The best midfield

Trav 20

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Sometimes Trav, it depends on the game really.
Also depends on how heavily invested I am at the time. I do find however after a few drinks, usually the second half is a blur :drunk:.
If you've had reasonable exposure to Cotchin over the years you'd know his kicking is no issue.
 

jakson68

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If you've had reasonable exposure to Cotchin over the years you'd know his kicking is no issue.
I have watched Cotchin Trav and although I don't have the view that he is in the super elite, I can concede he is a very good player.
My point though, in my orininal post, was to state that the statistics of how many behinds a player kicks, may just be a tad irrelivent.
 

Virgin Dog

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I love how in this thread list 4 or 5 players and then say “etc” or “et al”. No, that does not count in describing a midfield. Any team in the top 10 has a strong list of 4 midfielders at least.
100% agree. Every club has their good and depth mids, it's the top 3 or 4 that makes the difference. For every Greenwood/Sier there is a Zaharakis/Parish
 
Aug 13, 2006
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Collingwood certainly have the best midfield. Most amount of depth and damaging on the inside and out. We have too many grunts and lack that quality speed and outside run.
Last years midfield with Tyson and Jones on the wings won't do the job, but there's nothing slow about Viney, Oliver or Harmes and Brayshaw racks them up in space, they all just need to use it 5-10% better. Then it's a matter of what Fritsch and either KK or Salem can do on the wings, plus Vanders and Petracca rotating through. Get all of that right and I think we are as good as anyone in the middle. Although it raises the questions what to do with Jones and whether the backs and forwards have enough talent without Salem back and with timing the forward/mid rotations correctly.

This doesn't necessarily make sense but I like the Eagles and Tigers midfields more than Melbourne's because their game plans and forwards and backs are more settled. The Pies midfield might be number 1 for talent and they have a more dangerous forward line, but they do have questions about how they'll fit all their guys in this year.
 
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Collingwood have an exceptional midfield. Great depth and a nice spread of inside grunt and outside polish.

Melbourne's isn't far behind.

West Coast's doesn't really have the names but gee, they work well as a unit.

GWS rounds out the top 4 in my book.
 

Ishmael_

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Beams makes Collingwood's midfield the best on paper. But i query how they all fit in. Do you want that many midfielders in a team? Can they be coached to compliment eachother? We'll soon find out.

Melbourne's midfield bats deep, but I wonder if they are as dynamic. If they have goal kicking guns like De Goey and now Beams.

Geelong is an interesting case. If Selwood declines and Ablett plays reluctant forward, it might not be enough. However the names suggest a complementary midfield.

Adelaide maybe, but last year is going to take some erasing. GWS too, but only if they can consistently dominate like the talent suggests they can.

FWIW I thought West Coast's midfield was pretty dominant come finals time. We looked well drilled and balanced. I think Yeo and Sheed can go to another level. Chuck in an injury free year from Shuey and one Nic Naitanui come midway and it's looking pretty good.
 

Ocker

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Underestimate this Geelong midfield at your own peril. Look past Selwood-Ablett-Danger and you’ll see why they’re in the top 2-3, if not top in the comp.
But I thought the pies had the best midfield ever assembled blah blah blah...
 

wcegls

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Collingwood have an exceptional midfield. Great depth and a nice spread of inside grunt and outside polish.

Melbourne's isn't far behind.

West Coast's doesn't really have the names but gee, they work well as a unit.

GWS rounds out the top 4 in my book.
West coast doesn’t really have the names? Yeah I’ve never heard of Shuey, gaff or yeo before ...
 
Jun 19, 2007
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A good midfield needs a good defensive element.

These all star midfields fall short when someone can't play the team role and shut down the opposition or open up space for the stars.

The holy trinity (CRINGE) didn't really strike that balance at all in Ablett's first season back at Geelong.
Geelong's threepeat had Ling
Hawks' threepeat had Liam Shiels as a starting mid in every game even though Burgoyne, Mitchell, Hodge, Lewis, were in the team.
Lions threepeat midfield worked brilliantly together. Voss did a lot of defensive mid work even though he was a ball winning gun. Power played an awesome support role until some of the older guys slowed down or retired and then became the ball winning gun.

Richmond's midfield looks awesome when Cotchin and Dusty and getting 30 touches, but when Cotchin doesn't have the ball his defensive, team-oriented work is so classy and important. Then youv'e got Prestia role-playing as well.

Collingwood will take a while to work that balance out with Pendlebury, Beams, Sidebottom, Adams and Treloar rolling around.
Melbourne are much more balanced because Viney enjoys hurting people as much as winning the footy and it makes like so much easier for Oliver to do his clearance work or creative handball thang.
 

mattyc75

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A good midfield needs a good defensive element.

These all star midfields fall short when someone can't play the team role and shut down the opposition or open up space for the stars.

The holy trinity (CRINGE) didn't really strike that balance at all in Ablett's first season back at Geelong.
Geelong's threepeat had Ling
Hawks' threepeat had Liam Shiels as a starting mid in every game even though Burgoyne, Mitchell, Hodge, Lewis, were in the team.
Lions threepeat midfield worked brilliantly together. Voss did a lot of defensive mid work even though he was a ball winning gun. Power played an awesome support role until some of the older guys slowed down or retired and then became the ball winning gun.

Richmond's midfield looks awesome when Cotchin and Dusty and getting 30 touches, but when Cotchin doesn't have the ball his defensive, team-oriented work is so classy and important. Then youv'e got Prestia role-playing as well.

Collingwood will take a while to work that balance out with Pendlebury, Beams, Sidebottom, Adams and Treloar rolling around.
Melbourne are much more balanced because Viney enjoys hurting people as much as winning the footy and it makes like so much easier for Oliver to do his clearance work or creative handball thang.
Thats why the eagles midfield is so underrated, hutchings and yeo are both capable of shutting down and mids in the comp

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I think North can push for having a top 8 midfield, if Ben Jacobs can get back on the park (and to form).

Goldstein, Higgins, Cunnington, Polec and Jacobs is right up there.

Too bad the year we've finally put a good midfield in is the year we only have two capable forwards.
 

PAFC_1870

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Geez fancy beating the best midfield on their home deck with a 3rd string Ruck making his Port Adelaide debut, our best mid out and 4 on debut.

They made the stereotype Adelaide one dimensional midfield look lighting.

Geelong on names alone are better by the length of the straight. As are WCE, Collingwood and GWS without thinking.
 
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