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Mega Thread 2019 List Management, Free Agency & Trade thread
- Thread starter FreoRicci
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Foresight is even better
Snuffaluphagus
Brownlow Medallist
- Sep 10, 2015
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I might have moved to the "Lyon-go" group but I'll fight people who think this list is cooked.
List looked pretty damn good 5 weeks ago. "its never as bad or as good as it looks" and "a week is a long time in footy" ring incredibly true.
List looks like this to me:
1) We have our entire spine sorted for at least 6 years, provided that for once they stay on the damn park. Hamling, Pearce, Darcy/Lobb, Taberner, Hogan is a a top 4 spine if all fit and healthy. They are also all 26 or under.
2) The backline is sorted. Dont worry about the form of the last month or so, Pearce makes a big difference and they have defending against an avalanche of clean entries. Fit and healthy our backline is the best in the comp. An all-time back 6 couldnt defend against the tsunami they have been up against since we shat the bed.
3) Midfield is by far the biggest concern;
a) Lacks pace, losing Hill and Langdon could be devastating
b) Lacks depth; Mundy has to do to much which is a big contributor for the fall in the 2nd half of the year
c) Our best in/out mid is also our best fwd so cant spend much time there
d) It desperately needs another elite player (Kelly) AND 3 of Blakely, Cerra, Valente, Crowden, Sturt, Giro, Henry, whoever else we draft this year to go with AB and Tucker and thats without losing Langdon and Hill
List looked pretty damn good 5 weeks ago. "its never as bad or as good as it looks" and "a week is a long time in footy" ring incredibly true.
List looks like this to me:
1) We have our entire spine sorted for at least 6 years, provided that for once they stay on the damn park. Hamling, Pearce, Darcy/Lobb, Taberner, Hogan is a a top 4 spine if all fit and healthy. They are also all 26 or under.
2) The backline is sorted. Dont worry about the form of the last month or so, Pearce makes a big difference and they have defending against an avalanche of clean entries. Fit and healthy our backline is the best in the comp. An all-time back 6 couldnt defend against the tsunami they have been up against since we shat the bed.
3) Midfield is by far the biggest concern;
a) Lacks pace, losing Hill and Langdon could be devastating
b) Lacks depth; Mundy has to do to much which is a big contributor for the fall in the 2nd half of the year
c) Our best in/out mid is also our best fwd so cant spend much time there
d) It desperately needs another elite player (Kelly) AND 3 of Blakely, Cerra, Valente, Crowden, Sturt, Giro, Henry, whoever else we draft this year to go with AB and Tucker and thats without losing Langdon and Hill
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So the list is basically cooked. Name a team that has ever gone close to or won a premiership without a close to elite midfield.
Taberner and Hogan have had major foot injuries two seasons in a row. Lobb has shown he can play in the ruck, Darcy is many years away from having a tank to be competitive. We still need a Sheppard type defender down back who can lock down on any type of forward.
In regards to the midfield, we are not getting Kelly. Fyfe is 29 next year. Hill and Langdon are gone. Tucker is a C grader at best and wouldn't get a game in any other midfield. So we have AB and reliant on Blakely, Cerra & Valente becoming elite. Laughable to put Crowden and Giro in there.
Surely what we need is Brayshaw, Cerra, Tucker and Blakely to transition into midfielders rather than Bewley, Giro etc? Those four have been recruited and developed for that to occur, and the development time is right for it to happen. Bewley and Giro have given no indication that they are even AFL quality.
You can definitely be looking at our club and see two totally different things at the moment. But what I think is a bit of a truism is that building the spine first is the best way to go. For those who do want to reference WC, have a look at their spine prior at the time of rebuild. Most of it already in place, and they transitioned new players into KPs well. I think we are ok in that regard, pending injury. But if those injuries are ongoing, we are stuffed.
Tom_Thumb
Club Legend
- Feb 1, 2016
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Watched Zurhaar play on the weekend, this is the guy you need to target. His forward craft is first rate for a newby and would be a good fit into your forward half. Spewing our club missed him and if Hill goes to Victoria then trading with Norths for Zurhaar would not be a bad thing.
Jake_Pizzuto
Team Captain
That is lowkey a good call. He would be perfect as a goal kicking, marking and pressure forward. Contracted till the end of 2020 and originally from here. Doubt he would come here but playing hard ball on Brad Hill shouldn't be too difficult.
Taylor
Community Leader
- Moderator
- #3,760
Can you define what you'd consider an elite midfield?
Our 2013 midfield of Sandilands, Mundy, Fyfe, Crowley, Danyle Pearce, Stephen Hill wasn't the greatest. It's long enough ago that we picture our players at their best then all at the same time and it is remembered better.
Winning a flag or losing a grand final either adds to the legend of the players or only happened because of it.
I think the Lyon coached grand final appearance teams managed to get that far by the process of shutting out the opposition's best mid and scrumming it forward. I like Lenny Hayes and Leigh Montagna, Luke Ball inside was good but I'm not sure any of them transplanted into another team would have been defined as elite midfielders, even Luke Ball was able to slip through the draft to the pies where he filled the role, like Darren Jolly. But they got there.
Which reflects what we are missing. We need a player who can carry the ball out of the stoppage and kick to a marking team mate. Mundy has been able to do it in the past, Stephen Hill is someone I'd have liked to try.
Maybe Ross Lyon sides can over achieve with a less than elite midfield. Maybe the elite midfield would be what gets those sides over the line.
The defence in those years is arguably what got them to the chance at a flag.
Remember how West Coast had a bad midfield until they didn't? Hawthorn had big problems with winning clearances in their dominant years from memory where the only side they won the count against was West Coast. I might be thinking of contested ball, because I remember thinking that Nic Nat inflated their contested ball numbers as a hitout to advantage counts as a contested ball win. Definitely contested ball.
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WC had their midfield rated around 14th or so last year when they won.
And then lost Gaff
Not on the outside (except maybe Tucker) which is specifically what I was referring to with those boys.
Purpellian Anchor
Purple Admiralty
I recall Mick Malthouse and a few others rating Collingwood's midfield and depth players as the best in the league atm but I would have thought the Eagles covered them quite well. Perhaps in the end it can be good forwards who make a midfield look good too(Kennedy Darling). There were a few similarities in our game against the dogs and lasts years against the cats. Seemed like 2 to 1 against in the midfield play and we did not stand a chance. At the end of last years draft, which we did well to take the opportunity to get Lobb and Hogan, we were always going to be two or three quality mids short.
Purpellian Anchor
Purple Admiralty
I am still trying to figure how Brisbane are that much better this year than last...yeah Neale has been fantastic and so has Lyons Zorko and McCluggage. Robinson Rich and Berry too. How does that best seven compare to ours week in week out. I think we are a couple of A's shy.
1) Our best two KPP's are both very injury prone, and will more than likely continue to be injury prone.
2) Add Carter, and I think we are pretty close.
3) 3 agree. I would add that we lack skill.
4) Our forward line is slow, we lack a threat once the ball hits the ground and our best 2 forward pockets either don't kick goals, or don't tackle.
How do we fit Taberner, Hogan, Cox, Lobb, Darcy in our best 22? If not, who do you trade?
I think at most you can fit in 3, and ideally you trade at least one out.
I know this year we needed all of them, but the injury list that occurred this year is unlikely to be repeated.
I think at most you can fit in 3, and ideally you trade at least one out.
I know this year we needed all of them, but the injury list that occurred this year is unlikely to be repeated.
They are happy and united.
Their young early draft picks are all another year older and starting to become much more consistent.
Fagan is a good coach and has created a good environment and culture at the club.
Their list is reasonably healthy.
They have depth and use it to create a competitive environment.
Hodge has no doubt learnt on the job and taken on more leadership both on and off the field.
Taberner is the least talented but Cox is no guarantee to overtake him (I thought he would this year although that was before Lobb and Hogan).
Would you trade both for a 2nd and 3rd round pick?
- Apr 15, 2013
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Why do I get the feeling Tim Kelly will be average if he comes to Freo.
Purpellian Anchor
Purple Admiralty
Yes all points that I agree with you but are not necessarily valid... applying the solutions as you see them to Freo, can you give some names of players and coaches to accomplish similar?
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