Jump to content

Featured Replies

Posted

I know that there has been a few discussions in similar threads, but wanted to know who we can roll through the middle as the 3rd midfielder.

Both Trac and Oliver compliment each other, but I feel we just don’t have a third who can carry the weight and free these guys a little. 
 

For a while now I have been banging on about Salem or Rivers as an option, along with ANB. With Bowey playing back and looking at home in defence, might be time to complete the most powerful midfield in the comp.

 

Keen to hear people’s thoughts on who they think could offer some class, cleanness and defensive pressure. 

 
3 minutes ago, SPC said:

I know that there has been a few discussions in similar threads, but wanted to know who we can roll through the middle as the 3rd midfielder.

Both Trac and Oliver compliment each other, but I feel we just don’t have a third who can carry the weight and free these guys a little. 
 

For a while now I have been banging on about Salem or Rivers as an option, along with ANB. With Bowey playing back and looking at home in defence, might be time to complete the most powerful midfield in the comp.

 

Keen to hear people’s thoughts on who they think could offer some class, cleanness and defensive pressure. 

Why try inventing when we have already used JJ Harmes and Sparrow plus cameos from Kossie .

Let the players shine in their best positions and when Jack returns the selectors will make their intents public. 

10 minutes ago, SPC said:

I know that there has been a few discussions in similar threads, but wanted to know who we can roll through the middle as the 3rd midfielder.

Both Trac and Oliver compliment each other, but I feel we just don’t have a third who can carry the weight and free these guys a little. 
 

For a while now I have been banging on about Salem or Rivers as an option, along with ANB. With Bowey playing back and looking at home in defence, might be time to complete the most powerful midfield in the comp.

 

Keen to hear people’s thoughts on who they think could offer some class, cleanness and defensive pressure. 

I actually wouldn't mind seeing Spargo have some time in the midfield. He is easily one of the best decision makers in the team. I think that playing in the middle will give him the chance to win more of the ball as he is a low-possession player.

I wouldn't move Salem to another position as his performance across half-back this season has been All-Australian quality. 

Edited by Hopeful Demon

 
46 minutes ago, SPC said:

I know that there has been a few discussions in similar threads, but wanted to know who we can roll through the middle as the 3rd midfielder.

Both Trac and Oliver compliment each other, but I feel we just don’t have a third who can carry the weight and free these guys a little. 
 

For a while now I have been banging on about Salem or Rivers as an option, along with ANB. With Bowey playing back and looking at home in defence, might be time to complete the most powerful midfield in the comp.

 

Keen to hear people’s thoughts on who they think could offer some class, cleanness and defensive pressure. 

Have to try Salem in the middle one of the next 2 weeks. :-  is a low risk move - if it turns out he is more effective as a half-back flank, then back he goes in time for finals 

 


16 minutes ago, 1964_2 said:

Have to try Salem in the middle one of the next 2 weeks. :-  is a low risk move - if it turns out he is more effective as a half-back flank, then back he goes in time for finals 

 

Trouble is he's playing sore so wouldn't be the best time to try this...

39 minutes ago, Wrecker46 said:

Judd, Cousins, Kerr. We need our Daniel Kerr alongside our superstars.

 

1 hour ago, SPC said:

I know that there has been a few discussions in similar threads, but wanted to know who we can roll through the middle as the 3rd midfielder.

No, we need more than that, West Coast also had Embley, Chick, Braun, Banfield etc. So a good mix of at least 7 or 8 who can roll through the middle at various times. All great sides have more then just 2 or 3 great mids, they have have at least 7 or 8 guys per game who can at any time go into the midfield mix, I think between Trax, Clarry, Viney, Harmes, Gus, JJ, Sparrow, Kossie, ANB, Langdon, Salem and Rivers we've got a pretty good mix to throw in, with Trac and Oliver as the mainstays. 

15 minutes ago, rjay said:

Trouble is he's playing sore so wouldn't be the best time to try this...

Very good point. 
 

 

Not sure experimenting this close to finals is advisable.

Rivers in time could be a good option. I don't think Salem has the physicality for the role plus he gives us such drive off half back.

The name missing in this discussion is Brayshaw. Got lots of Brownlow votes in this role.

Trouble is that he is perhaps too valuable as a wingman playing up and down the filed and strong intercept marking.


  • Author
2 minutes ago, BDA said:

Not sure experimenting this close to finals is advisable.

Rivers in time could be a good option. I don't think Salem has the physicality for the role plus he gives us such drive off half back.

I think we have to look at something, even if it is only for 30-40% game time. Viney might struggle to come back, Harmes is good, but limited unless he is tagging. Sparrow and JJ haven’t made the position theirs. 
 

Rivers, Salem or even Spargo could be the master stroke. Perhaps not this week, but next week. If we win both, maybe against the cats. 

I think JJ was a lot better than people remember, he does a lot of grunt work and seems to get on the end of it quite a lot.

I think we are two good mids short, don’t think we have enough firepower there at present, which would be much worse if either of Trac or Clarry go down

 

Edited by BW511

2 hours ago, BDA said:

Not sure experimenting this close to finals is advisable.

Rivers in time could be a good option. I don't think Salem has the physicality for the role plus he gives us such drive off half back.

Perfectly summed up 

15 hours ago, tiers said:

The name missing in this discussion is Brayshaw. Got lots of Brownlow votes in this role.

Trouble is that he is perhaps too valuable as a wingman playing up and down the filed and strong intercept marking.

He is doing his job on the wing wouldn't say he is dominating he is very hot and cold.   It is the only spot for him to play in the side.  Not sure what has happened but our coaches don't see him in the centre Square Mids.  I'm with you I thought he was an amazing clearance player, like the rest of our mids at the time his disposal by foot is extremely poor and defensively he was a one way runner.  He has shown on the wing he is still Kicking poor but at least he runs hard defensively.

This third mid is a problem, we need a bit of class in there to compliment the grunt.  Really need a mid that can get it and kick it well.  I just don't see that player on our list at the moment.

 


What I like about the Rivers/Salem options being proposed above is that they are great kicks when they receive the ball under immediate heat, meaning we're more likely to see a kick to our resultant advantage in the forward line.

What I don't like about this option is that our backline is highly functioning and really settled; and I'd like to keep it this way.

18 hours ago, Billy said:

Kozzie alternating through the midfields exciting 

Agree with this also Bowey coz he is a very good ball user and has awareness of where the ballis going. Reads the play well

Bowey could potentially play the traditional centre role in years to come, he has poise and uses the footy well. Exactly what we need between the arcs.


Our mids are set for this year, but starting next year I think Bailey Laurie is the missing ingredient. Much needed skill and pace and can take a wing allowing Brayshaw back into the guts. 

Like a few others I am sick of watching our mids hand the ball back to the opposition - Viney and Harmes being the worst offenders. 

C: Langdon, Oliver, Laurie

FOLL: Gawn, Petracca, Brayshaw

INT: Sparrow, Jordon 

Edited by Gouga

Petracca, Oliver and Brayshaw.

I agree, we need another quality midfielder, we may be able to trade for one in the coming years

Brayshaw is the only one who can fill the void currently. Play JJ on wing, he's done it before

 

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

Featured Content

  • PREVIEW: Gold Coast

    The Gold Coast Suns find themselves outside of the top eight for the first time since Round 1 with pressure is mounting on the entire organisation. Their coach Damien Hardwick expressed his frustration at his team’s condition last week by making a middle-finger gesture on television that earned him a fine for his troubles. He showed his desperation by claiming that Fox should pick up the tab.  There’s little doubt the Suns have shown improvement in 2025, and their position on the ladder is influenced to some extent by having played fewer games than their rivals for a playoff role at the end of the season, courtesy of the disruption caused by Cyclone Alfred in March.  However, they are following the same trajectory that hindered the club in past years whenever they appeared to be nearing their potential. As a consequence, that Hardwick gesture should be considered as more than a mere behavioral lapse. It’s a distress signal that does not bode well for the Queenslanders. While the Suns are eager to remain in contention with the top eight, Melbourne faces its own crisis, which is similarly deep-seated but in a much different way. After recovering from a disappointing start to the season and nearing a return to respectability among its peer clubs, the Demons have experienced a decline in status, driven by the fact that while their form has been reasonable (see their performance against the ladder leader in the Kings Birthday match), their conversion in front of goal is poor enough to rank last in the competition. Furthermore, their opponents find them exceptionally easy to score against. As a result, they have effectively eliminated themselves from the finals race and are again positioned to finish in the bottom half of the ladder.

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 3 replies
  • NON-MFC: Round 15

    As the Demons head into their Bye Round, it's time to turn our attention to the other matches being played. Which teams are you tipping this week? And which results would be most favourable for the Demons if we can manage to turn our season around? Follow all the non-Melbourne games here and join the conversation as the ladder continues to take shape.

      • Like
    • 276 replies
  • REPORT: Port Adelaide

    Of course, it’s not the backline, you might argue and you would probably be right. It’s the boot studder (do they still have them?), the midfield, the recruiting staff, the forward line, the kicking coach, the Board, the interchange bench, the supporters, the folk at Casey, the head coach and the club psychologist  It’s all of them and all of us for having expectations that were sufficiently high to have believed three weeks ago that a restoration of the Melbourne team to a position where we might still be in contention for a finals berth when the time for the midseason bye arrived. Now let’s look at what happened over the period of time since Melbourne overwhelmed the Sydney Swans at the MCG in late May when it kicked 8.2 to 5.3 in the final quarter (and that was after scoring 3.8 to two straight goals in the second term). 

      • Clap
      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 3 replies
  • CASEY: Essendon

    Casey’s unbeaten run was extended for at least another fortnight after the Demons overran a persistent Essendon line up by 29 points at ETU Stadium in Port Melbourne last night. After conceding the first goal of the evening, Casey went on a scoring spree from about ten minutes in, with five unanswered majors with its fleet of midsized runners headed by the much improved Paddy Cross who kicked two in quick succession and livewire Ricky Mentha who also kicked an early goal. Leading the charge was recruit of the year, Riley Bonner while Bailey Laurie continued his impressive vein of form. With Tom Campbell missing from the lineup, Will Verrall stepped up to the plate demonstrating his improvement under the veteran ruckman’s tutelage. The Demons were looking comfortable for much of the second quarter and held a 25-point lead until the Bombers struck back with two goals in the shadows of half time. On the other side of the main break their revival continued with first three goals of the half. Harry Sharp, who had been quiet scrambled in the Demons’ first score of the third term to bring the margin back to a single point at the 17 minute mark and the game became an arm-wrestle for the remainder of the quarter and into the final moments of the last.

      • Clap
    • 0 replies
  • PREGAME: Gold Coast

    The Demons have the Bye next week but then are on the road once again when they come up against the Gold Coast Suns on the Gold Coast in what could be a last ditch effort to salvage their season. Who comes in and who comes out?

      • Thanks
    • 155 replies
  • PODCAST: Port Adelaide

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 16th June @ 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we dissect the Dees disappointing loss to the Power.
    Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show.
    Listen LIVE: https://demonland.com/

      • Thanks
    • 33 replies