Phar Ace
Brownlow Medallist
Hope we uncover a good sized mid to add to the slim pickings with that train-on space we have for another.If we look at the senior side and count the actual mids either purely inside or both inside and out then there is normally about 7 picked most weeks.
Imo it is important we mirror what we do in the seniors with what we do in the magoos.
This gives us both a means to implement a succession plan and depth when injuries hit.
If all of Smillie, Lalor, Prestia, Hopper, Taranto McAuliffe Ross and Hotton are starters and they should be by years end then we are three or four mids short on our list. Some of Those named above will definately play dual roles and also provide rotations from the bench.The key point being they are all primarily mids.
Given lists of 44 then i think clubs need a minimum of 12 to 14 mids with another 4 to 6 pure outside mids ie wingers.
That is a minimum of 16 all types and a maximum of 20.
If those above all start in the seniors then the magoos only have Dow and Sonsie as afl listed mids. Where is the depth and the development its almost non existent.
What is going to happen when injuries hit is mayhem .Where is the longer term planning and where is the pressure from beneath.last year we were short of mids we then lost 4 and bought in three.The numbers are even worse this year.
I cannot push this point enough but we are still seriously short on for mids in various stages of development.
Personally i would like us at the end of this year take two in the draft and go and recruit a few mature types in a good age bracket. That is to replace the four mids we lost this year and get the numbers up to a manageable level for depth development and succession purposes.