We have far too many small B and C grade mids who just get smashed around the ground.

 

[Jafa]

GO EAGLES has spoken.

 

[Ian Dargie]

Inb4 but Kerr and Cousins were small rubbish.

They weren't tall but they were pretty powerful.

 

[ChampRevesby]

They weren't tall but they were pretty powerful.

Also had skill and class.
When you are a B grader you have to make up the skill and class gap by being a harder contender which means matching it with the bigger bodied mids that are floating around in the better teams.

 

[Ian Dargie]

Also had skill and class.

That's a separate point.

On the question of sheer grunt, Kerr and Cousins were both both miles more powerful than the likes of Gaff, Wellingham and Masten.

If you want to focus only on height, Leigh Matthews was also "small".

Being taller isn't the same as being physically explosive, able to withstand contact and play a contested style.

 

[WCErevival]

Yeah big bodied doesnt mean tall just solid.

I dont think its even possible for Masten to get a big body. His frame is too small.

 

[ChampRevesby]

Kerr and Cousins were both 80Kg or less which is much less than the current crop of A-grade mids. It's skill, class and hardness that makes a player an A grader. Our current set of mids are not only small but lack any sort of class that top mids in the comp posses. So getting a bigger body is a must just to compete, doesn't mean it will change our fortunes or their ability.

 

[Ian Dargie]

Yeah big bodied doesnt mean tall just solid.

I dont think its even possible for Masten to get a big body. His frame is too small.

I remember the way Cousins transformed his physique when he first started carrying the midfield. I guess he would have been about 23 at that time.

None of our midfielders are anywhere near that.

Kerr and Cousins were both 80Kg or less which is much less than the current crop of A-grade mids.

So which of our current mids do you think are more powerful than Cousins and Kerr?

Go and look at some pictures of Cousins in his prime and compare them to our current mids. Even a supposed 'hard nut' like Scott Selwood.

It's skill, class and hardness that makes a player an A grader. Our current set of mids are not only small but lack any sort of class that top mids in the comp posses. So getting a bigger body is a must just to compete, doesn't mean it will change our fortunes or their ability.

Obviously.

But you are underplaying the extent to which Cousins and Kerr combined this "skill, class and hardness" with power. To say they were "small" conceals the fact that they were also seriously explosive in a way none of our current midfielders are. Again, I remember the way Cousins transformed his physique when he moved into the midfield. For some reason, our current mids haven't been able to develop the same way.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

That's a separate point.

On the question of sheer grunt, Kerr and Cousins were both both miles more powerful than the likes of Gaff, Wellingham and Masten.

If you want to focus only on height, Leigh Matthews was also "small".

Being taller isn't the same as being physically explosive, able to withstand contact and play a contested style.

Examples are Luke Parker 183cm and 81kg at the draft, if we drafted him we'd be called out by many on this board for drafting a small, slow inside midfielder who lacks upside. But he found a few yards with AFL conditioning and is hard as nails and well skilled.

 

[The Dodger]

In his press conference he said that bigger and stronger players are needed.

This must mean that the players have to get bigger in the gym.
Also bigger midfield bodies might be recruited in the draft.

We are in long term trouble unless we draft well in the next 2 years.

Usually jargon for "lets get on the gear". You mean to say that with training staff around, access to a gym anytime they want, access to nutritionists and what not that these full time athletes who play a physical game aren't as big as they can be while still being able to run out a game?

If the players aren't as strong as they can be while maintaing AFL level of fitness then our fitness staff need the arse.

FWIW Hird said that exact same thing after their 2011 Elimination final loss.

 

[ChampRevesby]

Examples are Luke Parker 183cm and 81kg at the draft, if we drafted him we'd be called out by many on this board for drafting a small, slow inside midfielder who lacks upside. But he found a few yards with AFL conditioning and is hard as nails and well skilled.

But if a player is performing why would they draw criticism?

 

[BartBart]

One thing that is interesting is that you take a genuine top class midfielder out of a team they start losing badly (Gold Coast). Surely the same could happen in reverse if we get a great or a couple of good mids in (assuming we can fix the other issues we are obviously having with fitness, strength conditioning, drafting, etc.)

 

[Ian Dargie]

One thing that is interesting is that you take a genuine top class midfielder out of a team they start losing badly (Gold Coast). Surely the same could happen in reverse if we get a great or a couple of good mids in

Sure. As soon as we find the part of the supermarket that stocks them.

 

[ChampRevesby]

One thing that is interesting is that you take a genuine top class midfielder out of a team they start losing badly (Gold Coast). Surely the same could happen in reverse if we get a great or a couple of good mids in (assuming we can fix the other issues we are obviously having with fitness, strength conditioning, drafting, etc.)

Yep. You need to have a flexible list with enough depth to continue playing good consistent football which is what all the good teams do so well. That just doesn't come down to individual player talent, but good football development, coaching, conditioning etc something we also seem to lack.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

In his press conference he said that bigger and stronger players are needed.

This must mean that the players have to get bigger in the gym.
Also bigger midfield bodies might be recruited in the draft.

We are in long term trouble unless we draft well in the next 2 years.

He said the same thing before the game to the guys on Triple M, he said whether it is by trade or by draft he needs some more class in the middle (Stevie Wonder can see that but at least they know what one of it's biggest problems is)

 

[BartBart]

Yep. You need to have a flexible list with enough depth to continue playing good consistent football which is what all the good teams do so well. That just doesn't come down to individual player talent, but good football development, coaching, conditioning etc something we also seem to lack.

I know I have said this on here and elsewhere on a number of occasions, but our squad is unbalanced. We drafted in a lot of decent tall and key position players. Unfortunately the small forwards and mids we did draft haven't come along for a number of reasons probably including our training of them.

Our oft repeated "we will pick the best available player" mantra before a draft probably shows we didn't focus hard enough on team needs/squad balance. And this is deadly with the harder trading situation with the 2 new clubs. I wonder if the stronger clubs atm will drastically come back to the pack with the resulting talent being spread thinner as their champions retire over time or if now that GC and GWS are established the worst of the effects are over.

 

[bkozican]

For us to get back up we need to draft like no team has ever drafted before or slip a few roofies in drinks come trade time

 

[ChampRevesby]

I wonder if the stronger clubs atm will drastically come back to the pack with the resulting talent being spread thinner as their champions retire over time or if now that GC and GWS are established the worst of the effects are over.

Geelong and Hawthon have done a great job developing their younger players and it's clear to me that these clubs have a deliberate succession plan for their older players. I do not see any sort of deliberate planning or policy at WC which has been evident by the baffling selections throughout the year. Maybe Simmo is just working things out before instituting all the right plans.

 

[Righteo]

Inb4 but Kerr and Cousins were small rubbish. If you are a champion A grader size means shit. We have far too many small B and C grade mids who just get smashed around the ground.

Sorry to interrupt but those two guys were freakishly strong (core strength) for their size and for that reason can't be compared to say someone like Masten.

Kerr in particular was probably the strongest player pound for pound I've seen.

 

[SpaceClef]

Our development of midfielders also needs to be seriously looked at - however that is done. I don't really know what sets one team's ability to develop players apart from another, but we are not doing it right.

Either that or we simply are recruiting awfully.

 

[ChampRevesby]

Sorry to interrupt but those two guys were freakishly strong (core strength) for their size and for that reason can't be compared to say someone like Masten.

Kerr in particular was probably the strongest player pound for pound I've seen.

Yep exactly.

 

[SpaceClef]

Sorry to interrupt but those two guys were freakishly strong (core strength) for their size and for that reason can't be compared to say someone like Masten.

Kerr in particular was probably the strongest player pound for pound I've seen.

Yeah, and it's not just strength, it's ability - I mean Breust powered through at least 4 Sydney players tonight from what I saw on different occasions, each time remained composed, and disposed perfectly.

He's not big bodied, nor is he particularly nuggety like Kerr, he just simply has the ability.

A small forward from the rookie draft can do it, yet I haven't seen anyone in our side do that as consistently or clinically for years.

 

[ChampRevesby]

A small forward from the rookie draft can do it, yet I haven't seen anyone in our side do that as consistently or clinically for years.

Yep, adding bulk to our current crop will not change our fortunes. We need to draft skillful players first then develop them in to quality players.
Let the purge begin.

 

[Ian Dargie]

A small forward from the rookie draft can do it, yet I haven't seen anyone in our side do that as consistently or clinically for years.