A couple of years ago I posted on here say how frustrating I found Brent Moloney's game. He was predictable and one dimensional, easy for opposition players to read and had one trick - barge through, hold on to the ball too long and bomb long into the forward line with a floater. This was because he didn't kick through the ball. It was inaccurate and easy to spoil.

Things seemed to have changed. He is still bullocking his way out of stoppages but now with great effect. He seems to have a much wider range of options once he is clear. His disposal by hand has been really smart and usually put to the team's advantage and his awareness has broadened considerably. The short accurate pass inside the 50 was rare but now we see this regularly. The long bomb is still there, but he seems to be using it better. His shots on goal from stoppages have been brilliant. He still occasionally comes unstuck when trying to bullock out of trouble deep in the backline but this is less usual.

I know he constantly struggled with soft tissue problems and has now had a more consistent run of games but I wonder whether his substantial improvement is more due to the tuition of Scotty West? Quite possibly, I suspect. Especially when you consider the way West played. As a result, Moloney has become our most important midfielder. This is reflected in his standing in most of the media awards. Very timely considering the absence of McKenzie and Scully.

I would also contend that Nathan Jones's game has improved considerably in a similar vein. He seems to have found a yard of pace and is making generally much better decisions and topping it off with good disposal. Whaddya reckon?

Edited April 26, 201114 yr by btdemon

A couple of years ago I posted on here say how frustrating I found Brent Moloney's game. He was predictable and one dimensional, easy for opposition players to read and had one trick - barge through, hold on to the ball too long and bomb long into the forward line with a floater. This was because he didn't kick through the ball. It was inaccurate and easy to spoil.

Things seemed to have changed. He is still bullocking his way out of stoppages but now with great effect. He seems to have a much wider range of options once he is clear. His disposal by hand has been really smart and usually put to the team's advantage and his awareness has broadened considerably. The short accurate pass inside the 50 was rare but now we see this regularly. The long bomb is still there, but he seems to be using it better. His shots on goal from stoppages have been brilliant. He still occasionally comes unstuck when trying to bullock out of trouble deep in the backline but this is less usual.

I know he constantly struggled with soft tissue problems and has now had a more consistent run of games but I wonder whether his substantial improvement is more due to the tuition of Scotty West? Quite possibly, I suspect. Especially when you consider the way West played. As a result, Moloney has become our most important midfielder. This is reflected in his standing in most of the media awards. Very timely considering the absence of McKenzie and Scully.

I would also contend that Nathan Jones's game has improved considerably in a similar vein. He seems to have found a yard of pace and is making generally much better decisions and topping it off with good disposal. Whaddya reckon?

Couldn't agree more. The influence of Scott West is beginning to show, especially in Jones and Moloney. Along with Greg Williams, Scott West is probably the best in-and-under midfielder I have seen and it was a great recruiting coup to get him to the Dees. But I reckon this is part of a bigger picture.

1. The recruiters went hard for midfielders and should be congratulated on recruiting Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Blease, McKenzie, Bennell, Bail etc... to compliment Sylvia, Davey, Jones, Moloney.

2. Dean Bailey has always been over-cautious in not wearing out young midfielders, ensuring any young bloke worthy of a game is given a chance and rotated through the starting 22. This continual rotating of young players means the whole list of midfielders gain experience together. This plan probably has another 12 months in it before it starts bearing the kind of fruit we supporters long to see. This has frustrated us supporters at times but the bigger picture is beginning to emerge. I stand by an earlier post that both Blease and Strauss will play a senior game this year.

3. MFC went straight after Scott West and have been able to keep him. I think Paul Williams was our midfield coach before this and although I rated him, West's influence is coming through loud and strong. Unfortunately, I reckon Western Bulldogs will be hunting for him soon.

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Edited April 27, 201114 yr by Maldonboy38

Great post ...couldnt agree more.

Well done btdemon & Maldonboy, I agree totally as I read your comments.

Moloney has been a breath of fresh air, this and last year.

To Btdemon and maldonboy38 well done fellas on some really nice insights into Beamer and to a lesser extent Jonesy. I think the results from not only Scott Wests coaching but Beamers hard work to improve on his defficiencies are all there to see.

Heres an interesting one. I think if the so called experts in the media and general public were asked to grade Moloney they would rate him as a solid b grader maybe b+ at absolute best. He probably has 9 votes already in the Brownlow this season and i thought he was outstanding in 2010. Would it be silly to wonder if he could start to be mentioned in the same category as the a graders, the Judds, Swans, Pendleburys etc?? I think he is seriously underrated by the rest of the comp.....

To Btdemon and maldonboy38 well done fellas on some really nice insights into Beamer and to a lesser extent Jonesy. I think the results from not only Scott Wests coaching but Beamers hard work to improve on his defficiencies are all there to see.

Heres an interesting one. I think if the so called experts in the media and general public were asked to grade Moloney they would rate him as a solid b grader maybe b+ at absolute best. He probably has 9 votes already in the Brownlow this season and i thought he was outstanding in 2010. Would it be silly to wonder if he could start to be mentioned in the same category as the a graders, the Judds, Swans, Pendleburys etc?? I think he is seriously underrated by the rest of the comp.....

not to mention those blokes are chronically overrated. If you play for collingwood and you are one of their best, you are revered as a legend of the sport by the arse-kissing media.. and Judd, I saw him make a mistake about 6 disposals in a row the other day, including really poor regulation passes being intercepted etc and nobody said anything. If it was Jack Watts playing like that they would be getting stuck right into him

Beamer's rise has been steady and strong with a sharp upturn in 2011, due to injury and the management of soft-tissue over the past 3-4 years. I am one of those who, at the start of this season, could only just find a place for him in my starting 22 and that was on the bench. I still cannot get the egg of my face. He is showing skill, strength AND poise.

However, he is not a A-grader. Others do get more cudos - often unwarranted - but Beamer is not Judd, Ablett, Swan or Burgoyne. But he is a really good B+ and now his body is strong, he has other midfielders helping out, and the ball is coming out of the backline a bit better (I still squirm at this though) he is able to settle in a role and show his wares.

What must be noted here is the importance of Jamar. Both Beamer and Jordie read him really well. If Jamar gets an injury, Beaemer will have to find ways of reading Martin, Campbell or Spencer and this could take some time.

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On the same topic, Moloney, Sylvia and Jones are all employing 'tackle busting' techniques. This was very evident against GCS, where the opposition didn't have either the strength or the tackling technique to stop them. i was a little concerned about this as I thought that playing against 'boys' might give these players a false sense of their ability. But after Watching Hawthorn v Geelong yesterday I noticed the same tactic being used constantly. Brisbane at their peak used to do it to perfection. Stand up in the tackle, get the ball up in the air and handpass it off. It seems to be coming back this year, maybe because players are so loathed to go to ground now. You need a big strong body and the ability to keep your arms from being pinned. ATM we have three mids with the strength to do it. Tapscott certainly has also and Trengove will be their in a couple of years. This midfield grunt and intimidation is what made Brisbane, and later Geelong, so difficult to stop. McKenzie, Scully and Gysberts are more 'extractors' of the ball. Quick brains and hands combined with that 'ball hunting' habit. The big-bodied mid will never go out of fashion providing they are not too slow.

PS. Evans might be one to look at in the next year or so.

I know it's probably getting ahead of myself, but I'm going to put $20 on Beamer for the Brownlow, seems like the roughie to pick right now.

Was thinking exactly the same thing btdemon. I too went to the Geelong v. Hawks game yesterday and noticed how tough, strong and uncomptomising both sides midfields were. Didn't actually need to be reminded of the Hawks I suppose, due to our earlier game against them, but Geelong went even harder at it. Just felt their body strength and totally fearless approach to winning the ball is their key driver. Whilst both sides had lightly framed players in Rioli and Varcoe to finish, it seemed to me the rest were big strong running types who bashed and crashed until they won the ball. Whilst I admire and acknowledge West played tough and hard, I found it interesting that Beamer had also come through the "Geelong School" and I seem to recall they were somewhat reluctant to lose him. After yesterday Silvia , Beamer and Trengove in the middle for me.

Was thinking exactly the same thing btdemon. I too went to the Geelong v. Hawks game yesterday and noticed how tough, strong and uncomptomising both sides midfields were. Didn't actually need to be reminded of the Hawks I suppose, due to our earlier game against them, but Geelong went even harder at it. Just felt their body strength and totally fearless approach to winning the ball is their key driver. Whilst both sides had lightly framed players in Rioli and Varcoe to finish, it seemed to me the rest were big strong running types who bashed and crashed until they won the ball. Whilst I admire and acknowledge West played tough and hard, I found it interesting that Beamer had also come through the "Geelong School" and I seem to recall they were somewhat reluctant to lose him. After yesterday Silvia , Beamer and Trengove in the middle for me.

I agree. It was the big mids, Sewell, Mitchell, Lewis etc. that really killed us during the third quarter. I was always worried about going into that game without Mckenzie and Scully. Gysberts hadn't played yet and I saw us as not having the inside 'extractors'.

not to mention those blokes are chronically overrated. If you play for collingwood and you are one of their best, you are revered as a legend of the sport by the arse-kissing media.. and Judd, I saw him make a mistake about 6 disposals in a row the other day, including really poor regulation passes being intercepted etc and nobody said anything. If it was Jack Watts playing like that they would be getting stuck right into him

I agree, Judd's disposal in the last year or so has taken a dive and no one seems to mention it. Of course he's a champion and drags that shthole of a club across the line on many occasions, but if Nathan Jones made Judd's mistakes like he did against Essendon there'd be a 10 page thread on here with me leading the charge.

Steve Johnson is another one, turns 5 basic skills into clangers and does 1 miraculous thing, and he's the golden boy. If Geelong ever do start to struggle, he'll be the first one traded, no way he could get away with what he does in a bottom team.

As for Beamer, always liked him, always will. Every player has flaws, at least his go 60 metres in our direction.