Autopsy The Midfield

[CM9000]

With a loss to GWS on the back of Shuey's absence, I thought I'd start a thread to discuss our midfield and what we can do to change it.

I've come up with a few certainties:
* The production of Priddis has dropped off significantly, in all key statistics.
* We don't have a ruck.
* Sam Mitchell is pure silk and must to be kept in the side.
* All our fulltime, part time and potential midfielders are available:
- Luke Shuey
- Matt Priddis
- Sam Mitchell
- Dom Sheed
- Liam Duggan
- Elliot Yeo
- Jackson Nelson
- Luke Partington
- Daniel Venables
- Tom Cole
- Kurt Mutimer
- Andrew Gaff
- Chris Masten
- Jack Redden
- Mark Hutchings
- Sharrod Wellingham

Considering these things, what do we change? How do we fix the midfield?

 

[wraglesweb]

All comes down to Swervabillity.........

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

We saw how good the side looked in 2015 with a game plan that was working, fixing how we set up and move the ball through the midfield is the quickest way of seeing improvement.

None of Jetta, Redden or Mitchell have fixed our midfield over the last few years, I'm not convinced trading for yet another experienced player will fix it either. We have enough quality there that we shouldn't be getting smashed.

 

[bodazoka]

With a loss to GWS on the back of Shuey's absence, I thought I'd start a thread to discuss our midfield and what we can do to change it.

I've come up with a few certainties:
* The production of Priddis has dropped off significantly, in all key statistics.
* We don't have a ruck.
* Sam Mitchell is pure silk and must to be kept in the side.
* All our fulltime, part time and potential midfielders are available:
- Luke Shuey
- Andrew Gaff - Above average winger, not a hard contested player never will be
- Dom Sheed - Looking good

- Matt Priddis - Aging
- Sam Mitchell - Wont be playing next year
- Liam Duggan - Regressed
- Elliot Yeo - Inconsistant, arguably an AA Half Back but not a midfielder

- Chris Masten - Average midfielder
- Mark Hutchings - See Masten

- Jackson Nelson - Not a midfielder
- Tom Cole - Not a midfielder
- Sharrod Wellingham - Not a midfielder, poor mans Yeo

- Luke Partington - ?
- Daniel Venables - ?
- Kurt Mutimer - ?

- Jack Redden - Terrible and in consistant

Considering these things, what do we change? How do we fix the midfield?

3 out of 16 you can put some faith in going forward.

 

[donpyke92]

Nicknat

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

It's disappointing that Duggan in particular hasn't really come on. Parto apparently gets a lot of touches but is not very effective, you would've hoped that he could've already had played a few games by now. Mutimer just needs to be given more opportunities. Karps needs to find a way to get more of the ball. Not sure about Snadden yet, being stuck in the reserves hasn't helped him. Thankfully they are all young enough, but we need to see some improvement as time goes on. Too early to tell with Venables.
Sheed is the only one that looks particularly convincing out of the mids we drafted since 2013. Alec Waterman could've been pretty good if it weren't for his condition... Cavka could've been a decent goal kicking outside mid.

 

[WCErevival]

Matt Priddis out. Sheed to continue spending more minutes in the centre. Venables in on rotation.

 

[Eaglespur]

Some big decisions need to be made.

Next season we may not have Mitchell or Priddis.

 

[Eagleboy68]

1. Drop to bottom four and get a Judd Ablett or cousins Dangerfield etc etc.

2. trade a big name like (cough cough) Kennedy or McGovern for a top 4 pick and a player...( Not my desired option) or darling for as high as we can get top 10?

3. hope to god one or two of the kids you named like Partington and Venables become a grade.

4. Getting lucky with a late first rounder or second rounder like Freo did with Fyfe.

Maybe with the departure of priddis and Masten the kids like Duggan and Sheed etc will get more midfield time and come good lifting our midfield along with yeo and Venables turn into a superstar.

 

[Eagleboy68]

Some big decisions need to be made.

Next season we may not have Mitchell or Priddis.

Losing priddis will be a positive from here on out.

 

[avishka5]

Now is the optimum time to play dom as full time on baller. If simmo wants to refresh this side he drop priddis. I just suspect that we tend to over rely on prid to when the contested possession/clearances but play more as a unit when he isnt there.

 

[squashface]

It's the midfield, stupid!

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

1. Drop to bottom four and get a Judd Ablett or cousins Dangerfield etc etc.

2. trade a big name like (cough cough) Kennedy or McGovern for a top 4 pick and a player...( Not my desired option) or darling for as high as we can get top 10?

3. hope to god one or two of the kids you named like Partington and Venables become a grade.

4. Getting lucky with a late first rounder or second rounder like Freo did with Fyfe.

Maybe with the departure of priddis and Masten the kids like Duggan and Sheed etc will get more midfield time and come good lifting our midfield along with yeo and Venables turn into a superstar.

Lol

 

[kranky al]

Does anyone else remember when shuey was shit yet we kept playing him in the midfield despite being shit and slowly he became good.

Nah fkuc it - forward flank them

Thats how other clubs create good mids innit

 

[donpyke92]

Does anyone else remember when shuey was shit yet we kept playing him in the midfield despite being shit and slowly he became good.

Nah fkuc it - forward flank them

Thats how other clubs create good mids innit

Dangerfield, Cousins..Heeney, (unproven), but it does happen.
It can be a way of introducing the younger guys to the tempo of AFL.
But I do agree with you, we need to get more time into the younger fellas in the midfield. The last 2 games give weight to that POV.

 

[ziad]

We saw how good the side looked in 2015 with a game plan that was working, fixing how we set up and move the ball through the midfield is the quickest way of seeing improvement.

None of Jetta, Redden or Mitchell have fixed our midfield over the last few years, I'm not convinced trading for yet another experienced player will fix it either. We have enough quality there that we shouldn't be getting smashed.

You may have forgotten the GF in 15. Reality hit home big time. Masten was subbed off under the merit rule. Gaff worked but was plundered because of his slow running. Priddis and Shuey worked hard inside but there was no outside.

In summary - Small, Slow not Strong or highly Skilful.

 

[avishka5]

Does anyone else remember when shuey was shit yet we kept playing him in the midfield despite being shit and slowly he became good.

Nah fkuc it - forward flank them

Thats how other clubs create good mids innit

Shuey was never shit. He had a tough time breaking a tag once opposition realised stopping him was a better option than stopping Priddis.

 

[Natho]

Tim Houlihan pls

 

[squashface]

You may have forgotten the GF in 15. Reality hit home big time. Masten was subbed off under the merit rule. Gaff worked but was plundered because of his slow running. Priddis and Shuey worked hard inside but there was no outside.

In summary - Small, Slow not Strong or highly Skilful.

Masten was not subbed out.

 

[Trebor57]

Masten was not subbed out.

I like how you put your own spin on things .

 

[flamingEMBERS]

Don't need to bottom out to regenerate. WE need to constantly be able to determine when payers aren't better than mediocre and act accordingly.

 

[squashface]

I like how you put your own spin on things .

Twirling towards freedom

 

[donpyke92]

Don't need to bottom out to regenerate. We need to constantly be able to determine when payers aren't better than mediocre and act accordingly.

Agree with your 1st sentence Flamers & a light-hearted laugh at the 2nd.
BF WCE board get vigilant. Richard Pratt is gone, though John Elliot might still be a gun for hire.

 

[flamingEMBERS]

Agree with your 1st sentence Flamers & a light-hearted laugh at the 2nd.
BF WCE board get vigilant. Richard Pratt is gone, though John Elliot might still be a gun for hire.

obviously by we I mean the club in general. As a 20+ year member I have the right to say we.

 

[donpyke92]

obviously by we I mean the club in general. As a 20+ year member I have the right to say we.

Apologies Flamers, thought 'WE' might've been a typo meaning 'WCE', which sounds a lot better in that sentence.
As I said, light-hearted.