Roast How diabolical is our midfield?

[John Who]

It’s widely acknowledged by outside opinions that we’re potent on the scoring end this year, and even the most negative of supporters on this board can hardly argue with this. Scoring more this year isn’t just reflective of better forwards, but also reflective of a stronger midfield contributions.

We appear to be winning more clearances than last year as well as better transitioning from defense to the forward zone. Last round was the anomaly of our midfield being bashed and thoroughly beaten. But I don’t think you could say this was the case for most of the other games this year.

 

[jackster83]

Going early on Rachele being a dunce is 100% going to backfire.

He IS doing elite things. Yes, there are parts of his game he would like to iron out, but it seems fitness related.

Still on a gun trajectory for me.

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My concern is we have NFI how to develop midfielders.

 

[John Who]

IIRC Rachele's mum was here last Mothers Day for the Saints game, she was one of many mums that stood by the banner as the Crows players came out.

Im glad we are doing all these things to help keep him here for the long term.

Thats my only concern about Rachele, as a player I love him and he is progressing nicely.

I think his accuracy has dropped a bit due to him being gassed with more running in the midfield. Once he gets the fitness to another level, the goal kicking will improve again.

I liken Rachele to Fog. Looking ok in their second year, being played in different roles, some fans become disappointed. Then everything clicks one day and everyone will jump back on board!

 

[Brasher]

Coming out of the train wreck post 2017 and the 1000 days following the big blunder was McCasey over a mid.

Murray fixed the KPD hole with a free hit but we haven't fixed what we could have had in McCaseys draft.

Team needs an elite established mid to push everyone else down a rung same as what Dawkins and Rankin have done to make up for the 3 year development lag.

Sell the farm to get the player, do something innovative....the team profile does not need more development prospects.

 

[ABAB]

I think his accuracy has dropped a bit due to him being gassed with more running in the midfield. Once he gets the fitness to another level, the goal kicking will improve again.

I liken Rachele to Fog. Looking ok in their second year, being played in different roles, some fans become disappointed. Then everything clicks one day and everyone will jump back on board!

The only ones who are disappointed didn't see Rachele's first month playing as a midfielder.

 

[John Who]

The only ones who are disappointed didn't see Rachele's first month playing as a midfielder.

The other issue I can think of is that the opposition are giving him close attention because they know he can be damaging. Kind of like Rozee and Butters to some degree where they looked like they stagnated for a while, and now are coming through to be genuine A-graders.

 

[Samcro24]

My concern is we have NFI how to develop midfielders.

Small sample size, we don’t recruit them!

 

[Smoooothy]

wait wait wait - which smooth brained individual thinks we should trade rachele??

 

[Geoffa32]

Gary Ablett junior also took at least 4 seasons to average 20 possessions a game

If Rachele had a tank and was putting up numbers he is now I’d be LESS bullish on his improvement curve going forward

Burgo will build it.

Both Danger and Gaz jnr had to build theirs.

For Gaz jnr it was more about work rate. He was a lazy footballer his first couple of seasons.

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[Danger_zone]

I remember when Mutineer was singing the praises of Serong during the draft. However, the nuffies on here were downvoting/shouting abuse that we don’t need another midget (ala McHenry), we need a big body mid!

But alas, no big body mid was available (well there was Kemp but ACL year etc) and we needed a Talia replacement (Hello McAsey).

Then Covid came and ****ed our team!

 

[1990crow]

Burgo will build it.

Both Danger and Gaz jnr had to build theirs.

For Gaz jnr it was more about work rate. He was a lazy footballer his first couple of seasons.

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Spot on re Ablett. From memory it wasn't until 2005/2006 off seasons that his team mates sat him down and said he was wasting his talent and letting the club down etc which is when he went from ok/good player to the elite of the elite.

Rachele is actually putting the work in and will see results in two years time.

 

[Geoffa32]

Spot on re Ablett. From memory it wasn't until 2005/2006 off seasons that his team mates sat him down and said he was wasting his talent and letting the club down etc which is when he went from ok/good player to the elite of the elite.

Rachele is actually putting the work in and will see results in two years time.

I think Rachele can get there.

But need more talent in the middle.


13 odd years without drafting top midfield talent is biting hard now.

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[1990crow]

I think Rachele can get there.

But need more talent in the middle.


13 odd years without drafting top midfield talent is biting hard now.

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I don't disagree. But Laird and Dawson are actually pretty good. It's that third mid that just isn't there.. which is where Rachele will be unfortunately not yet.

By that time Laird will probably be slowing down and we will need someone else. Soligo will be very good but not the one we need. Pedlar may end up there but an established mid coming in would make his transition easier.

We are going to need to go shopping.

2026 midfield:
Dawson, ???, Pedlar, Rachele, Soligo, Dowling, Berry

 

[Scorpus]

The positive I see is that if we do strengthen our midfield, guys like Pedlar and Rachele can genuinely play other positions to a high standard.

It's not like we're investing in a Crouch type player that can't play anywhere else and is useless when we bring in fresh talent. These guys have some versatility.

But yes we definitely need to bring in another elite powerful pure midfielder. What we have isn't enough yet

 

[Danger_zone]

If it wasn't for the VAFL and the ridiculous amount of priority picks including the unrestricted ability to take all of the NT talent with extra list spots allowed.
Noah Anderson almost certainly would have been suiting up in a Crows jumper not McAsey because Melbourne were locked into Luke Jackson from a long way out.

If not for the VAFL and their love child the GCS's we don't trade down and take Noah Anderson, only downside to that would be Luke Pedlar would likely have been wearing a GWS jumper not a Crows jumper.

I guess there's also some chance we may have traded up to take McAsey later if he was still on the board but there's no way we take him if we still held our original pick?

I was saving the GCS concessions rant for another post

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Tom Green

12

Tom Green

Age

23

Ht

192cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

4star

CL

2.8

4star

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

3star

CL

2.8

4star

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

4star

CL

2.8

5star

's four year deal still hurts. Not that I ever thought we were a chance but he's the type of midfielder I wish we could get.

 

[Firewalker]

Tom Green's four year deal still hurts. Not that I ever thought we were a chance but he's the type of midfielder I wish we could get.

What a player, I loved him pre-draft could not believe the knocks on him and some saying he wasn’t top 15, only other player I’d had that exact thought on was when I watched Bontempelli pre his draft and laughed when the experts had him as an 8-12 pick prospect because I thought he was by far the best player I’d seen in u/18 footage and best in the draft by a mile. Definitely believe now with Green that it was GWS staff trying to deliberately plunge his value.

The Crows should’ve used Pick 4 in 2019 to at least bid on him, I know GWS maybe would’ve still matched but there was still some doubts they would have matched a top 5 pick on him from memory. I know the club got Pedlar from the deal in the end but the fact they helped GWS so much in that draft was very overly generous.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Would have went to Richmond where his grandfather was a legend anyhow...We were never likely to be in that discussion.

Did you miss the part where I said "not that I ever thought we were a chance".

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I don't disagree. But Laird and Dawson are actually pretty good. It's that third mid that just isn't there.. which is where Rachele will be unfortunately not yet.

By that time Laird will probably be slowing down and we will need someone else. Soligo will be very good but not the one we need. Pedlar may end up there but an established mid coming in would make his transition easier.

We are going to need to go shopping.

2026 midfield:
Dawson, ???, Pedlar, Rachele, Soligo, Dowling, Berry

Jones, Taylor...

 

[Firewalker]

You don't think there would have been agreement between the 2 clubs that gave us their pick 6 and their next year's first (Pedlar) for trading down 2 spots that we don't bid on Green? Come on...

Never said there wasn’t, just said that the Crows were very accommodating (mostly due to the McAsey misread) to an opposition club to allow them Ash and then get a player like Green for nothing all for a speculative future 1st rounder from that years Grand finalists. Pedlar’s only now just saving that agreement from being the most totally incompetent free kick they’d given to an opposition club.

 

[George Kramer]

No fear, we’ve drafted and recruited the best mids the last 3 years. You guys don’t need to stress

 

[John Who]

Interested to hear thoughts on people who think our midfield is diabolical but somehow manage to beat convincingly 2 of the top current 5 teams (Port, Saints), and lost to the current top team by 1 point?

Personally, I think our midfield is a bit too lightweight and likely easily being pushed around. This will improve naturally improve as the youngsters fill out their bodies. Another good midfield recruit and someone in the reserves making a big jump over the preseason, might just be the missing pieces.

 

[Dangerousfield]

Probably need to get two first rounders this year and use them both on mids. Make a deal with GC for their first

Still need more power/class beyond Soligo, Rachele and Pedlar

Tell us the details of what you're proposing to offer GC

 

[WeeBlake]

Accommodating getting a 1st round pick in the next year's draft for a 2 pick downgrade and knowing almost for certain the player they were targeting was still going to be available at the 2 pick downgrade..The fact the player we drafted was a bust is irrelevant, any list manager would have done that deal.

Agree. The deal wasn’t bad, just the (first) pick.

 

[GreyCrow]

Interested to hear thoughts on people who think our midfield is diabolical but somehow manage to beat convincingly 2 of the top current 5 teams (Port, Saints), and lost to the current top team by 1 point?

Personally, I think our midfield is a bit too lightweight and likely easily being pushed around. This will improve naturally improve as the youngsters fill out their bodies. Another good midfield recruit and someone in the reserves making a big jump over the preseason, might just be the missing pieces.

Just for clarity

Are you suggesting we dont need to draft midfielders for 3 years (maybe 1 more) until our already in place midfielders become heavyweights?

Or are you saying our midfield is stacked