Roos Wants Midfielders.

[DeeSpencer 23,131]

Jones averaged 23.1 disposals per game in 2013, which is ranked 51st in the competition.. our next is Magner at 108, Terlich at 119, Sylvia 127, M.Jones 129. Trengove as a pick 2 in his 4th season came in at 170th.

So you look at that and it is obvious we are STAGGERINGLY deficient in terms of 'blokes that get a lot of the ball'!

I would go as far as to suggest we should trade BOTH our early picks to get 2 or 3 solid midfielders in, it will make an immediate and signifigant difference.

Yeah but we need stars as well. When has a team ever won the grand final without some serious class in the midfield, even Sydney under Roos had Goodes. Based on those averages it looks like we need at least 5 in the top 100 and averaging around that 25 touches a week. I think with proper coaching either or both Terlich and Grimes can get that off half back. Matt Jones on a wing. Sylvia, Viney and Nathan Jones in the guts and maybe even Trengove as well. That's 7 players who I think are easily capable of getting it over 20 times a week.

Roos shouldn't treat this just like Sydney. We are a low way down, the expectations of a quick turnover are not that high. He doesn't have to sell out all the draft picks to get a team capable of instant significant improvement within his 2-3 years. The other thing is that if he trades the picks he might not get the guns in that we think. Which will improve the team but without the skill level taking a step up maybe the disposal numbers wont either.

No doubt Roos can improve the list, but there is still a huge need for talent turnover. We've got probably half the list who are almost complete dead wood. I'd say at least 12 are so far off it I doubt any coach could save their careers. The best way for the talent turnover is and always will be the draft.

[Mad_Melbourne 872]

Clearly Roos is a big fan of the "It's the midfield, stupid!" thread.

*Kudos for Baghdad Bob (aka Fan or was it Snoopy at the time? I can't recall) for producing a catchy titled thread of a big "Need" the supporters have been screaming for!

"Build it, and they will come"

3 votes to the person who names the movie that used this quote^ often.

field of dreams? or was that if you build it he will come? something similar to that, bit out of my age group but i saw it on foxtel once haha

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

Yeah but we need stars as well. When has a team ever won the grand final without some serious class in the midfield, even Sydney under Roos had Goodes. Based on those averages it looks like we need at least 5 in the top 100 and averaging around that 25 touches a week. I think with proper coaching either or both Terlich and Grimes can get that off half back. Matt Jones on a wing. Sylvia, Viney and Nathan Jones in the guts and maybe even Trengove as well. That's 7 players who I think are easily capable of getting it over 20 times a week.

Roos shouldn't treat this just like Sydney. We are a low way down, the expectations of a quick turnover are not that high. He doesn't have to sell out all the draft picks to get a team capable of instant significant improvement within his 2-3 years. The other thing is that if he trades the picks he might not get the guns in that we think. Which will improve the team but without the skill level taking a step up maybe the disposal numbers wont either.

No doubt Roos can improve the list, but there is still a huge need for talent turnover. We've got probably half the list who are almost complete dead wood. I'd say at least 12 are so far off it I doubt any coach could save their careers. The best way for the talent turnover is and always will be the draft.

Trengove, Gysberts, Blease, Strauss, Morton and Grimes.. these high draft pick midfielders recruited over 3 years, at this stage... none have become a genuine elite midfielder. I'm thinking the new Roos era needs to install established, quality leaders in the middle for Viney and Toumpas to play alongside. It's basically a given that we will appear on paper to lose some value for our picks but for US the value will be a lot higher than just more talented kids coming in and struggling aimlessly. I know Roos himself is supposed to be a big factor for the development of the kids, but he is only one element in this. Jones+Toumpas+Viney and 3 experienced recruits, hopefully a couple of McKenzie, Blease, Trengove and Kent and we are getting somewhere. The time of playing the kids should end now IMO.

[jazza 1,323]

Clearly Roos is a big fan of the "It's the midfield, stupid!" thread.

*Kudos for Baghdad Bob (aka Fan or was it Snoopy at the time? I can't recall) for producing a catchy titled thread of a big "Need" the supporters have been screaming for!

"Build it, and they will come"

3 votes to the person who names the movie that used this quote^ often.

sisterhood of the travelling pants?

[H_T 2,941]

field of dreams? or was that if you build it he will come? something similar to that, bit out of my age group but i saw it on foxtel once haha

Correct, you're right with the wording too.

[monoccular 16,071]

the best way i could see this working is if we are going to trade pick 2 to adelaide, then we would be getting sloane and another 1 and maybe a late draft pick.

so i imagine something like sloane and mckernan (who wants to leave) and pick 30 something. we offload pick 30 something and mckernan to a club like carlton or someone who wants a forward and get a mid/forward off them?

or the real best option will be trading pick 2 for dale thomas, who if he decides he wants to leave would be an amazing option to trade for, which would mean we could draft daniel cross and that would be helpful also

What is Dale Thomas' injury problem and status??

[Mad_Melbourne 872]

What is Dale Thomas' injury problem and status??

i know its an ankle injury, and last i heard is he was looking at starting day 1 of pre season!

but you never know what is actually true or not!

[Tatu 416]

I hope the other clubs aren't aware of that or they may try and low ball us, knowing that we have to trade it.

the other clubs will try to low ball us anyway.... But a high pick is a high pick.... If they want it, they have to pay.... Or else we just let go though to the keeper...

[Clintosaurus 6,439]

Dale Thomas. Get it done coach. I reckon the Pies iced him as he won't be there next year.

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

Not sure I'd want to risk pick No.2 on 27-year-old Daisy who has a serious foot injury.

As I said, if we do trade pick No.2, we would want a young Roosy-style running player in the 20-24yo bracket.

As for Cross, we would be able to pick him up as a free-agent if we wanted him, which I very much doubt given he is the equivalent stupidity of drafting Rodan - although I accept he might be a better player - but he is 30 and we are a developmental side!

We don't have to give pies anything for his services. He is a free agent. Just $$

[Machsy 2,858]

field of dreams? or was that if you build it he will come? something similar to that, bit out of my age group but i saw it on foxtel once haha

You nailed the quote, too.

"If you build it, he will come."

Often misquoted as "they".

[hardtack 10,127]

Jones averaged 23.1 disposals per game in 2013, which is ranked 51st in the competition.. our next is Magner at 108, Terlich at 119, Sylvia 127, M.Jones 129. Trengove as a pick 2 in his 4th season came in at 170th.

So you look at that and it is obvious we are STAGGERINGLY deficient in terms of 'blokes that get a lot of the ball'!

I would go as far as to suggest we should trade BOTH our early picks to get 2 or 3 solid midfielders in, it will make an immediate and signifigant difference.

It's not just about possessions... Jones was 2nd in the entire AFL for centre clearances and 5th (I think it was) for all clearances. A couple more mids like him who are able to get good clearances and we might find the possession count goes up accordingly as the ball finds more of our players.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,402]

We've got an early draft pick which Essendon might want. But Essendon's tradeable players are likely to be key position players like Gumbleton or Pears. So which team with excess mids and a shortage of talls wants to join the party for a three way swap? I would have thought GWS, Bulldogs or maybe Carlton?

[TheoX 1,218]

Michie, Hallahan, Adams please.

[Deeman 1,403]

Daniel Rich and the good news is that he will bring a fistful of disabled stickers with him.

[Ouch! 2,034]

We've got an early draft pick which Essendon might want. But Essendon's tradeable players are likely to be key position players like Gumbleton or Pears. So which team with excess mids and a shortage of talls wants to join the party for a three way swap? I would have thought GWS, Bulldogs or maybe Carlton?

Remember Essendon traditionally have been terrible to deal with through trade week as well!

[What 18,810]

Remember Essendon traditionally have been terrible to deal with through trade week as well!

THey are a no-go zone while they have ASADA lingering over their heads

[deeko 937]

It's not just about possessions... Jones was 2nd in the entire AFL for centre clearances and 5th (I think it was) for all clearances. A couple more mids like him who are able to get good clearances and we might find the possession count goes up accordingly as the ball finds more of our players.

I just adore Jonesy but I don't think he is the second best clearance mid from the centre in the AFL. May have gotten the second most but thats only as there are zero other midfielders to swap with him so he competes in there more than probaby any other midfielder.

He will be even better when he has some support around him so he can get a few cheapie possessions each week instead of relying on getting his own pill 24/7

[mdemonski2 403]

Clearly Roos is a big fan of the "It's the midfield, stupid!" thread.

*Kudos for Baghdad Bob (aka Fan or was it Snoopy at the time? I can't recall) for producing a catchy titled thread of a big "Need" the supporters have been screaming for!

"Build it, and they will come"

3 votes to the person who names the movie that used this quote^ often.

Field of dreams with Kevin Costner - great movie!

[rjay 23,912]

If we get PP1 I think we will still take Boyd, all supposition at the moment though.

[Dockett 32 1,213]

Just quietly I reckon Daniel Cross could be happy by the appointment of Roos,

I can see clubs like Brisbane, Adelaide, Collingwood, Freo and Western Bulldogs all very interested in talking to us in regards to pick 1. All at various times this year have struggled with their forward structures... We potentially have Tom Boyd on the table, come and give us your best offer for him. I'd be suprised if that didn't net us something special.

Cross is finished , he is bulldog through and through and if there was any decent footy left they would have kept him. In short, we want way better than him. Been a good player for sure but he's done. IMO Sloan, Adams, Swallow far better options and there could well be others.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

It's not just about possessions... Jones was 2nd in the entire AFL for centre clearances and 5th (I think it was) for all clearances. A couple more mids like him who are able to get good clearances and we might find the possession count goes up accordingly as the ball finds more of our players.

true.. but when you have one bloke in the top 100 and he is at 51 that's a massive concern. The pies have 3 in the top 8 and they're not even real contenders.

[Swampfox 190]

Paul implemented a policy of trading high picks in exchange for players from other clubs who he chalked into his game plan

Richards, Shaw, Everitt, Mumford, Mattiner and Jolly were some of those

I thought he was successful in doing so and a premiership followed (2005) which validated his decision and in 2006 it could have been two flags

At Melbourne i have no doubt that he will do something similar especially in the middle part of the ground

It will be interesting to see who he can attract to the club

We could easily be known as the foreign legion so get used to it

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,078]

Personally think we need three mids. Two at around 22 years of age and maybe an older hand to guide the youngsters (Viney, Trengove, Toumpas and Evans)

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

You mean we are not already the foreign legion now.

Problem has been we have been in the desert for so long.