Best/worst midfield 2019

[Red Black and Blue]

Top tier mids do it year after year and are constantly good. That's what it takes to be top tier. He's only had one good year so far, so no, he's not in the class of someone like Dangerfield or Martin. That's not rubbish, those are the facts.

He had multiple concussions in the preseason and first few rounds, personally was advocating for him to be rested for a few games, so it was no surprise to me his form picked up after a significant time passed from his head knocks. He’ll be back to his best I have no doubt.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Rucks: Big Boy, Ceglar, Pittonett

Midfielders: Mitchell, O'Meara, Wingard, Shiels, Worpel

Wingers: Smith, Scully, Morrison, Henderson

Depth: Howe, Burgoyne, Roughie, Puopolo, Breust, Cousins

I think that's probably around 6-10 in the rankings all told. IMO our ruck division is very good, and our wing options are elite (if all fit).

We have three class midfielders as a starting three, and a good 4th midfield option in Shiels. Hopefully Worpel can take another step up with his development next season to help ease the load on Mitchell and O'Meara.

The depth options are good as far as playing limited roles are concerned, but who knows how Burgoyne, Roughie and Puopolo will go with another year on the clock?

Ideally we are able to sign or develop another class midfielder to take the group to the next level. Even someone who can play midfield/forward at a high level will do, not necessarily a full time midfielder. Maybe the option is Scully (if fit) given we have multiple options on the wing? Either way I think we will be rotating a lot of players through the midfield around that core 5.

 

[Trav 20]

Less than 2 goals up half way through the 4th quarter. Against a team missing its 2nd best midfielder and the best with a busted shoulder.



They will finish higher than Essendon.

Clown show.

 

[HairyO]

Clown show.

No, I think Shiel will help Essendon. Just not a lot.

Mitchell carried us in 2017 but we still disnt mske finals.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Rucks: Big Boy, Ceglar, Pittonett

Midfielders: Mitchell, O'Meara, Wingers, Shiels, Worpel

Wingers: Smith, Scully, Morrison, Henderson

Depth: Howe, Burgoyne, Roughie, Puopolo, Breust, Cousins

I think that's probably around 6-10 in the rankings all told. IMO our ruck division is very good, and our wing options are elite (if all fit).

We have three class midfielders as a starting three, and a good 4th midfield option in Shiels. Hopefully Worpel can take another step up with his development next season to help ease the load on Mitchell and O'Meara.

The depth options are good as far as playing limited roles are concerned, but who knows how Burgoyne, Roughie and Puopolo will go with another year on the clock?

Ideally we are able to sign or develop another class midfielder to take the group to the next level. Even someone who can play midfield/forward at a high level will do, not necessarily a full time midfielder. Maybe the option is Scully (if fit) given we have multiple options on the wing? Either way I think we will be rotating a lot of players through the midfield around that core 5.

I dont think you'll ever see Scully as anything but an outside player. A bit like Whitfield he has the will for the contest and is tough enough to take the knocks. Just too slight of build to stand up inside.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

I dont think you'll ever see Scully as anything but an outside player. A bit like Whitfield he has the will for the contest and is tough enough to take the knocks. Just too slight of build to stand up inside.

I don't mean as an inside midfielder, but someone that can start at centre bounces or ball-ups. We have used Smith in there occasionally over the last few seasons.

I think maybe with the new rules having pace around the centre square ball-ups may be more effective, as there will be less congested.

Either way though we need another midfielder to elevate our side.

 

[donnie5]

Who ya gon kick it to?

Considering we had 4 players kick 30+ and a number of players kicking 20+ I think we’ll be fine...

Plus without De Goey missing through injury/suspension he could’ve kicked around the 60 mark.

 

[Marc_Remillard]

Eagles midfield massively underrated, Hawks overrated.

Pies on paper have the best now, pretty easily too imho. Giants still really good even after losing Shiel and obviously the Tigers up there.

Geelong should be one of the best but it just doesn't work.

i think Adelaide still has potential to be top 4 if they can get a good run with injuries.

My mob goes ok but a class under the Pies, Tigers & Eagles

 

[blitzer]

No, I think Shiel will help Essendon. Just not a lot.

Mitchell carried us in 2017 but we still disnt mske finals.

Its fair to say circumstances were very different. Hawks had just lost Mitchell and Lewis, which was a ton of experience and leadership out and had just brought in Mitchell and O'Meara. O'Meara basically didn't play. A lot of new kids with limited experience were coming in and it took time for them to gel with the senior players, hence why Hawks finished a lot stronger than they started.

Essendon have already had the year where we had significant change in 2018, where we introduced 3 new players and changed up the game plan and it took us 2 months to get it to click. In 2019 Shiel will be the only new player. Most of our kids will cross 50 games during the season (if not already there) with the most notable exception being Francis plus a few possibles. We'll go into 2019 with an experienced and settled line up, which will make a world of difference.

 

[Obeanie1]

No mention of the only midfield containing 2 Brownlow medalists and the best player in the comp?
Interesting...

Yesterdays midfield mate!!

You know how it works.

On paper some midfields look unbeatable.

But everyone knows that is BS.

A midfield can only play its best with a decent backline and forward line to match.

A crap backline means the mids need to defend more.

A crap forward line means the midfield gets it in but it comes straight out again, then the midfield is defending again.

Its about balance and each of the three areas of the ground working together.

Thats how the Eagles beat a Collingwood midfield with more stars playing in it.

 

[bungalow_bill]

Yesterdays midfield mate!!

You know how it works.

On paper some midfields look unbeatable.

But everyone knows that is BS.

A midfield can only play its best with a decent backline and forward line to match.

A crap backline means the mids need to defend more.

A crap forward line means the midfield gets it in but it comes straight out again, then the midfield is defending again.

Its about balance and each of the three areas of the ground working together.

Thats how the Eagles beat a Collingwood midfield with more stars playing in it.

Recall when we got Beams some saying ours was the best mid field -on paper. As it turned out not so much. Mid fields thrive on consistency and chemistry between the players. Which is why a mid field that is organically built from the ground up will be better than a patch work mid field with stars thrown in from here and there

 

[mike123]

Who ya gon kick it to?

De Goey

 

[jonbe54]

Who ya gon kick it to?

Cox, Stephenson, WHE, Mihocek, Elliott and Thomas.

 

[jonbe54]

Recall when we got Beams some saying ours was the best mid field -on paper. As it turned out not so much. Mid fields thrive on consistency and chemistry between the players. Which is why a mid field that is organically built from the ground up will be better than a patch work mid field with stars thrown in from here and there

Russell and Francis brought in from Sandgroper country to win the '90 GF say 'HI'

 

[jooce8891]

Collingwood supporter here but this is definately the best on paper: Grundy, Pendles, Beams, Treloar, Adams, Sidebottom, Sier, Phillips

yeah haha its really not even close when comparing it to richmond or geelong, maybe gws gets close but after losing shiel i dunno.

 

[jooce8891]

Once Merrett found form, Essendon consistently won games for the next 3 months.
How did Carlton go with peak Cripps?

peak? mate you just wait

 

[jooce8891]

MaCrae-Merrett (50-50 although one is an AA)
Bont-Shiel (50-50 Shiel is consistent and Bont more enigmatic)
Hunter-Heppell (40-60 Hunter has made up some ground recently)
Dunkley-Langford (50-50 Both showed they are capable mids this year)
McLean-Smith (30-70 McLean showed a bit but fell away)
Libba-Myers (60-40 but Libba is wonky and Myers got our most improved )
Johannisen-McGrath (70-30 for now)
Wallis-Parish (50-50 don’t see much upside for Wallis & Parish just coming good)
Daniel-Zaharakis (50-50 both frustrate at times yet can be damaging)
English-Bellchambers (80-20 for now... English could be anything but hasn’t done much)
McKernan-Boyd (50-50 both enigmatic but rarely put it all together for long enough)

Pretty even match-up on reflection but I see some real upside with Langford, Parish and McGrath.

 

[raskolnikov]

Since when? He's dropped down the pack this year.

Top tier mids do it year after year and are constantly good. That's what it takes to be top tier. He's only had one good year so far, so no, he's not in the class of someone like Dangerfield or Martin. That's not rubbish, those are the facts.

Do you actually watch footy? At all?

 

[master bate]

Will be interesting to see how the Pies spread the centre square minutes.

Will they make Sidebottom a wing full time again or to half back? Or move Treloar to a wing? I think Sier has to play and play midfield minutes for his development.

Phillips and Mayne do the jobs on the wing, would you drop one of them?

300% of game time to distribute.

Adams 65% (15% wing/forward)
Pendles 65% (unsure where else he plays)
Beams 50% (25% forward)
Sier 50% (25% wing/forward)
Sidebottom 35% (25% half back, 25% forward)
Treloar 30% (45% forward/wing)
That only leaves 5% for forwards like De Goey, Thomas, Brown etc to rotate in.

Won't be easy to find the balance. Of course injuries mean it won't always be a problem and they have the luxury not to play guys who have niggles or to give guys easy games where they spend time forward, but it's still a challenge to find the team balance.

 

[Blind Turn]

Happy to stand by that. They are different types of players but both are pivotal and AA quality. Bont has one season that was of higher quality than any year by Shiel. Shiel has put together 3 seasons that are better than any other by Bont.

 

[Xhoquelin]

yeah haha its really not even close when comparing it to richmond or geelong, maybe gws gets close but after losing shiel i dunno.

Duncan Danger Kelly Parfitt Selwood Ablett doesn’t come close on Paper? You sure?

 

[Forward Press]

Collingwood have the best midfield and ours is probably middle of the road but we didn't win the flag via the midfield.

I don't agree with posters saying our midfield is underrated, I think it's about right. Yeo, Gaff, Shuey and Naitanui are the only ones remotely close to the top echelon of the competition and our finals sides only had two of each.

Flag was won with a high kicking, high marking, precise possession style of play, not through midfield dominance. We often lost the clearance and tackle counts.

 

[Thrawn]

Do you actually watch footy? At all?

Are you actually unbiased? At all?

Merrett has hardly set the world on fire this year, there are at least half a dozen better mids than him in the competition right now. The way some of you are talking about him it's like he's been Martin-like circa 2017. Until he actually has the runs on the board, I'm more than content to say that he's not top tier.

 

[jooce8891]

Duncan Danger Kelly Parfitt Selwood Ablett doesn’t come close on Paper? You sure?

yes

 

[Blind Turn]

Are you actually unbiased? At all?

Merrett has hardly set the world on fire this year, there are at least half a dozen better mids than him in the competition right now. The way some of you are talking about him it's like he's been Martin-like circa 2017. Until he actually has the runs on the board, I'm more than content to say that he's not top tier.

I consider Cripps top tier and Merrett is in the same conversation as Cripps. Semantics.