Rank our Midfield

[Stripes]

Rank our midfielders from 1st to last. Firstly, after running through the list I was amazed by how many midfielders we have   Many of them could and probably will play in attack or defence but currently they are midfielders. I haven't added players such as Newman, Deledio, Connor, Taylor, Dea, Farmer, King etc who do/could rotate through the midfield but play predominately in defence or attack.

Here is my order based on midfield 'importance' but not necessarily form -

1.   Cotchin - complete package, inside/outside, beautiful skills, natural leader, potential upside is enormous
2.   Foley - was clearly our best midfielder before he was injured
3.   Martin - amazing strength in congestion, wonderful skills
4.   Jackson - incredibly important to our midfield structure and our best taggers by a country mile
5.   Edwards - X-Factor, pace and skills, has increased in size too
6.   Morton - beautiful footskills, knows how to find a goal, defensive skills a deficency at the moment
7.  Tuck - very under-rated, inside work is invaluable, skills/decision-making lets him down
8.   Houli - fantastic footskills, great tackler, would be ranked higher but has not played for the club as yet
9.   Grigg - Tough, huge engine, big kick, would be ranked higher but has not played for the club as yet
10. Conca - Amazing upsize, beautiful skills, inside/outide player, has played for the WAFL but still as raw as they come. Potential alone pushes him up the rankings for me.
11. White - fast, gets best out of his natural ability, good-honest players
12. Nason - good first season
13. Webberley - wonderful kick but needs to continue to improve
14. Nahas - great pace, dangerous around goals, struggles to hold tackles,undersized, seems to go going backwards,
15.  Contin - small, but potential to be great inside player
16.  Hicks - super fast, great goal sense but very raw and undersized
17. Helbig - highlights looks good but still a baby. Could easily be much higher.

Thanks

Stripes

[Coach]

Wouldn't say Foley was our best before he was injured. Deledio and his B&Fs might have something to say about that 

[Stripes]

Wouldn't say Foley was our best before he was injured. Deledio and his B&Fs might have something to say about that 

Deledio always struggles with taggers even when playing in the middle. I think he had his best year in 2010 yet he didn't win the B&F which is a testament to the improvement of those around him rather than a drop in form on his behalf. For years he was our No.1 midfielder in terms of class and impact but Foley had the most influence with his inside work and pace breaking away from the packs. This is what we have missed most from Foley. As long as Cotch, Martin, Foley etc excel in the centre, Lids could return to the middle and possibly avoid a tag but I feel his best position is off half back where a tag is less of an issue and he can set play up more.

At the moment Foley would be play 2nd string to Cotch and even Martin by the opposition until he gives them reason to change their thinking which is what I believe will happen if he can get back into the team fully fit.

I take your point about Lids though.

Stripes

[Coach]

Wouldn't say Foley was our best before he was injured. Deledio and his B&Fs might have something to say about that 

Deledio always struggles with taggers even when playing in the middle. I think he had his best year in 2010 yet he didn't win the B&F which is a testament to the improvement of those around him rather than a drop in form on his behalf. For years he was our No.1 midfielder in terms of class and impact but Foley had the most influence with his inside work and pace breaking away from the packs. This is what we have missed most from Foley. As long as Cotch, Martin, Foley etc excel in the centre, Lids could return to the middle and possibly avoid a tag but I feel his best position is off half back where a tag is less of an issue and he can set play up more.

At the moment Foley would be play 2nd string to Cotch and even Martin by the opposition until he gives them reason to change their thinking which is what I believe will happen if he can get back into the team fully fit.

I take your point about Lids though.

Stripes

Fair point, Stripes. That's a quality post

[Infamy]

Wouldn't say Foley was our best before he was injured. Deledio and his B&Fs might have something to say about that 

Deledio always struggles with taggers even when playing in the middle. I think he had his best year in 2010 yet he didn't win the B&F which is a testament to the improvement of those around him rather than a drop in form on his behalf. For years he was our No.1 midfielder in terms of class and impact but Foley had the most influence with his inside work and pace breaking away from the packs. This is what we have missed most from Foley. As long as Cotch, Martin, Foley etc excel in the centre, Lids could return to the middle and possibly avoid a tag but I feel his best position is off half back where a tag is less of an issue and he can set play up more.

At the moment Foley would be play 2nd string to Cotch and even Martin by the opposition until he gives them reason to change their thinking which is what I believe will happen if he can get back into the team fully fit.

I take your point about Lids though.

Stripes

Now we have such a strong developing midfield, I don't think the tagging will be as much of an issue. You can't tag all of Lids, Cotch, Martin & Foley.
Even if they do tag Lids, it will free up one of the others, it will be a nightmare for the opposition. 

[bojangles17]

not sure that pat contin at 183cm and 83k would be described as small, what do you call Foley, Tom thumb

[cub]

At the moment we are ranked 15th of 16! Sorry someone had to say it 

[Willy]

Our midfield is not rank! 

[Coach]

Our midfield is not rank! 

True, but you are one rank mofo. I've heard the stories you sick son of a bitch!

Will be hard for the Slop to break into the midfield. Adam Thomson was a better midfielder, IMO. Best of luck to him though

[Willy]

Our midfield is not rank! 

True, but you are one rank mofo. I've heard the stories you sick son of a bitch!

 

[Coach]

 

[Go Richo 12]

I would place Tucky above Edwards and Morton in that list! Otherwise, very well compiled!

[dogged]

I find it interesting this commonly held belief that lids can't handle a tag, in 2008 he ave 24.5 possies per game and was in champion datas team of the year, also short listed for aal aussie-he was tagged all year. In 2008 he ave 24.3 poosies  and led the LEAGUE in contested possies for the last 10 rounds, he was tagged- Yet we have these people who just roll out the same old stuff withiut research. Who else has these figures in the tiges side that Does get tagged???  I don't think some people realise how difficult it is to ave 24-25 possies per match over 22 games in a side thats not going fantastic or in fact in any side.

[Stripes]

I find it interesting this commonly held belief that lids can't handle a tag, in 2008 he ave 24.5 possies per game and was in champion datas team of the year, also short listed for aal aussie-he was tagged all year. In 2008 he ave 24.3 poosies  and led the LEAGUE in contested possies for the last 10 rounds, he was tagged- Yet we have these people who just roll out the same old stuff withiut research. Who else has these figures in the tiges side that Does get tagged???  I don't think some people realise how difficult it is to ave 24-25 possies per match over 22 games in a side thats not going fantastic or in fact in any side.

In 2008 Lids wasn't tagged until later in that year at that was only spasmotically. In 2009 he began the year playing as a forward but was forced into the middle later in the year when injuries to other mids and a team form demanded the change. The coaches and Lids himself have stated he has struggled with a hard tag in the past and it was acknowledged that it was an area of his game he needed to improve. Was he and is he a fantastic player - hell yes but this deficency is the last thing holding him back from pushing into the same bracket as Judd, Ablett and co.

Just as an aside, Cotchin has been equally focused on this year by taggers and even though he is yet to have a full preseason and nursed an injury for much of hus career, he has found the weight of a tag much easier to bear. I feel if Lids went back into the middle again he would have a easier time of it due to the simple fact that he now would have more support. When he was roaming around the middle as a 19/20 year old he was THE only really damaging ball user which game him the heavy tag far earlier than he would have received in any other team in the competition at his age.

In addition, the other big factor, on top of the increased strength of the midfield as a whole and thus the difficulty of the opposition to cover all talent, is the support in the middle now. I think Cousins and Dimma can be attributed particularly to this improvement. Blocking, shepherding, off the ball set ups etc now mean taggers have a far more difficult time with our midfielders. The midfield unit works as a team to create space and run, something that was obviously missing when Lids was in the midfield and Wallace neglected the defensive/off the ball elements of our game.

I still think Lids is our best player but no one is perfect and every player has element to improve. When those around you lift you rise with them which is what I think will continue to occur with Lids and in particular our midfield. But of course Lids isn't a midfield at the moment now is he...

Stripes

[dogged]

In fact in 2008 lids was tagged for most of the season, and this is from the horses mouth and from the then coach, also cotch is not handling the tag any easier and do you think he is the only player to carry an injury?
Don't get me wrong about cotch wonderful player but perception of what is and what really is can be very different.