Midfield

[liz]

Kirk slow hands? Is this Brett Kirk, number 31 we're talking about?

[Wil]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster

If we do not pick up a gun in the trade period (as seems to be going to happen) get Bevan and Monty in there for the Wiz cup

Wiz cup? You will be seeing it during the regular season as well, don't worry about that! With Bevan, Monty, Schnieder, McVeigh and Davis with a full pre-season in the midfield we will be starting to look a bit better there quite suddenly. (I hope!)

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
These two blokes are perhaps the 2 worst kicks in the team. And they both have slow hands. I am not criticising their endeavour, their courage, or their ability to get in and get it. We need a class midfielder to reward their hard work, to pass it 40 metres, flat, onto Hall's chest and to kick goals on the run from 55. Neither Bolton nor Kirk have the ability to do this.

Kirk doesn't have slow hands - he's quite quick and sure. His kicking is not particularly good, really lacks depth.

Bolton has slow and unsure hands, and although he is technically a nice kick, as you can see from his set shots, his kicking on the run is fairly ordinary.

We need someone who can run and kick long accurately, like Maxfield. I think Kennelly is our best bet at that.

I'd like to see him, Davis, Buchanan and Bevan tried in the midfield this year.

[liz]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
We need someone who can run and kick long accurately, like Maxfield. I think Kennelly is our best bet at that.

Young Ablett also has a very nice long, penetrating kick, though we probably haven't seen it unleashed often enough.

[Captain]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
These two blokes are perhaps the 2 worst kicks in the team. And they both have slow hands. I am not criticising their endeavour, their courage, or their ability to get in and get it. We need a class midfielder to reward their hard work, to pass it 40 metres, flat, onto Hall's chest and to kick goals on the run from 55. Neither Bolton nor Kirk have the ability to do this.

If we do not pick up a gun in the trade period (as seems to be going to happen) get Bevan and Monty in there for the Wiz cup

Disagree.

Bolton is a very good kick to a team mate whilst on the run and many a time has placed the ball lace out for Hall.

Kirk has an ungainly looking style but his kicking is fine. I don't have stats on his goal kicking but from what I remember it's pretty accurate.

No comment on the slow hands call, I think others have already answered that one.

[Charlie]

Schneider, McVeigh, Bevan, Buchanan and Ablett are a handy group, which we can expect to contribute at least two or three regular midfielders next year. Add to them Malceski, Willoughby and Schmidt and I'd be surprised if midfield depth is cited as a problem next year.

The problem is that we don't have an obvious class attacking midfielder to replace Willo, since he isn't getting any younger. The most obvious answer to that is Tim Notting... but I suspect the Lions will find it a lot easier to hang on to him with their spate of retirements.

[Captain]

I believe Jude Bolton will turn into our classy attacking midfielder.

Next year will be very very interesting.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by liz
Young Ablett also has a very nice long, penetrating kick, though we probably haven't seen it unleashed often enough.

Yes he does. Interesting one - shows signs of doing some of the things we want/need, but lacks some confidence and also doesn't find the ball often enough. Will be a key year for him.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Captain
Bolton is a very good kick to a team mate whilst on the run and many a time has placed the ball lace out for Hall.

He is good at kicking to a leading team mate or as a set kick at goal. He is fairly ordinary kicking long to position (a la Buckley) or at goal on the run.

I believe Jude Bolton will turn into our classy attacking midfielder.

Next year will be very very interesting.

It will be. He probably has some of the ball skills needed to do so, but I'm not sure if it's in his nature, in terms of his mobility or football brain.

A few things he will need to do though are:
- keep his feet more
- look forward to create options rather than take the easy short pass
- hone his foot and hand skills so as to be more pinpoint
- soften his hands so he can become a one-grab player

Hopefully we can find just one player who can do all of these things.

[stellation]

Originally posted by gloveski
Everyone continually stats Davis as a midfielder he is yet to prove he can stay injury free let alone get motivated and fit enough to play in the midfield

2001 , close to best young half forward in the comp and rotating through the midfield. Since then he has had 2002 with no pre-season, 2003 (with us) no pre-season. 2004 got a pre-season, was obviously fit and motivated Rd1 and got injured, came back (4 goals in come back game as well I might add) for a few then injured- you know the rest with season 2004. To be honest, and I don't want to be too much of a Nick lover, but if I was him I would have been disgruntled mid-season too.

[Snowy]

You do need some more class and better kicks in the midfield group. In 2001 Davis rotated between half back, on-ball and the forward line and kicked 36 goals as well as having a healthy possession rate and turning matches. It is a matter of whether he gets fit enough and motivated enough to repeat that, but he is certainly capable. Replacements are needed for Willo and Maxfield and to add pace to the more pedestrian Kirk/Bolton type player. I think that Schneider is a possiblity but needs to develop a bigger engine and manage his weight. Maybe Kennelly should be played more on the wing and rotate others through half-back.

[ROK Lobster]

OK, Kirk does not have slow hands. But the point I wanted to make is that our midfield does not penetrate opposition defences. Kirk and Bolton may both be straight kicks at goal from set shots but neither can drill a long flat pass, especially Kirk. I hope that those that say Bolton will be our next class midfielder are right, and that the young brigade do come along. I think that Kirk is invaluable to our side - don't get me wrong - but I want a player to compliment him, running past and kicking long to our forwards.

[OldE]

I'm a big fan of the Kennelly option (no shocks there).

I think he's proven himself pretty well at half back, and that he ought to at least be given a chance in the midfield. I feel like we may be wasting his speed at hb. He's pretty darn fast, from what I understand.

In the Collingwood game, he demonstrated what he is capable of doing under pressure. In the Melbourne game, he showed that he can play really smart football.

Surely it's worth a shot

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
OK, Kirk does not have slow hands. But the point I wanted to make is that our midfield does not penetrate opposition defences. Kirk and Bolton may both be straight kicks at goal from set shots but neither can drill a long flat pass, especially Kirk. I hope that those that say Bolton will be our next class midfielder are right, and that the young brigade do come along. I think that Kirk is invaluable to our side - don't get me wrong - but I want a player to compliment him, running past and kicking long to our forwards.

Yep - I agree with all that pretty much.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by eirinn
I'm a big fan of the Kennelly option (no shocks there).

I think he's proven himself pretty well at half back, and that he ought to at least be given a chance in the midfield. I feel like we may be wasting his speed at hb. He's pretty darn fast, from what I understand.

In the Collingwood game, he demonstrated what he is capable of doing under pressure. In the Melbourne game, he showed that he can play really smart football.

Surely it's worth a shot

I agree, I'd love to see him move onto a wing.
The fact that stayed in defence, often marking opposition talls this year was unfortunate as I had hoped he would have spent more time in 2004 in the midfield.
Incidentally I have great hopes that Schneider will prove a good successor to Paul Williams, and while he lacks the 'wind' right now, Rioli, McLeod, Fletcher were all perceived as 'fat'