Break outs

[Quigley]

Okay everyone rate who you think are most likely to have break out years in 2008. For my list I have included only young guys who I think have yet to firmly establish themselves as first 22 players. I have not included Stiller because I think he is now a definate starter. I have included Rischitelli and Begley because notwithstanding they both played a lot last year they go into the year with pressure on their positions. The other main exclusion is Sherman mainly because I think he has already broken out and everyone knows what he can do if he gets it together.

Anyway my list in order of most likely to break out:

1. Rischitelli - a very highly rated player by the coaching staff and quite a number of experts. We saw what he could do in the preseason cup last year and I think we will get to see more of that this year. He is the favourite in my opinion to step up and become a clear first team player and possibly more than that.

2. Clark - only played 4 games last year and missed 10 rounds with a leg injury but he has all the tools to be a dominant forward in the competition. I have said a few times that I see him following the development curve similar to Franklin. Big call but he has that kind of talent. If he can keep on the park and work hard when he is on there I think he will be big player for us next year.

3. Begley - last year was a consolidating year for Colm and he was given jobs which kept him out of the limelight. He has excellent skills, is a great runner and has good vision of what is happening around him. He is getting stronger and the last couple of weeks of last season showed what he could do if he is given an opportunity. I think he will play in the backline next year and he and Drummond will be controlling influences at the back like Adcock and Drummond were when they played together early last season.

4. Hooper - the equation is pretty simple for Hooper. All he has to do is play as he did from about round 14 last year. He has all the tools to be an excellent HFF if he keeps it all together and continues to work at his game.

5. Proud - I am expecting a lot of the second year mids to get a look this year and Proud is the one who probably showed most last year. He has good skills, is tough around the ball and dangerous with it. The coaching staff will find somewhere to put Proud early and if he can find more of the ball than he did in his two games to date he will a valuable addition. He showed he could be a dominating presence at AFLQ level and I think with a year of development he could start to show some of those skills in the AFL.

6. Leuenberger - I am sure a lot of you will have him higher but I see next year as being one of gradual development for Berger. Charman will continue to dominate the playing time and Berger will improve probably significantly but I don't think we will see him as a dominating presence just yet. If Charman goes down though you never know.

7. Harding - what he needs to do is find more of the ball when he gets the chance and find ways to improve his exceptional pace and very good strength. Another player who dominated at times at AFLQ level and just needs to translate his very good skill set into the AFL game.

8. Mills - capable of playing at either end and if he improves his kicking and picks up a yard of pace he suddenly becomes a very dangerous prospect. He will be given every chance next year and he has progressed very steadily to date and could very easily with a little work be ready to become a major player for the Lions.

9. Corrie - if he plays as he did in the 2 games he played at the end of last year he is a very dangerous player for us in the forward line floating back into the middle. He has been inconsistent to date and the pressure is now on him but he has the talent to excel and he knows that he can do it at AFL level.

10. Schmidt - is tall, is an excellent runner and has very good skills. He is 18 at the moment so is still very young and needs to bulk up a bit. I have very high hopes for Schmidt and think once he matures he will be a very valuable member of the team.

11. Sheldon - a very hard player who is capable of doing the exceptional. Where he will play will be interesting but he probably has a good chance to be a very dangerous forward pocket player for us. He knows where the goals are.

12. Dzufer - played well for the Suncoast and earned promotion and a game with the first team. He is a tall hard runner who if he could improve his disposal he could well find himself playing more AFL this year. Was given a defensive role in his game this year and there is definately a spot there if he can step up.

13. Hawksley - another of the bottom aged players picked last year and he has shown good development over last year. Was cotton balled last year after getting a finger injury at midseason. He is an excellent runner who when he has time has very good disposal. A lot of people has high expectations for Hawksley and those people will have him rated higher than this.

14. Tyler - seems to have bulked and showed in the preseason last year he capable of doing the spectacular. I think he is a forward and without injury I think it is going to be hard for him to get a game. That being said if the performances at AFLQ are there the Lions make room.

15. Kiel - another who has a lot of admirers. Given that he is a second year rookie I would expect him to be given a chance and it would not surprise many if he stepped up and performed well.

16. Clousten - showed some excellent form at fullback for the Suncoast at the end of last year and if Merrett went down he would right in the mix to replace him. Another preseason under his belt he could well step up demand selection consideration.

17. Moody - probably should be higher as he has some runs on the board. We know he can play at AFL level which is more than a lot of those above him. He needs to regain confidence and improve his disposal a lot if he is going to be successful but he has the athletic ability to compete and will be given a chance at some stage.

18. Garner - older and more developed and has the benefit of several previous preseasons but faces a lot of competition for the CHB position. Has the talent though and if he can keep on the park a promotion might be on the cards.

19. Tippett - taken as a project and after missing 12 games through injury is probably still a fair way away. That being said if a couple of the rucks go down it is conceivable that Tippett could get a game and with his athletic abilities he could well be a difficult match up if he can get the technical aspects of his game sorted. I will be listening for reports from the Suncoast games with interest this year.

As for the first year players don't be surprised if Hanley makes the biggest impression this year.

 

[Ruse]

Funnily enough when I read the thread title for some reason I thought this was gonna be about acne.

 

[Grimreepah]

A lot of players this year (er... I mean last year) had break out years, but the side is a bit more settled now, and there probably isn't going to be as many opportunities this year. In other words, I don't think as many will have break out years in 2008.

IMO it's hard to put players in order. Clark could be anything from a 50 goal forward to someone struggling to make the side. Whereas a player like Schmidt I see steadily improving from year to year.

 

[blynd_freddie]

Okay everyone rate who you think are most likely to have break out years in 2008.

Glad we finally got an insight into your “Best 22” and/or a follow up on the “pressure index list” Quigley – the assumption of course is that those not named and #1 and #2 of your list equal your best 22.

I believe that barring preseason injuries the first 5 on my list have already consolidated themselves into out best 22, hence I believe only 6,7,8 and 9 will have a 2008 break out season. With Harding and Moods requiring consistently strong ressie form.


1. Leuenberger - lock in 2nd ruck for the year.
2. Clark – An option the club may consider, if Brown, Clark and Bradshaw are all firing Clark may well even share brief stints sharing the second rucking roll allowing Leuey to “rest” up forward.
3. Hooper - agree, a consistent repeat of late 07 form would put him in the Big League, so what will we have with continued improvement? The mind boggles…
4. Rischitelli – I think 06 was his break out season, the 07 NAB shows he can step up and IMO will continue to be in our best 22 in 2008.
5. Begley – Only missed 3 games in 07, will continue to improve in 2008 agree with you Quigs, I also see Colm stepping into Adcock’s defensive role would not surprise to see him sharing the kick outs with Drummo.
6. Mills – Merrett’s deputy, will be fighting with Roe and Patfull for a permanent possie.
7. Corrie – might well be the surprise packet of 2008
8. Proud – will be watching preseason form in anticipation
9. Schmidt – another apprentice in waiting, will step straight in if required would not be surprised if his AFLQ form towards the end of 2008 demands selection.
10. Harding & Moody – excellent backup players who will need to ensure ressie form remains consistently strong.
11. Ditto your remaining players Quigley.

11. Sheldon - a very hard player who is capable of doing the exceptional. Where he will play will be interesting but he probably has a good chance to be a very dangerous forward pocket player for us. He knows where the goals are.

12. Dzufer - played well for the Suncoast and earned promotion and a game with the first team. He is a tall hard runner who if he could improve his disposal he could well find himself playing more AFL this year. Was given a defensive role in his game this year and there is definately a spot there if he can step up.

13. Hawksley - another of the bottom aged players picked last year and he has shown good development over last year. Was cotton balled last year after getting a finger injury at midseason. He is an excellent runner who when he has time has very good disposal. A lot of people has high expectations for Hawksley and those people will have him rated higher than this.

14. Tyler - seems to have bulked and showed in the preseason last year he capable of doing the spectacular. I think he is a forward and without injury I think it is going to be hard for him to get a game. That being said if the performances at AFLQ are there the Lions make room.

15. Kiel - another who has a lot of admirers. Given that he is a second year rookie I would expect him to be given a chance and it would not surprise many if he stepped up and performed well.

16. Clousten - showed some excellent form at fullback for the Suncoast at the end of last year and if Merrett went down he would right in the mix to replace him. Another preseason under his belt he could well step up demand selection consideration.

**refer my #10** Moody - probably should be higher as he has some runs on the board. We know he can play at AFL level which is more than a lot of those above him. He needs to regain confidence and improve his disposal a lot if he is going to be successful but he has the athletic ability to compete and will be given a chance at some stage.

18. Garner - older and more developed and has the benefit of several previous preseasons but faces a lot of competition for the CHB position. Has the talent though and if he can keep on the park a promotion might be on the cards.

19. Tippett - taken as a project and after missing 12 games through injury is probably still a fair way away. That being said if a couple of the rucks go down it is conceivable that Tippett could get a game and with his athletic abilities he could well be a difficult match up if he can get the technical aspects of his game sorted. I will be listening for reports from the Suncoast games with interest this year.

 

[acuguy]

A great read Quigs, i like your informative opinions and thoughtful ideas. I also like the fact your posts are not "The Gospel According To Quigley". The following are my thoughts on some of the players in your list

Leuenberger- I expect we will get 10-15 games out of him this year. He is a natural and has shown freakish talent. He will be exposed to the competition early in the year when the players are at their fastest, strongest and fittest. I would expect him to come under intense physical pressure and my concern is how will his body hold up. I would expect him to continue to improve but i think we need to be realistic about our expectations of a second year ruckman.

Harding- I noted Quigs that you stated he has good strength, i have to disagree, even though Harding is muscular, i would describe him as having no physical presence on the field at all. He is fast, knows how to get the footy and really is quite a good user of it, what has prevented him becoming a regular is his inability to tackle and hold his own in a 1 on 1 physical contest. If Harding can improve this area of his game, this could very well be a massive breakout year for him.

Hooper- Similar size to Harding, but Hooper has plenty of physical presence, speed and endurance. I firmly believe that Hooper will become an elite elusive roamer in our side. Lethal showed his willingness to let Rhan use his motor to roam up and down the field. Hooper is the sort of footballer that cuts teams up and let's hope he is able to do it consistently.

Proud- An injury Albert Proud will leap frog many of the other young players on the list this year. Aggression, speed and skill is what he brings to the club. This boy was born to play AFL.


Mills- I believe everyone needs to eliminate the few weeks where the Mills forward experiment work. AFL sides don't win premierships with a Mills playing in the forward line. He is a backman, he was given a further opportunity to update his AFL education whilst playing forward last season. He must become a one on one specialist, once again i will say that i see him being able to become a real phsyical defender in the mould of a Ashley McIntosh. I don't think this year will be his breakout season, i am more hopeful for next season.


Rischitelli- Added endurance and physical strength will see him continue to develop into a very good onballer. I believe this year will be a big year for him.

Clark- He must play every game and he must play forward. Clark is potentially a superstar of the comp, for some reason i want to question what is going on upstairs with him. He is a natural forward that leads brilliantly, marks well and is very good on the ground. Get that goal kicking working and i think we would struggle to find a 3rd tall defender who can take him down.


Corrie- We will see him really breakout this season, i am hoping the brotherhood of Hooper, Proud and Corrie really shine this season. Corrie is an elegant runner with the footy and has many tricks, i think his biggest battle has been between the ears and last year he showed he may have ironed out that little problem.

Begley- Interesting, rate Begley very highly, can't believe blokes like him and Clarke (Collingwood) can pick up our game so quickly and play it at the highest level. I wonder though if Begley will be able to crack our best 22, i think he and Copeland will eventually be competing for that last spot, i know they are different players but i think he will be on the fringe this year if we are able to keep most blokes fit and firing.

 

[Warwick]

A great read Quigs, i like your informative opinions and thoughtful ideas. I also like the fact your posts are not "The Gospel According To Quigley".

What's this meant to mean?

 

[Ruse]

Where do you guys see Joel Macdonald next year? He played precious few games this year but all were pretty outstanding that IMHO he'd definitely be starting every game although, because he played missed such a large part of last season his performances could be a flash in a pan type stuff.

But IMO though, he'll rip it up next season.

 

[BigCat2]

Where do you guys see Joel Macdonald next year? He played precious few games this year but all were pretty outstanding that IMHO he'd definitely be starting every game although, because he played missed such a large part of last season his performances could be a flash in a pan type stuff.

But IMO though, he'll rip it up next season.

JMac put in consistent quality performances last year, and his extra strength provided a real presence. Just seemed so strong over the ball and was able to shrug a lot of tackles. Wouldn't be surprised if he moves into the midfield in 2008 to play in a mould similar to Michael Voss. He's certainly got the engine (15+ beep IIRC) for it. This'll be good since it'll allow us to accommodate one more of our many runners on a halfback flank eg Corrie, Begley, Moody, Schmidt.

 

[Sherminator.]

1. Hooper- The boy will rip it up pre-season and will carry it on into the AFL H&A season. I seem hold this image of him kicking 25 goals next year, I hope it's true.

2. Leuenberger- I expect 15 games atleat from this boy. An improved endurance and a pre-season will do a world of good for Berger. He'll be back up to Charmo for a majority of the season.

3. Proud- I expect him to becom a regular in the side, a bit like Begley this season. As long as he can get atleast 12 touches a game and use them well, he will be kept in the side.

4. Schmidt- Schnozz will play more games in 2008, he showed good form in the ressies and the two games he played this season should give him a perspective as to what to expect.

5. Sheldon- I have a feeling we will see the #3 play a handful of games in 2008. He's put on weight and shows solid talent.

 

[BigCat2]

I agree with Grim's post that our side is now a lot more settled, so barring injuries and sudden form loss, there'll be precious few positions up for grabs. It may well be a case of 12 players fighting over 4 positions.

I'll go for a slightly different tact and go head-to-head. I've included some more senior players whose roles may be in doubt, and first year draftees which may have an impact.

Rucks: Leuenberger, McDonald, Tippett
As long Leuey can keep himself fit and in form, I'd let him play as many games as he can. It's probably optimistic to think that he'll play all 22 games though - IMO he dazzled everyone last year when he burst onto the scene to play 9 straight games, and 2008 should be a year for consolidation.

McDonald will provide back up, while Tippett shouldn't get game time unless 2 rucks are injured - I expect him to really work on his rucking at AFLQ level, now that we have enough KPPs to allow him to play ruck full time.

Key Defenders: Garner, Clouston, Collier, Mills
In 2007 our rocks in defence were Merrett and Patfull. Nothing too flashy, but did their jobs. Their game was marked by close checking, good closing speed and excellent spoiling. If one of these guys go down then I can see Garner or Clouston getting a gig as a spoiling tall defender.

Collier even as an 18 year old draftee may be close to playing seniors and I wouldn't be surprised if he got a few games if circumstances suited. He's quite solid already (about the same size as Jason Roe) and has played VFL against men. He'll be that attacking defender as Roe's back up.

I've listed Mills here although I think he'll spend half or even more of his time as a forward marking option. His fate will depend on quite a few things including improved kicking, the form of Mitch Clark and the return of Daniel Bradshaw.

Key Forwards: Clark, Tyler
If Mitch is fit I'd try to give him as much game time as possible. As for whether he'll potentially be fighting for space with Brown and Bradshaw inside forward 50, I'm thinking the coaches will be working out a structure. With improved midfield delivery, targets in Brown, Bradshaw and Clark will really be hard to stop.

Tyler looked good as a forward last year. He's probably towards the end of the queue, but his ability to play at both ends may work in his favour.

Flankers: Begley, Corrie, Schmidt, Dzufer, Hawksley, Moody
So many of them, and so few available spots in the team. 6 into 2 or 3 simply won't go.

Out of this lot I predict Begley and Corrie to play the most in 2008. They are incumbents in the side, and were looking good. They provide speed, quality disposal and game-breaking ability.

Poor Matthew Moody. Can't believe he's entering his 5th season with the Lions yet is still such a fringe player. I can't imagine seeing all these running players drafted after him not getting him nervous. Hopefully he'll use this as drive to really lift his game. In 2007 apart from a lack of confidence, he didn't get the ball much and was terrible with it once he got it. These may all be related, but I'd be very worried seeing the likes of Schmidt and Hawksley, who have very good disposal skills, in the wings. Make or break year for Moody. Unfortunately my tip is for him to be gawn by year's end.

The class of 2006 draft really had fantastic depth, and it delivered us quality runners in Schmidt, Hawksley and Dzufer. At this stage they're really fighting over one position if it does open up - which may not be there at all if the likes of Stiller, Begley and Corrie play the majority of games. They provide good running power, they are tall and have good skills. So far there hasn't been enough time to really tell them apart. The one who gets to play games in 2008 may simply get lucky and to be in top form at the right time.

Midfielders: Rischitelli
He's a bit of an interesting one. At worst he'll be a defensive midfielder and at best he can become the next Simon Black. In 2007 he played all 22 games and was persisted in periods where he wasn't performing very well and was possibly carrying an injury. I think he does a solid enough job for the team, but if a couple of our other young midfielders really put up their hands for selection and Michael is still struggling for consistency he may well be given a spell. I expect he'll play more games of the standard in early 2007 and repay the coach's faith.

Smalls: Hooper, McGrath, Proud, Harding, Sheldon, Kiel
Here lastly I've created an artificial categories called "smalls", because they could play in a lot of different positions.

Hooper's late 2007 form is going to see him as a starting 18 player every week. He'll be a very dangerous option going through the middle up towards the goals.

McGrath IMO is really at crossroads in 2008. He has played his best football so far as a small forward, but his crumbing and snaps still sometimes leaves more to be desired. If he doesn't perform he'll quickly be overtaken by other players who are in a similar mould to him.

With Proud, Harding, Sheldon and Kiel, any one of them could play up to a dozen games, but just as easily they may only manage a handful of games combined. I think injury, form and team balance will really dictate how much chance they'll get. They can be contributors as midfielders or small forwards, with all of them having shown glimpses of goal scoring ability. Of this lot, Harding has the runs on the board (25 senior games already), but Proud could really tear it up in AFLQ - he may well end the year as an important in & under midfielder in the senior team. Sheldon was very bottom-aged last year so time is still on his side, although I can see him playing as a clever forward pocket. Being Kiel's second rookie year, I feel the selection committee will give him opportunity to show us what he's got.

Conclusion
Well, I feel as though our depth is the best it's been for a few years. There are quite a few players who will be on the fringe of selection in 2008 competing for a handful of spots, but this'll be a good thing.

I think there's a lot of potential in our young guns, and while their form will be up and down while they find their feet, I feel many of them aren't too far away from being regular performers at AFL level. I think our list is gearing itself up for another series of runs at finals, having gradually built up on quality and depth over recent years.

 

[maroon and blue]

One word, Sherman

 

[xplo]

I'm a little bit concerned for Sherman. As hard as it is to come into AFL at 18, when he started 2005-6 we were beginning to lack exactly the things Shermo has -- namely bounce and burst and a touch of swagger. We'd lost Brown for long periods of those seasons, and the Scott's, Voss, and Leppa, etc were losing their natural punch and cockiness as their bodies failed them.

The problem was, with so many triple flag winners around, most young guys probably felt reticent to step up and have a fair dinkum crack. We actually needed one or two young blokes with a bit of front, prepared to say 'stuff reputations' and take the opposition head on. Shermo did a beautiful job at setting that tone and also had a bit more size on him than most of the other kids around him.

The side has developed a bit since then, with the Adcock's, Drummond's, Patfull's & Merrett's no longer over-awed by the senior guys, so some of the things that made Shermo so successful in his first two years are not quite so valuable now.

I'm not saying he's in trouble. I'm just saying that I think if he has a successful 2008, it won't be done playing the same sort of game that worked for him in 2005-6. He's going to need to at least partially re-invent his game.

I think was a big part of his 2007 problem -- he hasn't quite found that game yet.

 

[#1 Dogs Fan]

I'm a little bit concerned for Sherman. As hard as it is to come into AFL at 18, when he started 2005-6 we were beginning to lack exactly the things Shermo has -- namely bounce and burst and a touch of swagger. We'd lost Brown for long periods of those seasons, and the Scott's, Voss, and Leppa, etc were losing their natural punch and cockiness as their bodies failed them.

The problem was, with so many triple flag winners around, most young guys probably felt reticent to step up and have a fair dinkum crack. We actually needed one or two young blokes with a bit of front, prepared to say 'stuff reputations' and take the opposition head on. Shermo did a beautiful job at setting that tone and also had a bit more size on him than most of the other kids around him.

The side has developed a bit since then, with the Adcock's, Drummond's, Patfull's & Merrett's no longer over-awed by the senior guys, so some of the things that made Shermo so successful in his first two years are not quite so valuable now.

I'm not saying he's in trouble. I'm just saying that I think if he has a successful 2008, it won't be done playing the same sort of game that worked for him in 2005-6. He's going to need to at least partially re-invent his game.

I think was a big part of his 2007 problem -- he hasn't quite found that game yet.

Similar thing has happened to Mitchel Hahn from the dogs. when he was first drafted he wasn't blessed with speed of light or athleticism's he was just a hard nut that will go in 100% at every contest. He quickly became a loved one by the team and the supporters. Only problem is though he is still that same player and not much has changed.

 

[xplo]

Similar thing has happened to Mitchel Hahn from the dogs. when he was first drafted he wasn't blessed with speed of light or athleticism's he was just a hard nut that will go in 100% at every contest. He quickly became a loved one by the team and the supporters. Only problem is though he is still that same player and not much has changed.

Yep, I reckon that's a great comparison. Not identical players, but what they brought with them from junior football served them really well when they started out.

A few years down the track some of their teammates have put on some size and added a few tricks, so they'll both have to respond to that challenge.

Stephen Tingay is another that comes to mind as a guy who came onto the scene looking great, and gradually got worse every year till he was delisted after his 7th season.

 

[Grimreepah]

Interesting comparison, but I would make a few comments:

Hahn is still a very good player (haven't seen much of him since his knee injury, but I thought he was a very important player before then) and his physical size is still an asset. I would say that Shermo is similar. The skinny kids may catch up to a degree but Shermo's size and athleticism will always be an advantage.

Also, while the other guys are working on their size and getting used to their new bodies, Sherman can spend more time working on other aspects of his game. So while his upside may be less, I would still expect him to be improving. And I don't think Shermo's fall from grace is due to other players catching up. If he was playing at the level he reached in 05 and 06 he would never have been dropped. So I'm probably not as concerned for Shermo as what xplo is.

Being physically mature at an early age can sometimes be implied as a bad thing, but IMO being ready to play at 18 instead of 21 is a big plus.

 

[acuguy]

A fit and firing Sherman is vital to our chances of playing a big part in the finals this year. He is a real line breaker, lets hope a full pre season and a good pre season competition will see Shermo bounce back to his best and even better. My advice to him would be to use his attributes to do the team things eg. pace- chase downs tackles, working to extra contests to provide body support,

Run- work hard to create space, if not for him then for others

Feed the ball- have a few players specifically that he knows that when they run past him to give them the ball eg. Notting, Lappin, Power,

My feeling last year was that Shermo carried a lot of pressure from himself and the public to become one of the Lions main guns because of his 2006 form. I think this led to him making some bad decisions that sort of exposed some weaknesses in his game. I think last year was a case of a couple of steps backwards so that he will be able to go forward.

 

[CoZi36]

Bradshaw - from the stands in 2007 to playing 22+ games haha.

 

[maroon and blue]

I have made Sherman my focus player this year. Why? Because I like his physical attack on the ball, taking on the opposition. Backing himself. He may appear arrogant but all great teams have a dose of it. Plus he is dam exiciting to watch.

 

[Brishawk]

Hi Lions fans.

I hope you don't mind me posting here - I live in Brisbane and watch a lot of their games. If you can really have a second team I guess they would be mine. I am new to bigfooty and I have found some supports get overly sensitive to foriegners on their boards. I hope that is not the case here.

Just a few thoughts on some of the players mentioned in this thread.

M Clark - got talent no doubt but the wrap on him has always been his attitude. An other poster comparded him to Lance Franklin. What you might not realise about Lance is that he is just about the best performed Hawk on the training track. If Clark wants to perform to the level he can, he needs to do it in all aspects of his footy including rehab and training.

The Burger - he is a gun no doubt. I liked him as a pinch hitting forward last season and I can see him playing there if Clark fails to get onto the park and have an impact. Otherwise second ruck to Charman (you guys cannot afford Charman to go down!).

Harding - A ball magnet that fails to hurt the opposition. Not a great tackler in a team that does quite well in that department considering its youth. Must improve his disposal and decision making.

Sherman - Must return to form this year after a solid preseason. I think he will play a few different roles this season oscilating between HBF and HFF. May end up on the wing.

Mills - Definately a defender and I expect him to move back there this season. Roe, Mills and Merrit has the makings of a solid backline. Just need the tough small/mid sized guys in there to complement them.

 

[Warwick]

Mills - Definately a defender and I expect him to move back there this season. Roe, Mills and Merrit has the makings of a solid backline. Just need the tough small/mid sized guys in there to complement them.

Good post Brishawk.

But I don't get how people think Mills is "definitely a defender". He did his best work acting as a link man up forward. He took plenty of contested grabs just outside the 50 and dished it off. His disposal means he will never act as a traditional goal-kicking CHF, but his worth to the team is much greater when he has the luxury of going for his grabs. I would much rather see Power or Black getting a free disposal running off Mills' shoulder, than having them trying to win the ball from a contest in the same area.

It's the same as people wanting Copeland to return to a run-with role. Why? He had very little influence on games playing that role, but when pushed forward, he looked dangerous.

 

[Brishawk]

Good post Brishawk.

But I don't get how people think Mills is "definitely a defender". He did his best work acting as a link man up forward. He took plenty of contested grabs just outside the 50 and dished it off. His disposal means he will never act as a traditional goal-kicking CHF, but his worth to the team is much greater when he has the luxury of going for his grabs. I would much rather see Power or Black getting a free disposal running off Mills' shoulder, than having them trying to win the ball from a contest in the same area.

It's the same as people wanting Copeland to return to a run-with role. Why? He had very little influence on games playing that role, but when pushed forward, he looked dangerous.

For me, Mills will never hurt teams on the scoreboard playing as a forward. I don't know if any team can afford the luxury of playing forwards who don't kick goals. If you compare him to other lead up players, most successful teams have a midsized player performing that role who push a little further up field and then make tracks back towards the goal line. Otherwise, they are a tall player who can regularly score goals from the 50 m arc.

Mills is the type of player who will be able to out position opposition forwards, take a mark, and give the ball off to the runners to begin a counter attack. He should be able to develop his own running game and provide options comming out of the backline too.

Of course, that is all speculation. I guess time will tell.

 

[blynd_freddie]

Wayde is 3 years younger than Joel MacDonald. In my opinion he is where Joel was 3 years ago, in so far as questionable ability. Remember how Jmac returned from injury to now arguably be in our best 22.

I am happy to allow Alice a couple more years to unearth his potential. Even now, many people are suggesting he is our number one replacement should Merrett be omitted due to injury.

For years Brisbane has experimented with backs/forwards rotating to opposite roles for short periods, Bradshaw, Brennan, Leppa, Johnson, Patfull even I think Lynchy on Lloyd at one stage?

Also enjoy your thoughts Brishawk… yes, I am very much looking forward to what the future holds for Wayde Mills, may not directly hurt the opposition on the scoreboard but could well become one hell of a feeder of goal assists.

From either end.

 

[xplo]

Brad Miller had an ordinary year, but before that was quite effective as a non-goal-kicking CHF, and he's the closest playing model of how Millsy played last year. Hard running, centered on the center circle, providing a vigorous, very visual target for anyone looking upfield in the back 50.

It's also worth noting that Brown played CHF in three premierships without breaking 40 goals -- in 2003 he only kicked 14. Obviously he contributed plenty, but allowed Lynch, Bradshaw, Power and McRae plenty of space to work in. Millsy is capable of playing a similar role. If Brown, Bradshaw, Clark, Brennan Hooper, McGrath, etc are converting, he won't necessarily have to kick a score to be successful.

However the kicking is a weakness and if he can't turn it from a weakness into at least a non-issue, sooner or later someone -- perhaps Tyler, Henderson, Collier, Garner or Clouston -- will supersede him.

 

[Warwick]

And it has to be remembered that our ball movement was pathetic for a long period of time last year. We couldn't effectively move the ball from defence into attack because no-one was presenting up the ground. When we eventually did get it towards our attacking 50, Browny would have 3 on him and the opposition could flood back and clear easily.

When Mills came into the team we suddenly had someone to kick it to. He straightened us up tremendously. His kicking is average, but he does take a very good grab and gives it off to one of our mids running past. If he is going to play that role again next year he either needs to work very hard on his kicking, or learn when and when not to give it off (particularly if the receiving player is about to run into a wall).

 

[Tassie4ever]

And it has to be remembered that our ball movement was pathetic for a long period of time last year. We couldn't effectively move the ball from defence into attack because no-one was presenting up the ground. When we eventually did get it towards our attacking 50, Browny would have 3 on him and the opposition could flood back and clear easily.

When Mills came into the team we suddenly had someone to kick it to. He straightened us up tremendously. His kicking is average, but he does take a very good grab and gives it off to one of our mids running past. If he is going to play that role again next year he either needs to work very hard on his kicking, or learn when and when not to give it off (particularly if the receiving player is about to run into a wall).

Agree with your assessment. Good running ability, good size, excellent mark, strong. However, the reality is that unless Mills' skill level, and especially kicking, improves out of sight then he is one of those on the fringes who will feel the hot breath of real competition this season, the lack of which was a key reason that he, and maybe one or two others, played as much as he did in '07. Unfortunately, at the elite level Mills' kicking isn't "average"- it's well below requirements by any measure.