Mids, Mids, Mids Long term trouble on the horizon.

[the claw]

Here is the list of Primary mids and it is grim looking fwd.

Small mids

Aarts 177 cm sheesh really has to go.
Baker 173cm can we call him a mid has not done a hell of a lot in the role.
Bolton 175cm One of few beacons of light.
Dow  182cm starting to show some good signs.
Edwards 182 is 33 and all the signs are saying he should have retired.
Graham 181cm Too slow and not enough hurt factor outside and gives little inside.
Lambert 178cm is 30 and the injuries are starting to happen. How long has he left?
Prestia 175cm 29yo who has a long history of injury. could he be one serious hammy away from retirement again how long?
Sonsie 181cm first yr player who looks to have the tools to make it.

MED/TALL MIDS

Martin 187cm 30yo. Who knows what will happen with him. Worst case he could well retire and no one would blame him.Even if Dusty comes back people need to realise his best is likely behind him.

Ross 187cm still only 21yo  but 33 games in he looks underwhelming and is being played outside a lot of the time.We have had a lot to look at and the alarm bells have to be going off.

RC-D 191cm  Cant dominate reserves and cannot crack a senior game. Despite covid Serious question will he make it ?

Cotchin 185cm 32yo no one can doubt he is in decline. should probably retire at seasons end.Still gives his all and odd good game.

Pickett 184cm 30yo. Going alright this year but still he is 30.

Martyn 186cm is currently playing hb in the reserves and another with some serious questions about him.

Will let people make their own assertions on how long some will last who will be there longer term  who will be good enough and who isnt.
We have a high quantity of small mids but not a hell of a lot of high quality long term. Not enough bigger mids on the list either  imo.

The bigger mids are dire imo.  We have three younger blokes and we can ask serious questions about their longevity.
Then we have the Dusty situation!!!! plus he is 31 in two months time. Cotchins longevity at 32 and form and the fact Pickett is also a 30yo.

Quality coming thru is also an issue. Just focus on the 18 -28yr olds and there is only Bolton who you can confidently say is an A grader
One or two may get there that is an unknown but for now id only call Bolton an A grade.

A possible scenario is 10 or 11 of the 15 named could well be gone in two or threes years.There does not seem to be the same over all  quality with the ones that could remain.

I bring this up because i think we need to keep in mind where the list is at even if we win games. Imo its a must we play as many of the kids as possible and as often as possible.

Imo we now need to be winning games on the back of youth and not on the backs of the older blokes.

[Rampsation]

Agree 100%

Next Draft is one key forward and the rest have to be proper midfielders. We may only have 4 picks so 1 kpfwd 3mids. No half back flankers we have enough.

[Andyy]

Good topic and very serious problem.

Humour me here.

Edwards and Cotchin probably retiring this year.

Lambert and Prestia agree serious injury clouds but Prestia at least is contracted until end 2024, Lambert I dunno. Assume for culture's sake that Lambert goes 1 more (if hip OK) and Prestia stays on to take all his money so another 2 more. Don't wanna cut all the good oldies in one hit but we need to plan for life after.

IF Dusty wants a trade to NSW we absolutely need to shop him to GWS and go after one of Green or Taranto. Green my preference but I'd take either happily.

If we had a core of Bolton, Green/Taranto, Graham and Dow + Sonsie coming through we might be OK.

Backline including Gibcus, Miller and maybe Biggie. Broad and Vlastuin have years to go.

Forward we are stuck with Lynch for another ?3 years. Balta playing KPF alright to replace Jack. I'd still like a medium here. Need better smalls hopefully a couple of Clark, Rioli Jr, Baker, Stack could fill this role.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Agree 100%

Next Draft is one key forward and the rest have to be proper midfielders. We may only have 4 picks so 1 kpfwd 3mids. No half back flankers we have enough.

I think if you strip out the unnecessary bias, there’s some good points.
I think we can build our midfield again with Dow, Bolton and hopefully RCD being supported by Prestia, Dusty and Graham.
We need to recruit Tom Greene and then hope that Sonsie and a couple of those young kids in the 2’s jump out of the ground. Has happened before and will happen again - we don’t see it and a kid pops up out of the blue.

Agree that this draft is bloody important - we’ll most likely have another top 10 and a couple in the early 20’s so it’s there for the taking.

[georgies31]

Here is the list of Primary mids and it is grim looking fwd.

Small mids

Aarts 177 cm sheesh really has to go.
Baker 173cm can we call him a mid has not done a hell of a lot in the role.
Bolton 175cm One of few beacons of light.
Dow  182cm starting to show some good signs.
Edwards 182 is 33 and all the signs are saying he should have retired.
Graham 181cm Too slow and not enough hurt factor outside and gives little inside.
Lambert 178cm is 30 and the injuries are starting to happen. How long has he left?
Prestia 175cm 29yo who has a long history of injury. could he be one serious hammy away from retirement again how long?
Sonsie 181cm first yr player who looks to have the tools to make it.

MED/TALL MIDS

Martin 187cm 30yo. Who knows what will happen with him. Worst case he could well retire and no one would blame him.Even if Dusty comes back people need to realise his best is likely behind him.

Ross 187cm still only 21yo  but 33 games in he looks underwhelming and is being played outside a lot of the time.We have had a lot to look at and the alarm bells have to be going off.

RC-D 191cm  Cant dominate reserves and cannot crack a senior game. Despite covid Serious question will he make it ?

Cotchin 185cm 32yo no one can doubt he is in decline. should probably retire at seasons end.Still gives his all and odd good game.

Pickett 184cm 30yo. Going alright this year but still he is 30.

Martyn 186cm is currently playing hb in the reserves and another with some serious questions about him.

Will let people make their own assertions on how long some will last who will be there longer term  who will be good enough and who isnt.
We have a high quantity of small mids but not a hell of a lot of high quality long term. Not enough bigger mids on the list either  imo.

The bigger mids are dire imo.  We have three younger blokes and we can ask serious questions about their longevity.
Then we have the Dusty situation!!!! plus he is 31 in two months time. Cotchins longevity at 32 and form and the fact Pickett is also a 30yo.

Quality coming thru is also an issue. Just focus on the 18 -28yr olds and there is only Bolton who you can confidently say is an A grader
One or two may get there that is an unknown but for now id only call Bolton an A grade.

A possible scenario is 10 or 11 of the 15 named could well be gone in two or threes years.There does not seem to be the same over all  quality with the ones that could remain.

I bring this up because i think we need to keep in mind where the list is at even if we win games. Imo its a must we play as many of the kids as possible and as often as possible.

Imo we now need to be winning games on the back of youth and not on the backs of the older blokes.

Without a doubt it's a area we need to target and improve , but it's only natural don't you think we won 3 flags with our old mob so nothing new it's time for rejuvenation like all successful sides need to do over time.

There will be some pain without a doubt , but we need to rejuvenate properly not like the cat's topping up and only a middle of the road side not good enough.

[camboon]

We need more than just mids which are just one in our needs
We need 2 types of mids/ forward flankers , gut runners and extractors with our first pick being a class big forward

[Rampsation]

We need more than just mids which are just one in our needs
We need 2 types of mids/ forward flankers , gut runners and extractors with our first pick being a class big forward

Nick Larkey will still only be like 24 or 25 next season - if he can be this productive in a totally rubbish team he can be excellent for us.

[Tiger Khosh]

Isn’t Dunkley a FA at the end of the season? He did put in that trade request couple seasons ago. Could be gettable?

[MintOnLamb]

I thought we may have gone for Ben Hobbs as a developing mid bull instead of Gibcus, but looks like our choice is paying off.
Time will tell.

[georgies31]

To be honest our spine looks alot better then I thought .Gibcus   Miller and I rate Biggie could be our spine for a decade. Up forward we still have a bit of time Balta and Lynch can do the job.We need one key forward from this draft and there a few maybe one more developing rookie or late pick.

As always best available with our first pick be it a midfielder or tall pick 19 roos and our second rd target 2 midfielders.

[Andyy]

Isn’t Dunkley a FA at the end of the season? He did put in that trade request couple seasons ago. Could be gettable?

Dogs fans seem to hate him. Knock on his disposal.

Good extractor though.

[WilliamPowell]

Isn’t Dunkley a FA at the end of the season? He did put in that trade request couple seasons ago. Could be gettable?

He'll stay at the Bulldogs IMHO

[Rampsation]

A couple of aggressive, quick burst midfielders from the draft is a priority. I think we'll have to go free agency again for a key forward.