I agree Lids is our best midfielder but TW did his development no favours by trying to move him away from a tagger rather than learning how to beat one. I think the reason for this is now more clear - Wallace wanted immediate success so was not prepared to wait for Lids to learn and Wallace did not understand the idea that good players need support and protection around them. Judd and Cousins always stood out individually because the other West Coast midfielders would block for them. Lids needs support and education. He is not a champion yet and will only become one when he forgets about being better than everyone else and starts just fighting to help his team to become successful. TW breed a team of individuals which is why none of players appear to have developed as much as they should have. Only when whole teams rise together do they lift the stars up above them.
I think Cotchin has more potential than Lids and perhaps Martin as well but Lids definitely has more runs on the board at the moment. Foley is quickly forgotten too after one injury plagued year. Before he was injured, before the State of Origin game, Foley was one of the best midfielders in the AFL so given time he may yet rise above, or at least be challege, Lids for the title.
I also hope some of Collins, Connors, White, Hislop, Thompson and any of our new midfielder recruits lift to challenge Lids and co, or at least give them the much needed support they need, and become quality midfielders in their own right.
Stripes