The best three midfielders for each club.

Where does our midfield stand among the AFL clubs?

I hope the AFL steps in to 'equalise'. Kangas, Power and Saints have unfair numerical advantages (😄)

Lions, Suns and Giants have scary midfields. Swans pretty good too if their players can stay on the park.

We’re a bottom four midfield now sadly and we won’t be competitive again until our next generation of midfielders in Langford, Windsor, Lindsey etc have matured.

34 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

We’re a bottom four midfield now sadly and we won’t be competitive again until our next generation of midfielders in Langford, Windsor, Lindsey etc have matured.

Or... get free agent Butters plus Humphrey via trade. Bam. Top 4 midfield in 2027.

Or utilise the players we already have available, Langford, Windsor, Sparrow, Rivers, Culley, Langdon, Lindsay as well as Kozzie, Steele and JV, we have options and we must utilise what we have now not what we wish we had. Who knows what King and Co are planning but I’m sure it won’t be what we expect.

58 minutes ago, DeeZone said:

Or utilise the players we already have available, Langford, Windsor, Sparrow, Rivers, Culley, Langdon, Lindsay as well as Kozzie, Steele and JV, we have options and we must utilise what we have now not what we wish we had. Who knows what King and Co are planning but I’m sure it won’t be what we expect.

I said Bam.

That’s not our best starting midfield. Viney or Steele make way for Langford. We need to get Humphrey or Butters in there.

10 hours ago, Lord Travis said:

We’re a bottom four midfield now sadly and we won’t be competitive again until our next generation of midfielders in Langford, Windsor, Lindsey etc have matured.

Agreed, but I have no problem with that.
The pathway forward is clear with some very promising young talent on the list.
Huge difference between this and the starting midfields were were fielding in the Neeld years where there was very little talent waiting in the wings.

11 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

The best three midfielders for each club.

Where does our midfield stand among the AFL clubs?

Whilst I am happy with the decision to move on Trac and Oliver, stings having them in other teams top three.

Onwards and upwards hopefully.

10 hours ago, Random Task said:

Or... get free agent Butters plus Humphrey via trade. Bam. Top 4 midfield in 2027.

Now that would be an absolute rolls royce outcome. Just to entertain this hypothetical for a moment, who does that displace? Almost certainly means Viney, Steele and Sparrow are under the question mark. If by some miracle we were to pull this off, we would have to be sprung back into the window and also have some level of favouritism too.

Edited December 11, 2025Dec 11 by GS_1905

I would be absolutely shocked if we regularly used that combo.

Langford, Steele and Koz would be my starting 3.

Culley & Windsor rotating with Langford and Koz, then Viney/Sparrow with Steele, although I hope Viney/Steele are used sparingly and we go for more speed.

another stupid graphic to fill the off-season content quota

bears' midfield is so good cos it runs about 10 deep

it's not about 'top three' it's about collective group

edit: also, why are ruckmen never included in midfield groups? the best ones, like max, are effectively another midfielder, running around getting 20-30 possessions and a truckload of intercept marks into the bargain

Edited December 11, 2025Dec 11 by whatwhat say what

13 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

The best three midfielders for each club.

Where does our midfield stand among the AFL clubs?

On paper we are a fair way off, but of course we don’t play on paper and of course it is just someone’s opinion or guess.

I think we now have more unexpected options for midfield rotation.

Edited December 12, 2025Dec 12 by Redleg

Think fair to say Viney and Steele won’t be in together, Rivers would take one of those spots I’d think or maybe they throw some of the kids in.

Viney may not even be first choice in the starting 23, even if he gets fully fit. He always was with Goodwin’s defensive mindset but King may be full on offence, preferring midfielders with endurance, foot speed and kicking skills. If Oliver was going to struggle to fit into the new game plan, surely Viney will too.

15 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

The best three midfielders for each club.

Where does our midfield stand among the AFL clubs?

Who the hell's Parker from North Melbourne? Never heard of him. Do the twits mean Powell?

1 minute ago, Roger Mellie said:

Who the hell's Parker from North Melbourne? Never heard of him. Do the twits mean Powell?

lol, poor Luke

Smokey for a dramatic rise in the midfield ranks competition wise for me is Rivers. I really be think he has it

7 minutes ago, Roger Mellie said:

Who the hell's Parker from North Melbourne? Never heard of him. Do the twits mean Powell?

Ha ha ex-Swan Luke Parker, strange call.

16 minutes ago, Earl Hood said:

Viney may not even be first choice in the starting 23, even if he gets fully fit. He always was with Goodwin’s defensive mindset but King may be full on offence, preferring midfielders with endurance, foot speed and kicking skills. If Oliver was going to struggle to fit into the new game plan, surely Viney will too.

When JV is fully fit he will always warrant midfield rotations, even if tagging but probably spend a bit of time forward or on the bench as we blood more of our young guns.

3 hours ago, BW511 said:

I would be absolutely shocked if we regularly used that combo.

Me too. Looks like a stem-the-bleeding kind of setup.

5 hours ago, DeeZone said:

Or utilise the players we already have available, Langford, Windsor, Sparrow, Rivers, Culley, Langdon, Lindsay as well as Kozzie, Steele and JV, we have options and we must utilise what we have now not what we wish we had. Who knows what King and Co are planning but I’m sure it won’t be what we expect.

I like that we have opportunity. I am sure this year we will see a player or two lift to a level not far off Oliver and Petracca. I will be disappointed if, at the end of the year, Viney and Steele are still there in our top 3 midfielders.

I think we have a quite a reasonable defence and forward line. Around mid tier compared to other clubs.

It's the midfield that will preclude from winning more than 5 or so games this year. To be honest it was BOG ordinary this year even with Trac and Clarry in it.

31 minutes ago, MrReims said:

lol, poor Luke

Oh dear, forgot about him. Not sure I'd have him ahead of Laidlaw and Powell

Looks like I'm the twit.

Our midfield will be dynamic - a lot of different looks. Bison will be immense.