Midfield Depth

[Mr Brightside]

Potentially we are fine for a decade with midfield stocks , again “potentially “ .

forgetting the gun premiership players we do still have that plenty seem to have forgotten about , we have enough talent to create our own style of play through the middle and not try and be another club . Play to our strengths

 

[bullus_hit]

Potentially we are fine for a decade with midfield stocks , again “potentially “ .

forgetting the gun premiership players we do still have that plenty seem to have forgotten about , we have enough talent to create our own style of play through the middle and not try and be another club . Play to our strengths

A lot will hinge on RCD, I'm not particularly bullish on Dow & I feel Ross doesn't have a huge amount of growth remaining.

 

[Scoop]

Sonsie helps but we need to find some more talent via draft and free agency.

As it stands we are banking on internal growth. We need Prestia and Martin to be A graders for over 18 games for the year If we to go deep into 2022.

 

[Mr Brightside]

A lot will hinge on RCD, I'm not particularly bullish on Dow & I feel Ross doesn't have a huge amount of growth remaining.

I have “ hope” with RCD , I’m confident Dow will make it , I think I’m with ya Bully on Ross , I can see him been part of the rotation, just can’t see him been a starting mid in a Premiership team , I think Shai, Bakes, Graham, the Martins , Prestia , Shedda , Lambert and the Skip will be the most successful through the middle for a while yet

 

[Smoking Aces]

I think Dow is being underestimated. Kid can play but has been hampered with injuries and no continuity in playing because of COVID.

Needs a full pre-season.

 

[caesar]

I think Dow is being underestimated. Kid can play but has been hampered with injuries and no continuity in playing because of COVID.

Needs a full pre-season.

So far Dow is in rehab and not with main group but doesn't look too far away?

 

[ceehook2]

I forget when this year I saw a flash of a player in a Richmond jumper and thought he is just a boy , it was Dow , I know Dimma is keen
on him , so for us on the outside I’d say be patient and trust in our footy Dept
RCD is similar but again I heard Dimma say with him body and his playing style we knew he was going to take time , I think 2022 will be the time he steps up else he will slip behind the new guys , just a reminder Michael Tuck played some 70 games in the Seconds before breaking into the Hawks and son Shane was slow maturing so it can happen and hopefully we have two late bloomers

 

[Smoking Aces]

So far Dow is in rehab and not with main group but doesn't look too far away?

I wonder if he had any post season surgery?

 

[Smoking Aces]

Without stating the obvious our biggest area of concern. Last night we were severely exposed. Losing 1 player (albeit a very good one) in Prestia shouldnt result to our midfield becoming non-existent.

We got smashed in a quarter of footy. The last quarter it was something like 17-2 clearances in favour of the Blues. Unacceptable.

Our premiership stars are ageing. The pace and zip has gone. And its an indictment when you have the likes of Aarts playing mid.

This midfield needs rejuvenating. It needs to happen now.

Dow and RCD must play this week. No point hiding them in the two's. By years end we should know if they are any good. But lets give them the opportunity.

Bolton is a star. A clearance specialist. He needs to play in the guts.

Then there is Sonsie. As soon he is match fit for AFL, play him. Get him to 50 games ASAP.

And as a side note - Was Blair on holidays last trade period? Not sure what was going through his mind when he analysed our list and didnt think our midfield needed another top up of good mids. Even a clearance beast like Dunstan would have helped. Instead he went to last years premiers.

 

[Jason King]

Without stating the obvious our biggest area of concern. Last night we were severely exposed. Losing 1 player (albeit a very good one) in Prestia shouldnt result to our midfield becoming non-existent.

We got smashed in a quarter of footy. The last quarter it was something like 17-2 clearances in favour of the Blues. Unacceptable.

Our premiership stars are ageing. The pace and zip has gone. And its an indictment when you have the likes of Aarts playing mid.

This midfield needs rejuvenating. It needs to happen now.

Dow and RCD must play this week. No point hiding them in the two's. By years end we should know if they are any good. But lets give them the opportunity.

Bolton is a star. A clearance specialist. He needs to play in the guts.

Then there is Sonsie. As soon he is match fit for AFL, play him. Get him to 50 games ASAP.

And as a side note - Was Blair on holidays last trade period? Not sure what was going through his mind when he analysed our list and didnt think our midfield needed another top up of good mids. Even a clearance beast like Dunstan would have helped. Instead he went to last years premiers.

The popcorn is going to be out when watching how Hobbs goes this week. Then again Carlton were due and they played well against the Dee's so it might just be an aberration.

I was shocked we didn't take Dunstan, was in great form too.

 

[Ridley]

Midfield depth has been an issue for this footy club for as long as I can remember. We finally addressed it and Lo and behold we won 3 flags. But I feel we have neglected it since we won the flags and may well pay the price going forward. I’m not convinced that we have any real depth coming through. RCD, Dow, Ross, Martyn, Hugo do not inspire great confidence on the evidence to date. They are young and have time but I’m not sure they have it.

Unfortunately this lack of depth has coincided with a quicker than expected drop off from our premiership heroes. It was quite depressing watching that last quarter last night.

 

[ThePercies]

And as a side note - Was Blair on holidays last trade period? Not sure what was going through his mind when he analysed our list and didnt think our midfield needed another top up of good mids. Even a clearance beast like Dunstan would have helped. Instead he went to last years premiers.

Absolutely this..... It needs a complete rebuild. Our midfield would be close to the worst in the competition. How many do we have on the list who are still riding on the coattails of a few premierships and aren't as good as they might think? Our midfield last night was embarrassing to watch.

 

[spook]

Midfield depth has been an issue for this footy club for as long as I can remember. We finally addressed it and Lo and behold we won 3 flags. But I feel we have neglected it since we won the flags and may well pay the price going forward. I’m not convinced that we have any real depth coming through. RCD, Dow, Ross, Martyn, Hugo do not inspire great confidence on the evidence to date. They are young and have time but I’m not sure they have it.

Unfortunately this lack of depth has coincided with a quicker than expected drop off from our premiership heroes. It was quite depressing watching that last quarter last night.

We tried to address it post-flags, Rids. Higlet, RCD, Ross, Dow, Martyn all mids. Just not much good.

 

[Jason King]

We tried to address it post-flags, Rids. Higlet, RCD, Ross, Dow, Martyn all mids. Just not much good.

Yep, major artery damage and....

I'm still bullish on RCD though.

 

[tha8ball]

I think they have to get RCD in the side. For all his faults his one wood is first hands on the ball and ability to distribute out of the contest - we are in desperate need of that type of player. He kicks goals too.

We might just have to wear his lack of defensive ability and running capability… short bursts might be his go.

 

[Ridley]

We tried to address it post-flags, Rids. Higlet, RCD, Ross, Dow, Martyn all mids. Just not much good.

Yes I did not eloquate well. I did mean the players we picked don’t look up to the task at this stage. Higgins was a terrible pick in hindsight. We should have done better with a first rounder.

Jury well and truly out on early second rounders Dow and RCD as well. We need to get better at indentifying young midfield talent. Although higher draft picks will help if we get them.

 

[Scoop]

Sonsie helps but we need to find some more talent via draft and free agency.

As it stands we are banking on internal growth. We need Prestia and Martin to be A graders for over 18 games for the year If we to go deep into 2022.

The Prestia piece hasn't held up. I've been banging this drum for years. Sooner or later it was going to haunt us.

Too many part time mids and not not enough true mids. If Dunstan was good enough to be a backup for Melbourne, he was a good enough option for us.
The Cerra miss and lack of intention is what concerns me the most. If we didn't think we needed Cerra, we have savagely misread the midfield list and depth.

Ultra concerning. Chuck in RCD and Sonsie. It's time.

 

[Dev Tiger]

I think we saw last night what we saw in the last half of last season. The midfield just couldn't compete for long enough. Pickett was the only player who could cover the ground for four quarters. We were obliterated in the last quarter. Having Kaps back will help.

The club is probably a bit hamstrung by the contracts paid to the Chimp and Meatball. The Chimp will get a statue when he is finished but he is really battling. It looks like the Meatball and Lambert's bodies are shot. That is a lot of coin tied up in players who can't get on the park. If you put Cerra and Hewitt in our side we would have won.

I think we may be following the Brisbane dynasty of having four great years and then falling off the cliff. It is very difficult to balance paying the champs the right amount. The club has to balance their past deeds with what they are worth right now.

I think we are bottom six without Prestia. I am not sure we have drafted well from 2018 - 2020. Covid hasn't helped but I don't think there is one midfielder from that period who is guaranteed to make it. We need to find out about Ross, RCD, Dow, Martyn this year. It's no point carrying them if they aren't going to make it.

The undisciplined acts were disappointing. It's another sign of a great team frustrated by not being what they once were.

 

[Leysy Days]

The Prestia piece hasn't held up. I've been banging this drum for years. Sooner or later it was going to haunt us.

Too many part time mids and not not enough true mids. If Dunstan was good enough to be a backup for Melbourne, he was a good enough option for us.
The Cerra miss and lack of intention is what concerns me the most. If we didn't think we needed Cerra, we have savagely misread the midfield list and depth.

Ultra concerning. Chuck in RCD and Sonsie. It's time.

We had no money for Cerra. Can't fault the club for that.

It would have cost us Gibcus as well.

Was banging on about Dunstan all last year. Would have been excellent depth/back-up and went to Melbourne on literally minimum chips.

Feel for the Chimp trying to carry the midfield. To protect his body he should be getting 25 classy touches off half back with small spurts in the middle when we need him. But we don't have that luxury.

As others have said the (likely) misses with in some cases good picks on Higgins, RCD, Dow, Martyn, Ross is really hurting us.

The fact the coaching staff preferred to rush a completely underdone and rusty Graham in before them tells us how highly they are rated internally.

 

[TigerFurious]

We’ve tried to address the midfield issue since 2016 but it’s hard to do when your first pick in the draft is pick 18-20. This shows in the quality (or lack thereof) of the type midfielders we have brought in during that time.

You can’t replace a Cotchin (pick 2), Martin (pick 3) or Prestia (pick 9) with an RCD (pick 20), Ross (pick 42) or Dow (pick 19).

Long and likely painful road ahead rebuilding our midfield.