The first match proved it and now the second match of the season has reinforced the fact that we have very few players that are up to it through the guts of the ground. We only have 4 players at best that can play through the middle of the ground at a real competitive level.

A top team needs 10-12 players to be successful. The Eagles had them by the truckload.

We need to draft players this year that play in the middle of the ground. I understand that this coming draft is full of them. We need players that can run and use the ball effectively.

Unless we are competitive through the middle of the ground our backs and forwards will be fighting an uphill battle.

Neeld can have whatever game plan he likes. But it will not work unless he has the players that can make it work.

Looking at the list I fear we do not have nowhere near enough of them.

Yes we have Viney coming. But he needs a lot of others to come with him as well.

The big test for Neeld will be the 2012 DRAFT. He needs to get the right young/older players.

Who are the players that did not play on our list that could be developed into running players that we need. That includes half-back players as well as half forwards that can run the ball into the forward line.

It all goes beyond the matches we have played this season so far. The situation we have is that we need to basically start again and work out what players we need to be successful.

We have to look at the players on our list now and work out who can develop into what we need and those that will not be the type of player we need. The club needs to be ruthless and not be soft at the end of the season.

I have thrown my rose coloured glasses in the bin and now look at the team differently.

Any thoughts on players coming up in the draft that we could look at?

PLEASE NOTE

This thread has got nothing to do with the Eagles thread as it is a thread trying to look for what is wrong and what we have got to do with the team to win a premiership.

Going by the doom and gloom on this site I would say most of the posters fit the title......

We need recruits with your persistence Sdemon

Who is WE sucker?

Look this may sound crazy but 10-12 players away not so sure.

I will start with the midfiled because once that is sorted out we will improve dramatically

In desperate need of 2 quality mids with slick skills, Trengove, Jones & Magner will be complimented by this & Gysberts when his body grows will be a vital cog The better skills will see better delivery to our forwards. Also have only seen videos of Viney but mostly highlight reels looks hard at it should be an asset loved his father and hope he is as good. As a whole they need to work on their running power to spread, and provide options/support to teamates

Defence - They have the makings of a good unit Frawley however looks down on confidence and if we can sort out the m. 1 half back to break the lines with speed if Blease is prepared to do the hard yards on the track this is his role if not trade him. Finishing piece is somone with penetrating kick to take prssure off and make quick breaks on the counter, do we have this in Strauss and Tappy, not sure. The defence is not that bad IMO yesterday showed they struggle when they looked up they either had to try and run it out getting into trouble or bomb it long where it would come straight back in. I believe this could be solved with improvements as suggested abobe re midfield

.

Forward - The forward set up will be improved with a quality crumber and improvement in the midfield delivery

Ruck - Martin, Gawn, Fitzy to take over from Rush is that enough if not target a ruckman from another club not getting enough game time like Sydney did with Jolly, who is out there Bellchambers, Zac Clarke, Griffen

So although it doesn't look it at the moment I'd say 4 or 5 players away

Edited April 8, 201213 yr by Pennant St Dee

Look this may sound crazy but 10-12 players away not so sure.

I will start with the midfiled because once that is sorted out we will improve dramatically

In desperate need of 2 quality mids with slick skills, Trengove, Jones & Magner will be complimented by this & Gysberts when his body grows will be a vital cog The better skills will see better delivery to our forwards. Also have only seen videos of Viney but mostly highlight reels looks hard at it should be an asset loved his father and hope he is as good. As a whole they need to work on their running power to spread, and provide options/support to teamates

Defence - They have the makings of a good unit Frawley however looks down on confidence and if we can sort out the m. 1 half back to break the lines with speed if Blease is prepared to do the hard yards on the track this is his role if not trade him. Finishing piece is somone with penetrating kick to take prssure off and make quick breaks on the counter, do we have this in Strauss and Tappy, not sure. The defence is not that bad IMO yesterday showed they struggle when they looked up they either had to try and run it out getting into trouble or bomb it long where it would come straight back in. I believe this could be solved with improvements as suggested abobe re midfield

.

Forward - The forward set up will be improved with a quality crumber and improvement in the midfield delivery

Ruck - Martin, Gawn, Fitzy to take over from Rush is that enough if not target a ruckman from another club not getting enough game time like Sydney did with Jolly, who is out there Bellchambers, Zac Clarke, Griffen

So although it doesn't look it at the moment I'd say 4 or 5 players away

What I am saying is that we (for Biffen we means us MELBOURNEfc) need 10 - 12 players that can win the ball through the centre. That includes players off the half back line and the half forward line as well as the middle. At the moment we have about 4. They would be Magner, Trengove, Jones and McKenzie. So therefore we need to find another 6 - 8 players either still on our list or via the draft. One being Jack Viney and also Billy Stretch via father/son.