Toast Welcome To Freo Cooper Simpson (pick 35 2023 AFL Draft)

[Snuffaluphagus]

Well I would define 'starting inside mid' as the three non ruck players for each team with the highest centre bounce attendance numbers (for the games they are available, not overall). Others may not agree.

In general I would describe an inside mid as anyone playing on ball who doesn't hold width (I.e goes into the stoppage even if they're not aways at the bottom of the pack).

Ok, I think Sydney are the obvious one off the top of my head that has a lot of smaller inside mids. I dont think they have anyone over 190cm actually. I personally think it's very hard to get away these days with not having at least one guy basically 190cm in there for a large part of the game but can get away with whatever if they are good enough after that

 

[Serongadongdong]

Same height as butters


I think the knock on him is finding the footy and it seems true at both levels so far


I know we are all hyped but he did have only 6 touches (something Sturt was copping it for last game lol)

Difference with Sturt is that he has multiple opportunities and his body lets him done. We've all been hoping he would be come a consistently good player but it like waiting for Bennell to come good!

Simpsons first game and showed speed, class and skill. He will only get better and better as he plays more with the team. I think this is why it's important to keep in the side. Fast track him to a possessions in the teens player and a goal or two to boot!

 

[Mags98]

True and to be honest it’s fairly typical for JL to be conservative is selection and cost us. Most on here we’re calling for Simpson to be playing round 1 because of his pre season.

Guys like Kevin Sheedy always believed in rewarding young guys early.

didnt he cop a couple of knocks that kept him out of contention prior to this week? bit unfair to call it conservative selection in that case

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

didnt he cop a couple of knocks that kept him out of contention prior to this week? bit unfair to call it conservative selection in that case

Think Daniels said he would have played round 1 but copped a hit that had him sore in the week before then yes, kept getting hit in WAFL and then was sick. Basically brought him in as soon as possible which is another reason I'm so excited for him - JL does not bring in first year players as soon as possible

 

[Paracleet]

agreed, and its probably why he slid.

but there is nuance here. hes not that small, can withstand full time mid. if we didn't have johnson, young and fyfe as big midfielders he would make us to small.

also, i love the fact hes wearing 29.

He is clearly pretty strong, but having seen him up close he's very developed. I'm not sure how much bigger he is going to get and although he's not small, he's not 'big' in the way most of the successful shorter inside mids are (I.E. strong through the lower core. A polite way of saying a big arse). Off hand all of them are nuggety barrelly blokes. Butters is the only one I can think of who is slighter but successful. Zach Merrett maybe?

 

[Paracleet]

Same height as butters


I think the knock on him is finding the footy and it seems true at both levels so far


I know we are all hyped but he did have only 6 touches (something Sturt was copping it for last game lol)

BTW I checked this and he was averaging 22.5 at NAB level. So I'd have to admit it's at least a partially fair criticism, at least for a potential elite mid. Its not low, but its not high.

 

[Mags98]

He is clearly pretty strong, but having seen him up close he's very developed. I'm not sure how much bigger he is going to get and although he's not small, he's not 'big' in the way most of the successful shorter inside mids are (I.E. strong through the lower core. A polite way of saying a big arse). Off hand all of them are nuggety barrelly blokes. Butters is the only one I can think of who is slighter but successful. Zach Merrett maybe?

gulden isnt exceptionally thick, its all about the agility for those guys and clearly coops got that down pat.

 

[Paracleet]

Ok, I think Sydney are the obvious one off the top of my head that has a lot of smaller inside mids. I dont think they have anyone over 190cm actually. I personally think it's very hard to get away these days with not having at least one guy basically 190cm in there for a large part of the game but can get away with whatever if they are good enough after that

Not everyone has 190 midfields it's a myth I agree. It's just there is a big difference between 181ish and 186, 87, 88 and so on

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

He is clearly pretty strong, but having seen him up close he's very developed. I'm not sure how much bigger he is going to get and although he's not small, he's not 'big' in the way most of the successful shorter inside mids are (I.E. strong through the lower core. A polite way of saying a big arse). Off hand all of them are nuggety barrelly blokes. Butters is the only one I can think of who is sligher but successful. Zach Merrett maybe?

I think there is enough "width" there in the shoulders to be nuggety enough. I think he'll have similar body shape to Serong once it all fills out.

 

[Paracleet]

gulden isnt exceptionally thick, its all about the agility for those guys and clearly coops got that down pat.

Gulden primarily starts outside the square though. With Adams back he's dropped to 5th in the rotation. Also with a career contented to uncontested possession ratio of 1:2 you have to call him an outside midfielder really.

 

[Paracleet]

I think there is enough "width" there in the shoulders to be nuggety enough. I think he'll have similar body shape to Serong once it all fills out.

Just trying to keep some semblance of a lid on the hype!

If he can keep his feet under inside mid physical pressure consistently he's going to be some player.

 

[mattis117]

Which felt like a rubbish call at the ground, I reserve the right to change my mind on that after the review today.

Nah clear holding the ball for mine. He took the tackler on.

In saying that he didn't have much prior and nowadays that makes it a line ball decision with how umpires view things.

Yes, at the ground it seemed like a bullshit call, but watching on replay I saw what the umpire saw.

 

[Mags98]

Gulden primarily starts outside the square though. With Adams back he's dropped to 5th in the rotation. Also with a career contented to uncontested possession ratio of 1:2 you have to call him an outside midfielder really.

true but i dont imagine cooper will be a first choice CBA player for us at any stage really. regardless ill take the butters comparison and run with it

if he can be as much of a cheeky campaigner as zak, even better

 

[Lach72]

I don’t think we necessarily need him to be much bigger than he is. He will naturally get some more strength as he ages. I want that speed and agility to be maintained.

We have enough grunt

 

[Taylor]

true but i dont imagine cooper will be a first choice CBA player for us at any stage really

I think he will. He isn't nearly as small as he looks.

 

[Paracleet]

Ok, I think Sydney are the obvious one off the top of my head that has a lot of smaller inside mids. I dont think they have anyone over 190cm actually. I personally think it's very hard to get away these days with not having at least one guy basically 190cm in there for a large part of the game but can get away with whatever if they are good enough after that

BTW if you look at Sydney's CBA numbers this year its their two tallest mids that are 1 and 2 for attendances, Rowbottom and Heeney

 

[Taylor]

Simpson in the bounce stoppage team isn't there to win first hands on the ball, he's there to use those sticky mitts to collect a handball at speed from the likes of Serong/Fyfe and be gone before the opposition has a chance to turn around.

 

[Eski3]

It would be nice having a quick mid for the first time in a very long time

 

[Paracleet]

Simpson in the bounce stoppage team isn't there to win first hands on the ball, he's there to use those sticky mitts to collect a handball at speed from the likes of Serong/Fyfe and be gone before the opposition has a chance to turn around.

Problem as I see it the perfect foil for Serong and Brayshaw is someone big enough to beat tacklers they attract (Your 192 plus mid, currently being filled by Fyfe) and dish off, or someone so powerful they can burst through the same (LDU type).

If Simpson call fill that role well the hype train will become a rocket with flagmantle on the nose cone, but I'm struggling to see Simpson as that guy. I think he's never going to be big enough to do it consistently. I'm seeing more a thin side winger that rotates on ball and HFF. Wagner basically!

 

[dropbear101]

switta plays is a handy addition to the Center bounce. i think he remains a forward for say 4 years. but, perhaps a better question is how long until he gets a few CBA's and to what level. i'm thinking he gets a maybe 1 or 2 per game at the back end of the year.
second year would be more interesting,...what do people think.

 

[dropbear101]

Problem as I see it the perfect foil for Serong and Brayshaw is someone big enough to beat tacklers they attract (Your 192 plus mid, currently being filled by Fyfe) and dish off, or someone so powerful they can burst through the same (LDU type).

If Simpson call fill that role well the hype train will become a rocket with flagmantle on the nose cone, but I'm struggling to see Simpson as that guy. I think he's never going to be big enough to do it consistently. I'm seeing more a thin side winger that rotates on ball and HFF. Wagner basically!

fair, but you work with what you got.

brayshaw or serong can start CBA's on the wing or half forward. allowing us to field players with more burst pace. pairing them with a young, fyfe or johnson.

a starting trio of young, serong and simpson or anyone else. this wouldn't be a bad trio

 

[Taylor]

Problem as I see it the perfect foil for Serong and Brayshaw is someone big enough to beat tacklers they attract (Your 192 plus mid, currently being filled by Fyfe) and dish off, or someone so powerful they can burst through the same (LDU type).

If Simpson call fill that role well the hype train will become a rocket with flagmantle on the nose cone, but I'm struggling to see Simpson as that guy. I think he's never going to be big enough to do it consistently. I'm seeing more a thin side winger that rotates on ball and HFF. Wagner basically!

Serong wins plenty of his own ball though. I think Matthew Johnson is the Fyfe replacement long term and what we lack in the middle is burst speed.

I think we have plenty of speed and plenty of guys with clean hands, just not many where it's the same bloke. If Simpson has consistent clean use too, we need him in as many interactions as possible and that's in the middle.

He will be beaten up and tagged because he would basically be turning any Fremantle clearance win into a ball landing at the top of the goal square with all our small forwards swooping down on it to lock it in.

That's unacceptable from a defense point of view.

 

[apuchar]

Was a ludicrously harsh htb call in fairness

So was Brambles i think it was. To be fair

 

[Paracleet]

Serong wins plenty of his own ball though. I think Matthew Johnson is the Fyfe replacement long term and what we lack in the middle is burst speed.

I think we have plenty of speed and plenty of guys with clean hands, just not many where it's the same bloke. If Simpson has consistent clean use too, we need him in as many interactions as possible and that's in the middle.

He will be beaten up and tagged because he would basically be turning any Fremantle clearance win into a ball landing at the top of the goal square with all our small forwards swooping down on it to lock it in.

That's unacceptable from a defense point of view.

I agree actually. Anyway I just like Serong and Brayshaw not to be playing no. 1 ball hunter as it then allows them to do what they do best; play as balanced mids. Serong in particular has gone to another level. Even though the tap is mostly not directed to him his clearances have gone up: Second in the AFL for clearances and first for possessions right now btw. Rowell has 4 more clearances but 70 less uncontested possessions.

 

[Taylor]

I agree actually. Anyway I just like Serong and Brayshaw not to be playing no. 1 ball hunter as it then allows them to do what they do best; play as balanced mids. Serong in particular has gone to another level. Even though the tap is mostly not directed to him his clearances have gone up: Second in the AFL for clearances and first for possessions right now btw. Rowell has 4 more clearances but 70 less uncontested possessions.

I expect Serong's clearance numbers will go up even more if he need only get the ball out to a zippy team mate running by as opposed to needing to generate some space with his own run.