Ok.

So, on the basis that Campo and Lappin are traded to other clubs next year, and Kouta remains for his last year, who will make up the nucleus of our midfield for 2006?

Will Ryan Houlihan finally become a pure midfielder rather than a flanker at either end?

Will Nick Stevens be given the captaincy and take it upon himself to resurrect the strength in our midfield?

Will Andrew Walker be given a bigger role in the team other than tagging? Will this allow him to take the next BIG step?

Will Andrew Carrazzo spend more time in the midfield next year than an attacking back pocket player?

Will Adam Bentick finally be given game time and be allowed to show his wares in the midfield?

Will Brett Johnson survive this years cut and show the football world what I have been harping on for the past 6 months?

Will Eddie Bett's aerobic capacity hit the roof over the pre season allowing him to spend longer periods in the midfield and apply the physical pressure we know he can?

So who do you think will make up the nucleus of our midfield next year?

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

Jesse Smith will be playing in there for a start. Not sure about Bentick but would not delist him at the end of the yar and would have him playing AFL right now.
Both blokes are a bit slow but are good in traffic and will put there bodies on the line.

What is Russell's position going to be next year? Bring him on slowly or throw him onto the wing and let him develop.
If we get Murphy and Hurn both will play in there at times. Ellis would obviuosly not if we went that way.
Does bot matter the names just as long as Campo and Kouta are not in there. Not enough defensive pressure and chasing. Get slaughtered to many times this year.
Simpson on the wing/HF flank changing with Houlihan. 2 players with some quickness and skill to kick goals and deliver the ball.

Houlahan in the centre?
What would that be for? Oval decoration?

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

Simmo Walker Scotland Stevo Setanta French Bryan DeLuca AB Smith Becker new players 1,2 &3 Betts Blackers Kouta!

Not Houla, like Campo and Kouta he does not chase hard enough and I am sick and tired of a piss weak midfield that does not chase hard enough!

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

If we want our players to chase, why don't we secretly pin money to the back of the oppositions jumpers

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Mjonc signing off at 8888

LOL

How about a voucher that is good for a one year contract extension, redeemable only on presentation down at Princes Park, or a get out of jail free card for the end of season hatchet session. A couple of those would probably get 1/2 our list playing like Akermanis.

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"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he think he was doing at the time?" Billy Connolly

Hopefully we snag Luke Power & Marc Murphy in October to help Stevo, 1AW, Scotland, Simmo, Carrots, AB, JDSmith & Blackers.

Starting midfield:

1. French - In the best 3-4 ruckman this yr prior to injury. Need his work around the clearances. Bryan as backup

2. Walker - Need I say more?

3. Stevens - Looks fed up and injured. We need his poise and disposal

4. Simmo - Slowly but surely gaining belief. Pacy, harder that people give him for and a gem of a left peg. Needs a few more kgs

5. One of Bentick/Smith/Blackwell - Our major area of concern at present. One of these 3 need to step up. Can we rely on Kouta alone to win us clearances?

6. Ready to go young recruit - Hoping for Murphy. Looks to have the class to have an immediate impact.

Backup/Rotations
--------------------
Bryan - Great around the ground, just wish he was 3-4 cms taller and 5kg's heavier
Kouta - in bursts from the bench or forward pocket or when we're getting smashed at the clearances. A bit more defensive pressure please Kouta
Houla - rotating with Simmo
Scotland - By the skin of his teeth. Needs to show more when the team isn't firing but has disposal skills and was good in 2004
Eddie - Shown enough in bursts in the midfield this yr to prove he can be an asset


I accept the starting mf is inexperienced and lacks that big body but we must persist with developing our best long term options. We ain't gonna make the 8 next yr so let it develop.

We also lack a genuine top flight tagger. A Tyson Stenglein type wouldn't go amiss. Walker has earnt his dues and needs to be left to create. Could DP use the Walker experiment on Russell? He plays tight in defence, has pace, height and aerobic capacity. Just a thought

Since this thread is about the midfield I will air my complaint about Sunday's performance. I was dumbfounded by the amount of times a midfielder, ie. mostly Brett Johnson would get first hands on a ball at a stoppage or centre bounce only to be tackled by a throng of Saint's players or get off an ineffective disposal and turn the ball over because he was under extreme pressure. Our midfielders offer no body pressure or protection for the player with ball and don't even stand in position where they can recieve a quick handball. I find this predicament quite outrageous considering the day before Barry Mitchell called on the whole Northern Bullants team to offer such protection to Eddie Betts when he got his hands on the ball because he would weave his way through traffic with his teammates HELP.

Unless there is support and communication between midfielders it wouldn't matter who was in our midfield. For the future Marc Murphy and David Swallow (WA) were two players at the U18 Championships who were very good at effectively clearing a ball from stoppages.

Walker should play on the wing, tall high marking winger with good athletic ability and good endurance...once fully developed will be unbeatable on a wing..go to man on kick outs...cant wait...
Simpson looks like a forward pocket goal kicker to me....

Stevens...not to do the hard work just carry the footy
Jessie Smith...in and under scrapper
Mark Murphy(if available) as our Luke Ball
Player X as our Mark Ruccuito..you need some beef and muscle but who has skill and brains....recruiting player X wont be easy...
Luke Blackwell and Jordan Russell to play a few games and develop further but not take on too much responsibility...

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"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen

MARK MURPHY
We need him like a fat kid needs cake! And lets face it, right now we're as fat a team as they come they come. This kid has the class, poise and skill that can translate to immediate AFL success. Given the chance, we MUST take him.
However, Murphy alone will not solve our midfield problems. We need to poach a proven gun midfielder in the PSD or through a trade, and there are a couple availible...none better then Lukey Power.
Methinks we should be able to make a substancial offer, as we may no longer have to pay the salaries of Lance, Campo (god willing) and Skinny. And lets not forget our old mate Corey Mackernan; we no longer have to pay the roos the $200k or so of his contract.
With Stevens, a Power type and AW, we're on our way to an improved midfield. However, their surroundings arent up to scratch either. Assuming Campo departs, we are left with:

Houla - who plays at nowhere near the level he should. Possibility of breaking out of his shell, but then again, how many years have we been saying that for? Too soft and too inconsistent

Kouta - who next year will most likely become solely a clearance player...a 'pinch hitter' so to speak. He can not be expected to have a tremendous impact next year as he clearly a very tired man.

Simmo - I think the boy has the ability to make the grade, but whether he does it or not is another matter. Potentially a 15+ disposal per game player who can also chip in with a couple of goals. We do need a player like simmo to establish himself as a regular performer.

Bentick - I love the kid, but if he cant get a game now, then theres something very wrong. He must get some playing exerience by season's end otherwise he too will have minimal impact next year.

Jesse Smith and Blackers - they may well be a part of the clubs future but dont expect them to play more then a handful of games between them next year.

Russel - hopefully he will remain in the side for the rest of the season. Like all young players though, he will struggle for consistency next year, but could be a valuable contributer on occasion.

Overall, we're in a fair bit of trouble. After Stevo and AW, the midfield list rapidly declines into a crop of very young and raw players. The solution is to both draft and trade exceptionally well. We need at least 2 midfielders that can come straight into the side and perform on a consistent basis.

Considering Mitchell,Elshaug,and Libba are all ex onballers,our clearance rate at stoppages is atrocious.What are you doing fellas ? Very little blocking to my eye,and that is the big thing these days.Actually,it's unbelievable what they are allowed to get away with these days.

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All my dangerous friends

Mick,

As you've said before, you can't teach someone how to find the ball. I dont think we have the cattle in terms of clearence players. Lets face it, Kouta is 32 years old - we can't expect him to win all the clearences. Johnson is good at times coming off the bench but is sometimes very bad. We simply don't have the players to win enough ball. Hopefully JD Smith and Blackwell become good inside players. Carrazzo is one who can find the ball and should spend more time in the middle.

Correct wieght Effes.My point being we actually get our hands on the footy first time quite a lot but get mowed down pronto.I feel our sheparding and blocking of the man with the pill leaves a lot to be desired.Protection of the ball carrier is very ordinary for mine.We are getting it but not getting rid of it to effect in my book.

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All my dangerous friends

Goddard

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Love Cricket? Love me

I'd prefer Wells.

Marc Murphy and Shannon Hurn, hopefully they nominate for the draft.
Marcus Drum if hell freezes over or we get another top ten draft pick.

The game against West Coast comes to mind. Everytime Judd got the ball there were 2 players on either side of him who immediately closed in behind him and clobbered anyone who dared to chase. This looks like a practiced move with them as it is an automatic thing everytime Judd gets the ball. Surely our brains trust must have been a wakeup to this game plan? As blind Freddy next to me pointed it out.

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The more people I meet, the more I like my dog!

Shits me that every time we get our hands first on the ball we look to handball sideways and not kick the ball forward....

That really grates on me..
You watch Brissy... they will just concentrate on moving the ball forward no matter how its done.. the ball goes forward.. punch, kick. off the ground, paddle, carry and crash... it just goes one way...!!!

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

So who's telling them to go sideways (or worse backwards)? Surely if they are drilled enough at training to go forward at every opportunity then they would change. If they don't do it properly in the games then they should be drilled more so in training until they get it right.