Training 2025 Pre-Season

[Mutineer]

Agree, Rankine has the potential to be a brownlow medalist as primarily a midfielder imo if his body can hold up. Dawson is quality, Soligo has improved year on year, we now have Peatling to add much needed pace and Curtin is one to watch once he gets more midfield time as a massive bodied agile quality ball user. Then we have ANB who no doubt will have stints in there and Draper will get time there and he is a bonafide top end young mid in the making and fast from a contest.

I think what we have built up now is variety - if plan A is not working, then we should have the players to enact a plan B, plan C etc. peatling and Rankine as a combo with Dawson is fast. Crouch, Soligo with Rankine is ball winning with pace outside etc.

I think people are being a bit quick with their judgement of our 2025 midfield battery with the new additions Peatling, ANB, Soligo improving year on year and a fit Rankine and Rachele moving through there more going on our preseason. Hopefully Dawson plays a more outside role where he can use his class and elite disposal more to our advantage leaving the grunt work to others.

 

[AFC979810]

You gotta hope that we get better though.

Absolutely. I think we have a top 6 list and have had a top 8 list the past 2 years (only held back by coaching).

Rankine should break out properly (seems dumb to say that but there we go) and Rash/Sog or both we hope/expect to be AA level at some point soon... and Crouch revitalized, then it's pretty bloody good.

The real top end midfields have a "this guy could win the brownlow" player. I reckon that's Izak.

This could definitely happen. But right now there are 17 other teams with the same positive thinking scenarios.

Its the beauty of the offseason - everyone is a premiership chance.

 

[AFC979810]

I don’t think the midfields of Carlton or Melbourne ‘shit all over’ ours. I’d have them with us in tier 2.

Carlton has one gun (Cripps) and one very good player (Walsh). You can make argument our midfield is deeper.

Melbourne’s midfield used to be great but it wasn’t last year and this year who knows.

I think Carlton and Melbournes midfield group are both considerably stronger.

Petracca, Oliver, Viney is a very good group. Giving Kosi increased stints adds to that group. Sure they had struggles last year - was compounded by Oliver being uninterested, Petracca playing 13 games and they lost Brayshaw 2 weeks before the season started.

Carlton still considerably ahead of ours. Cripps is an absolute gun, Walsh will be in that category this year IMO and Cerra is a very good #3 midfielder.

 

[Cromulant]

I think Carlton and Melbournes midfield group are both considerably stronger.

Petracca, Oliver, Viney is a very good group. Giving Kosi increased stints adds to that group. Sure they had struggles last year - was compounded by Oliver being uninterested, Petracca playing 13 games and they lost Brayshaw 2 weeks before the season started.

Carlton still considerably ahead of ours. Cripps is an absolute gun, Walsh will be in that category this year IMO and Cerra is a very good #3 midfielder.

Cerra is.... when hes on the park.

Their midfield group as a whole though, is fairly average.

 

[GreyCrow]

I picked us to beat St Kilda regardless of injuries

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Where will our midfield be rated by the end of the season?

So interesting to see our mix
C: Sholl Dawson Jones
1R: O'Brien Crouch Laird
With Murphy pushing up as an extra on baller

Doesn't really scream premiership

Thankfully it appears that we're transitioning away from this set up

 

[Carn The Texan]

Where will our midfield be rated by the end of the season?

So interesting to see our mix
C: Sholl Dawson Jones
1R: O'Brien Crouch Laird
With Murphy pushing up as an extra on baller

The end of what season? 2023?

 

[crows dude]

Where will our midfield be rated by the end of the season?

So interesting to see our mix
C: Sholl Dawson Jones
1R: O'Brien Crouch Laird
With Murphy pushing up as an extra on baller

Doesn't really scream premiership

Thankfully it appears that we're transitioning away from this set up

C Sholl Dawson Soligo
R O'Brien Crouch Rankine

 

[pjcrows]

I agree that has been the case, but Dawson's best is AA quality and Rankine is better again. That's a pretty handy start.

So we have 1 and 1/2 top level midfielders?

Like I said, we're a bottom four midfield.

 

[pjcrows]

Its astounding really - in an effort to improve a small weakness - Mathew Nicks took away our biggest strength.

Spot on, which is why I mentioned coaching too.

 

[1970crow]

So we have 1 and 1/2 top level midfielders?

Like I said, we're a bottom four midfield.

I think Soligo’s tracking for an AA squad season. It does drop off a bit though with Peatling looking like a nice acquisition and Curtin and Draper presumably a year or 2 away from dominating games. A bit depends on whether guys like Rachele, ANB and Pedlar can all have strong impact with short spurts to add to the mainstays.

 

[pjcrows]

I think Soligo’s tracking for an AA squad season. It does drop off a bit though with Peatling looking like a nice acquisition and Curtin and Draper presumably a year or 2 away from dominating games. A bit depends on whether guys like Rachele, ANB and Pedlar can all have strong impact with short spurts to add to the mainstays.

I appreciate the optimism, and can see there's some potential talent there to go to the next level, but I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[cleanhands]

I appreciate the optimism, and can see there's some potential talent there to go to the next level, but I'll believe it when I see it.

He did say squad which is possible

 

[blighty]

If Scholl, Murphy and Laird are in our round one team we haven't progressed at all !

 

[Golumless]

If Scholl, Murphy and Laird are in our round one team we haven't progressed at all !

No, none of them mean anything in regards to if we have progressed or not.

Progress is something like Soligo, or Rankine becoming an A grade midfielder, Worrell taking the next step with becoming a gun CHB, Thilthorpe backing up his run last year etc. The guys you're pinning on being the heavy lifters becoming guys who can do the heavy lifting. It is not the bottom of your best 22. Those guys are just people you need for a time until your best 22 needs something different.

 

[1990crow]

Where will our midfield be rated by the end of the season?

So interesting to see our mix
C: Sholl Dawson Jones
1R: O'Brien Crouch Laird
With Murphy pushing up as an extra on baller

Doesn't really scream premiership

Thankfully it appears that we're transitioning away from this set up

I know this is mostly tongue in cheek.

C: Cumming ~ Crouch ~ Dawson
R: Obrien ~ Soligo ~ Rankine

Supported by Peatling, Rachele, Curtin, ANB and maybe Draper.

 

[Ciao Giacomo]

Where will our midfield be rated by the end of the season?

So interesting to see our mix
C: Sholl Dawson Jones
1R: O'Brien Crouch Laird
With Murphy pushing up as an extra on baller

Doesn't really scream premiership

Thankfully it appears that we're transitioning away from this set up

Do you really believe that Sholl, Dawson, O’Brien, Crouch, Jones and Laird will be the top six in midfield time this year?

If yes, can we have a wager.
If they are I will disappear from Bigfooty forever (you can verify this by my email). If no, then you resign as a Moderator.

Is this some playful fun or an example of Mod-Trolling?

 

[George Kramer]

Whoosh

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Do you really believe that Sholl, Dawson, O’Brien, Crouch and Laird will be the top six in midfield time this year?

If yes, can we have a wager.
If they are I will disappear from Bigfooty forever (you can verify this by my email). If no, then you resign as a Moderator.

Is this some playful fun or an example of Mod-Trolling?

By transitioning away from this set up I meant transitioning away from this set up. Apologies if it was too cryptic

 

[cleanhands]

By transitioning away from this set up I meant transitioning away from this set up. Apologies if it was too cryptic

More information please

 

[ABAB]

If Scholl, Murphy and Laird are in our round one team we haven't progressed at all !

Very harsh on Sholl, his physicality is always the worry and why he fade in the 2nd half of the season but was less noticeable last year. He might have finally develop the body needed for AFL after years of preseason.

 

[Gtowncrow]

C Sholl Dawson Soligo
R O'Brien Crouch Rankine

I have a feeling Peatling adds a great deal to that group. A really good pickup. He might even end up with our highest CBA's.

 

[Ciao Giacomo]

By transitioning away from this set up I meant transitioning away from this set up. Apologies if it was too cryptic

Were Sholl, Dawson, Jones, ROB, Laird and Crouch our top six midfielders in time per game in the second half of last season?

Also naming six (including two wingmen and our ruckman) could be seen as a little disingenuous. We typically rolled 8 or 9 players through the total “midfield” in the second half of the season. Laird was “transitioned” to the back lines. Jones was transitioned to the SANFL.

Berry stepped into Laird’s spot and Soligo was one of our first choice mids all season. Rankine was getting more midfield time but was restricted by suspension and injury. Curtin was also given some midfield time and Dowling replaced Jones on the wing. Taylor was also used predominantly in the midfield.

To suggest that by the end of last season our main midfield guys were ROB, Laird, Crouch, Jones, Dawson and Sholl (with a little help from Murphy) is either inaccurate or a little mischievous. We have now added Peatling, Cumming. ANB and Draper to the mix. If you check the “midfielders” from Bigman’s reports only 4 of the 7 players you mentioned feature in the probables this pre-season.

Now you may prefer to look back on previous seasons to make your point, and I agree that we kept Thommo in the midfield for a year or two too long, but things have changed and will change more this year.

I guess what some see as amusing tongue in cheek posting other may regard as Trolling.

P.S. JHF, Butters, Rozee, Wines and Drew are apparently training the house down.

 

[AFC979810]

Cerra is.... when hes on the park.

Cerra is 25, has played 17+ games in 6 of 7 seasons. He is 9th for games played from his draft class with 129 games.

In 2023 - he played 22 games, finished 4th in their best and fairest. This hardly screams injury riddled.

Their midfield group as a whole though, is fairly average.

Carlton's midfield is average? Thats a shocking take.

Their number 1 is a 4 time All Australian (2 time vice captain) and 2 time Brownlow Medal winner. Their #2 midfielder is a former #1 pick and rising star winner who in 2023 was voted best player in the finals that year.

They have George Hewett as their 4th midfielder and just added Jagga. Elijah Hollands is also building.

 

[AFC979810]

By transitioning away from this set up I meant transitioning away from this set up. Apologies if it was too cryptic

Good call.

You weren't cryptic at all.

You just conveniently didn't list Soligo in the midfield grouping that doesn't "scream premiership". In 2024 he came 3rd in our B&F and had 2nd most CBA's of all of our midfielders in 2024.

But I guess you are right. We are transitioning away from this set up.

The real interesting point is looking at our forward line mix:

Hodges, Jameson, Klug, Murphy, McIntyre and Liptak doesn't scream premiership, but luckily it seems as though we are transitioning away from this group.