Midfield Depth | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Midfield Depth

TigerFurious

Smooth
Dec 17, 2002
3,578
4,719
Midfield needs a complete rebuild. Any trade for ready made talent will involve us giving go existing talent or multiple high draft picks. Neither option helps long term which is what we need to be thinking.

We are going to lose Cotchin and Edwards probably this year. Prestia can’t be relied on to play regularly and Martin in no certainty to return. Short term we need mature body replacements (Dunstan would have been good) to do the heavy lifting while we develop draftees for the long term. I think our best bet is to target cheap but mature fringe players from other clubs while maintaining our draft picks, particularly the first and second round.

Another option is to seriously consider letting one of Short or Rioli go. Both are out of contract and both have value but small defenders are not our biggest need right now.
 
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fastin bulbous

Tiger Champion
Mar 30, 2010
4,121
4,218
Darwin
If dusty decides he wants out of Melbourne it will change everything. I think our forward line is of equal concern. We need another tall and a lightning quick pressure forward.
 

Scoop

Tiger Legend
Dec 8, 2004
24,931
13,972
Plan for worst case. Edwards and Cotchin gone after this year, Dusty up in the air and Prestia severely limited. Our next draft / free agency period should be mids, mids, mids.
We have never thrown the kitchen sink at mids and it’s not always the best strategy.

A Ben Hobbs mid is what we need but Josh Gibcus was the right call. I thought the Suns should have taken him at four. But because our cupboard is bare, I agree with you. And now we have to be creative & lucky for it not to be a complete wipeout for a few years.
 
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St Kevin

Tiger Legend
Apr 1, 2014
7,178
6,136
We have never thrown the kitchen sink at mids and it’s not always the best strategy.

A Ben Hobbs mid is what we need but Josh Gibcus was the right call. I thought the Suns should have taken him at four. But because our cupboard is bare, I agree with you. And now we have to be creative & lucky for it not to be a complete wipeout for a few years.

A situation where we find ourselves now (admittedly looking like absolutely worst case), is where a Dunstan / Lipinski would have been a really good get, particularly the latter. Both would have played today for us.
 
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Scoop

Tiger Legend
Dec 8, 2004
24,931
13,972
A situation where we find ourselves now (admittedly looking like absolutely worst case), is where a Dunstan / Lipinski would have been a really good get, particularly the latter. Both would have played today for us.
If Melbourne thought they needed Dunstan, with that midfield, how did we not?
 
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tigerdell

Hope springs infernal
Mar 29, 2014
4,549
5,154
If Melbourne thought they needed Dunstan, with that midfield, how did we not?
Maybe it's about getting gametime into Dow Ross and RCD?

Or that we d complain about Dunstan as much as we do about Aarts.

Personally last year I'd agreed to get Dunstan, which wouldve pushed out say Cumberland. Doable.
Gotta move on now and give the opportunities to Dow and Ross
 
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TigerForce

Tiger Legend
Apr 26, 2004
70,725
21,650
57
A few interesting posts about Oliver from page 40+ on this thread. Big mistake by us.....but then again we somehow never believed in midfield.
 
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TimeToRoar

Tiger Superstar
Apr 13, 2014
1,025
775
Unfortunately it appears that if our depth equated to an inground pool - the regulations would say no fencing or self closing doors required. Would love to see more 2021 draftees played.
 

Jason King

Forever the GOAT
Jul 19, 2007
6,871
2,564
Adelaide, South Australia
Have you read the comments re Tarantos disposal and how Hopper is a B grade mid?

They suit are gamestyle of hacking it forward they say.

Funny I dont remember them being dump kickers.
 
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Feb 25, 2007
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6,125
Our midfield is now stacked.

Prestia, Taranto, Hopper, Dusty, Cotchin, Bolton, Graham, Ross, Sonsie, Baker
 
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Feb 25, 2007
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Have you read the comments re Tarantos disposal and how Hopper is a B grade mid?

They suit are gamestyle of hacking it forward they say.

Funny I dont remember them being dump kickers.

Jealousy will make people say anything. haters always gonna hate.
 
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Ricemagic

Tiger Superstar
Feb 8, 2021
2,038
2,244
58
Have you read the comments re Tarantos disposal and how Hopper is a B grade mid?

They suit are gamestyle of hacking it forward they say.

Funny I don't remember them being dump kickers.
Well we could well do with any of these hack dump kickers then couldn't we ;)

Kicking Efficiency 2022 - T Adams 41%, Hopper 49%, B Crouch 50%, Oliver 52%, Crisp 53%, Danger 53%, B Smith 54%, Prestia 55%, Rowell 55, N Anderson 56%, Petracca 56%, Brodie 57%, Mundy 58%, Dunkley 59%, Miller 59%, Treloar 59%, Boak 60%, Taranto 61%, Walsh 62%, ,Bont 63%, M Crouch 63%

I've isolated the Brownlow Medallists, because they're so far superior than the rest right - Cotchin 50%, Fyfe 51%, Cripps 54%,, Mitchell 55%, Wines 55%, Neale 57%, Martin 63.

Hopper as I've mentioned is a like for like with Cotchin in many facets of his game, Taranto is a pretty good get if his kicking is 61% compared to the last 2-3 Brownlow Medallists hanging around 51-57%, Oliver 52 and Petracca at 56!!
 
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Feb 25, 2007
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Have you read the comments re Tarantos disposal and how Hopper is a B grade mid?

They suit are gamestyle of hacking it forward they say.

Funny I dont remember them being dump kickers.

Perhaps you should reply with this.

Hopper has played 114 matches at AFL level, with 2021 his most dominant year- averaging 26 disposals, 3.8 tackles, and 4.3 inside 50s per game.
Hopper polled 15 Brownlow votes in that campaign, including in both games against Richmond. He was also named in the All-Australian squad of 40.
A natural leader, Hopper will inject grunt, genuine ball-winning ability, and tackling pressure into the Tigers’ midfield brigade.
 
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bullus_hit

Whatchu talkin about Jack?
Apr 3, 2006
15,227
5,668
Well we could well do with any of these hack dump kickers then couldn't we ;)

Kicking Efficiency 2022 - T Adams 41%, Hopper 49%, B Crouch 50%, Oliver 52%, Crisp 53%, Danger 53%, B Smith 54%, Prestia 55%, Rowell 55, N Anderson 56%, Petracca 56%, Brodie 57%, Mundy 58%, Dunkley 59%, Miller 59%, Treloar 59%, Boak 60%, Taranto 61%, Walsh 62%, ,Bont 63%, M Crouch 63%

I've isolated the Brownlow Medallists, because they're so far superior than the rest right - Cotchin 50%, Fyfe 51%, Cripps 54%,, Mitchell 55%, Wines 55%, Neale 57%, Martin 63.

Hopper as I've mentioned is a like for like with Cotchin in many facets of his game, Taranto is a pretty good get if his kicking is 61% compared to the last 2-3 Brownlow Medallists hanging around 51-57%, Oliver 52 and Petracca at 56!!
I think over the journey Taranto's KE is closer to 50%, that's based on some published articles in other threads. In any case 61% is a step in the right direction.
 
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