AFL's midfielders told: get big or get lost

[bornadog]

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IF Team of the Century ruckman Graham "Polly" Farmer were running around the SCG this afternoon he would have to reinvent himself as a large-bodied midfielder.

And, even then, the great man would be smaller than some in the centre square, his 191cm, 93kg frame being the norm in an ever-growing AFL midfield world.

Quite simply the message is "get big or get lost" when you compile lists of the best ball-winners in the game.

Most successful clubs boast at least one immovable midfield presence, a player who two decades ago may have found himself battling for a spot as a third tall in attack or defence.

A player who, four decades ago, could have been competing against Farmer in the ruck.

Recent Brownlow medallists Jobe Watson, Dane Swan, Chris Judd and Gary Ablett weigh about 90kg.

Ablett, whose weight on arrival at Geelong in 2001 was 76kg, hits the scales at 88kg.


Champion Geelong ruckman Graham "Polly" Farmer - at 191cm he would be a midfielder if he was playing today. Picture Theo Fakos.
He said the game demanded bigger frames.

"You really need strong bodies and you also need quick guys (in the midfield)," he said.

"You look at Hawthorn, Geelong and Sydney - they all have very strong bodies around the contest.

"We spent a lot of time this pre-season doing three or four gym sessions a week to build our body strength up and there's no doubt that has helped (the Suns) this year."

Gerard Healy, a Brownlow medallist in 1988 with Sydney, was regarded in his day as one of the bigger midfielders.

He stood at 183cm and weighed 84kg but would be dwarfed by today's players.


Essendon midfielder Jobe Watson weighs in at around 90kg.
"The game has changed with ruckmen no longer punching the ball wide," he said.

"They bring it to ground, where it becomes an inside game. Once you get one big body in there you obviously need another.

"So the power-to-weight ratio becomes a factor.

"And the running patterns have completely changed.

"We might run 20-21km in an afternoon, whereas today they clock up 15-18km.

"But, these days, they run 100m and sprint for 30m, whereas we would jog 400m and sprint 100m."


Gold Coast Suns superstar Gary Ablett - he started in the AFL at 76kg and now weighs 88kg. Picture: Jonathon Searle.
In the recruiting world it can be known as "attributes to position" - in other words, a 206cm ruckman is going to have an advantage over someone standing at 198cm.

It's the same with midfielders, according to Gold Coast recruiting boss Scott Clayton.

"If you have a midfielder who can win the ball high then you have a real advantage," he said.

"Players like Ablett, Judd and Jaeger O'Meara are examples of midfielders who can do both."

Geelong recruiting manager Stephen Wells says the increased number of stoppages highlights the need for bigger-bodied midfielders.

"We expect all our players to be strong over the ball but the bigger players can be hard to play against," he said.

"We've had players like Cameron Ling, Joel Corey and Steve Johnson in that category."

Fremantle is now well placed, no longer having to use Matthew Pavlich through the midfield, given the presence of Michael Barlow (189cm, 91kg) and David Mundy (192cm, 91kg).

Coach Ross Lyon has made no secret of his preference for bigger bodies around the ball.

"My personal choice is for big men in the midfield - contested ball and they spread well," he said.

"I think Geelong have proven that, Collingwood have Pendelbury and Swan.

"Our guys are big in contested ball so we really value it."

AFL games record holder Michael Tuck was never heavier than 80kg during his 426 matches with Hawthorn from 1972-91, despite attempts to bulk up.

Ultimately, he thinks having a wiry 188cm frame increased his longevity.

"No doubt the midfielders are getting bigger and it can help to have a bigger frame," he said.

"But you can't just be big, because you need a few brains as well.

"Where would I play today? I would probably stand out on a wing on my own and pick up a few kicks."

Bob Skilton, who was the leading small on-baller of his era by a fair margin, said the gun on-ballers in the 1950s and 60s were determined by skill more than size.

"I think Leigh Matthews was the first player where size became a major factor for an on-baller," he said.

"Sam Kekovich certainly had the skill set and size (187cm, 95kg) to play that role but he was used in other parts of the ground. No doubt the size helps around the ball, although you won't survive on that alone.

"Those players you are talking about, Steve Johnson and them, they are also so skilled."

Mind you, teams getting an advantage via the weight room has gone on forever - just think West Coast in the early 1990s.

When Mick Malthouse, arrived as coach in 1990 he determined the list was talented but lacking the body strength to compete with powerhouse Hawthorn.

It was further reinforced when the Hawks brutalised the Eagles to win the 1991 flag so, with the help of strength coach Matt Barber, West Coast went from sparrows to wedge-tails.

And it was the Eagles, led by Glenn Jakovich, John Worsfold, Guy McKenna, Dwayne Lamb, Drew Banfield, Ashley McIntosh, Michael Brennan and Chris Mainwaring, who became the bullies.

No side felt it more than Geelong in the Grand Finals of 1992 and 1994, when strength, as much as talent, became a deciding factor.

Geelong centreman Paul Couch said it was a shock.

"I felt like I was a Little Leaguer playing against men. They started throwing us around like ragdolls," said Couch, who played his 259 game career at about 82kg.

"By 1994 they had become massive.

"We didn't have the time to do the weights.

"Then again I didn't do them much, anyway - once a fortnight in pre-season and very rarely during the season.

"But as much as weight can help it still comes down to balance for me.

"Dean Kemp and Michael Tuck weren't big, but they were so hard to knock off the ball.

"And Tuck was so strong.

"Didn't look like he did too many weights but he was a plumber so he would have got the strength through manual labour.

"I was working as a car salesman so I didn't get the benefits of hard work.

"Maybe I should have tried lifting the cars as weight training.

"I saw Kemp in the middle of the WACA one day and thought, 'I will knock this scrawny little bastard over', but I ended up tipping over because he was so well balanced.

"Watson, Pendlebury and Steve Johnson, they have the size plus the balance.

"Massive strength through the core and they can throw a tackle off through the hips."

[GVGjr]

Watch our drafting follow this trend. Sure there will be the occasional Nathan Hrovat and of course more Mitch Wallis type height and frames but I think we will focus on drafting a lot more 188/190cm midfield types in the very near future.
I'm pretty sure the coach still sees the 191cm Stringer as someone who will take his turn in the midfield and Macrae is regarded as a tall midfielder.

[bornadog]

Watch our drafting follow this trend. Sure there will be the occasional Nathan Hrovat and of course more Mitch Wallis type height and frames but I think we will focus on drafting a lot more 188/190cm midfield types in the very near future.
I'm pretty sure the coach still sees the 191cm Stringer as someone who will take his turn in the midfield and Macrae is regarded as a tall midfielder.

Amazing when you look back at the great ruckman of the past and they were around 191cm.

I agree that Stringer is regarded as a future midfielder, leaving the Jones, Cordy, Roberts, Williams type to take on the forward roles.

[bulldogtragic]

Some journos were watching fox footy a few nights ago....

On TV, they showed that Jobe Watson was 2cm taller than the legendary ruck man John Nicholls.

Must be the hormones in the chicken.

[boydogs]

I agree that Stringer is regarded as a future midfielder, leaving the Jones, Cordy, Roberts, Williams type to take on the forward roles.

GVG was only saying he will spend some time in the midfield, not play there permanently. I agree with GVG

[Twodogs]

Some journos were watching fox footy a few nights ago....

On TV, they showed that Jobe Watson was 2cm taller than the legendary ruck man John Nicholls.

Must be the hormones in the chicken.

I remember someone telling me that Sam Power was a couple of inches taller than Big Nick too.

[bulldogtragic]

I remember someone telling me that Sam Power was a couple of inches taller than Big Nick too.

Maybe that was our mistake then. Should have played Sam in the ruck!

[Sedat]

I remember someone telling me that Sam Power was a couple of inches taller than Big Nick too.

Poor Sam. If only the goal posts were positioned on the wings, he would have been the most damaging player in the competition.