Who replaces Will in the midfield rotation?

[p4p1]

Gutted for Will. Its a huge injury that takes a really long time to heal.
I remember when I tore mine the second time, I read about a footballer in Brazil of had stem cells and was playing football (soccer) again in 6 weeks. Though, I think it only works for a partial tear. They are still quite useful if one is having a reconstruction though from what I have read previously and help to not only speed up the recovery but also lead to a stronger ligament etc. I'm sure the Lions leave no stone unturned.
I also remember reading that when Libba (the original) did his ACL and came back 5 months later, he would ice his knee every two hours 24 hours per day. That is wake up regardless of the time and ice his knee. It seemed to work for him. Not sure if that effort is repeatable even 30ish years later.

I think Bailey picks up more mid time, one of the reasons I think we used Will so much in the middle is that he offered something different than our other mids. It is the same with Bailey, he has the speed and offensive ability to play Wills role IMO. I also think we bring Dev in, who spends a decent chunk of time in the middle. Bez could also rotate through there if we are planning on using his big body in the middle during finals.

 

[p4p1]

If we're going to continue to play Gunston ,with McCarthy cementing a spot and Ah Chee and Bailey heading past him in terms of output ,where does Cam fit in ?

He seems wasted as 5th cab of the rank in the forward line but does he have the tank to play anywhere else ? Something we need to work out.

This was one of the reasons I really liked the idea of him down back, but I don't believe there is a spot for him there anymore with how well the backline is functioning.

 

[p4p1]

Don’t understand the love for Dev. I have never seen him play a good game.

Has he ever got 20 disposals?

Very, and I mean very, poor kick.

He ain’t a premiership onballer.

Best he has got is 19. The love for him is because he is a good defensive mid role player who will gut run and never give up. Sometimes we have shown ourselves to be front runners who drop our heads when the confidence is low. Dev will just keep trying his guts out. Our defence in the middle of the ground is our glaring weakness and has been for some time, Dunkley has obviously made a huge difference but it would be nice to have another guy who is happy to work his guts out defensively. I'm not sure if many would consider Shaun Hart a 'premiership midfeilder' especially in the presence of the fab 4 but not only did he win 3 of them, he also won a Norm Smith in our first try. Shaun Hart also had a defensive mindset as a mid, which allowed others to shine.
Our lack of guys like Dev is why commentators have said we might have too much icing and not enough cake.

 

[knaf]

Don’t understand the love for Dev. I have never seen him play a good game.

Has he ever got 20 disposals?

Very, and I mean very, poor kick.

He ain’t a premiership onballer.

Not many defensive half forwards/wings get 20 processions. Shaun Hart comparison is reasonably accurate. Underrated player who won a NSM. Not saying that Dev is at that level yet.

 

[McIvor]

Not many defensive half forwards/wings get 20 processions. Shaun Hart comparison is reasonably accurate. Underrated player who won a NSM. Not saying that Dev is at that level yet.

People were saying the same about Ah Chee and no one would say he’d pull out a NSM but look at what he produced on Saturday.

I do t know if that Shane Allan won it from the Crows back when I was younger but he was a no name that had an amazing GF.

 

[p4p1]

People were saying the same about Ah Chee and no one would say he’d pull out a NSM but look at what he produced on Saturday.

I do t know if that Shane Allan won it from the Crows back when I was younger but he was a no name that had an amazing GF.

We were just debating whether Cam Rayner or Ah Chee is the better talent and universally agreed that Cam was. Unfortunately Cam has never put a game as good as Cals together, I'm not sure if he has ever been close to either.

 

[Nathan Barley]

We were just debating whether Cam Rayner or Ah Chee is the better talent and universally agreed that Cam was. Unfortunately Cam has never put a game as good as Cals together, I'm not sure if he has ever been close to either.

Collingwood earlier this year, Saints last year

He was third in the BigFooty POTY votes last year

 

[p4p1]

Collingwood earlier this year, Saints last year

He was third in the BigFooty POTY votes last year

Fair point. Lets hope Cam can be reproducing those efforts more and more often. Sky is the limit talentwise, getting an high level take can take a lot longer for some.

 

[Dalions]

 

[martinson]

If I had to choose between playing Cal or Cam I'd play Cal every time.

Just on the prospect of which one is most likely to contribute best to the team at the moment.

But maybe Cam can go on and be a great player sometime in the future.

 

[SizeMatters]

The fact we have this thread speaks volumes.

Cam should be in position to step up. 100+ games, mature body and has talent.

Needs to show he can do it.

 

[Lets Roar like '44]

The fact we have this thread speaks volumes.

Cam should be in position to step up. 100+ games, mature body and has talent.

Needs to show he can do it.

How many times have we heard that? Will the real Cam Rayner please stand up.

 

[p4p1]

If I had to choose between playing Cal or Cam I'd play Cal every time.

Just on the prospect of which one is most likely to contribute best to the team at the moment.

But maybe Cam can go on and be a great player sometime in the future.

I could see Cam doing a Stewy Dew like burst in a final/gf as he is now. We hope that he can evolve into the type of player that can give a Petracca type performance in a gf. All that lets him down is his tank and I am sure he is working his ass off improving that but it is one of those things that if you aren't born with it, it takes a decent chunk of time to get up to where you want it.

 

[McIvor]

I don’t follow soccer but saw this on my FB feed and reminded me that we’ve got to somehow let take Will as long as it takes so he doesn’t reinsure it again and again. Dad was talking to me earlier about a couple of kids at the Lions that never played games for the club in early 2000s - i don’t remember them - a Garner and Barrett maybe.

I’m still so gutted for him and the club that I just pray this injury won’t define him as a player and it derails his whole career from the top line player we saw him becoming before this cruel, unfair and unfortunate injury.

 

[McIvor]

I could see Cam doing a Stewy Dew like burst in a final/gf as he is now. We hope that he can evolve into the type of player that can give a Petracca type performance in a gf. All that lets him down is his tank and I am sure he is working his ass off improving that but it is one of those things that if you aren't born with it, it takes a decent chunk of time to get up to where you want it.

Surely Cam has got to be aiming higher than the odd burst game where he is BOG as being good enough.

 

[Squizz89]

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

He's a stopper. He was asked to play a role on Oliver last year in finals and broke even with him till half time, when Berry took over.

Adding Dev means suddenly have 3 defensive mids who are strong runners as well as play a role on opposition prime mids. It may free up Dunkley a bit more to a ball hunting role which we haven't seen in full flow yet.

So he is a completely different player than Will and so is not a like for like replacement.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

So everyone thinks Dev is a honest battler.

That's all he is, IMO.

I want a flag and I don't see Dev being part of it if he is a starting mid fielder

 

[rye]

So everyone thinks Dev is a honest battler.

That's all he is, IMO.

I want a flag and I don't see Dev being part of it if he is a starting mid fielder

shiels was a starting mid in a 3peat team

i think dev can reach a similar level to shiels

 

[martinson]

Tunstill's got a lot more upside than Dev imo but unsure whether he's ready yet.

I love the way Dev goes about it but I'm with Phil on this one.

 

[M Malice]

Tunstill's got a lot more upside than Dev imo but unsure whether he's ready yet.

I love the way Dev goes about it but I'm with Phil on this one.

What are you thinking we should do Martin?

Just Bailey in for Ashcroft and share the time around for the role Will played, who would you be bringing in if Bailey is not ready yet?

 

[martinson]

What are you thinking we should do Martin?

Just Bailey in for Ashcroft and share the time around for the role Will played, who would you be bringing in if Bailey is not ready yet?

I'm not against Dev or even Tunstill for this game. If I was worried about winning it I'd be playing Lyons.

I don't think it's a good idea replacing Ashcroft with waxing it up between part timers who are already trying to work out what their role is. If one of them had the tank then sure. Ah Chee probably has the best attributes of all of them to play a tough M/F role but he's hardly played any games all year and hasn't had the prep.

I think we need a pure M/Fer to replace Ashcroft and it's all well and good to say let's find out if one of them's good enough , but we already know the answer i.e. it's a problem . It'll be fine in this game , when we come up against the top teams different story.

If Rayner could do it we would've already done it. Likewise Dev.

 

[M Malice]

I'm not against Dev or even Tunstill for this game. If I was worried about winning it I'd be playing Lyons.

I don't think it's a good idea replacing Ashcroft with waxing it up between part timers who are already trying to work out what their role is. If one of them had the tank then sure. Ah Chee probably has the best attributes of all of them to play a tough M/F role but he's hardly played any games all year and hasn't had the prep.

I think we need a pure M/Fer to replace Ashcroft and it's all well and good to say let's find out if one of them's good enough , but we already know the answer i.e. it's a problem . It'll be fine in this game , when we come up against the top teams different story.

If Rayner could do it we would've already done it. Likewise Dev.

Yep, Lyons could do the job against the Suns as we are almost certain to win anyway, I do worry about Lyons against the Port and Pies fast paced game style though.

 

[martinson]

Weighing it up trying to look to the future I keep coming back to Bailey simply because Ah Chee coming back has freed up he and Rayner for other roles if necessary.

Just not sure if it's Rat's go.

But no getting away from the fact that Ashcroft was playing an important role for us.

 

[Sherrinator]

We are going to have to adjust our stoppage strategy I think. Neale and Ashcroft are almost the same player in their ability to get handballs out to advantage. Maybe Dunkley can be that guy?