Top 5 Midfields 2024

[Scritchyscroony]

The simplest of minds, just continues to overlook Hawthorn having the worst forward line in the comp in 2023 may have been more of a reason than anything happening in the middle.

That's funny because the Hawthorn were only the 3rd worst for points scored. As you'd expect for the team that finished third last I guess.
Regardless, Hawthorns forward line being crap does not somehow transform it's midfield into a top 5 in the comp contender. A wonderful stretch of logic there.
Did you know ALL forward lines are heavily reliant on the midfield and are crap if the midfield can't win enough ball and kick to their advantage?
This may seem like a radical concept to you but it's true man i swear.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

That's funny because the Hawthorn were only the 3rd worst for points scored. As you'd expect for the team that finished third last I guess.
Regardless, Hawthorns forward line being crap does not somehow transform it's midfield into a top 5 in the comp contender. A wonderful stretch of logic there.
Did you know ALL forward lines are heavily reliant on the midfield and are crap if the midfield can't win enough ball and kick to their advantage?
This may seem like a radical concept to you but it's true man i swear.

You’re so busy ranting that you’ve not even realised that I’ve never suggested Hawthorn are a top 5 midfield.
Hawthorn were 17th for Goals from inside 50's in 2023, and we were only 17th overall because they'd improved in the last 5 rounds to be 12th.

 

[Scritchyscroony]

You’re so busy ranting that you’ve not even realised that I’ve never suggested Hawthorn are a top 5 midfield.
Hawthorn were 17th for Goals from inside 50's in 2023, and we were only 17th overall because they'd improved in the last 5 rounds to be 12th.

More dribbling nonsense stats about Hawthorn

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

More dribbling nonsense stats about Hawthorn

Yeah, who needs stats to prove a blindingly obvious position when you could just rant about feelings.

 

[boncer34]

Our back line, particularly our key backs, had a rough 2023 too.

So the back line and forward line had a rough 2023?

But it had nothing to do with the group of players offering protection to the back line further up the ground or the group that delivers the ball to the forward line?

 

[Scritchyscroony]

Yeah, who needs stats to prove a blindingly obvious position when you could just rant about feelings.

What position?. All you've done is dribble down your chin and repeatedly embarrass yourself.

 

[Caligo]

So the back line and forward line had a rough 2023?

But it had nothing to do with the group of players offering protection to the back line further up the ground or the group that delivers the ball to the forward line?

I think you have a fair argument there, but the best way for a midfield to impact a game is to win the ball at the clearance, and one of the youngest midfields in recent memory did that incredibly well. I do think their two way running could do with some improvement though. When we didlose the clearance we seemed to get hurt more than most.

 

[boncer34]

I think you have a fair argument there, but the best way for a midfield to impact a game is to win the ball at the clearance, and one of the youngest midfields in recent memory did that incredibly well. I do think their two way running could do with some improvement though. When we didlose the clearance we seemed to get hurt more than most.

As someone who spent years watching Jobe Watson kick it outta the middle, it's all well and good to win the thing but if your disposal isn't great then it's only half the job.

 

[Caligo]

As someone who spent years watching Jobe Watson kick it outta the middle, it's all well and good to win the thing but if your disposal isn't great then it's only half the job.

I loved how jobe and others like him (Paddy cripps and JPK for example) went about it. I don't believe he was ever your problem, but I don't know essendon even close to as well as you.

And now I feel dirty praising an essendon player. Especially one of the 34.

 

[bungalow_bill]

If you include the ruckman which there's an argument you should given their role in the midfield at every stoppage, then I think Melborune have a case to be in the top 5 too

Gawn, Petracca, Oliver, Viney, Brayshaw, Langdon, etc.

I'd also probably have GWS, Bulldogs, Port Adelaide, Collingwood (in no order) there.

Brisbane in the conversation too with Neale, McLuggage, Dunkley, Bailey, the Big O

+ Robertson. Brisbane rotate Rayner through there as well. We also get W Ashcroft back late 2024. The following year we add in L Ashcroft and Sam Marshall

 

[My Tilly]

Collingwood then daylight.

Both Daicos boys are about to take it up a notch which will make them unstoppable when you consider they already have elite mids in De Goey & Crisp and then a handy old brigade in Hoskin-Elliott, Mitchell, Pendlebury and Sidebottom. I even think Schultz will start playing on and off the ball.

 

[adammania9]

Collingwood then daylight.

Both Daicos boys are about to take it up a notch which will make them unstoppable when you consider they already have elite mids in De Goey & Crisp and then a handy old brigade in Hoskin-Elliott, Mitchell, Pendlebury and Sidebottom. I even think Schultz will start playing on and off the ball.

Collingwood’s midfield is unique and bucked many trends when they won the premiership in 2023. Probably in the bottom half of clearance teams in the comp until Nick Daicos properly went into the guts after the bye and improved us in that area. Still I’d say we were an average to above average side at centre bounces and ruck contests through to the end of the season.

It’s not that hard to win the football against Collingwood’s midfield but if you turn the ball over, Collingwood’s midfield running capacity is second to none. They dominate in transition and feast on turnovers with their quick link-ups and great chemistry. It is also by far the most skilful group going around. They don’t dominate traditional midfield statistics like clearances, contested possessions and inside 50’s but their efficiency is killing.

A top four midfield for my liking.

 

[Walter H White]

Can't see how a midfield of

Goldstein (AA), Heppell (AA), Shiel (AA), Stringer (AA), Parish (AA) and Merrett (AA) loses a single match, hell, loses a single clearance.

Don't forget the Gresh prince!

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

not really a few nice players but stacking them up id say bottom 5. I think in 4 years though, im a big fan of Day and Mckenzie.

Bottom 5? Lol your having a laugh. 4 genuine ball winners with Ward, McKenzie and McDonald going through there next year as well. If those 3 mentioned go up a level it's easily in the top 6 in the comp. Our issues reside at both ends of the ground certainly not the midfield. It's our strongest area ATM.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

I did a top 10 instead, sue me.
This is not how I personally would rate the teams, but I basically looked at teams contested possessions, Centre clearances, stoppage clearances as whole. I then also looked at the differencials they give up in those areas, I then devised a points system based on how they preformed in said statistics. I also proceeded to sprinkle in some tackles, Hit outs to advantage, Score launces etc. with just a hint of bias in there for good measure and this was the outcome.

1. Bulldogs
2. Brisbane
3. Melbourne
4. Gold Coast
5. Adelaide
6. Carlton
7. GWS
8. Hawthorn
9. Port Adelaide
10. Fremantle

It's worth mentioning that Essendon and St kilda both scored well using this arbitrary points system I cooked up, But I don't believe they should be in this discussion so I purged them.

This is about right for us presently. Pretty good chart

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

What position?. All you've done is dribble down your chin and repeatedly embarrass yourself.

All I've done is show you that your "you only won 7 games because of your midfield" mantra is false as evidenced by the poor forward line output, but you're too busy melting to notice.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Bottom 5? Lol your having a laugh. 4 genuine ball winners with Ward, McKenzie and McDonald going through there next year as well. If those 3 mentioned go up a level it's easily in the top 6 in the comp. Our issues reside at both ends of the ground certainly not the midfield. It's our strongest area ATM.

You are making probably overrated assumptions on the growth of the Hawthorn midfielders next season.

I think it's a fair assessment to say you still have a bottom 5 midfield.

You are nowhere close to finishing your rebuild FWIW

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

You are nowhere close to finishing your rebuild FWIW

 

[WilloTree]

I did a top 10 instead, sue me.
This is not how I personally would rate the teams, but I basically looked at teams contested possessions, Centre clearances, stoppage clearances as whole. I then also looked at the differencials they give up in those areas, I then devised a points system based on how they preformed in said statistics. I also proceeded to sprinkle in some tackles, Hit outs to advantage, Score launces etc. with just a hint of bias in there for good measure and this was the outcome.

1. Bulldogs
2. Brisbane
3. Melbourne
4. Gold Coast
5. Adelaide
6. Carlton
7. GWS
8. Hawthorn
9. Port Adelaide
10. Fremantle

It's worth mentioning that Essendon and St kilda both scored well using this arbitrary points system I cooked up, But I don't believe they should be in this discussion so I purged them.

Nice work. I like the colour code. Shame Hawks aren't poo and wee though.

 

[Vindicater]

The problem with Hawthorns midfield is not at the coalface.

It is when the ball is out and they need to cover ground defensively that they have issues.

Day and Ward do it well. The rest not so much.

 

[JayJ20]

Hawthorn were top 3 for Centre Clearances in 2023, with the youngest group in the league.
Let’s not pretend like the domination of Collingwood’s midfield was a one off.

Essendon have been a pretty good centre clearance side for some time including that one game in 2021 when Essendon demolished Bulldogs in CC. Still nowhere near the conversation of best midfields and Essendon have a better midfield than Hawthorn.

Centre clearance isn't a reliable measure because there's more to a midfield than getting first use after a goal.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Essendon have been a pretty good centre clearance side for some time including that one game in 2021 when Essendon demolished Bulldogs in CC. Still nowhere near the conversation of best midfields and Essendon have a better midfield than Hawthorn.

Centre clearance isn't a reliable measure because there's more to a midfield than getting first use after a goal.

Read the post again.

 

[JayJ20]

Read the post again.

Well the thread is about the top 5 midfields so I'm going back to the topic given people are talking about Hawthorn's midfield.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

The problem with Hawthorns midfield is not at the coalface.

It is when the ball is out and they need to cover ground defensively that they have issues.

Day and Ward do it well. The rest not so much.

I think Mackenzie will be a very good two-way midfielder once he is fit enough.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

I think Mackenzie will be a very good two-way midfielder once he is fit enough.

No one is saying he won't be (I think he has a lot of talent and upside from what I have seen of him) but he is not there yet.

Some players (esp midfielders) take longer to develop than others.

Often I feel like Hawthorn supporters/posters here (Not you) place arguably unreasonable expectations on your young players.

I think most of the young guns you guys talk up (aka Ward, Mackenzie etc) will definitely make the great to a significantly high level, but maybe not for another 12 months.


I don't think at this stage your young talented midfield group can still constantly run 4 quarters out yet, but that will come on in time.

If I am proven wrong next season, happy to put my hand up and admit I was wrong.