List Mgmt. The midfield - past, present and future.

[Rear Admiral]

We need to realize its a 'performance industry' and start to play players in form not based on whatvthey have done in the last 5 years (VB, Smith v CEY, Grigg, Gore

I agree entirely....but not with dropping Smith. Absolutely no way. At least not at the moment.
But some others? My word, yes.

 

[StonesThrow]

I could easily see Atkins as a full time mid. Has very good balance, agility and smarts in close. We've seen a lot glimpses of this already. If he continues his current trajectory given his inexperience, it would be pretty bloody handy and not require us to have I acquire multiple gun midfielders.

I don't think 1 A grade mid would be enough imo. I see Milera more on the wing it hff.

 

[Stiffy_18]

This was always a year in which everything needed to go right for us to have a good midfield.

That meant Thompson continuing his great form, Douglas playing at his best, Sloane, Knight, M. Crouch, CEY, Lyons, Grigg etc taking their game to the next level, B. Crouch coming back without missing a beat and Smith moving into the midfield.

Most of those things didn't happen. Rightly or wrongly, the club didn't expect to lose Dangerfield, it's almost like we were blind sided and hadn't lined up a "replacement", not that you can ever replace Dangerfield.

But what the club did in the offseason is target players who in a year or two or three they see as being part of a good midfield. The likes of Gore, Menzel, Seedsman and even possibly Hampton have all been targeted as players who we hope will form a powerful midfield within a couple of years time. Time will tell whether that will be the case but with all of those but especially Menzel and Hampton talent is not an issue.

I don't think our midfield is truly as bad as it has been the last two weeks. The issue there is that all of them other than Sloane have hit a form slump at once. Is it structure or just crap timing of bad form? Time will tell.

Either way it needs something different but I am certain that VB is not it.

I think Cameron needs to be around the ball because when he is, something always happens. I think we will see Betts get a squirt there for bits and pieces.

What we need is players to return back to form because for the first 5 rounds we were saying how our midfield is playing well and some were even saying we are better without Dangerfield.

The coach needs to do his part and the players beed to get out of slump real quick but looking ahead in 2-3 years time the midfield consisting of Sloane, Crouch brothers, Menzel, Milera, Gore, Knight, Atkins and possibly Smith and Hampton is not a bad start. Still needs some work but its a decent start.

I am sure we will look to recruit a good midfielder with the right age profile to add to this group but it will not be just any midfielder or at any cost.

There is enough talent there to be good but it's up to the club and those players to bring it all together.

 

[Thetrader15]

Smith is a harsh call here, probably only had a 1-2 down games, and both since Laird was out.

That said, he hasn't been hitting the rolled gold standards he did when he got the AA gig.

His field kicking has been pretty bad this year, and that's his main weapon. Douggie hasn't had 10 kicks in any of his last 4 games though thats a good thing as he can't hit the side of a barn door. Bouch had similar stats only in 2 games and got hit by the door on the way out. VB had 5 and 4 in his only game this year.

Add wigg to the should be in the team list

 

[Thetrader15]

Let's be really aggressive this year in the trade period and secure (for eg) heppell (FA) and motlop. Give away the rd1 picks for the next 2 years and CEY branded steak knives...we sure aren't eating with them

 

[Golumless]

His field kicking has been pretty bad this year, and that's his main weapon. Douggie hasn't had 10 kicks in any of his last 4 games though thats a good thing as he can't hit the side of a barn door. Bouch had similar stats only in 2 games and got hit by the door on the way out. VB had 5 and 4 in his only game this year.

Add wigg to the should be in the team list

Smith leg at distance is fantastic, just can be a bit hit and miss with short kicking. That said though, he also does try to do a little bit too much as well at times, but i don't mind Smith rolling that dice with some of his kicks (much like Atkins, who also has a similar issue).

Pizza Boy, now there is the enigma in our side right now. Usually his field kicking is solid, however, he's really struggled all season. Dunno if he isn't adjusting, or injured, but s**t that's an issue we need to tighten up quick-smart.

Field kicking has been the only thing that Brouch game wasn't rated as above solid. That said, I'd wait until the kid gets his body right before anything.

Good with VB, the less he is involved, the better we'll do.

 

[Sam_Malone]

spent?

I'm sending e mails my arse can cash.

 

[Scrotes2000]

We should go all out for some quality. Over the next two years we should be extremely aggressive with our trading - even if that means giving up future picks.

By around the time Tex is retiring - full rebuild. Might mean some tough years but I'm sick of being a middle of the road club. I'd rather have a crack and then bottom out for a while if we have to - we've done pretty well to be competitive for as long as we have with losing so many players and not having high picks. I want flags though, not just scraping into the finals.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I'm sure we can squeeze another couple of seasons out of Thommo

 

[Thetrader15]

Smith leg at distance is fantastic, just can be a bit hit and miss with short kicking. That said though, he also does try to do a little bit too much as well at times, but i don't mind Smith rolling that dice with some of his kicks (much like Atkins, who also has a similar issue).

Pizza Boy, now there is the enigma in our side right now. Usually his field kicking is solid, however, he's really struggled all season. Dunno if he isn't adjusting, or injured, but s**t that's an issue we need to tighten up quick-smart.

Field kicking has been the only thing that Brouch game wasn't rated as above solid. That said, I'd wait until the kid gets his body right before anything.

Good with VB, the less he is involved, the better we'll do.

Smith missed about 3 40m kicks last week by a looong way and not really under pressure either. I wasnt going to mention it but the kick against haeks in the last couple of mins where he missed seed..oh no

 

[Golumless]

Smith missed about 3 40m kicks last week by a looong way and not really under pressure either. I wasnt going to mention it but the kick against haeks in the last couple of mins where he missed seed..oh no

He was appalling against Geelong. No idea what happened there as he's never really had that bad of a game; i'm giving him the benefit of the doubt though right now. He's done enough to earn that at least.

Up till that moment, he had a big game against the Hawks... those moments though, jeeze, they hurt.

 

[FR0GGY]

I'm sure we can squeeze another couple of seasons out of Thommo

conservative

 

[Elite Crow]

Does Wayne still think we wait until the end of the year to target mids?

Our lack of mids will stop us winning a flag.

 

[FR0GGY]

Does Wayne still think we wait until the end of the year to target mids?

Our lack of mids will stop us winning a flag.

there is no better time than mid season

 

[Crow Envy]

I think we should go for a marking mid like Heeney

 

[crowded house]

edit: Wrong thread!

 

[Rear Admiral]

Stick a broom through the lot.. and bring in "CEY, Betts, Cameron, Hampton and Milera" to be known as "The Deadly Magic" .

NOW we've got someone that's thrown some smart ideas together!



We've ALREADY GOT enough players to seriously improve our midfield clearances by a damn big margin....it's just a matter of pulling the trigger.

 

[Crow Envy]

Is Fyfe available, he's evidence of how valuable marking mids are.

Isn't that right Wayne's-World ?

 

[Sam_Malone]

I'm sure we can squeeze another couple of seasons out of Thommo

Why not redraft Martin, Edwards and Brodie Atkinson whist we are at it. Who needs yound guys, we are the club who car reinvent midfielders.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

Can't wait for the veterans to cobble together some kicks against the Suns reserves so we can fap about our club greats.

Bring on the acid test against GWS.

 

[spexau]

Shame Hampton has been injured

 

[TGFC]

Sorry to say, but if politics and personality is playing a role at AFC. Then no amount of emails will change this

 

[Sam_Malone]

Round 14 is the earliest I can see the club making any more forced changes to the midfield.

We play *wins and losses are not winning the game biut if the midfield wins the midfield battle.

Gold Coast (midfield win)
GWS (midfield loss)
St Kilda (midfield win)
West Coast (midfield loss - away)
Bye
North Melbourne (midfield win)
Melbourne (midfield win)

and if they don't - this is where they will make changes as I see a yo yo with a good win rewarding another performance after a disappointing loss.

 

[TheLeftFist8]

Round 14 is the earliest I can see the club making any more forced changes to the midfield.

We play *wins and losses are not winning the game biut if the midfield wins the midfield battle.

Gold Coast (midfield win)
GWS (midfield loss)
St Kilda (midfield win)
West Coast (midfield loss - away)
Bye
North Melbourne (midfield win)
Melbourne (midfield win)

and if they don't - this is where they will make changes as I see a yo yo with a good win rewarding another performance after a disappointing loss.

You are ultra optimistic here.

Saints mids will likely beat us. NM and Melb certainly will.

 

[Sam_Malone]

Sorry to say, but if politics and personality is playing a role at AFC. Then no amount of emails will change this

Maybe Dom Pyke should give Brenton Sanderson a phone call and ask him about job security.

The team we put on the park tomorrow, I don't have confidence in them making finals and Dom Pyke is basically putting his job in their hands.