ELITE MIDFIELDERS 2013

[matty lloyd the champ]

Seriously mods...this thread has degenerated and either needs to be closed (shame cause the topic is worth discussing) or moved to the bay where those with little pricks and same sized minds can carry on.

Topic is pretty ordinary as well to be honest. Who's to say who is elite or not? Everyone has a different standard and to be honest, having the likes of Heppell, Goddard, Judd and Bartel being classified as "elite" isn't right. (Again that is my opinion of elite but I think it's pretty safe to say most don't have those four as being elite this season).

 

[HeavyPop]

LOL @ Heppell and Stanton being considered elite. It was just last year where Stanton went to water on ANZAC Day after being tagged by Marty Clarke.

OP, you're too relaxed with your idea of elite. Out of your list, I'd consider the following to be truly elite players:

Dangerfield
Murphy
Pendlebury
Watson
Selwood
Johnson
Mitchell
Cotchin
Kennedy

 

[Hamshamiltonhocking]

Time for a recap:
There seems to be no criticism of the following fourteen midfielders being included in the current Top Twenty on their performances this year:
Ablett, Dangerfield, Murphy, Judd, Pendlebury, Swan, Watson, Selwood, Johnson, Mitchell, Hodge, Cotchin, Kennedy, Jack
That means that the debate rages around six: Let's consider each:
Swallow: One correspondent thought he was very good but not elite. Swallow has won three club best and fairest awards in seasons where he averaged 24 disposals. This year he is averaging 27. Regardless of statistics, if he's not an elite player, I've never seen one.
Boak: Has averaged 27 possessions and 1 goal per game this season. Gets his own ball too. Genuine leader.
Barlow: 25 possessions and 7 tackles per game. Cannot be lightly disregarded.
Stanton: 25 possessions and 5 tackles per game. Also started well last year but did not maintain form. However, at the moment, he seems a key factor in Essendon's resurgence in 2013.
Goddard: Seems to be living up to his hype at a new club, and is obviously stiffening and adding class to the misfield.
Bartel: I've been to see Geelong play twice this year, and each time Bartel spent most of his time in the midfield. He seems to be playing the Luke Hodge role of 'defensive' midfielder, but he's still a midfielder, and a very creative one who sneaks forward to kick goals.

Of others mentioned, at the Western Bulldogs, I thought Cooney has had a better year than Griffen, but neither has been profoundly influential. Priddis, like West Coast, has so far been variable in performance in 2013. Others deserving consideration include Delidio (3 poor games?), Cornes of Port who has been very consistent, and Hanneberry who I agree has been very good.

 

[dthom]

What does it matter? There's no reason to start hurling insults.

For what it's worth: J. Selwood, G. Ablett, S. Pendlebury, J. Watson and S. Mitchell.

 

[matty lloyd the champ]

My definition of being an elite midfielder is someone who has dealt with tags and constantly beaten them. On that basis, only Pendlebury, Ablett and Watson have done that in recent times and are what I regard as "elite". There are tonnes of players that run rampant without attention and look like superstars, i.e Johnson, Jack, Stanton, Barlow, Deledio and Hodge but until they consistently attract taggers week in and week out and beat them, it's hard to put them in the same category as the three I mentioned.

 

[Harmichael]

Stanton will win a Premiership at his club. Can you say the same about Deledio?

Not really. Deledio's Premiership will be legitimate.

 

[Igloo]

Of others mentioned, at the Western Bulldogs, I thought Cooney has had a better year than Griffen, but neither has been profoundly influential. Priddis, like West Coast, has so far been variable in performance in 2013. Others deserving consideration include Delidio (3 poor games?), Cornes of Port who has been very consistent, and Hanneberry who I agree has been very good.

Cooney has been playing off a HBF for a lot of the year.
Griffen (when he wasn't injured) has been our BOG or 2nd BOG (except when beaten by Crowley).
Lions - BOG
Freo - tagged out of the game by Crowley
Tigers - BOG or 2nd BOG, depending if you thought Jones' 4 goal game was better.
Crows - Injured and went off.
Geelong - Injured
WCE - Injured
North - BOG

He's been very influential when playing.

 

[Forward Press]

Seriously mods...this thread has degenerated and either needs to be closed (shame cause the topic is worth discussing) or moved to the bay where those with little pricks and same sized minds can carry on.

Thread remains open as there is merit.

However, the culprits behind this spate of trolling and abuse have been thread-banned and infractions are next up.

Carry on.

 

[The Bomb]

My definition of being an elite midfielder is someone who has dealt with tags and constantly beaten them. On that basis, only Pendlebury, Ablett and Watson have done that in recent times and are what I regard as "elite". There are tonnes of players that run rampant without attention and look like superstars, i.e Johnson, Jack, Stanton, Barlow, Deledio and Hodge but until they consistently attract taggers week in and week out and beat them, it's hard to put them in the same category as the three I mentioned.

Ablett
Pendles
Watson
&
Swan also beats tags

 

[The_Wookie]

thread has been cleaned up and 2 users banned from the thread, one with a strong warning. Keep it clean and civil lads.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Thread needs more

Ill give you rockliff as a possibility but Hanley? I think not yet.

 

[kenneje]

What does it matter? There's no reason to start hurling insults.

For what it's worth: J. Selwood, G. Ablett, S. Pendlebury, J. Watson and S. Mitchell.

Spot on. There's no defintion of 'elite' in an AFL sense, the word is chucked around too loosely, and in my opinion it should be held for the top 3-5 in each position. For the mids, it is this list without a doubt.

 

[Tigers_fan24]

Spot on. There's no defintion of 'elite' in an AFL sense, the word is chucked around too loosely, and in my opinion it should be held for the top 3-5 in each position. For the mids, it is this list without a doubt.

I would add swan there. I love richmonds big three and I believe all three of them have the potential to be elite mid fielders some day, but swan has won many important game off his back and deserves and inclusion. **** I hated saying that and my fellow supporters will hate me but I try not to be *biased

 

[AFLQLD]

I don't know if there are many elite midfielders at all and possibly their benefit to the team can be over-exaggerated.

I don't know if Sydney has any actual elite midfielders in my opinion. What they do have is a group of very very good midfielders who as a unit are absolutely elite. In fact, given a choice between one elite midfielder or two very good ones, I think I would take the two good ones.

Not that I would knock back any elite midfielder if I could get them, just that there is a balance between quality and quantity in the midfield.

 

[Astro Bomber]

Thread needs more Richmond supporters claiming delidio is better than Stanton.

 

[DrMike]

I don't know why you're all arguing about it, AFL already know who the elite are
http://www.afl.com.au/stats/player-ratings/overall-standings#position/midfielder

 

[Some Idiot]

Griffen is better than a lot of those listed. lol.

 

[Astro Bomber]

LOL @ Heppell and Stanton being considered elite. It was just last year where Stanton went to water on ANZAC Day after being tagged by Marty Clarke.

OP, you're too relaxed with your idea of elite. Out of your list, I'd consider the following to be truly elite

That's right it was more than a year ago. He shredded Collingwood a new one this year

 

[nicshata]

Stanton better than Deledio?

Really?

Deledio cannot break a tag

 

[pinot]

Carrazzo has stopped all the elite mids in the competition what does the make him?

 

[fishardansin]

oh shit sorry mate, i forgot one game decides who is a better player, SORRY!! ..... just give up, please

Deledio has speed that Stanton will never have, and a long kick that wont be matched by him either. However, Stanton covers much more territory in a game which provides outlets for defenders, and over lap handballs for other mids underpressure. There is a reason why he's been the number one target for taggers at Essendon, well there's two. Firstly Jobe is untaggable, secondly because if you can take Stanton out of the game Essendon has a lot less run.

Once again Stanton was probably BOG for Essendon against Freo. He has played exceptionally well this year while carrying a tag, which means many of our other mids get off the leash a little bit.

Watson and Stanton are the Bombers that deserve the elite tag. In the true meaning of the word. Goddard has been very good and Heppell has shown he and Fyfe are going to be neck and neck as the best two midfielders soon, but neither have been as awesome as the other two.

 

[nineteen eighty]

I don't know if there are many elite midfielders at all and possibly their benefit to the team can be over-exaggerated.

I don't know if Sydney has any actual elite midfielders in my opinion. What they do have is a group of very very good midfielders who as a unit are absolutely elite. In fact, given a choice between one elite midfielder or two very good ones, I think I would take the two good ones.

Not that I would knock back any elite midfielder if I could get them, just that there is a balance between quality and quantity in the midfield.

Kennedy for mine is in the tier 1 bracket of mids currently going around. Call them elite, call them the best of the best, call them elite...whatever. Kennedy easily sits alongside them.

 

[matty lloyd the champ]

Watson and Stanton are the Bombers that deserve the elite tag. In the true meaning of the word. Goddard has been very good and Heppell has shown he and Fyfe are going to be neck and neck as the best two midfielders soon, but neither have been as awesome as the other two.

I know you probably love Stanton as much as I do but I'd have Fyfe ahead of Stanton any day of the week and ahead of Heppell by a substantial margin.

I think as Essendon fans, we overate Heppell a fair bit and need to hold back on statements calling him elite and such.

 

[Kavliaris69]

Dyson Heppell is good but far from elite, you are missing quite a few better midfielders than him (Ablett, Deledio, O'Keefe, McVeigh, Thompson, Sloane, Mundy, Fyfe, Griffen, Boyd etc.)

Agree 100%. Heppel is a gimick at best. Ablett, O'Keefe and Fyfe from your list are excellent. Not many "elite" around though. Maybe 3 in the comp.

 

[Kavliaris69]

Elite has lost all meaning in reference to football. Anyone who strings a couple of games together now is elite, any player who has had a good year is in the elite category. There is a difference between very very good, and elite. The term elite should be reserved for the the absolute best, ffs we shouldn't have to clarify that ablett is above elite because he is so much better then the others put in that category, thats why he is elite, because he is so much better then everyone else.

I agree with you totally. Most teams have one elite player and plenty of A grades. There are probably only 4 "elite" mids in the whole comp that can produce serious quality posessions, clearances, etc. Ablett, Mitchell, Selwood and Pendles. They are true mids that have proved their elite abilities. The rest of the so called "elite" are A grade players.