Article in AFL site caught my attention - The Inquirer: The inside 50 job

Some key points...*

The Good News

• MFC are best team at converting I50 (51.5% of the time),
• MFC are 5th hardest team to score against once ball I50 (43.2% of the time)

The Bad News

• MFC have the Worst I50 For in competition (40.2 average)
• MFC have the 15th I50 Against in comp (56.7 average)
• MFC have worst I50 differential in comp (-16.5 per game)

Thoughts

• We currently boast the "best I50 attack" and "5th best I50 defence", despite
• Having the worst performing midfield, as highlighted by our worst I50 For and I50 Against.

Meaning if we fix the midfield, we should rise swiftly.

As we all know...

but data like this should help attract midfield talent.

*these stats are based on rounds in 2015 played and MFC have played team currently placed 1, 4, 5, 6, 13, 16, so results should improve as play rest of comp.

Need a quality ruckman and mid.

That would go a LONG way to improving our midfield. First use, free up Jones, Tyson, etc.

GWSs midfield would be great

I'd try and buy three mids this year. One big fish, one other starting mid and a third young mid who isprobably best 22. Don't mind if we get one FA and trade for the other.

Agree about the ruck but I don't want to spend big on one unless they are a forward/Rick who can play on the same team and share the ruck work with another ruckman.

  On 15/05/2015 at 13:28, PaulRB said:

Article in AFL site caught my attention - The Inquirer: The inside 50 job

Some key points...*

The Good News

• MFC are best team at converting I50 (51.5% of the time),
• MFC are 5th hardest team to score against once ball I50 (43.2% of the time)

The Bad News

• MFC have the Worst I50 For in competition (40.2 average)
• MFC have the 15th I50 Against in comp (56.7 average)
• MFC have worst I50 differential in comp (-16.5 per game)

Thoughts

1. We currently boast the "best I50 attack" and "5th best I50 defence", despite
2. Having the worst performing midfield, as highlighted by our worst I50 For and I50 Against.

Meaning if we fix the midfield, we should rise swiftly.

As we all know...

but data like this should help attract midfield talent.

*these stats are based on rounds in 2015 played and MFC have played team currently placed 1, 4, 5, 6, 13, 16, so results should improve as play rest of comp.

And in some ways, it's been great to test ourselves against the top teams early on this year, rather than have a draw that is divided by a soft start and a tough run home. We haven't had a run of cheapies. I'm really hoping we can win 8 games this year. I'd be pretty happy with our progress. We could also point to this as evidence of improvement to lure prospective young mids.

  On 15/05/2015 at 13:50, deanox said:

I'd try and buy three mids this year. One big fish, one other staring mid and a third young mid who isprobably best 22. Don't mind if we get one FA and trade for the other.

Agree about the ruck but I don't want to spend big on one unless they are a forward/Rick who can play on the same team and share the ruck work with another ruckman.

If we managed this, we'll have improved our depth significantly and we can push for finals next year. Or at least the cusp of finals.

  On 15/05/2015 at 13:35, KingDingAling said:

Need a quality ruckman and mid.

That would go a LONG way to improving our midfield. First use, free up Jones, Tyson, etc.

A ruckman is a huge problem for us. When we play better midfields, with ruckmen who are better than our own (which is essentially always), it's like a game of keepings off. Our midfielders just can't get their hands on the ball and the opposition win clearance after clearance.

I think Dunn should run up the ground more. Seems to have been more of a stay at home back this year, he has a decent boot that could get us some entries

  On 15/05/2015 at 14:25, Django said:

A ruckman is a huge problem for us. When we play better midfields, with ruckmen who are better than our own (which is essentially always), it's like a game of keepings off. Our midfielders just can't get their hands on the ball and the opposition win clearance after clearance.

We need to set up in a way that either makes neutralising the opposition stoppages easier or our midfielders need to anticipate the opposition ruckman in a better way. The amount of times oppositions used to read taps of Jeff White and yet our mids have never been able to do this.

move heaven and earth for a ready-to-go elite midfielder, I don't care what it costs, except Jesse Hogan of course

  On 15/05/2015 at 14:25, Django said:

A ruckman is a huge problem for us. When we play better midfields, with ruckmen who are better than our own (which is essentially always), it's like a game of keepings off. Our midfielders just can't get their hands on the ball and the opposition win clearance after clearance.

Agree. This is a problem we should have handled years ago. We have been way too slow in moving Jamar on. I respect his service to MFC but has been past it and basically ineffective since his all Australian year.

  On 15/05/2015 at 14:29, Je Roos Salem said:

I think Dunn should run up the ground more. Seems to have been more of a stay at home back this year, he has a decent boot that could get us some entries

Definitely good call. I remember in the first game he got the ball in the middle and it was an easy and quick kick from him forward to Jamar for a goal. His kicking is a valuable weapon and should be utilised more for this to put opposition under the pump.

  On 15/05/2015 at 13:28, PaulRB said:

Article in AFL site caught my attention - The Inquirer: The inside 50 job

Some key points...*

The Good News

• MFC are best team at converting I50 (51.5% of the time),
• MFC are 5th hardest team to score against once ball I50 (43.2% of the time)

Is Mark Neeld back!!

The midfield disposal is atrocious.

Jones, Tyson Viney rarely hit targets, or kick to a space to lead to.

Cross has never been a great kick. Toumpas can't get the ball.

Salem is best disposal and sitting in back pocket this week.

Lumumba kicks all over the shop.Brayshaw needs to work a bit on his kicking.

This is getting boring, it shows how many just can't kick under pressure.

Watching last night's game between Norf and Essendrug showed two teams who can hit targets and actually take marks regularly, even under pressure and when contested. I kept thinking: why can't our players do that?

  On 15/05/2015 at 21:57, Pig Dog said:

The midfield disposal is atrocious.

Jones, Tyson Viney rarely hit targets, or kick to a space to lead to.

Cross has never been a great kick. Toumpas can't get the ball.

Salem is best disposal and sitting in back pocket this week.

Lumumba kicks all over the shop.Brayshaw needs to work a bit on his kicking.

This is getting boring, it shows how many just can't kick under pressure.

Wrong about Brayshaw. It is fine. Watch closer..

  On 15/05/2015 at 14:10, AdamFarr said:

And in some ways, it's been great to test ourselves against the top teams early on this year, rather than have a draw that is divided by a soft start and a tough run home. We haven't had a run of cheapies. I'm really hoping we can win 8 games this year. I'd be pretty happy with our progress. We could also point to this as evidence of improvement to lure prospective young mids.

If we managed this, we'll have improved our depth significantly and we can push for finals next year. Or at least the cusp of finals.

I don't think it is unreasonable. A big play at a star via FA, trade our first pick for another mod who will be in our top 6 mids and a lower trade for a fringe player at a good club who may push for selection.

Trade players for a ruck if needed, keep our second pick for the draft and get petracca and maybe Trengove back as well.

Hopefully we gain some pacey mids from the Qld and Sydney franchises.

There will be a few Victorians coming home after being drafted North.

Meanwhile, we need to get quicker hands in the centre.

I like seeing Garlett,Hogan ,Jetta go in for the odd bounce.

Cross might be better down back as he can be run off quite a bit.

Those who knock the Spence don't rate shepherds,tackles,bumps and the other things that help win bounces.

He was the reason we broke even at clearances against the flag favourites.

To 'fix our midfield' we need 'ball-extractors' which we don't have right now (except maybe Tyson). Jones and Viney are 'ball-getters', in and under types who too often get caught with the ball before getting it to the outside, running types eg Toumpas.

Our best prospect for a 'ball-extractor' is Salem: has footy smarts, getting stronger, has 'soft hands', quick decision maker, calm under pressure, silky kick. The whole package. Can't wait to see him in the 'engine room' from time to time.

Hopefully, one or more of Petracca, ANB, Brayshaw or Stretch can join the Salem 'extractor' type of midfielder.

I think those 8 players can give us the right mix in our midfield but most are a few years away from having the experience. And, I'm not sure that getting a gun midfielder is going to speed up the process of 'fixing the midfield' very much. We just have to wait while the kids get games.

It really nicely illustrates the folly of the "Jones is an A grade mid" party. He is a solid midfield citizen at best.

It also highlights the recruiting black hole the last umpteen years have been.

  On 15/05/2015 at 23:18, timD said:

It really nicely illustrates the folly of the "Jones is an A grade mid" party. He is a solid midfield citizen at best.

I'm not sure it does. I think it highlights that "midfielder" is a loose term we use to cover a whole number of roles/positions from extractors at the bottom of packs, inside distributors, outside receivers/links, outside distributors, taggers, run withs, etc.

Without a good mix of all these types a midfield performs poorly, looks one paced etc.

A genuine superstar can play any of those roles as required, but there have been very few pages in the history of the game who can do that whole surrounded by substandard team mates.

Easier said than done to put it mildly...

But yes, our clearance work, transition from defence to attack, and general skill level and decision making in the middle of the ground is bottom 2 quality with Carlton.

First we had Jones then we had Tyson, Cross and Vince with him, now we look to have Brayshaw and Vandenberg.

2 from the pointy end of the draft, 3 from other clubs, and one from the NEAFL.

I hope we explore more trades and mature recruits in lieu of kids at the draft - we have enough potential - I want performance.

We need another 4-5 quality mids if we are going to see drastic change.

These fringe players from other clubs are handy, but when your list is made up of them you have a problem on your hands.We have far too many players who are handy, but not stars.

Must pay top dollar to bring a top mid to the club.

  On 15/05/2015 at 23:04, Biffen said:

Hopefully we gain some pacey mids from the Qld and Sydney franchises.

There will be a few Victorians coming home after being drafted North.

Meanwhile, we need to get quicker hands in the centre.

I like seeing Garlett,Hogan ,Jetta go in for the odd bounce.

Cross might be better down back as he can be run off quite a bit.

Those who knock the Spence don't rate shepherds,tackles,bumps and the other things that help win bounces.

He was the reason we broke even at clearances against the flag favourites.

Yep just what this club needs to compete with best, more sloppy seconds from GWS and Gold Coast

Winning or losing the clearances are certainly important, but our lack of run and flow with ball movement is still appalling.

I don't trust Tyson. He's lost his nerve. Viney's not that type of player. Vince is hacking it forward all the time.

Billy Stretch can't find the ball much but he does seem to think his way through trouble. He isn't quite a line breaker yet though.

It's not good for results but protecting Stretch and Brayshaw this year will be important because they both look like they'll be key parts of the future. I'm keen to see Alex Neal-Bullen and really want to have a look at Harmes as well.

The simple test for draft picks if we are going to focus on need is looking for mids who can run and hit a target.

It's fast become an infuriating stat but we badly need a few 'metres gained' players.

Been searching for nigh on 10 years now. We will find one some day soon I am sure, a functioning, competitive midfield I mean.