The AFL's best midfields in 2016 / Richmond ranked 9th best .... (afl site)

[one-eyed]

The AFL's best midfields in 2016: Where does your team rank?

Nick Bowen, Nat Edwards, Alex Malcolm and Adam Curley 
AFL.com.au
December 29, 2015

DOES Hawthorn still have the best midfield in the competition or will it slide in 2016 as Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell and Shaun Burgoyne approach footballing old age?

If Father Time catches up with the Hawks, which team will take over the No.1 midfield mantle?

The big-bodied Dockers? The seasoned Sydney Swans? Or will last season's runner-up West Coast have the required mix of inside grunt and outside run?

Or will a team from outside 2015's top eight leapfrog into top spot? Port Adelaide, say, with a fit Ollie Wines and Jared Polec? Or Geelong with its readymade recruits Patrick Dangerfield, Scott Selwood and Zac Smith?

These were just some of the questions pondered as we looked towards 2016 and tried to predict the strength of each team's midfield next season, eventually arriving at a list from No.1 (the best) to No.18.

In compiling our rankings, we relied on Champion Data statistics for 2015 on centre clearances, around-the-ground clearances, overall clearances, scores from clearances, hit-outs to advantage and midfield pressure acts.

All statistics were based on a team's differentials against its opponents rather than overall tallies.

We also analysed the quality of players in each team's midfield rotations, taking into account the number of A-grade talents and the potential A-listers.

We classified players such as Robbie Gray, Dustin Martin, Cyril Rioli and Shaun Burgoyne as midfielders, but appreciate Gray, Martin and Rioli could just as easily be classified as forwards and Burgoyne as a defender.

On the other hand, Brett Deledio was classified as a forward given he now spends the majority of his time in attack.

But enough of the preamble, here's who we see ruling the midfield roost next season:

1. Hawthorn
2. Fremantle
3. Sydney Swans
4. Port Adelaide
5. Geelong
6. West Coast
7. Collingwood
8. North Melbourne

9. Richmond

Best starting midfield:
C: Brandon Ellis, Anthony Miles, Kamdyn McIntosh
Foll: Ivan Maric, Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin

Depth players:
Jacob Townsend, Corey Ellis, Shaun Grigg, Dan Butler, Jason Castagna*, Reece Conca, Nathan Drummond, Kane Lambert, Adam Marcon*, Connor Menadue, Andrew Moore, Jayden Short*, Mabior Chol*, Shaun Hampson, Ivan Soldo*

The Tigers sought to bolster their inside midfield ranks this trade period after being smashed by North Melbourne at the stoppages in their elimination final loss. They missed their big target, Giant-turned-Magpie Adam Treloar, but picked up former Giant Townsend and ex-Power player Moore, who will add in-and-under depth. Cotchin and Martin are A-grade talents but need more support, while the Tigers' ruck division is dangerously reliant on Maric, who turns 30 in January. – NB

10. Western Bulldogs
11. Greater Western Sydney
12. Adelaide
13. Brisbane Lions
14. Gold Coast
15. Melbourne
16. St Kilda
17. Essendon
18. Carlton

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-12-29/the-afls-best-midfields-in-2016-where-does-your-team-rank

[Stalin]

No grigg? Wtf

[Penelope]

or chaplin..geeeezuusss.....

[wayne]

Lol Geelong, Dangerfield, Selwood.... then Guthrie  and they're ranked 5th

[JP Tiger]

I would have listed Miles as an A grade mid, IMO ... but I guess these A grade journo's know better ...   

Next time give the work experience kid a go at it ...   

[Owl]

oh look more 9th jokes stuffing comedian journo's.  Teenage kids can do their idiot job but they think they are the focus rather than the sport they parasite off of for a living.