What are we doing with the pace problem?

[Bartram_Class]

I think we've taken our eyes off what is probably our 2nd biggest deficiency after our lack of a KPP forward, pace.

Watts should go some way to solving the problems up forward, but we still lack one extra player with a bit of speed to break the lines. We know about Davey, Buckley has talent and will hopefully come on but it drops away considerably after him. Wheatley arguably the next quickest probably.

McDonald, Jones, Green, McLean, Moloney, Valenti, Morton, CJ, Bruce, even Grimes.

None of whom are blessed with much pace. What we need is a burst player like a Deledio or a Cooney and yes they don't come on trees I know but with 17 or 19, pace needs to be a priority if we are going after a midfielder.

Look at the some of the better players on GF day for Hawthorn/Geelong, Chance Bateman breaking the game open early on, Ablett going close to BOG, Rioli's efforts up and down the wing.

I still think we should go after Tenace, he'd be cheap, is still young and you never know what he'd do with a bit more of an opportunity. I've heard posters heralding a midfield grouping of Jones, Moloney, McLean and Valenti and that would be one plodding group of inside midfielders.

Can't be ignored.

 

[davey_magik]

Tenace is a hack BC. Can't kick and is a bad decision maker.

Buckley craps all over Tenace.

As for pace, well Brisbane weren't particularly quick, neither were Sydney, nor were Geelong last year.

Footskills >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> pace. The better our skills get the quicker we will look.

 

[Bartram_Class]

Akermanis, Goodes, Ablett.

I agree footskills are more important, but once you get into the top echelon of teams, which I hope we are into by 2011/12, then you need pace to be able to break the lines and open up sides playing cluster or zonal defences. Hence why Ablett and Bateman were so crucial for their respective sides last week.

 

[Bartram_Class]

And no-one reply with "Stefan Martin is quick" please, yes he is, but I'm talking about a midfielder capable of bursting away from packs.

Stef Martin isn't quite a Cooney/Griffen just yet...

 

[davey_magik]

BC, if you're only going to name Ablett and Goodes (Who are the only real quick players in their respective teams) what about Davey and Buckley (I'm excluding Wonnaemirri as he's a permanent FP)?

We can't all be pumping out genuine stars with pace, it is easy to point out the holes in our team right now but reality is things have been done about the pace and it is definitely not a big worry I have (Whereas the ruck and key forward situations are).

 

[Bartram_Class]

BC, if you're only going to name Ablett and Goodes (Who are the only real quick players in their respective teams) what about Davey and Buckley (I'm excluding Wonnaemirri as he's a permanent FP)?

We can't all be pumping out genuine stars with pace, it is easy to point out the holes in our team right now but reality is things have been done about the pace and it is definitely not a big worry I have (Whereas the ruck and key forward situations are).

Because they are game-breaking midfielders. We have our forward pockets who are nippy, but we need a midfielder who can break the lines. Theres a reason we are continually forced to chip short and wide.

Look at the Essendon side for instance, they aren't much chop but they won 8 games last year on the back of the youngsters they have, who have plenty of pace, the likes of Davey, Winderlich, Nash, Reimers etc.

Compare that to our youngsters coming through, Morton, Grimes, Petterd, Warnock, Garland, even Wonaeamirri to an extent. Not blinding in terms of pace.

And no they aren't the only quick players in their teams, Buchanan, Schneider and Crouch were in Sydney's premiership side, whilst Stokes and Varcoe have a bit of toe (and Woji was sorely missed).

For the record, I don't believe we have a ruck problem. PJ will come good, its only a matter of time and the Russian holds his own. If we pay over the top for a ruckman next week, I won't be happy.

 

[davey_magik]

Because they are game-breaking midfielders. We have our forward pockets who are nippy, but we need a midfielder who can break the lines. Theres a reason we are continually forced to chip short and wide.

Davey plays more in the midfield these days (Unfortunately injuries hurt him) and Buckley is one of our better young players and has bags of pace. What are you expecting really? We have a draft in a month and I'm sure we'll draft at least one speedy mid.

Look at the Essendon side for instance, they aren't much chop but they won 8 games last year on the back of the youngsters they have, who have plenty of pace, the likes of Davey, Winderlich, Nash, Reimers etc.

Davey and Winderlich missed most of the year with injury. Essendon won games when their older players stood up (Lloyd against us a prime example).

Compare that to our youngsters coming through, Morton, Grimes, Petterd, Warnock, Garland, even Wonaeamirri to an extent. Not blinding in terms of pace.

Buckley?

And no they aren't the only quick players in their teams, Buchanan, Schneider and Crouch were in Sydney's premiership side, whilst Stokes and Varcoe have a bit of toe (and Woji was sorely missed).

Buchanan is not that quick and the way Sydney play they don't really utilise pace. Same with Brisbane, same with Geelong. Even Hawthorn are more reliant on endurance than pace.

For the record, I don't believe we have a ruck problem. PJ will come good, its only a matter of time and the Russian holds his own. If we pay over the top for a ruckman next week, I won't be happy.

Not sure about PJ, I think he could be a quality player but I don't think he'll ever win his fair share of hitouts. Will we win a flag with Jamar and PJ as our rucks?

....

 

[Bartram_Class]

Buckley is the hope, but he needs to be played in the midfield IMO, not on a half-back flank. His disposal isn't good enough to be played off a half-back flank anyhow.

Davey needs to be given a Cyril Rioli "run where you want" role, but ideally he'd still play around the goals. Wonaeamirri tries hard, but isn't in the same league as a fully-fit Aaron.

Jamar won't ever be in a premiership team, you can mark that down. I'd be shocked to see him running around come 2009 to be honest, I still think he'll get the bullet this year.

 

[HiHoEverybody]

I dont think we have a pace problem at all. You would be surprised how much quicker we will look once we start playing with some confidence and hit our targets, Morton, Buckley, Petterd, Davey, C. Johnson, Maric, Garland, Sylvia and even guys like Bate and Dunn all have enough pace to run the lines, not to mention the up coming draft and next years draft which I suspect we'll get some decent picks. Also fixing our KPF problem will straighten us up a lot and make us look a lot more direct also making us look quicker.

Fix the skills and understand the game plan, the pace will come..

 

[cougar000]

Jack Watts is pretty quick

 

[KTLK]

I think we've taken our eyes off what is probably our 2nd biggest deficiency after our lack of a KPP forward, pace.

Watts should go some way to solving the problems up forward, but we still lack one extra player with a bit of speed to break the lines. We know about Davey, Buckley has talent and will hopefully come on but it drops away considerably after him. Wheatley arguably the next quickest probably.

McDonald, Jones, Green, McLean, Moloney, Valenti, Morton, CJ, Bruce, even Grimes.

None of whom are blessed with much pace. What we need is a burst player like a Deledio or a Cooney and yes they don't come on trees I know but with 17 or 19, pace needs to be a priority if we are going after a midfielder.

Look at the some of the better players on GF day for Hawthorn/Geelong, Chance Bateman breaking the game open early on, Ablett going close to BOG, Rioli's efforts up and down the wing.

I still think we should go after Tenace, he'd be cheap, is still young and you never know what he'd do with a bit more of an opportunity. I've heard posters heralding a midfield grouping of Jones, Moloney, McLean and Valenti and that would be one plodding group of inside midfielders.

Can't be ignored.

Dear BC,

I totally agree. Especially if MFC want to win games at AAMI and Subiaco, known for faster ground - a venue I'm sick of MFC losing.

Sam Blease is one perhaps MFC should draft.

I also agree with Tenace. if cheap. Either PSD or Pick 67.

Overall, with Blease, Tenace, Buckley, Davey and Bell (Bell to push on the wing), it looks alright.

 

[omit]

pace isn't the problem, we have pace on our list. the problem is getting the ball into positions where our fast players are able to run.

to often this season our skills have let us down. when on a fast break we have put ourselves under pressure due to simple errors and because of this prevents our running players doing what they do best.

look at hawthorn and the cats, neither of their midfields are particularly fast (hawthorn have bateman and rioli while the cats have ablett and occasionally wojinski). these clubs are fast because they have the skills to move the ball effectively

 

[Colin Grigson]

I think the whole 'pace' thing is a tad overrated. Sure you don't want real plodders in your side, but i don't think we have anyone THAT slow. Also, i mean, a player who has really good vision, agility, anticipation, and skills will look a lot quicker than someone deficient in these areas who can run 20 metres in 2.90 seconds.

A lot of it is above the shoulders. Geelong only have Wojincksi and Ablett, players who you would consider very quick, in their best 22. We already have Buckley who might be able to become a linebreaking MF. But i don't think we need a midield full of sprinters. I mean, where has it got Essendon?

I think in 5 years time we are going to have the capacity to run teams into the ground with our endurance. Grimes, Morton, Jones, Bate, Dunn, Bartram, etc... all have huge engines. Also, our backline will have good pace and athleticism if Garland, Martin and Frawley can develop their games...and J Watts, the 'new Usaine Bolt' will get the afterburners going in the forward half, Maric is quick too. So good times ahead i think

 

[RandB]

I agree with BC on this one.

We have a few too many inside mids without enough straight line pace. Forget McDonald or any of the other senior players, he is on the list for a bit of insurance. I'm talking about the players who will take us somewhere.

As many posters have said, we will improve with our positioning and disposal (touch wood) but that will not be enough if we want to progress over the next few years. There is no point using Geelong as an example of what you can achieve mearly with good disposal and positioning. They are a stronger team all round and benefit from that.

I think that if we are going to have a band of youngsters around the ground then there shouldn't be as big a compromise with lack of pace that we currently have. The midfield picks this year need to be good in as many areas as possible but quickness is at the top of the list.

 

[master bate]

A good preseason should help, last years was awfully soft to try and get all our players on the park, because we had something like 50% available at the start of training. This year we have 80+% ready to go, and Brock, Jonesy and Meesen should not be dominating the field.

 

[melbourne150]

I think alot of people underate Cale Morton's pace, Because he is actually quite quick....

And also if Stephen Hill is there at pick 17 we have to take him, I think he would be a perfect fit in our side and would add alot of pace to the midfield.