2019 trading, drafting and list management: players and personnel

[rojo]

Watching the highlight tape of Will Gould I can't believe he is only listed at spot 12. I would love to have him on our team!

[Auntie.Gerald]

I still think mills hasn’t spent much time in the midfield for two reasons:

1. We have a fairly slow inside midfield in Parker, JpK and hewett and we have heard several times this season how the coaching dept wants to speed it up not slow it down hence Mills not his time as yet hence Ollie and JB (james bell) being touted as faster inside mid rotation players

2. Some continuity in the backline has been key with Grundy, macca, Smith etc less games last two seasons and blooding new backline players. We are seeing a change of the guard in the backline and we will see a change in the mids next season or two. Depending on a few backs developing we may see Mills get more midfield time

We can’t forget Mills was first picked by melb as a serious young midfielder and his games pre draft were pretty awesome when I watched him play inside mid.......he was relentless and outplayed Heeney in two games I watched when he was a year younger

[Nico]

I still think mills hasn’t spent much time in the midfield for two reasons:

1. We have a fairly slow inside midfield in Parker, JpK and hewett and we have heard several times this season how the coaching dept wants to speed it up not slow it down hence Mills not his time as yet hence Ollie and JB (james bell) being touted as faster inside mid rotation players

2. Some continuity in the backline has been key with Grundy, macca, Smith etc less games last two seasons and blooding new backline players. We are seeing a change of the guard in the backline and we will see a change in the mids next season or two. Depending on a few backs developing we may see Mills get more midfield time

We can’t forget Mills was first picked by melb as a serious young midfielder and his games pre draft were pretty awesome when I watched him play inside mid.......he was relentless and outplayed Heeney in two games I watched when he was a year younger

I don't see that we need to change the back line. Our % was 97%. The back line did a great job, we need to kick more goals.

[Snork]

Just wondering if we bid on Green, can he choose us rather than go to GWS like the father/son?

[troyjones2525]

I still think mills hasn’t spent much time in the midfield for two reasons:

1. We have a fairly slow inside midfield in Parker, JpK and hewett and we have heard several times this season how the coaching dept wants to speed it up not slow it down hence Mills not his time as yet hence Ollie and JB (james bell) being touted as faster inside mid rotation players

2. Some continuity in the backline has been key with Grundy, macca, Smith etc less games last two seasons and blooding new backline players. We are seeing a change of the guard in the backline and we will see a change in the mids next season or two. Depending on a few backs developing we may see Mills get more midfield time

We can’t forget Mills was first picked by melb as a serious young midfielder and his games pre draft were pretty awesome when I watched him play inside mid.......he was relentless and outplayed Heeney in two games I watched when he was a year younger

That's what frustrates me the most about all this! Mills was probably the most highly rated midfielder in his draft year. I understand that we like to develop kids slowly by playing them either at half forward or half back but for him not to have had a real opportunity in the midfield coming into his 5th season is an indictment on Longmire as a coach!

And I don't care how "important" they think he's been as a half back! You don't win games by having a good small defender, you win them by winning the contest in the middle!

If he doesn't start there next season, serious questions need to be asked of the coaching panel.

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[Markwebbos]

I still think mills hasn’t spent much time in the midfield for two reasons:

1. We have a fairly slow inside midfield in Parker, JpK and hewett and we have heard several times this season how the coaching dept wants to speed it up not slow it down hence Mills not his time as yet hence Ollie and JB (james bell) being touted as faster inside mid rotation players

2. Some continuity in the backline has been key with Grundy, macca, Smith etc less games last two seasons and blooding new backline players. We are seeing a change of the guard in the backline and we will see a change in the mids next season or two. Depending on a few backs developing we may see Mills get more midfield time

We can’t forget Mills was first picked by melb as a serious young midfielder and his games pre draft were pretty awesome when I watched him play inside mid.......he was relentless and outplayed Heeney in two games I watched when he was a year younger

I think point 1 is spot on. I think it would need JPK to play a different role to allow Mills to move into the midfield. I can definitely see Ollie, Lizard and JR (NOBT) getting midfield time ahead of Mills on that basis.

[Wazza]

[QUOTE=Auntie.Gerald;788535]I still think mills hasn’t spent much time in the midfield for two reasons:

1. We have a fairly slow inside midfield in Parker, JpK and hewett and we have heard several times this season how the coaching dept wants to speed it up not slow it down hence Mills not his time as yet hence Ollie and JB (james bell) being touted as faster inside mid rotation players

IMHO this is the key point - what our Midfield needs are, cant play Kennedy/Hewett, Parker/Heeney, with Mills in MF at same time, no breakaway speed.
Taylor and Papley will be able to rotate MF / FWD ensuring with have speed ground level FWD and MF.
I would make a case we need a big bodied Dawson in the MF rather than Mills.
But hey I also think McCartin should be our next CHB, leaving Allir as 3rd tall.

Cheers

Waz

[707]

Watching the highlight tape of Will Gould I can't believe he is only listed at spot 12. I would love to have him on our team!

Seen as having limited upside I believe but he looks good and been playing senior footy in the SANFL.

[Jimitron5000]

That's what frustrates me the most about all this! Mills was probably the most highly rated midfielder in his draft year. I understand that we like to develop kids slowly by playing them either at half forward or half back but for him not to have had a real opportunity in the midfield coming into his 5th season is an indictment on Longmire as a coach!

And I don't care how "important" they think he's been as a half back! You don't win games by having a good small defender, you win them by winning the contest in the middle!

If he doesn't start there next season, serious questions need to be asked of the coaching panel.

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Nail on the head there!

[Blood Fever]

[QUOTE=Wazza;788542]

I still think mills hasn’t spent much time in the midfield for two reasons:

1. We have a fairly slow inside midfield in Parker, JpK and hewett and we have heard several times this season how the coaching dept wants to speed it up not slow it down hence Mills not his time as yet hence Ollie and JB (james bell) being touted as faster inside mid rotation players

IMHO this is the key point - what our Midfield needs are, cant play Kennedy/Hewett, Parker/Heeney, with Mills in MF at same time, no breakaway speed.
Taylor and Papley will be able to rotate MF / FWD ensuring with have speed ground level FWD and MF.
I would make a case we need a big bodied Dawson in the MF rather than Mills.
But hey I also think McCartin should be our next CHB, leaving Allir as 3rd tall.

Cheers

Waz

Constructive post Waz. Agree about Taylor, Papley and McCartin but would rather Dawson plays where his kicking in his primary weapon rather than where he is an extractor.

[Mr Magoo]

Seen as having limited upside I believe but he looks good and been playing senior footy in the SANFL.

I watched the game thats in the highlights against the allies . Gould is a big unit and I can see how his development may be seen as limited as his size did give him a distinct advantage at that level. Ironing out No 1 for Allies (which I think was Gulden) was more kudos to the allies player than him.

What would be interesting is to see is how he performed at SANFL level against bigger bodies. If he was as equally as dominant than you would definitely consider him but if he just melted in than I would consider how far he could go.

[Aprilbr]

I read that Hewitt comes out of contract at the end of next season. We need to re-sign him sooner rather than latter. A key contributor who is not flashy but contributes every week.

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[Aaron]

In a few early interviews, we learnt that Mills spent his last pre-season mainly with the midfield group and did play a little in the mid in the practise matches. So the coaches did want to play him in the midfield. However, when Grundy and Smith could not play any part and Melican was under-performing, he was stuck in the back. Hopefully he can move to the middle this season.

[stevoswan]

From this draft......do we want a young gun midfielder or the next Brodie Grundy?

Class of 2019: The young ruck who could be the 'drought breaker' - AFL.com.au

Our ruck issues are that we have very average ruckmen....none are great and our best is injury prone.

[Blood Fever]

I read that Hewitt comes out of contract at the end of next season. We need to re-sign him sooner rather than latter. A key contributor who is not flashy but contributes every week.

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Agree 100%. Works his tail off in the Kirk tradition.