Prediction Who will be our best midfielder in 2016?

[Wickzki]

Gibbs would be third in line but I have him a long way behind the first two. We've long talked about him being a full-time midfield option but I remain unconvinced he is best suited to that role. I have always said he does not have it take to be a top line midfielder at AFL level but at half forward - the position I believe he is best suited to - he could be dominant.

Spot on J. He's a 20+, 2+ goal half forward who will win games by playing in that role. Bursts through the wing and in the center when giving someone a breather but I think you're right. If you compile a list of his best performances I'm certain that you'll find that he's been able to hit the scoreboard with regularity in those games.

 

[Wickzki]

I saw him a couple of times in his Glenelg days, he's a talented player.

But, you and Wickzki are also right, but I'm hoping Bolton is the right coach to be able to change that!

Gibbs has the talent to be on of the best players in the league, he just needs the right coach/motivation or whatever to draw it out of him. I'm hoping Bolton will be that coach/provide the right motivation.

To be fair to Gibbs he's had his role constantly changed - not just on a week to week proposition but also in the middle of games. It must be difficult to have that happen so regularly yet it's an earmark that his coaches have always had their faith in him to deliver regardless of the role that he's been told to fill. It's partly why I believe that Jeremias is spot on. For mine Gibbs is at his best when he's given the freedom to attack, to hit the scoreboard and to be aggressive (difference to attack). He can play the Luke Hodge role, he's not quite tall enough to play the Goodes role that he's been asked to play at times and while he has those attributes it's not his strength. But he's also been asked to play those roles because we've been devoid of talent. That's not his fault but he's been asked to play Mr. Fix It.

If there is one thing that I ask from Bolton in regards to Gibbs it's to give him a role and stick to it. No more Mr. Fix It. Let's see if he can get himself flying if he's given his best role and allowed to stick to it. The cupboards are no longer bare of talent to plug in the wholes that he was previously required to do.

 

[HARKER]

If he clicks with this bloke it may well be the first time he's had a real connection. Harks may argue this.

Not arguing where strong variables are possible.

Just putting together a few tidbits that lead me into thinking that Gibbs is good to go.
He may well be 100% good to go now but only 90% good to go when the real stuff starts. Who knows?

I think things have changed and he doesn't have to worry about whether he'll be here next year or not.
Gibbs has a lot of work to do and not just on himself.
I figure the more he invests in others, the more he'll be investing in himself............just works that way sometimes and it's his time now.

 

[gbatman]

Cripps
Murphy
Curnow
Gibbs
Kerridge
Graham
-
Thomas
Docherty

 

[Dramoth]

I would even throw Tuohy and Buckley in the mix... but only as the outside run.

 

[Azul]

Don't think he would have any fitness issues playing on a wing / through the middle.

Could kick 25+ goals from outside 50....

I'd prefer he play further up the ground. Can't tackle for s**t, need players in defensive 50 who will.

 

[BlueTongue]

Cripps by a very large margin. The difference between Year 1 & 2 was fitness and no injuries, but his smarts have been there since day 1. He instinctively makes the right decision and you can't teach that. Add that with his massive year 3 frame and I think he'll not only be our best Mid but be seriously top 8 in the Brownlow. All barring injury of course.

 

[BlueJet]

Do you think Bolton will play shutdown players? I agree that he will be important as he is a handy accumulator of the ball and was an elite tagger, but I'm not sure we will tag one player. I think it will be more a game day thing such as player x has really turned it on this quarter, then we get Ed to slow him down sort of a thing.

Unlikely, he was midfield coach of the Hawks and they rarely tagged. I can see Curnow used in a similar manner to Sewell, where he'll line up on someone but focuses on winning his own ball.

 

[ESKIE]

Cripps

 

[LMo2]

Expecting a big year from Casey Byrne.

Just in that one quarter he knocked up 25 dream team points.

If Daisy can make it back to good form we might seriously have a midfield.

 

[Jeremias]

Unlikely, he was midfield coach of the Hawks and they rarely tagged. I can see Curnow used in a similar manner to Sewell, where he'll line up on someone but focuses on winning his own ball.

We must watch a different Liam Shiels run around in Hawthorn gear every weekend.

 

[gbatman]

Curnow isn't a tagger in the traditional sense of the word. He's averaged over 20 disposals the last two seasons with a career average of 19. The biggest genuine tagger I can think of was Ryan Crowley who averaged around 14 disposals for his career and at the end of his career. I would consider him more of a defensive midfielder/one on one player/accountable midfielder than a tagger whose soul purpose is to stop their opponent from getting the ball.

On another note I think Charlie Curnow and Byrne may have roles in our midfield this year and obviously Simpson will spend time there. Boekhorst will probably play a bit of wing. Lamb can run through there. Sumner and Ploughman con go in there when fit. Whiley will be depth for a midfield position. I think and hope that Smith will start to enter into the midfield a bit and Matthew Wright can go through the middle.

As Ruckmen go I think we'll be seeing Kreuzer and Phillips spending equal time at center bounces this season. I really think Phillips needs opportunity and could be a really good asset.

I think we'll have a very fit midfield which is good but the depth and skills will be questioned and the possibility of lacking forwards again may mean it will be hard work for our mids simply because you get a rest if the ball is marked or scored with up forward and if it's coming straight back out it's tough work.

 

[BlueJet]

We must watch a different Liam Shiels run around in Hawthorn gear every weekend.

Fair, I wouldn't say that he tags in a traditional sense though. They generally have a guy keep an eye on an opponent rather than an all out defensive role.

 

[Bluey24]

Murphy is our best, most reliable, and most important midfielder. Beautiful footballer.

As good as he was, Cripps will see a lot more attention and planning assigned to his number next season, and his output will likely sputter, and potentially decline over the season average.

Gibbs. He has committed to the club long term, and he will want to remember this year (and the next 2-3) as his best years at CFC. Its all there in place and waiting for him.

Kreuzer is my smokey. Can he finally deliver on his potential over a full season? Hopefully he will finish in our top three place-getters in the B&F, and once again his improvement will in part determine the fate of our club next season.

I look forward to seeing Thomas up and going (but mostly as a FWD, pinch-hitting in the square). Docherty should also start seeing more time inside.

I just want more of the same from Curnow. Legend and great role model.

After this, there are so many unknowns: Kerridge, Graham, Boekhorst, Whiley, Wright. If two of these five lads can step-up and play solid full seasons, it will be enormous for us.

I don't rate Tutt, Lamb, or Dick, but happy to be proven otherwise.

 

[ItsAllAboutMe]

I suspect Cripps might start getting the main tag which will let Murphy get off the leash.

 

[BluesRule]

Murphy is our best, most reliable, and most important midfielder. Beautiful footballer.

As good as he was, Cripps will see a lot more attention and planning assigned to his number next season, and his output will likely sputter, and potentially decline over the season average.

Gibbs. He has committed to the club long term, and he will want to remember this year (and the next 2-3) as his best years at CFC. Its all there in place and waiting for him.

Kreuzer is my smokey. Can he finally deliver on his potential over a full season? Hopefully he will finish in our top three place-getters in the B&F, and once again his improvement will in part determine the fate of our club next season.

I look forward to seeing Thomas up and going (but mostly as a FWD, pinch-hitting in the square). Docherty should also start seeing more time inside.

I just want more of the same from Curnow. Legend and great role model.

After this, there are so many unknowns: Kerridge, Graham, Boekhorst, Whiley, Wright. If two of these five lads can step-up and play solid full seasons, it will be enormous for us.

I don't rate Tutt, Lamb, or Dick, but happy to be proven otherwise.

Agree with most of your comments, but it is a little early to judge Lamb IMO. He proved at GWS he can play, but did not really break through at the Swans. He is young so could improve a lot this year.

 

[Masqualero]

Gibbs would be third in line but I have him a long way behind the first two. We've long talked about him being a full-time midfield option but I remain unconvinced he is best suited to that role. I have always said he does not have it take to be a top line midfielder at AFL level but at half forward - the position I believe he is best suited to - he could be dominant.

Disagree, Gibbs played full time in the middle in 2014, had his best year and was our best player. He can play inside, has great skills on the outside, rack up possessions, good 1 on 1 and can kick clutch goals, not a bad mark either. Played this year through injury and it showed. With BB coaching I'd say he will play 70-80% middle rotating off a HFF I agree with you in that regard in that he would be very damaging.

 

[BlueJet]

I suspect Cripps might start getting the main tag which will let Murphy get off the leash.

Murphy being both stylistically easier to tag (more outside) and and more damaging on the spread will mean he'd be the first to be tagged imo.

 

[Blue Ratts]

Hopefully the "Best midfielder" tag will be a misnomer. If you can take a tag to allow others to reap the rewards and execute properly the job is still done. Often a player will cop the tag being considered the most dangerous mid and another will smash the role and get bog..if the tag were to be reversed would the same player get bog or the now untagged player? We need a group of mids to be capable of this, then the who to tag question comes into the fold.. All mids gain from this scenario.

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

Disagree, Gibbs played full time in the middle in 2014, had his best year and was our best player. He can play inside, has great skills on the outside, rack up possessions, good 1 on 1 and can kick clutch goals, not a bad mark either. Played this year through injury and it showed. With BB coaching I'd say he will play 70-80% middle rotating off a HFF I agree with you in that regard in that he would be very damaging.

I much prefer Gibbs as an outside mid or a fwd/mid. Sure, he can do some inside stuff, but I find that he tends to drift into that Robbo zone of bang boot to ball when in confined spaces.
Personally, I'm hoping for a more balanced attack with Cripps, Murphy and Gibbs being the starring roles and Curnow, Graham, Simmo, Buckley, Thomas, Boek, Doc and Kedge in supporting roles.

 

[Masqualero]

I much prefer Gibbs as an outside mid or a fwd/mid. Sure, he can do some inside stuff, but I find that he tends to drift into that Robbo zone of bang boot to ball when in confined spaces.
Personally, I'm hoping for a more balanced attack with Cripps, Murphy and Gibbs being the starring roles and Curnow, Graham, Simmo, Buckley, Thomas, Boek, Doc and Kedge in supporting roles.

Yes, I understand where you're coming from but the fact the he does have those strings to his bow means he will be able to rotate through a numerous amount of roles and I'd much prefer he rotate more inside than say Murphy as he has the size and strength to as opposed to Murphy who does it well but gets hurt too much in the rough stuff. Also can't rely on Cripps to be an inside beast 100% of the time, he needs a chop out as he is still young.

 

[1981]

Depends on injuries.
Either Gibbs, Murphy or Cripps.
Jones isn't a midfielder so he doesn't qualify.

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

Yes, I understand where you're coming from but the fact the he does have those strings to his bow means he will be able to rotate through a numerous amount of roles and I'd much prefer he rotate more inside than say Murphy as he has the size and strength to as opposed to Murphy who does it well but gets hurt too much in the rough stuff. Also can't rely on Cripps to be an inside beast 100% of the time, he needs a chop out as he is still young.

See I'd rather a Murphy who's willing to ride the contact, look for an option by hand or foot, or try to break free and burst out. You just don't see Gibbs do that often enough. He will go after the hard ball, but when he sees that contact coming he looks for the quickest option for disposal, and usually that's just banging the boot to it, with no real regard for who/where it's going to. He's certainly not as bad as Robbo was, but it's crept into his game more. Not so much this year, but I consider Gibbs to be an elite user of the ball, especially by foot and he has some pace. He should be waiting on the outside to receive the hard ball or bursting through on the outside of a pack, where he can then deliver it inside 50 more cleanly. Just because he can do the inside stuff, doesn't mean he should. Handy to have him as an option in a worst case scenario, but we now have Graham, Kerridge, Buckley, Thomas and maybe Dick and Whiley that can do the crash and bash with Cripps and Murph. Bolton's style might also free Curnow up from his tagging to offer more in that department too.

 

[Wiggo4PM]

Guys stop rail roading his thread, he only wants one person answers.........like how its been in the past - this reliance on one player to save us (like how its has always worked int he last 15 years)

All you multiple answer people are wrong.






















plus I suspect this op is an alias.

 

[Masqualero]

Guys stop rail roading his thread, he only wants one person answers.........like how its been in the past - this reliance on one player to save us (like how its has always worked int he last 15 years)

All you multiple answer people are wrong.






















plus I suspect this op is an alias.

What is your problem?