Author Topic: Midfield now a strength of ours  (Read 2601 times)

Offline mightytiges

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Midfield now a strength of ours
« on: May 22, 2005, 04:53:42 AM »
Although our skill level under pressure can often be dodgy, Wallace and Royal have transformed a side with virtually a non-existent midfield into side where it's midfield is a strength. Must be the first time since at least 1995 we've had a decent midfield.

When was the last time we had 3 midfielders around the 30 possession mark in the one game?

Tuck, Cogs and Johnson are strong contested ballwinners. Knobel, Simmonds and Stafford are a strong ruck division. Most sides will struggle against us at stoppages and in the clearances. 

Our ballwinning depth has improved with Tuck, Cogs, Johnson, Bowden, Brown and Hyde averaging 20 possessions or more. Cambo and Tivs are in the high teens. Plus add the likes of Deledio, Krakouer, Meyer and Hartigan who can rotate through there.

It'll be interesting to see how we go against the Dees quick running midfielders next week and the Eagles the week after.
All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be - Pink Floyd

PuntRdRoar

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2005, 08:31:32 AM »
Tivendale turns it over too much for me. He was poor again last night. Next week Raines should come in for Tivendale and Jackson should come in for Tambling

Offline Tiger Spirit

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2005, 08:17:17 PM »
Although our skill level under pressure can often be dodgy, Wallace and Royal have transformed a side with virtually a non-existent midfield into side where it's midfield is a strength. Must be the first time since at least 1995 we've had a decent midfield.

There were some ‘dodgy’ moments against Brisbane, but they made some major blunders as well.

The most amazing thing is that TW and the other coaches have transformed a group of players low on skill, confidence and resilience into something that resembles a team.

But I think it’s fair to say that the midfield has been an issue and what a difference it makes to the rest of the team when that area works better.

It'll be interesting to see how we go against the Dees quick running midfielders next week and the Eagles the week after.

What happened to taking it one week at a time MT?  Sounds like you could be getting ahead of ourselves.  :rollin
Everything that is done in this world is done by hope.  --Martin Luther

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Offline mightytiges

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2005, 09:27:31 PM »
Tivendale turns it over too much for me. He was poor again last night. Next week Raines should come in for Tivendale and Jackson should come in for Tambling

gotta be worth 2 top 10s  RT   ;)

What happened to taking it one week at a time MT?  Sounds like you could be getting ahead of ourselves.  :rollin

Nah keeping a lid on it  TS  :rollin
All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be - Pink Floyd

Offline WilliamPowell

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2005, 09:31:33 PM »
Tivendale turns it over too much for me. He was poor again last night. Next week Raines should come in for Tivendale and Jackson should come in for Tambling

that's a bit harsh - Tivva hit a target with a right foot kick -  :o I nearly fell outta me seat :rollin

What happened to taking it one week at a time MT? Sounds like you could be getting ahead of ourselves. :rollin

Nah keeping a lid on it TS :rollin


I wonder when it will be time to "dare to dream" :help :cheers :cheers ;D

"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

from the song "Don't Walk Away" by Pat Benatar 1988 (Wide Awake In Dreamland)

Offline mightytiges

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2005, 04:33:58 AM »
What happened to taking it one week at a time MT? Sounds like you could be getting ahead of ourselves. :rollin

Nah keeping a lid on it TS :rollin

I wonder when it will be time to "dare to dream" :help :cheers :cheers ;D

When we get to 13 wins = finals. Although sides might only 11 + % or 12 this year to get in. 15 wins for a top 4 spot.

Until we reach that 13th win we'll take it one week at a time  :thumbsup.
All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be - Pink Floyd

letsgetiton!

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2005, 09:39:26 AM »
i have been dreaming 4 a long time, and even last yr i thought our list was better than 16th, just we had a dud coach and a team that didnt want to play under him!

we can dream, but its up to the boys to bring our dreams to reality!

my dream is to win the gf this yr, if we do tw will become immortal!


btw , the lions midfield is till considered the best around and we beat them!!!! on their home turf

Bulluss

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2005, 10:40:04 AM »
There is no way that the Lions midfield is the best, West Coast have them covered hands down.

The big test will be against West Coast in 2 weeks when they have Judd back.

letsgetiton!

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2005, 11:25:07 AM »
There is no way that the Lions midfield is the best, West Coast have them covered hands down.

The big test will be against West Coast in 2 weeks when they have Judd back.

the lions still have 3 brownlow medals in their group, and i dont rate the west coast midfield when things get tough esp at the g, judd is a good player but once tagged he has no effect , and this yr he has been way below par, kerr the jame, embley hot and cold, cousins is imo their only fantastic midfielder week in week out

Offline mightytiges

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2005, 06:43:54 PM »
i have been dreaming 4 a long time, and even last yr i thought our list was better than 16th, just we had a dud coach and a team that didnt want to play under him!

Our list was bottom 4 material especially with Gas and Cogs injured. Our Spine was one of the worst in the comp with no CHF, CHB or FB and we had no midfield depth after Cogs, Johnson and Cambo (who was also injured) thanks to Spud's recruiting and matchday selections. Don't forget our list last year contained the likes of Blumfield, Houlihan, Fletcher, Marsh, Fleming, Weller, Duncan, Nicholls, Zantuck, Fiora and Rogers. That's a third of our list were shockers! Add Spud not having a clue about modern footy strategy and tactics and finishing with the wooden spoon was justly deserved. We were a rabble.

Wallace has come in and gained 2 ruckmen (one who can play CHF/FF in tandem with Richo) for the (over)price of one. He's picked up an experienced defender who can fill in. He's found two 20+ possesions per game midfielders who were right under Spud's nose. He's also got our better players playing at their best consistently. All this without giving away a single high draft pick so we still gained the best young kids as well. There's still blokes on our list who aren't up to it but our list now is so different to last year it isn't funny. Helps also that a couple of top sides from last year have come back to the field. 
All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be - Pink Floyd

Offline Tiger Spirit

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2005, 01:27:37 PM »
There's still blokes on our list who aren't up to it but our list now is so different to last year it isn't funny. Helps also that a couple of top sides from last year have come back to the field.

That’s true MT and we shouldn’t forget any of that, because it’s easy to get carried away and think we’re better than we are when we’re winning and everything’s going our way.  We’ve done that before.

Regardless of what happens for the rest of the season though, it seems that TW has a knack of making the most of what is available to him, and quickly.  Whichever way you look at it, if you’d witnessed any of the previous few seasons, you’d be pinching yourself.  I’m surprised I haven’t got bruises everywhere, probably because I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet.

And probably because part of me is thinking this is a bit too easy.  I should just enjoy it I suppose, but let’s face it, we’ve been doing this :banghead for such a long time and all of a sudden we’re not.  I don’t understand life sometimes.  When you’re impatient and want results nothing happens quickly.  Then, just when you’re prepared to be patient, everything happens at a million miles an hour. :-\  Guess it’s easier to be patient when you can finally see results that indicate we’re at least on the right track.
Everything that is done in this world is done by hope.  --Martin Luther

The time you enjoy wasting isn’t wasted time.

Offline tassie tiger

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #11 on: May 24, 2005, 02:17:48 PM »
There is no way that the Lions midfield is the best, West Coast have them covered hands down.

The big test will be against West Coast in 2 weeks when they have Judd back.

the lions still have 3 brownlow medals in their group, and i dont rate the west coast midfield when things get tough esp at the g, judd is a good player but once tagged he has no effect , and this yr he has been way below par, kerr the jame, embley hot and cold, cousins is imo their only fantastic midfielder week in week out

People also keep forgetting the Geelong midfield whcih is one of the best IMHO.  They gave us a nice old towelling up too! Mind you they did catch us early on in the piece.

Offline mightytiges

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #12 on: May 24, 2005, 04:00:17 PM »
People also keep forgetting the Geelong midfield whcih is one of the best IMHO.  They gave us a nice old towelling up too! Mind you they did catch us early on in the piece.

Agree TT. In terms of classy stars only Bartel, Ablett and perhaps Kelly really fit that picture and that's probably why I underrated them before they pumped us but Mark Thomson has assembled a very even side where virtually every small to midsized player in the 22 whether they be a centreman, wingman, flanker, pocket or bench player can be rotated through the midfield and flanks. They have the best midfield/midsized depth in the comp IMO - Bartel, Ling, Corey, Enright, Ablett, Chapman, Kelly, Milburn, Riccardi, Hunt, Wojcinski - all good footballers. There forward line is still a bit suss IMO and I'm not sure how their chipping game will go under finals pressure but while the Cat midfielders dominate and kick the goals then that's not a problem as they have the most points for.
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Offline Wacky Tiger

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Re: Midfield now a strength of ours
« Reply #13 on: May 24, 2005, 05:31:13 PM »
Quote

the lions still have 3 brownlow medals in their group, and i dont rate the west coast midfield when things get tough esp at the g, judd is a good player but once tagged he has no effect , and this yr he has been way below par, kerr the jame, embley hot and cold, cousins is imo their only fantastic midfielder week in week out
Quote

Yeah the Lions are still right up there.  Eagles too have a very good midfield.  You probably forgot to add Chad Fletcher in there who gets the job done without much hype.