- Apr 26, 2016
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- AFL Club
- Sydney
- Moderator
- #151
Its a fair point - and something that I think will improve in time. The issue is the development in other parts of the team has been so rapid this year, that the 'flaws' that are there are being more highlighted then before - this being one of them. In many ways, getting the midfield right is a whole let easier then a lot of other issues around the park - but no doubt we need to improve in there and get a better mix - but father time is going to make that happen to some degree over the next year or two anyway with Joey, and its clear we are open to trying new things - JM had some promising signs again in there today I thought.
McInerney in the mids was not something new. He was just the latest in a long line of young Swans going back to Zak Jones who are just part of the rotating supporting cast around the inside brigade, which is where the real problem lies.
We have no problem getting first hands on it at ruck contests. We are better than our opponents most weeks at actually getting our hands on the pill at centre bounces, because few midfields have the sheer strength and physicality of JPK, Parker and Mills. The problem is they are charged with the ball drop, and the supporting mids (usually a designated young mid - Jones in 2018/2019, Florent in 2019/2020, Rowbottom in 2020/earlier this year, Warner earlier this year, Hewett the last month, McInerney today) then set up accordingly for the clearance. But because those getting first hands on it are stagnant, lacking in agility, composure or awareness, they fail to find that player set up for the clearance. So our clearance is nullified and turned over before it's even happened, the clearance player is then caught out in the attacking position rather than the defensive position, and so the opposition mid is able to just waltz out relatively unimpeded.
Horse hasn't shown any willingness to give the role of player getting first hands on it to anyone who doesn't play like a big-bodied bull in years. The only time anyone who doesn't fit that profile has been given that role is when JPK is out. Hewett had a go at it in 2019 when JPK was injured, and Rowbottom had it for a month or so last year when JPK was injured. This year it seems like he's phasing JPK out (which is smart) and making Mills his successor. But Mills doesn't offer much different really, so it's changing the personnel but not the fundamental dynamic of the midfield.
Apologies for the rant. I love everyone in our midfield individually but as a collective I think it's diabolical.