West Coast's plodder midfield - will it work?

[Scotland]

We're a decent team. Grand Finalists in 2015, finalists last year. A lot of people have us in their top 8 in the pre-season ladder predictors. We've got a potent forward line and a good defence, but the midfield has been our weakest area for a decade.

As we know Naitanui is probably out for the whole season so we have lost our competitive advantage in the ruck, and the ruck load will be shared by Lycett/Petrie/Vardy, none of whom are likely to threaten for AA ruck honours. We've added Mitchell so now have two Brownlow Medal winning mids in their 30s, both of whom would lose a foot race to the coach. 2018 is a different ball game as Naitanui will be back and perhaps Mitchell and/or Priddis will be gone.

Midfield rotation: Mitchell, Gaff, Sheed, Yeo, Masten, Redden, Priddis, Shuey, Duggan, Jetta, Hutchings.

Yeo (flaky, more of a flanker), Jetta (pace to burn but barely touched the ball in 2016) and Shuey are the only ones with any real pace. Even our more outside players like Masten and Gaff who get a ton of it aren't all that quick. Mitchell/Priddis/Sheed/Redden/Hutchings is a bit samey.

I'd expect us to line up with Wellingham, Schofield and Sheppard in defence, and Cripps and Hill forward. There's pace in those areas, and our tall forwards and defenders are fast for their size. Hurn is another one paced player but moves the ball quickly by foot.

Is this the sort of midfield group that's capable of matching it with the flag contenders? Is there enough pace and quality across the ground to make up for the one pace nature in the centre?

 

[Milanista28]

Last time I posted in a West coast midfield discussion I posted "Worst midfield in the league" and you made the grand final, So...

Worst midfield in the league.

 

[Sando22]

They looked pretty slick last night

 

[Golden_6]

Our midfield is full of plodders, Dahl and maybe Picken are probably the only regulars with any speed.

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

when you have mitchell in the midfield, you don't need pace. the ball does all the running for you.

west coast is a definite flag contender this year

 

[Tom_Thumb]

We looked like a midfield without a purpose, flicked the ball around randomly and to me it looked like "Keepy Off". It could evolve but the amount of risky ball movement is bound to come unstuck with pressure. If injuries don't come into play we could do alright but with players like Masten in the best 22 we aren't a flag threat.

 

[jesterwester]

Although I didn't think we had the worst midfield last year, I think we were probably in the bottom half. NicNat made us look a lot better than we were.

Loss of NN hurts us, big time, but the addition of Mitchell means we need to rely less on the silver service from our rucks. It also means we can use guys like gaff & Jetta on the outside where they are more damaging, rather than having to rely on the providing a body at the contest to break even.

Our ball movement has been quick for much of the preseason- so as long as that continues I don't think it will matter so much that our core midfield lacks speed.

 

[rippersnipper]

I dont mean to make this about north but for comparison; if Scott lines up with a midfield of zieball, cunnington and swallow then it's the slowest, least damaging midfield going around.

Your midfield has excellent ball movers, you don't need foot speed when priddis can use his lightning hands to dish off to mitchell who can use either foot to hit a target at half forward.

So in regards to your question, I think skill outweighs speed and therefore you will be fine with the players you have.

 

[Mofra]

Ball movement > leg speed.
Sam Mitchell helps.

 

[Kwality]

We're a decent team. Grand Finalists in 2015, finalists last year. A lot of people have us in their top 8 in the pre-season ladder predictors. We've got a potent forward line and a good defence, but the midfield has been our weakest area for a decade.

As we know Naitanui is probably out for the whole season so we have lost our competitive advantage in the ruck, and the ruck load will be shared by Lycett/Petrie/Vardy, none of whom are likely to threaten for AA ruck honours. We've added Mitchell so now have two Brownlow Medal winning mids in their 30s, both of whom would lose a foot race to the coach. 2018 is a different ball game as Naitanui will be back and perhaps Mitchell and/or Priddis will be gone.

Midfield rotation: Mitchell, Gaff, Sheed, Yeo, Masten, Redden, Priddis, Shuey, Duggan, Jetta, Hutchings.

Yeo (flaky, more of a flanker), Jetta (pace to burn but barely touched the ball in 2016) and Shuey are the only ones with any real pace. Even our more outside players like Masten and Gaff who get a ton of it aren't all that quick. Mitchell/Priddis/Sheed/Redden/Hutchings is a bit samey.

I'd expect us to line up with Wellingham, Schofield and Sheppard in defence, and Cripps and Hill forward. There's pace in those areas, and our tall forwards and defenders are fast for their size. Hurn is another one paced player but moves the ball quickly by foot.

Is this the sort of midfield group that's capable of matching it with the flag contenders? Is there enough pace and quality across the ground to make up for the one pace nature in the centre?

No LeCras, I like that - if he spends most of his time forward the Eagles have far more potent scoring potential & will attract a top notch backman.

Redden will be playing for his AFL career after last year & I have my doubts he will be any part of 2017 (hope I'm wrong).
Yeo looks the goods every so often, but ? Flaky you suggest, yep flaky !!
Duggan is still young, injury hasn't allowed him a decent go.

After the way they were bundled out of the finals last year I expect they will give it a red hot go on 2017.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Mitchell will help get the best out of Shuey, Gaff and Jetta.

 

[Beer n Skittles]

Just need to keep in touch with the 8 and hope Naitanui comes back in reasonable nick unintentional pun

 

[Trav 20]

I'm in the ball movement over leg speed camp. Most sides with leg speed only have a couple of genuine speedsters.

A side's top 6 mids are the most important and the ones who dictate performance. You only have to take note of Geelong to see that.

Mitchell, Priddis, Shuey, Gaff, Masten and perhaps Sheed are a very solid first tier midfield.

 

[WWSD]

Mitchell can make those players around him look faster with time seeming to be always on his side when he has the ball. The addition of Mitchell could see Masten and Shuey do well in 2017 for the Eagles.

West Coast did beat GWS away last season which isn't easy to do then beat Hawthorn and Adelaide in that month. They can beat anyone on their day with a fit best 22.

 

[Coaster2012]

Mitchell getting 39 touches last night is just heaven to WC supporters. The guy looks as a crisp as ever. When you have a bloke coming in and racking up that many touches, and then finding space, we won't need as much leg speed because we will be 5 steps ahead.

Just need to keep in touch with the 8 and hope Naitanui comes back in reasonable nick unintentional pun

Nick won't be back. And the final rounds last year showed that even without NN, we can still win big games against big teams.

 

[Beer n Skittles]

Mitchell getting 39 touches last night is just heaven to WC supporters. The guy looks as a crisp as ever. When you have a bloke coming in and racking up that many touches, and then finding space, we won't need as much leg speed because we will be 5 steps ahead.



Nick won't be back. And the final rounds last year showed that even without NN, we can still win big games against big teams.

Come finals time the Dogs midfield did beat yours pretty soundly. Mitchell is the type of player who could change your midfield completely though

 

[LittleG]

In time Daniel Venables will help. Not a plodder and will play midfield. He and Duggan will be the future post Priddis.


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[rooboy29]

Jeez people place so much emphasis on leg speed rather then how quick a team can transition the ball! Or actually being able to hit a target out of the midfield

 

[SterlingArcher]

Our midfield is full of plodders, Dahl and maybe Picken are probably the only regulars with any speed.

Swans don't stand out to me either as a 'quick' midfield. I'd say the sum of these midfields is clearly better than the Eagles, but wouldn't say by such a margin that the Eagles can't challenge for a flag, especially considering their back and forward advantage over most of the league.

 

[Capt Hindsight]

I you are getting destroyed in clearances and not winning back the footy at half back you can have all the outside run players in the league and you'll lose every time.
West Coast's midfield will work against most sides and is good enough for finals, still behind GWS, Dogs and Swans though.

 

[Cynic]

It'll work till it meets GWS.

 

[Tas]

I think they will win plenty of games, however, not sure how consistently they will win against quicker teams, which will likely be a problem during the finals.

 

[ManOfClay]

Name a quick midfielder from the reigning premiers

 

[jesterwester]

Name a quick midfielder from the reigning premiers

Dalhaus. You all keep reminding us he's a midfielder and not a small forward.

I agree though. You built your game around quick ball movement, fanatical defensive pressure and contested ball. You don't need to be fast to move the ball quickly- it just helps!

 

[Jcpdragonx]

Mitchell will be huge in their games in Victoria.