It's the midfield, stupid - reprise

[old55 23,687]

Colingwood have Pendlebury, Swan and Thomas (who, despite his courage and determination, is an outside mid). After that they fall away pretty quickly. Wellingham's OK but had a shocker in the big one.

Luke Ball says hi.

[Jordie_tackles 354]

Ive not much against Grimes except the weight of expectation that he is going to be elite.

If he were to be chosen as a mid-fielder as opposed to the backline he would be just in front of Bate in my view and therefor not best 22.

Jack is a player that supporters back to be top 3 or captain, which while I dont agree with doesnt get up my frock.

To be named Elite when we dont have one and then to compare him to Swan is enough to make me actually post...

That is a bit/ALOT over the top, Bate has struggled for games and anyone suggesting Grimes isnt best 22 is really just being ridiculous, i suggest you watch his highlights to see what he did in the best part of 6 games this season...

He has the scope to move into the midfield where he was originally drafted from, and his latest injury is just plain unlucky imo. But he could really be one of the things missing from our backline this season too, playing 3rd or 4th man up he gets to alot of contests and spreads from them, even if he isnt always the best kick.

[Damo 3,373]

A LOT over the top?

How many mid-fielders do you think we play in the 22? My order this coming year is Maloney, Jones, Davey, Trengove, Sylvia, McKenzie, Bail. Who does he push out? Davey?, well he couldnt be more different. he would have to IMO, push out McKenzie and I cant see it.

If you are including flanks/Mid-fielders which (again) I wasnt, I would have him this year competing with Sylvia, Blease, Bennell and possibly Evans.

I rate him a lot on his ability although he is supposed to be an elite kick and if he cant hit targets it must be because he is too slow.

I wish he would get on the park more often. But he doesnt. Neither did Blease who I thought was over-rated but when he was physically right, he unleashed.

I was wrong, but I dont see that upside in Grimes, where many do.

So to spell it out if you keep him back and if he is fit, he gets in my 22. Choose him from a mid-field group and he misses my 22.

Edited October 27, 2011 by Franky_31

[timD 994]

Franky, I'd remove davey from the mids at this point. That's where I'd see grimes having his spot. I'd prefer a backline of Riv, Frawley, Bennell, Garland, Tommy Mac and Blease. Davey can find a spot forward or at Casey. His last year was woeful and I think that it needs to be respected as the awful display that it was.

My mids would be Jamar, moloney, trengove, mckensie, Bail, Grimes. My forwards would be Clark, Jurrah, Watts, sylvia, davey, howe. On the bench are Jones and one of gys/morton and Martin

My sub is tappy or wonna.

Yes it means that our mids are one-paced, but our forwards and backs have some good speed, and you can rotate the flankers and wingmen perhaps.

Edited October 27, 2011 by timD

[Jordie_tackles 354]

A LOT over the top?

How many mid-fielders do you think we play in the 22? My order this coming year is Maloney, Jones, Davey, Trengove, Sylvia, McKenzie, Bail. Who does he push out? Davey?, well he couldnt be more different. he would have to IMO, push out McKenzie and I cant see it.

If you are including flanks/Mid-fielders which (again) I wasnt, I would have him this year competing with Sylvia, Blease, Bennell and possibly Evans.

I rate him a lot on his ability although he is supposed to be an elite kick and if he cant hit targets it must be because he is too slow.

I wish he would get on the park more often. But he doesnt. Neither did Blease who I thought was over-rated but when he was physically right, he unleashed.

I was wrong, but I dont see that upside in Grimes, where many do.

So to spell it out if you keep him back and if he is fit, he gets in my 22. Choose him from a mid-field group and he misses my 22.

Midfielders and will include anyone who is not a pure forward or back (some forwards such as Sylvia will play on a flank more than midfield potentially also, he did in 2011 Neeld may see this differently) say 8-9 midfielders per game not including Sylvia types plus those who are injured ect so we would need 14 players who can play this role? is that enough?

Davey had his worst year every in 2011 i dont see how he can be "ahead" of grimes, also plays alot off the back flank ect and people want him forward or of a forward flank this year which you arnt counting, Bail missed just as much of 2011 as Grimes? Sylvia played predominantly Forward so where are all our midfielders now?

Moloney, Jones, Trengove, Mckenzie

Sylvia who i would love in the middle but this doesnt happen for whatever reason so far.

Gysberts (also injured), Blease has played 8 games....

Nicho...

My main issue is saying he is just ahead of Bate who is no bodys midfielder, Grimes was a junior midfielder not a backman so that is why he will be able to play here if he is fit, i would rate him higher than Gysberts in this regard personally, but as i said after watching his 2011 highlights on the MFC page he adds alot down back also, maybe playing 70/30? you need players doing this, (similar to Enright?)

[Jordie_tackles 354]

Franky, I'd remove davey from the 22 at this point. That's where I'd see grimes having his spot. I'd prefer a backline of Riv, Frawley, Bennell, Garland, Tommy Mac and Blease. Davey can find a spot forward or at Casey. His last year was woeful and I think that it needs to be respected as the awful display that it was.

My mids would be Jamar, moloney, trengove, mckensie, Bail, Grimes. My forwards would be Clark, Jurrah, Watts, sylvia, davey, howe. On the bench are Jones and one of gys/morton and Martin

My sub is tappy or wonna.

Yes it means that our mids are one-paced, but our forwards and backs have some good speed, and you can rotate the flankers and wingmen perhaps.

I have similar thoughts, Sylvia is quick if he can be pushed into the middle for longer, also Blease almost becomes a must in this situation too, Nicho might improve after 1 year and a second pre-season, lets not forget he was in ammos this time last year , I wont write off Davey either, but pace was one of his weapons and if he has lost that then it hurts his game alot

[Red&BlueBlood 61]

The recent champion teams havent recruited an "elite" mid to win the cup...

Collingwood developed Swan, Pendles, Daisy, Wellingham, etc

Brisbane developed Black, Voss, Aker, Lappin, etc

Geelong developed Ablett, Bartell, Selwood, etc, etc, etc!!

I think we have the initial talent to get there - Trenners, Gysberts, Beamer, Bail, Bleae, Grimes, Jones, Jordie, Morton, Tappy...

1 or 2 of them could well develop into an elite mid, and the rest will be very very handy at very least...

We'll be fine, we just need to give our boys time.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Sorry but how can Bartel not be classified as a star?

Courageous, wins the hard ball, excellent overhead, uses it well, regularly kicks clutch goals, consistently performs in big matches and lifts at key moments in games.

He isn't as flashy as other stars but there aren't too many midfielders you'd have above him if you were picking blokes to play in a Grand Final side.

Judd and Ablett are the next level - superstars of the game. There's not many in that category.

I understand such classification is a definition issue, but if we are talking about trying to bring in another star midfielder then you'd be pretty happy if you got a young Jimmy Bartel on your list.

Ah, scoop, I'll have the lesser, Non fanfare, splash & dash for Cash, Bartel,,, every day, of any week! Umpire Please!

[btdemon 482]

Luke Ball says hi.

You're right. I forgot Luke ball. DOH!

That aside, I still think Geelong's midfield were physically stronger and knew how to win the big ones.

[old55 23,687]

How many mid-fielders do you think we play in the 22?

I think we play 8 in the 22 not counting "the flankers" - the starting 5 with the ruckman and 3 on the bench with the 2nd ruckman - one of them is interchange. At least 1 of "the flankers" run through the midfield also so I reckon there's 9 in the 22.

Moloney, McKenzie, Trengove, Sylvia, Blease, Bail, Jones, Grimes, Gysberts, Morton, Petterd ...

[Jordie_tackles 354]

I think we play 8 in the 22 not counting "the flankers" - the starting 5 with the ruckman and 3 on the bench with the 2nd ruckman - one of them is interchange. At least 1 of "the flankers" run through the midfield also so I reckon there's 9 in the 22.

Moloney, McKenzie, Trengove, Sylvia, Blease, Bail, Jones, Grimes, Gysberts, Morton, Petterd ...

i agree and of these players, the highlighted missed significant parts of the year, so we also need adequate cover,, Trengove got suspended and Morton had an interupted preseason followed by a crap season