Past #8: Daniel Wells - joins Collingwood as a FA - North get pick #32 as compensation

[sutcliffe's hotel]

Love the shot of the roaring faithful in the background.

 

[year of the roo]

another big footy keyboard hero!!

Shit yeah.

 

[Gasometer]

Just, like, putting in out there;

 

[LT Smash]

Is wellsy soft? Just putting it out there

Some people can carry an injury. Wellsy can't. He needs to be 100% in order to believe in himself.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Would have him play half back increase his longevity? I'd be happy for him to play a creative role off half back if he can't withstand the rigours of the midfield

 

[Shinbones]

Some people can carry an injury. Wellsy can't. He needs to be 100% in order to believe in himself.

This has been well documented in the past Dean Laidly also stated that some people can carry minor injuries and wellsy couldnt in his opinion which is why I put it out there " .

 

[gokangas]

Some folk at the club have said that Wellsy has a low threshold for carrying injuries but I think the problem here is the word soft. No AFL player is soft.

 

[HELLSBELLS]

Would have him play half back increase his longevity? I'd be happy for him to play a creative role off half back if he can't withstand the rigours of the midfield

Was gonna say the same thing, switch him to half back and let Atley loose in the midfield ....

 

[Hard_to_Beat]

Daniels great asset is his speed and evasiveness.

It should be obvious that leg issues affect him greater than most.

It would be no different if Atley or Boomer had calf/achilles issues.

 

[year of the roo]

This has been well documented in the past Dean Laidly also stated that some people can carry minor injuries and wellsy couldnt in his opinion which is why I put it out there " .

Bit different what you said and what LT Smash said.

 

[shintemaster]

It would be no different if Atley or Boomer had calf/achilles issues.

Remember that awful year Boomer had a while back? I'm thinking maybe 2008 although they can blur together a bit for me now? He was shocking at times. I genuinely thought he should have been dropped and was a liability regularly on field. Literally struggling to kick 30m. Cue end of season the club comes out saying that he'd been carrying a leg injury for almost the entire year...

 

[Deep We11s 1]

I love to dabble in team selection like most of you. Lately, as I ponder our best 18/22, I can't resist the thought of having both Atley and Wells running off the half back line. Of course, I'd like to see both of them spend time in the midfield but, given our current backline structure, the development of our other mids, their pace, creativity, evasive skills, vision, foot skills and closing speed - maybe having both of them back can be the move that ignites the game plan.

Thoughts?

 

[NiceCunnington]

Atley - Yes, for now.

Wells - Nope. Put him right in the guts and rest him forward.

 

[GarnerSmash]

I can see Wells playing more half forward than half back as he ages and Atley more into the middle and guys like Mullett mature.

 

[Dan]

Wells creativity is much more needed in the midfield. That's not to say he couldn't play down back.

 

[Deep We11s 1]

Yeah, the common consensus seems to be Atley HB/mid, Wells mid/HF. I just think with both of them off half back it can be a game changer as it's become the most important part of the ground to set up attacks. Maybe they could change wing/HB?

 

[GarnerSmash]

Yeah, the common consensus seems to be Atley HB/mid, Wells mid/HF. I just think with both of them off half back it can be a game changer as it's become the most important part of the ground to set up attacks. Maybe they could change wing/HB?

The issue with playing a bloke like Wells at half back is that he needs to play accountable football. That is he gets a direct opponent and his positioning can be manipulated to drag him away from the play. Even guys like Macmillan who played as a deep lying mid this year had accountability for a direct opponent, so virtually anyone who runs through the defensive end of the ground need to be more defence focussed and less creative in their play. That is not to say that they cannot be creative when they get the ball (note Atley) but you want your best users to be in a position to hurt the opposition on the scoreboard, be that via goals or assists. Hence Wellsy being used in the midfield and off half forward. Exactly where he can be most damaging.

 

[nicko74]

Wells need to sharpen up his goal kicking IMO if he is to be used at HF. Seems to miss quite a few easy ones. Hopefully Mullett steps up as he is a neat kick and has pace too. Would be handy off HB

 

[Deep We11s 1]

The issue with playing a bloke like Wells at half back is that he needs to play accountable football. That is he gets a direct opponent and his positioning can be manipulated to drag him away from the play. Even guys like Macmillan who played as a deep lying mid this year had accountability for a direct opponent, so virtually anyone who runs through the defensive end of the ground need to be more defence focussed and less creative in their play. That is not to say that they cannot be creative when they get the ball (note Atley) but you want your best users to be in a position to hurt the opposition on the scoreboard, be that via goals or assists. Hence Wellsy being used in the midfield and off half forward. Exactly where he can be most damaging.

I think that's the crux of what I'm thinking, Wells might actually be even more damaging off HB. With both he and Atley there it will be impossible for opposition teams to manipulate the positioning of both of them. We all know how good Well's is when he has ball in hand so maybe if he plays HB he'll get it in his hands more? I just watched him a lot last year floating around the midfield and not getting involved enough. With the zone defences it's much easier to get involved from HB these days and play a quaterback role. I think he'd be great at that and be even more damaging than if he was playing mid.

 

[roo beleaver]

Wells destroyed port Adelaide playing as a attacking HB a couple of seasons ago. The only way I can see him playing that role though is if others step up in the midfield.

 

[Deep We11s 1]

Wells destroyed port Adelaide playing as a attacking HB a couple of seasons ago. The only way I can see him playing that role though is if others step up in the midfield.

That's right, we need the likes of Swallow, Ziebell, Cunnington, Adams, Bastinac, Gibson, Harper, Wright to become a dominant midfield group to allow Wells to spend more time back (and for Harvey to spend more time forward for that matter). That's looking like a possibility.

 

[roo beleaver]

That's right, we need the likes of Swallow, Ziebell, Cunnington, Adams, Bastinac, Gibson, Harper, Wright to become a dominant midfield group to allow Wells to spend more time back (and for Harvey to spend more time forward for that matter). That's looking like a possibility.

When that happens we will be top 4

 

[Hard_to_Beat]

wing/wing pushing off the defensive end of the centre square.

Sit on their opponents, but when they get goal side and we have possession, slap on the after burners and take off.

 

[shintemaster]

Personally I think Wells has always played his best football as a true midfielder. Let him run wherever he likes.

 

[Deep We11s 1]

wing/wing pushing off the defensive end of the centre square.

Sit on their opponents, but when they get goal side and we have possession, slap on the after burners and take off.

Similar concept, like it