Adam The God

We're usually on the same page mate, but I just cannot agree with this bit, if I've understood it correctly. Andrew Gaff is in the same company as Oliver? One is a legitimate contested bull, the other is a hard running accumulating outside mid. They're completely different players. Oliver is an A grader, no question for me, but he could be an A++ grader if he can become more damaging with his disposal by foot. That bit I agree with, but his handballing more often than not is incredibly damaging IMO. If Clarry had managed to get to where he is now at the age of 28 or 29, I think we'd say he was an A grade star. The fact that he's only 23 and has been doing what he does now (and winning AA rep and two BnFs) for a few years, shows how big his potential is. What's scary for opposition's is he's still a few years off his best. So our coaches work on getting him to balance his handball game with his kicking game in 2019 and now in 2020, it's about being more damaging with his disposals by foot. The fact you don't rate him as an AFL star at this point, I think, could be as a result of the level he has set for himself pretty much from his first game against GWS off limited minutes, where he didn't look at all out of place against an A grade midfield.

Great post. This was the same with Sam Mitchell.

The Petracca / Oliver comparison reminds me a bit of how Sam Mitchell would constantly fly under the radar in his early career, because Buddy Franklin would take the spotlight. Franklin is the flashier player, but Mitchell was a genius. Oliver's kicking isn't as solid at this stage, but Mitchell often kicked short, which meant his DE appeared to be much better. Absolutely, Clarry has some things to work on, but I'd argue Clarry and Trac both need to work on their defensive games. You'll always remember Trac in a game because the way he plays is with flair. He also cost us two goals in a row against Hawthorn because his defensive work didn't cut it, so there's definitely improvement left in both of their games and neither are even mid 20s yet, so there is plenty of time to work on their game. It's wonderful we have them both in the same team at once with one of the most dominant rucks in recent memory.

Comparing leaders is a difficult one for me, because leadership can vary so much, even on and off a football field. I think both are terrific captains. Neita led the way with his physicality but his inconsistent goal kicking (you knew if Neita was on or off by his first kick at goal) meant that it compromised some of his leadership ability. But loved him as a player. Whereas, Gary, I loved him too and the thing that would let him down was his body, particularly later on, but the way he got around players and impacted passages of play and kicked straight, put him just ahead of Neita for mine. I always remember how he would almost father the Wiz and to my mind, when Gaz retired, Wiz was always going to go home. Gary had a way with those around him that seemed to foster belief and family. I can see why you would say Neita was a better leader, but I don't think it's as clear cut as "if you can't see that I cannot help you". But that's just me.

It's very different nowadays to what it was. Most kids coming through TAC find themselves at APS private schools.

I'd take the consistent extractor before I'd take the explosive burst, x-factor player, but that's just me. I think great midfields need both and it's great having both on our side.

6 it is then. Struggling to keep up with things in such a strange year.

I reckon some supporters massively underrate Clarry. IMO, they don't realise what he's done for a guy his age is extraordinary.

Disagree with this mate. Trac had a solid season last year, but was still behind Oliver's output and then has played, what, 7 H&A games this year? I agree that Trac has probably had a marginally better season (off a very small sample size) than Clarry, but this seems way too early to call. I think the fairer statement, IMO, would be that Petracca has had a better 7 games than Oliver. But what holds Oliver so far above anyone else except Gawn is his consistency.

Voss definitely said it too. Not sure about Roosy, but Voss did. Not the greatest of sources but... https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/next-powerhouse.736782/

I think it's on the players now and a combination of coaching and sporting luck.

Yep, utterly dominant. What's so incredibly rare is that almost everything Petracca touched was sublime as well. The strongest two hander from Melbourne players I can recall for a long time. And half my family is Geelong and I don't know how many times we've been down to Geelong and watched us [censored] on. That day was very, very sweet and I was hoarse by the end of it.

In my life time (33 years), it's certainly the strongest midfield group we've had. Oliver's the best player in a Melbourne jumper I've seen and certainly the best midfielder by quite a stretch. But now that Trac has come along, in tandem with a ruckman that has already been crowned AA three times, this team certainly has the greatest spread of potential and talent that we've had through the club in 30 years. That definitely speaks volumes for our lack of success over that time, given this group have not made a Grand Final yet, let alone won one, but the overall list and in particular our mids, are starting to enter the prime of their careers (age and experience wise). Let's hope Goodwin and co can get the potential out of them like they have the last two rounds. We definitely need more pace forward of centre and more elite ball use forward of centre, but Melksham and Fritsch could hold the keys there. But I agree with SWYL on this occasion, in regards to actually achieving something. It's all well and good to have potential (which to be fair is what you're talking about in the OP), but it's converting that potential to the ultimate success of a flag that's what counts. This is absolutely the next challenge and what separates the pretenders from the powerhouses. Exactly. Our current midfield walks into both of those sides, IMO. Great post.

Good find. It was my memory that deceived me. Fair enough that Max remembers his own breakthrough game.

And with a game in hand. We just really need to capitalise on every game we dominate out of the middle. With the shortened season, we can't have repeats of the two H&A losses to Geelong in 2018 this year. Given we've got Brisbane this week, a win there will really tell us a lot about where we're at.

I reckon Roos and Goodwin have to take a fair amount of praise for that too.

I find this bit really strange: He found his way back into the team in the middle of the 2015 season, and soon made a breakthrough. From there, Gawn hasn't looked back. "It was purely just marking the football in a game against St Kilda. I took maybe two or three marks and all of a sudden, I felt like I belonged," he said. We decided to play two rucks against Geelong in 2015. It was Corey Enright's 300th. I was at the game and high fived Gus and Jetts after the game. Max hadn't been in the team and was brought in for this game. He took 2 or 3 really strong contested marks and to my eye, hasn't looked back since. It could have been that we played St Kilda after this and that's when he felt really at home, but to me, he exuded a confidence in that Geelong game.

Haha, can you imagine @Jaded if we landed Ben Brown? ?

He started 2018 very slowly too and as we've mentioned before, Gus is definitely a confidence player. Let's hope he times his peak nicely for the back half of the season and hopefully a finals push.

We like our guys taking the game on, it's just clear we now like them having an idea what they're going to do with it when they take the game on.

Fair enough. As I say, don't get me wrong, it's not like he did it a thousand times within game. I only remember two moments very clearly where he panicked, whereas Oscar impacted every contest and then provided some limited rebound and run from half back. Anyway, I agree, in that I think the more games they play together, the more this defence will grow.

Steven May getting votes astounds me. The AFL write up was similarly glowing. He wasn't bad, but our worst defensive moments saw him panicking, either spoiling team mates or mindlessly bombing out of the defence. He was solid for the most part, don't get me wrong, but I'd have Oscar McDonald well ahead of him and even Lever's game was more solid for mine. Anyone else agree?

And I'll throw in Carlton and Collingwood. And Richmond.

Haha, I like the way you've put this, although I'd argue something slightly different with Trac. The two aforementioned I feel safe watching, but with Trac I feel he tries to create even more than those guys, but now what he tries to create comes off. So I'd say I now trust Trac to pull off the outrageous that he so often tried and failed to do in the past. It's certainly a good feeling to have some genuinely elite players on your list, isn't it?

Fair enough. I'd really like to see Jackson retained and an unchanged line up, but each to their own, mate.