rjay

I think that in part is what I am trying to say, particularly with Moloney and Silvia and why I don't like to see them both in the centre square at the same time, their reaction time and decision making is not at elite level. Mitchell at Hawthorn is not quick across the ground but his reaction time is razor sharp and this makes him such an asset around the stopages. The way we set up includes the mix of players we have in an area at a given time, we can't set up with all one dimensional players. Of our current crop Trengove is the one I see that has the tools to be elite, Gysberts has the football brain but is still developing the body, Grimes is class but as everyone says needs to get on the park. Blease is an interesting one to me, he has speed and skill but needs to get the smart a... part out of his game - he has always been a good kick on both sides of his body from junior days but at times he tries to show off and take the redicules non percentage option. He could provide that break away speed and ball use we need. Yep, couldn't agree with you more, quickness of mind and awareness (peripheral vision) are non negotiables for an elite mid fielder.

..not so sure about the PR fluff, there seems to have been a lot of action since Neeld arrived but of course the real action is yet to come, lets see what the results are.

Awareness is where I see him lacking, he is very focussed on the ball which is great but really struggles with the positioning of his teammates and opponents. Because of this he often wastes possessions and doesn't work to clear space or use better positioned teammates (not on his own here by any means). What I'm interested in is how our on ball brigade functions under the new regime, I truly hope Moloney can become what a lot of posters see in him.

Set up and ongoing development, the top midfielders all took time to develop. I think there are a few in our current crop that will stand up going forward.

Unfortunately our pre season form (even the first round win) last year showed me that we were heading nowhere, nothing had changed from the previous year and we were in for more of the same. If anything we ended up going backwards. Whilst many don't rate the NAB cup, the way we set up, attitude, game plan and approach to the ball will give me a good indication of the season ahead. I'm looking forward to it with anticipation.

Well put, let's hope we find "the Swan coming from the woodwork" along with improvement from Trengove and co. Also well put, working as a unit is crucial to our being competitive in the short term and to longer term premiership success.

Yeah agreed, a dozen is what we will need. I would be looking for significant improvement from Trengove, Gysberts, Nicholson, Morton, Bail and Blease (who may have the occasional run through the mids) along with Tapscott and McKenzie when they can get on the park this season. Steady improvement with Jones, Grimes spending some time in there along with Howe, Petterd and Bate. Magner looked really good at VFL level, let's see if he can step up and Taggert would be a bonus if we could get some games into him this year. Add Moloney and Silvia along with better structures and game plan and I'm not so sure it's as bleak as some are saying.

It will be interesting to see which "big names" they pick up. They've already had one go at Pendlebury and missed, they will try again. A lot of damage could be done this year with on field performances and with the money they have already commited to the Scully's etc. they won't have enough room in their cap for too many star players and look after their young talent. My guess is they are looking to do a Brisbane, recruit young then wait for the next Fitzroy to top them up in 5 or 6 years time.

Unfortunately more often than not every side was a good side compared to us in those days and Robbie was often played out of position as a KPP during the Barassi reign. I also saw him play some great games against great players and teams, he gave supporters something to hang on to in dark times.

Yep, couldn't agree more but I'm hoping some of our current crop will step up this year (maybe wishful thinking but who knows), then the addition of Viney and the compensation picks could be the cream on the top.

The AFL has not handled the whole GWS thing well at all but they will make sure it succeeds even if it means relocating a club when the current media deal is up. The idea was to not create a situation like the old Bears (which is what they have done) where clubs sent cast off players, GWS were supposed to use their money and concessions to recruit established players but Gubby and crew are trying to be smart and recruit for the future and supplemented their list with retired players (cast offs). They will get crunched and this will have a detrimental effect on the AFL brand in Sydney and also make it harder to attract a Goddard, Pendlebury or Hurley. Gold Coast played a season of VFL football which really helped players like Swallow, Smith and Hunt adapt yet for some reason GWS only played in a local Sydney comp. How could this be allowed to happen? The biggest laugh in recent times for me was Sheedy saying how Folau has really come on and has really learned to read the play. To my knowledge there hasn't been any games or play to read over the last 4-5 months and reading the play in a local Sydney comp might be just a little different to the AFL.

It will be interesting to see how Bate steps up this year and I would also expect to see Pettard and Howe move up into the midfield at times now that we have more tall options forward.

The thread is about at least 20 of them, any who will play in the midfield.

The new structures and a bit more grunt could be good for him then. I would certainly expect a more team oriented focus in the midfield this year.

In the short time I've been on this forum the subject of our midfield and it being the weak link comes up consistently. I'm not so sure it is the problem that others think, I think the problem at least in part has been due to the way we set up. It may also have to do with some of our senior players working as individuals and not in a team structure, is it the coaching or the player? This year will answer that question. Let me take the Hawthorn games and mids as an example, their 2 main guys that control the middle are Mitchell and Sewell, they have a bunch of other guys moving through including a couple of handy players in Hodge and Rioli. Neither MItchell or Sewell are overly quick, Mitchell is an accurate kick over short distance but doesn't have a lot of depth, both are strong but I wouldn't think they are any stronger than Moloney, Silvia or Jones. Better footballers, sure seem to be, they work hard for position, to block, clear space and give off to more gifted team mates like Hodge and Birchell with their kicking, Rioli and Smith with their run whilst our guys are trying for the individual glory, ignoring team mates in better position. If lucky they get a bomb forward but more often than not get tackled and loose posession against the Hawthorns of this world. Our younger players just get smashed. I find it so annoying to hear special comments guys on radio and TV referring to Hawthorns larger bodies when we have been consistently beaten out of the centre whilst Moloney and co were in there, that's just lazy thinking. To me it seemed like personnel (and their ability) along with the way we set up, our coaching. This year we will find out the percentages as I don't believe under Neeld our mids will be allowed to get away with what they have. I get really frustrated with Moloney, I think he plays as an individual and although many here say he "bleeds red and blue" he often burns his team mates on the ground. Now the quesion is, was it his fault, was he playing under instructions and or were the coaches not up to it. I guess the board say's no on the latter one. It's a big year for him and he will have to change to be assured of a game. From what I've seen at training a lot of work is being done in close to block for and use team mates, if Moloney can come to the party here he will be a huge asset with his strength, he really will become an onfield leader and not just a rah rah man. Is he up to it? that's one of the questions of the year for me. Col Silvia should be used rarely if ever at centre bounces (and never ever with Moloney) as he doesn't have the reaction time or peripheral vision to get involved in tight, he also plays as an individual but he can be a real weapan if we can use his attributes, strong overhead, burst through, goal kicker. We have quite a few of our younger players coming into their 3 - 5 years of experience this year who will play though the middle and I'm thinking a few of these will really step up, so I guess with new coaches, some added strengh through recruiting and development of the younger players and a change of strategy we will have a better idea of where we sit as the year progresses.

Sounds good to me.

I think Pendlebury is a fantastic player and would love to have him but the only reason he would leave Collingwood is for the cash on offer at GWS (or a major fallout with Buckley) which we can never offer. I hope it does to them what the Scully thing did for us. Maybe Eddie can break the news on his brekky program, lol. Let's develop our own and maybe top up with a GC or GWS kid who wants to come home.

Set in place the ground work for a whole new FD structure that saw Misson, Craig & Rawlings among others join the club. The club had to act swiftly or miss out on the best people and they did and it was about time. I mean look what happened with Wellman, look at previous attempts to get players to the club (Judd, Warnock). I think the wheel is turning and the club is developing a professional edge, it's becomming a club that quality people want to be involved with.

Seeing as the forum is an opinion biz, I'm putting my money on him. The kid can play.

He came from Port to us, was an assistant under Williams.

Think yourself lucky you missed the late 60's, the 70's and 80's until Northey showed up. I get really angry at the club at times too and last season I was feral, but you know what in all the time I've been supporting it I think we are finally heading in the right direction. The appointment of the young skippers and leadership group, a coach and coaching group who give me confidence, maybe it is rose coloured glasses but I'm not ready to slash my wrists yet. Ask me if we get another 30 goal flogging but I think that will be the domain of GWS this year.

Going on an early interview when Neeld was first appointed he said that he still catches up with Malcolm Blight (his first coach) whenever he (Blight) is in town and they talk football, he is a mentor and I think you will find Mick is the same. Neeld comes across as a smart man and if he has access to 2 great football brains in Blight and Malthouse I'm sure he will use them. These are not contrived mentors as the Bailey/Mathews thing came across but the real thing, they have a past and have built a relationship.

Robbie Flower

It's not a matter of believing (I accept that it probably was a cold or flu type thing), it's more a matter of the performance and our mid field performance as a whole and I will get to this on a future post. In the modern high possesion game that a mid fielder can't get a touch in a half of football no matter what his problem was beggars belief. To me it pointed to problems in the set up that led to the result of the game. I'm really interesed in the changes Neeld brings and if the mid field functions then even a one legged man will get a touch.

...and the second language of the AFL is?