The best midfield

[Dez!]

Seen enough

You clearly haven't.

 

[RAPPA]

Fu*k I hate the pies but their midfield plus Beams is tantalising. Even if Beams plays only 16-18 games that’s still sufficient for that midfield to be dominant and win enough games to place them in the top 4.

All of Beams, Pendles and Sidebottom should still be playing for the next three years. Provided they can transitioned out of the mids and can play off the flanks to allow the kids to come through, the pies’ only worry will be to find a good fullback and a key forward.

 

[nineteen eighty]

Fu*k I hate the pies but their midfield plus Beams is tantalising. Even if Beams plays only 16-18 games that’s still sufficient for that midfield to be dominant and win enough games to place them in the top 4.

All of Beams, Pendles and Sidebottom should still be playing for the next three years. Provided they can transitioned out of the mids and can play off the flanks to allow the kids to come through, the pies’ only worry will be to find a good fullback and a key forward.

Darcy Moore if his body holds up will be a gun KPB. He really is a young gun. Just always injured.

 

[doppleganger]

He's actually more than just a hard nut but you would need to watch him to realise that which you obviously haven't.

Viney is like L.Ball.

Still be a good player, but already reached his ceiling. Peaked at 21-22

The guys with upside at the Dees are Petracca n Brayshaw, and Dee fans would hope a guy like Salem could make a leap.

 

[Dez!]

Viney is like L.Ball.

Still be a good player, but already reached his ceiling. Peaked at 21-22

The guys with upside at the Dees are Petracca n Brayshaw, and Dee fans would hope a guy like Salem could make a leap.

Viney has absolutely not peaked.

 

[Tap Tap Tapperoo]

Viney is clearly being pigeon holed by posters in this thread as an in and under plodder. He is actually an explosive, powerful mid who can burst out of stoppages. If he gets his foot right, I would expect this to only get better.

Anyway, the answer to the OP is clearly Collingwood. That midfield is frightening, even more so when you include the ruckman.

 

[Trav 20]

Viney is like L.Ball.

Still be a good player, but already reached his ceiling. Peaked at 21-22

The guys with upside at the Dees are Petracca n Brayshaw, and Dee fans would hope a guy like Salem could make a leap.

Viney is quick and Ball was slow.

Viney benches the most at the club. I doubt Ball was close to the strongest.

Viney is a beast around the contest. Ball was incredibly brave, but no ''beast''.

But yeah, they're a similar height.

Poor comparison.

 

[jackenny]

Viney is quick and Ball was slow.

Viney benches the most at the club. I doubt Ball was close to the strongest.

Viney is a beast around the contest. Ball was incredibly brave, but no ''beast''.

But yeah, they're a similar height.

Poor comparison.

Pretty much. You only need to watch the two side-by-side to realise they look nothing alike in how they play...

I would say Collingwood has the better midfield (out of them and the Demons), but the Demons look more comfortable on both ends of the ground. Tom McDonald is a beast.

OTHER THOUGHTS

Richmond: their success and dominance has more to do with having a backline stacked with elite players, not their midfield (still a quality midfield, just nothing special in my mind - the only standouts to me are Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Kane Lambert, and a debatable Shane Edwards - while the rest are solid citizens like Dion Prestia and Toby Nankervis who chime in every now and then with great games, then you have depth players like Shaun Grigg). You compare this to their backline which consists of Nick Vlastuin, Dylan Grimes, David Astbury, Bachar Houli, and Alex Rance who are all elite players in their own right and would be Top 22 for any team really. You realise pretty quickly where the strength of their team lies. Not their midfield. It's their backline.

 

[doppleganger]

Viney is quick and Ball was slow.

Viney benches the most at the club. I doubt Ball was close to the strongest.

Viney is a beast around the contest. Ball was incredibly brave, but no ''beast''.

But yeah, they're a similar height.

Poor comparison.

L.Ball was drafted pick2 because he was a star power athlete as a junior.

He was a sprint champion, was top 5 percent in the draft camp for 10 and 20m speed tests, and was also great at vertical leap.

He peaked at 22, then injuries cruellerd him, OP meant he lost is leg power.

 

[Trav 20]

L.Ball was drafted pick2 because he was a star power athlete as a junior.

He was a sprint champion, was top 5 percent in the draft camp for 10 and 20m speed tests, and was also great at vertical leap.

He peaked at 22, then injuries cruellerd him, OP meant he lost is leg power.

You may be right.

I'm an old Xav and certainly knew of his credentials before he was drafted.

Can you provide some evidence of his ''sprint champion status'' ? Not doubting you, although surprised, by would feel better if you provided evidence.

 

[mattyc75]

If the dees midfield isnt better than collingwoods this year then it will be shortly
Im very happy with the eagles midfield too .redden took a huge leap last season,hutchings had some huge scalps throughout the season while shuey,gaff and yeo are stars
Add to that core group guys like sheed,rioli and ah chee and its a very very solid midfield that on its day I'd back against any team in the comp

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Shooter#17]

I rate the dees core mids as probably the best in the game now but they lack depth to rotate through.

Pies looks great on paper but are ageing and I doubt adding another slowish mid in Beams will help them much at all. There's only so many mids you can play in a team.
Sidey is their weapon and for all their depth they rely too much on him now that pendles has dropped off.

I rate the dogs midfield group as good as any in the game. Bont, and Macrae are elite and well supported by Hunter, McLean, Wallis and Libba with emerging talent in Dunkley, Williams.

 

[doppleganger]

You may be right.

I'm an old Xav and certainly knew of his credentials before he was drafted.

Can you provide some evidence of his ''sprint champion status'' ? Not doubting you, although surprised, by would feel better if you provided evidence.

He was 3rd fastest in 20m sprint at his draft camp.

https://www.topendsports.com/sport/afl/testing-draft-results-2001.htm

But yeah once he was struck down with OP he lost his power.

Pies had to ‘fix’ him

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/fast-ball-20110921-1kla7.html

Back in 04-05 he was a star, the ferocious player with great burst power and would run all day.

 

[donkeypunchd]

I'll take ours over your piss weak choke in final against Eagles.

And what was the final score in Rd 9 last year?

 

[footyfan1978]

And what was the final score in Rd 9 last year?

You choked in Perth on a big stage. Deal with it.

 

[donkeypunchd]

What argument are you referring to?

I think tou have wondered away on your own tangent that has nothing to do with what was being debated.

My opinion is the easy draw provided easy kills and easy stats in 2018 for the Dees. These stats arent relevant when comparing to similar stats from teams with a more difficult draw.

You wondered off and started talking about Melbourne deserving where they finished. Totally different discussion.

I dont recall saying Melbourne didnt deserve to finish where they did. That discussion is based on emotion not facts so not really worth having.

You would expect a team like Melbourne to win games against the likes of GCS, Carlton etc it was the manner we beat them that above average- we handed out maulings to multiple teams above and beyond merely winning the games we were supposed to. The prelim performance was disappointing no doubt about it but our form at other stages of the year coupled with the age of our most important players (Jones and Lewis only starters above 30, Oliver Brayshaw and Petracca all sub 25, and Tmac & Gawn coming into their primes) would suggest that there should still be improvement in our list this year, injuries etc remaining equal.

 

[donkeypunchd]

You choked in Perth on a big stage. Deal with it.

Your club was VFL quality all year, and are shaping to be the same this season.

 

[Trav 20]

He was 3rd fastest in 20m sprint at his draft camp.

https://www.topendsports.com/sport/afl/testing-draft-results-2001.htm

But yeah once he was struck down with OP he lost his power.

Pies had to ‘fix’ him

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/fast-ball-20110921-1kla7.html

Back in 04-05 he was a star, the ferocious player with great burst power and would run all day.

Thanks. That's elite speed. Groin injuries are really debilitating.

I do remember his signature move bursting away from a stoppage, but more vividly a player who ran in concrete boots. And one who consistently put his head where he shouldn't.

Viney is always injured. I'm hoping he can get a full year in.

 

[00Stinger]

You choked in Perth on a big stage. Deal with it.

How did we choke?

We were comprehensively beaten by the best team of the year, on their home deck after they had a week off to plan for us.

That is not a choke, that is just being comprehensively beaten by a better side at the business end of the season

 

[doppleganger]

Thanks. That's elite speed. Groin injuries are really debilitating.

I do remember his signature move bursting away from a stoppage, but more vividly a player who ran in concrete boots. And one who consistently put his head where he shouldn't.

Viney is always injured. I'm hoping he can get a full year in.

Yep.

The point is a guy like L.Ball played his best footy when he was 20-21.

Even Pendles and Beams, they arguably had their best individual seasons in 2011 and 2012 respectively when they were that 22 age range. They have just maintained that level without improving since.

Oliver is already at AA squad level, does he really have another level to jump to?

Brayshaw and Harmes both made big jumps in 2018.

So for mine at the Dees I am expecting Oliver, Brayshaw and Harmes to produce similar quality output that they already did in 2018 next year.

Guys who may improve are Trac and Salem.

 

[Ian Dunross]

My crack-

1. Pies
2. Demons
3. GWS
4. Tigers
5. Crows

 

[footyfan1978]

How did we choke?

Did you just erase all the fumbles and pant shitting by your players in first 15 minutes that meant game was over from an early choke?
Well done of head in sand stuff. It never happened....lol

 

[00Stinger]

Did you just erase all the fumbles and pant shitting by your players in first 15 minutes that meant game was over from an early choke?
Well done of head in sand stuff. It never happened....lol

So we were the better team and should have won, should we?

 

[footyfan1978]

So we were the better team and should have won, should we?

Chokers, you know it. Watch that first quarter again. Try to tell me you not chokers after watching all those pathetic fumbles. Go on, watch it again...lol

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

When fit Jack is easily our second best midfielder after Oliver, and he's still often more damaging in close than Oliver is. One of the most underrated players in the comp - watch out if he plays 22 games this year.