A new and dominant midfield

[Pedro Sanchez]

Back to a focus on football and I’d like to start with wetting the appetite of all Doggies supporters with this crack midfield scenario:

1. Cooney – one touch, dominating and uncompromising
2. Cross – quick hands and in an under
3. Griffen – skilful, dashing and penetrating

Throw in the likes of Boyd, West and maybe even Aker at times as able interchanges, and we have a very special midfield that has the potential to be written about for years.

It will also help having a genuine ruckman in the team too which will hopefully spoon feed the brigade.

I think this is our best line up for Round 1.

[Dry Rot]

Back to a focus on football and I’d like to start with wetting the appetite of all Doggies supporters with this crack midfield scenario:

1. Cooney – one touch, dominating and uncompromising
2. Cross – quick hands and in an under
3. Griffen – skilful, dashing and penetrating

Throw in the likes of Boyd, West and maybe even Aker at times as able interchanges, and we have a very special midfield that has the potential to be written about for years.

It will also help having a genuine ruckman in the team too which will hopefully spoon feed the brigade.

I think this is our best line up for Round 1.

Like your thinking, but at their best how would our mids compare with the 15 other clubs?

Top 4 mids? Top 5 sides - 8 mids? Or below that?

[Pedro Sanchez]

Like your thinking, but at their best how would our mids compare with the 15 other clubs?

Top 4 mids? Top 5 sides - 8 mids? Or below that?

Here's what I reckon Dry Rot...

If we were measuring purely on potential, then I think they're top four. However until this section of the team starts to prove itself and become consistent and reliable in most games, then I think more realistically we're a top 7 side or there abouts.

Most supporters across the comp and the wider football community as a whole would have to admit that a fully firing and switched on Cooney and Griffin would be a first class combination.

They're complemented well by the hard working guys in Cross and Boyd, and then the impact players we also have up our sleeve. The likes of Aker, West now that he's closer to finishing his career than starting it, even Higgins, Harbrow and depending on match ups maybe a Hahn or Gia too.

I beleive the bottom line is that our core guys fulfilling the midfield role have to be the 3 mentioned earlier if we're to be real premiership contenders. There's no reason why the likes of Coon and Griff and fingers crossed even Higgins too, can't stamp themselves on the competition as feared and admired onballers. Hopefully that line in the sand that goes from showing a bit now and then, to consistent and hardened player is drawn in 08 rather than later.

I should also point out I probably used the wrong word in the title with 'new'. The ideal word I was looking for was 'reinvigorated' or 'refreshed'.

Cheers

[Go_Dogs]

I think we potentially have the most explosive midfield this season. Players like Cooney, Griffen, Higgins, Akermanis all give us more explosive options who can use the ball well by foot. They will be well complimented by the more negating, in and under types such as West, Cross and Boyd.

It's time for Adam and Ryan to really step up and demand the football in the middle, go in and get it and stamp their authority on the game. For mine, they are the crucial pieces of the puzzle, and a fitter Akermanis and better developed Higgins will also compliment this.

Compared to the top midfields, well imo Power and Geelong would be the best 2. I think we potentially stack up pretty well, we just need to put the runs on the scoreboard this season and fulfill the potential.

[hujsh]

Back to a focus on football and I’d like to start with wetting the appetite of all Doggies supporters with this crack midfield scenario:

1. Cooney – one touch, dominating and uncompromising
2. Cross – quick hands and in an under
3. Griffen – skilful, dashing and penetrating

Throw in the likes of Boyd, West and maybe even Aker at times as able interchanges, and we have a very special midfield that has the potential to be written about for years.

It will also help having a genuine ruckman in the team too which will hopefully spoon feed the brigade.

I think this is our best line up for Round 1.

That's the excitement of when West retires. It will be sad and it will be a loss but we have a really exciting young group that will be very exciting to watch

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Still think we're probably a star midfielder short.

Cooney & Griffen are or at least should develop into elite AFL midfielders. Cross & Boyd are very good players too, although they'll probably never be match winners. Nevertheless, they'll be a fine duo over the coming years and as far as in & unders are concerned, they'd be up there with the best.

Ray still needs to improve but he looks a likely classic winger, fantastic endurance and great at finding space all over the ground. He's a good mark, just needs to improve his kicking and he'll be a dangerous player.

Higgins is an interesting one; obviously still very young with a lot to learn. His skills are brillant; he's a smart footballer. He can read the play and take a nice mark. My question on Higgins though is can he play as a genuine midfielder? He lacks a few yards of pace and his defensive game - at this point in time - is non existant. I have no doubt he'll turn into a very good player, I'm just not sure if it'll be as a HF/FP or as a genuine midfielder. Both Cooney & Griffen have pace and the ability to play solid defensive games, an area that Coons improved on in '07.

In an ideal world, we'd have another star midfielder in the bracket of Cooney & Griffen. West Coast had Judd, Cousins & Kerr whilst Brisbane had Voss, Black, Lappin, Akermanis & Power at their prime. Hopefully for us, Higgins can cement himself a position in the midfield within the next 3 years.

[Scorlibo]

I am so confident in Danny Cross and Coondog this year that I'm putting $10 on them each for the brownlow. If they do blossom this year it will be a lot like bartel and ablett last year. Last time I checked with the sportsbet site cooney was at 126$ and Cross at $101.
I think Daniel Cross is the most underated player in the league - I mean the people working at sportsbet must have been living under a rock or something at the start of last season when Crossy was averaging the most disposals in the AFL.
A midfield of Cooney (explosive pace and flare whizzing through the packs), Cross (consistent in and under ball winner and tackler), Boyd (consistent and 4 quarter-enduring ability with never say die attitude), West (experienced midfield campaigner and still a ball magnet and contested ball winning king), Griffen, Higgins and Akermanis (all players able to provide "ignition") should be one of the best in the league especially with the addition of a clearance expert ruckman in Hudson.

[mjp]

I am so confident in Danny Cross and Coondog this year that I'm putting $10 on them each for the brownlow.

Are they going to tie?

If you were really confident, you would be going with one player for $20 - that way you would win a helluva lot more!

[Scorlibo]

Are they going to tie?

If you were really confident, you would be going with one player for $20 - that way you would win a helluva lot more!

Yea, or a helluva lot less! I cant split them, I'm confident in both to do very well this year - which is why i will go with 10 on each - its the safer option, still with a very nice payout either way. As I said they could be like bartel and ablett last year - who people couldnt split until the night of the count.

[LostDoggy]

Whilst I concur with what has been said about the above players in the mid field, I would suggest that Coon and Griff have a way to go to get their hands on the ball and be able to feed it out as many times and in the way West does. When West was injured, we looked considerably weaker. Getting your hands dirty is not about running around the football, neither is it just running away from it to receive. And whilst I accept that some players can be used on the burst, I would also want them to be able to scrap and attack the ball with a ferocity that was lacking last year. If we have better leadership in this area we may do a whole lot better.

[Pedro Sanchez]

Still think we're probably a star midfielder short.

Cooney & Griffen are or at least should develop into elite AFL midfielders. Cross & Boyd are very good players too, although they'll probably never be match winners. Nevertheless, they'll be a fine duo over the coming years and as far as in & unders are concerned, they'd be up there with the best.

Ray still needs to improve but he looks a likely classic winger, fantastic endurance and great at finding space all over the ground. He's a good mark, just needs to improve his kicking and he'll be a dangerous player.

Higgins is an interesting one; obviously still very young with a lot to learn. His skills are brillant; he's a smart footballer. He can read the play and take a nice mark. My question on Higgins though is can he play as a genuine midfielder? He lacks a few yards of pace and his defensive game - at this point in time - is non existant. I have no doubt he'll turn into a very good player, I'm just not sure if it'll be as a HF/FP or as a genuine midfielder. Both Cooney & Griffen have pace and the ability to play solid defensive games, an area that Coons improved on in '07.

In an ideal world, we'd have another star midfielder in the bracket of Cooney & Griffen. West Coast had Judd, Cousins & Kerr whilst Brisbane had Voss, Black, Lappin, Akermanis & Power at their prime. Hopefully for us, Higgins can cement himself a position in the midfield within the next 3 years.

Yeah its a good point... Ideally we'll have one other yonug gun to add to the centre square. Fingers crossed its Higgins but there are other options on the list too.

I think the likes of Ward, Stack and maybe Reid with a bit of luck could offer the midfield a great deal. We'll just have to wait and see as they wont be ripe for at least another few years. In the meantime Aker, Hahn, Gia, Higgins and co and slog it out. These are pretty handy players to have as a midfield support act and while they're plying there trade our rookies and subsequent new draftees over the next few years can continue to develop.

First things first though and that is we need to see Coon and Griff get consistently good... Start changing matches and hurting opposition teams on both the scoreboard and with goal assists.

2008 will be exciting!

[Bulldog Revolution]

There is every reason to expect that Cooney will end up an elite centre square player, but far less evidence to support Griffen or think he will be in there from round 1 2008 coming off an injury riddled run.

Griff has not played a lot in the midfield and I think there are question marks about whether he is really able to do it at an AFL level. I really think we should just settle him on a half back flank and develop similar plan to Simon Goodwin before moving him into the midfield. Higgins is an incredible clever footballer, but has nowhere near the base fitness or defensive mindset to play in there at the moment.

I see the starting midfield option in 2008 as being 3 of Boyd, Cross, Cooney and West.
I hope by the end of 2008 there are far more options.

[GVGjr]

There is every reason to expect that Cooney will end up an elite centre square player, but far less evidence to support Griffen or think he will be in there from round 1 2008 coming off an injury riddled run.

Griff has not played a lot in the midfield and I think there are question marks about whether he is really able to do it at an AFL level. I really think we should just settle him on a half back flank and develop similar plan to Simon Goodwin before moving him into the midfield. Higgins is an incredible clever footballer, but has nowhere near the base fitness or defensive mindset to play in there at the moment.

I see the starting midfield option in 2008 as being 3 of Boyd, Cross, Cooney and West.
I hope by the end of 2008 there are far more options.

I don't think Griffen is a sure bet for the midfield especially the centre square work for a while yet. He just doesn't react quickly enough in the centre square.

He could be a winger but I would let him run into form mainly as a defender for this season.

[LostDoggy]

Still think we're probably a star midfielder short.

I think this is more because of the age of some of our guys. We have depth for the rotation but we will lose West probably at the end of the season and Eagleton and Aker the year after that.

Cooney & Griffen are or at least should develop into elite AFL midfielders. Cross & Boyd are very good players too, although they'll probably never be match winners. Nevertheless, they'll be a fine duo over the coming years and as far as in & unders are concerned, they'd be up there with the best.

Im not sure about Griffen just yet but you would have to think he will make it as a midfielder. Cross and Boyd are limited in some ways but very effective.

Ray still needs to improve but he looks a likely classic winger, fantastic endurance and great at finding space all over the ground. He's a good mark, just needs to improve his kicking and he'll be a dangerous player.

I think Ray is due for a big season. He should some improvement last year especially his marking and from all reports has had a great summer.

kicking and he'll be a dangerous player.

Higgins is an interesting one; obviously still very young with a lot to learn. His skills are brillant; he's a smart footballer. He can read the play and take a nice mark. My question on Higgins though is can he play as a genuine midfielder? He lacks a few yards of pace and his defensive game - at this point in time - is non existant. I have no doubt he'll turn into a very good player, I'm just not sure if it'll be as a HF/FP or as a genuine midfielder. Both Cooney & Griffen have pace and the ability to play solid defensive games, an area that Coons improved on in '07.

Higgins can play midfielder but might be better served up forward because of his goal sense. The big knock on him is his erratic defensive efforts. In the midfield this could hurt us more.

In an ideal world, we'd have another star midfielder in the bracket of Cooney & Griffen. West Coast had Judd, Cousins & Kerr whilst Brisbane had Voss, Black, Lappin, Akermanis & Power at their prime. Hopefully for us, Higgins can cement himself a position in the midfield within the next 3 years.

Getting a guy like Kerr would be a godsend