There are a lot of players not really being taken into account for a run through the midfield- pickett is one, Boekhorst has been all but written off, cunningham has been spoken about with some uncertainty, sumner could run through if fit, C. Curnow is a distinct possibility, polson even Byrne. If even only one of these players steps up and becomes a good mid ,we have leapfrogged ahead in our development.
It's mostly due to a lack of exposure. Boekhorst has copped some heat, but he hasn't done himself too many favours and maybe last year was an indication of how far back he really is in the grand scheme of things. He has nice skills but lacks situational awareness and isn't particularly tough. His running patterns can also be all over the place.
Cuningham has shown bits and pieces but will also need to improve his production value. He makes reasonably good decisions but is prone to taking the easy option; which isn't always a bad thing but he's got plenty of class and skill to use to his advantage. It will mostly be a confidence thing with him.
Sumner had stints in the midfield this year but looks more at home on a flank. He's pretty wiry still and doesn't have the inside skills to compete.
Curnow has only had very limited AFL experience but has the tools to become a full-time inside mid. Of all the young players capable of making the transition he'd be the most adroit choice. He's got freakish skills, a big body and the kind of confidence/cockiness that good players have.
Polson will likely develop into an outside midfielder, but will start as a forward flanker I suspect. He moves well through traffic and makes good decisions with ball in hand, so he'll come under some consideration. He'll be a slow burn though.
I'm a massive proponent of having Byrne develop into a midfielder once he's had some time in defence. His lateral movement and ability to find space would make him very handy playing off a wing. He's also a powerful, accurate kick and we saw glimpses of his attacking capabilities this year. He delivers the ball well and would add some class to our midfield. Obviously though, he'll need some time to recover and then re-cement his spot.
I'd say by and large our next-gen rotation will be comprised of Cripps, SPS, Pickett, CCurnow, Fisher and whoever we take in the draft this year. With some shrewd trading, we might add a gun like Shiel, Kennedy or Hopper into the fold too.