West Coast's plodder midfield - will it work?

[ManOfClay]

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

!

He's not that quick

 

[citizen-erased]

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

can't agree more
Mitchell has put you into top 4 contention and supported by the running web and your bookends, he's a genius recruit.
may well deliver you a flag this year.

 

[Hammer#8]

Reversing the title and it sounds like you're describing Sam Mitchell.

Work it will - midfield plodder Coast's West

 

[Bokonon_]

It'll work till it meets GWS.

Actually it's worked every time they've met GWS, believe me I've lived every painful minute

 

[Chuckie357]

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

There are many people who would ask you to include Tom in your post haha!

 

[Royale]

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?

Premiereship threat imo. Was about to post about effective ball movement vs actual leg speed but I guees thats already been done.

Excellent spine and Im guessing Nic Nat will return late in the season for finals. Mitchell inclusion is huge and takes the pressure somewhat off Priddis Shuey Masten and Gaff. Jetta also played some good games finally the back end of the H&A season last year so id expect more output from him - and he is a genuine line breaker. Not sure whats up with Redden but Sheed and one of my favourites in Hutchings are more than capable through the middle also.

WCE were the hottest team going into last years finals and I think Simo made a critical error in team selection that night.

Its looks like hes adjusted again this year and i fully expect them to contend again.

 

[QuietB]

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

Proper midfield speed comes from fast and penetrating ball movement. That is what makes players like the Bont so dangerous

 

[Ambrosia]

I agree that midfield pace isn't important in winning games but you have to admit that speed is pretty dam handy. I mean Dangerfield was the best player in the comp last season and if you took his pace/power away you are left with a Ziebell clone.

Also while the dogs midfield isn't quick one of their real point of differences against Sydney was their run from half back. Sydney had no one to match the likes of JJ, Wood and Biggs.

 

[cynical]

I think under intense pressure it'll fall apart.

plodders do alright in the season but in finals there is less time

 

[SpaceClef]

Reversing the title and it sounds like you're describing Sam Mitchell.

Work it will - midfield plodder Coast's West

Genius

 

[Roobs321]

I think they'll be one of the stronger performing midfields but get exposed in costly fashion in a few games. An upstart team or two will cut them to ribbons on an off day, but they'll generally do well. Lots of upside in Mitchell, Jetta, Redden, Sheed, Duggan, etc. Shuey is in his prime. Priddis is Priddis. I still think Masten is capable of decent football.

 

[Crankyhawk]

Mitchell will teach the other eagles how it is done without a good ruckman.

 

[TexanKnights]

Reversing the title and it sounds like you're describing Sam Mitchell.

Work it will - midfield plodder Coast's West

Sounds like Yoda is the OP

 

[Sherrinator]

Sounds like Yoda is the OP

OP Yoda is sounds like

 

[bzparkes]

WCE were the hottest team going into last years finals and I think Simo made a critical error in team selection that night.

The Mitch Brown selection was indeed a debacle.

 

[Farang83150]

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.

What was bad about Masten's game on Thursday?

 

[Elite Master]

West Coast might not have the fastest midfield in the comp but Gaff, and especially Shuey and Jetta can break lines, but even so ball movement is more important than leg speed, and West Coast have Mitchel, Priddis, Mastern and Yeo who can all distribute the ball beautifully. The ruck is the main area for concern, its gone from a major strength to a major weakness because of Nic-Nat.

 

[avishka5]

West Coast might not have the fastest midfield in the comp but Gaff, and especially Shuey and Jetta can break lines, but even so ball movement is more important than leg speed, and West Coast have Mitchel, Priddis, Mastern and Yeo who can all distribute the ball beautifully. The ruck is the main area for concern, its gone from a major strength to a major weakness because of Nic-Nat.

Priddis and Yeo? Both are hack kicks.

 

[Elite Master]

Priddis and Yeo? Both are hack kicks.

They can still distrube the ball well by hand in and around the contest.

 

[avishka5]

They can still distrube the ball well by hand in and around the contest.

Fair enough on Priddis but even two's hands are not that great.

 

[Tom_Thumb]

What was bad about Masten's game on Thursday?

Nothing, I just hate him.

 

[Sprout]

Taking into account it was at Subi and it's JLT, they looked a top four side to me. Mitchell is a massive addition to that midfield.

So in short, yes I think it will work.

 

[Tom_Thumb]

Taking into account it was at Subi and it's JLT, they looked a top four side to me. Mitchell is a massive addition to that midfield.

So in short, yes I think it will work.

Don't short change yourself, Melbourne had an unbelievable run at us in that last quarter and were very impressive. Hogan is going to be unstoppable this year.

 

[Fat Tony!]

I think it can work, but I see the loss of NicNat being bigger than the Mitchell gain. It will be a good experiment on the value of a dominant ruckman.

 

[Obeanie1]

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

Eagles have changed game style in a big way over the off season. Last year they were looking to kick the ball out of defense using Hurn and McGovern, that was slower and teams were just flooding back and zoning off. This season they have dead set copied the Bulldogs and are going handball crazy. It's like they must have three or four really quick handballs to get clear and then get the ball to a Gaff, Shuey, Wellingham or Jetta (who are no means slow) to run and then look for more overlap handballs.

They are also not kicking long to contests, they are making quick decisions and hitting players with 15 > 25 m foot passes and then going handball happy again and looking at changing directions. That all means that opposition mids can't just flood back to block off leading Eagles forwards, they are being drawn up and away from zoning off.

Working well so far and its the speed of the handballs and kicks that make up for slower mids like Mitchell and Priddis.