This article just popped up on AFL.com.au ranking our midfield at No. 7

Who has the best midfield? We rank every club

Wasn't there an article somewhere recently putting us at second last?

I think Freo at No. 5 is a bit rich ...

Thoughts?

As is Collingwood at number 4. St Kilda is probably a little bit better than their ranking as well.

Why didn't Bernie rate a mention? He's worthy of a mention in any team.

We have a bloody good midfield now: Jones, Tyson, Viney, Gawn, Lewis, Vince, Oliver, Brayshaw, Stretch, Harmes, AVB, Petracca, Melksham, Salem. Most opposition coaches would like to have this group.

 

Edited December 31, 20168 yr by Ron Burgundy

Well, with the Pies so high up in the midfield and defence so far, they must be one of the favourites for the flag.

2 minutes ago, Ron Burgundy said:

As is Collingwood at number 4. St Kilda is probably a little bit better than their ranking as well.

Why didn't Bernie rate a mention? He's worthy of a mention in any team.

 

Yes, I agree with Collingwood. But as debated after the Champion Data ratings, I guess they look at Pendles, Trelaor and Sidebottom as being elite - No. 4 still ridiculous though.

 

As for Bernie, perhaps he's viewed as a defender now?

Full credit must go to Simon Goodwin for lifting us from the bottom of the midfield group and into the top eight without the team even playing a single game.

Why bother with Champion data when you can just have all the journo's get together for an opinion piece?

My opinion is that our young mids are second only to the Giants.

WGAS anyway.

4 hours ago, McQueen said:

Why bother with Champion data when you can just have all the journo's get together for an opinion piece?

My opinion is that our young mids are second only to the Giants.

WGAS anyway.

I don't think the Champion Data stuff is any better, the below "Champion Data" based article ranked us as having the worst midfield.

Who has the best midfield in the AFL?

That was my point, boydie.

Whether it's data driven or opinion based, it's not any easy process of judging when you've got 18 teams and all of the players that can roll thru the midfield to consider.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

        Melb v St Kilda:

Mid 7th v 10th

Back 8th v 9th

Fwd ?

If we get rolled by St Kilda in Round 1 AGAIN, I'll be ropable 

51 minutes ago, McQueen said:

That was my point, boydie.

Whether it's data driven or opinion based, it's not any easy process of judging when you've got 18 teams and all of the players that can roll thru the midfield to consider.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Not only that, but with a young group any statistics based analysis is weighted against most of our list.  It's classical lag indicator analysis applied to future forecasting.  The Champion Data (or any other data) doesn't predict when established elite players fall off a cliff, nor does it predict breakout seasons.  The excitement of the Melbourne midfield (and the team generally) is the upside potential in the young talent.  If that potential is realised, we'll be smashing these analyses over the next few years.  For now, it's a bit of a yawn...

2 hours ago, Deemented Are Go! said:

Yes, I agree with Collingwood. But as debated after the Champion Data ratings, I guess they look at Pendles, Trelaor and Sidebottom as being elite - No. 4 still ridiculous though.

 

As for Bernie, perhaps he's viewed as a defender now?

Possibly, but I hope he's put back on the ball this season. He's hard, experienced and skilled - he adds more value in the midfield IMO.

Hibberd, Hunt and Wagner (and possibly Melksham) to share the half back roles next year.

 

 

 

I would take that as a ladder position after the home and away games.

Fourth for the pies seems high, but they do have class there.  However, their rucks are spuds, so they must not have put much stock in these.  And adding Wells with either be a master stroke or the Mitch Clarke moment of this draft.

Doggies  a bit over rated, a lot of their success came from half back.  They have average rucks at best.

GWS are just scary.

glad we are not Carlton.  Or Richmond.

on potential, we are probably higher.  Up to the dees to turn potential into performance, so we climb in the rankings next year.

4 hours ago, McQueen said:

That was my point, boydie.

Whether it's data driven or opinion based, it's not any easy process of judging when you've got 18 teams and all of the players that can roll thru the midfield to consider.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Or ....except as some sort of academic exercise... who GAF about rankings?

It's all about performance and results.

6 hours ago, Redleg said:

Well, with the Pies so high up in the midfield and defence so far, they must be one of the favourites for the flag.

Alternative interpretation: they have the highest membership.

31 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Or ....except as some sort of academic exercise... who GAF about rankings?

It's all about performance and results.

Elementary my dear, BBO.

7 hours ago, Ron Burgundy said:

As is Collingwood at number 4. St Kilda is probably a little bit better than their ranking as well.

Why didn't Bernie rate a mention? He's worthy of a mention in any team.

We have a bloody good midfield now: Jones, Tyson, Viney, Gawn, Lewis, Vince, Oliver, Brayshaw, Stretch, Harmes, AVB, Petracca, Melksham, Salem. Most opposition coaches would like to have this group.

 

Didn't Bernie lead the league in turnovers or clangers? He's a handy player for us, but his "punt it long at all cost" approach is woeful 

13 hours ago, Chook said:

Alternative interpretation: they have the highest membership.

Alternative interpretation: article written by Collingwood supporting journos.

On 31/12/2016 at 6:40 PM, tappysquads said:

Didn't Bernie lead the league in turnovers or clangers? He's a handy player for us, but his "punt it long at all cost" approach is woeful 

That was his approach in the midfield, particularly this year, and it came in handy having him do it against Hawthorn in the wet. He'll be at half back again this year and rotating to a wing/on ball and if he plays like he did for the first 2/3rds of the year he'll be handy. Especially if the additions of Hibberd and Lewis, and a fit Salem means he doesn't have to take on so much kicking responsibility and can share the ball more. If he get on to a wing he can get it outside and then long bombing in to the forward line to advantage or kicking goals comes in handy.

We have Max Gawn in the Ruck. Therefore we have the best midfield. That is all.

15 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

That was his approach in the midfield, particularly this year, and it came in handy having him do it against Hawthorn in the wet. He'll be at half back again this year and rotating to a wing/on ball and if he plays like he did for the first 2/3rds of the year he'll be handy. Especially if the additions of Hibberd and Lewis, and a fit Salem means he doesn't have to take on so much kicking responsibility and can share the ball more. If he get on to a wing he can get it outside and then long bombing in to the forward line to advantage or kicking goals comes in handy.

It would be interesting to see the breakdowns of Bernie's bomb it long turnovers by ground position.  I suspect he is fairly calculated in when he executes the bomb it long option, as I don't doubt that Roos would have hesitated to drum bad habits our of even experienced players

That said, I agree that Bernie's best position out of the midfield is up forward.  In a number of our wins last year, he bobbled up and kick 2 or 3 telling goals.  He has great goal sense as a snap shot and the ability to avoid inside 50 contests from his long hoofs from outside 50.  The only downer that could be said about his goal kicking is my impression that he can have off days and miff up plenty of simple shots.

Can also see why he would be used in defence as he reads the ball so well and positions him self well as a loose defender and is highly effective of getting under the skin of his opponent so it's handy to have that flexibility within the team.

Edited January 2, 20178 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter