Right - so NOW can we share the load??

[mjp]

If there was a winner last night it was the 'young' / inexperienced group of mids that fought out the second half vs the best team in it and - who by the end of it - were driving the footy forward.

Surely if there has ever been a bell-ringing moment for the 'chuck some different players in there' (there being into the inside mid roles) then this was it. Richards has been a success - last night we saw positive involvements from Rhylee, Riley and Ryley (those guys need to go to an island and work out how their name is spelt once and for all then come back and let us all know!!) then last night was it.

How do we manage this moving forward - giving players from outside the 'core' a bit more say in the game, causing match-up confusion with the oppo and keeping our foot on their throats re- pressure....

Really keen to see this moving forward - I think it's been talked about a lot by "US" for a while - but it bloody well works...

How does the MC make it happen??

[The Adelaide Connection]

Great post.

There were a number of "silver linings" or whatever that came out of last night and this was definitely one of them.

*Afterthought: Could we become the most unpredictable team (match up wise) in the land?

[bornadog]

the great thing I found was we won the centre clearances 16 to 8, which then allowed guys like Bont to move forward for almost the entire last quarter, and give Adz a rest from mid duties.

Maybe we have toi make sure we have a blend of players in the middle and not just the 3 triple RRRs

[Sedat]

One of the most underwhelming TEAM performances this season was our 4 point loss to Geelong in Gather Round. We needed Bont and Libba to play absolutely out of their skins to even get close - I hated it and it exposed the gulf in output across the 23 players.

Last night (and the previous 2 weeks before that) is the standard. Role players doing their job, multiple options rotating through the midfield, stronger emphasis on defending the entire ground better.

[bornadog]

One of the most underwhelming TEAM performances this season was our 4 point loss to Geelong in Gather Round. We needed Bont and Libba to play absolutely out of their skins to even get close - I hated it and it exposed the gulf in output across the 23 players.

Last night (and the previous 2 weeks before that) is the standard. Role players doing their job, multiple options rotating through the midfield, stronger emphasis on defending the entire ground better.

Pretty sure it was MJP who said that when Bont, Adz and Libba all had 35 disposals (can't remember which game) and no one else had anything close, that it was a concern due to not sharing the load.

[mjp]

Pretty sure it was MJP who said that when Bont, Adz and Libba all had 35 disposals (can't remember which game) and no one else had anything close, that it was a concern due to not sharing the load.

If it was something smart then I definitely said it.

[bornadog]

If it was something smart then I definitely said it.

I recall you talking about sharing the load around a few times - makes sense, otherwise we rely too much on one or two and if they lack form, you are shot to bits.

[Uninformed]

If it was something smart then I definitely said it.

Liar!

(Joking of course..)

I have been puzzled by how earlier in the year we were constantly getting beaten in the middle and down on inside 50s. Yet the last two weeks against good midfields and also against Richmond we have been killing it.

Mixing it up last night with the 3 Rs was great to see and should give us more flexibility.

But has there been change in method that you have noticed to explain the turn around? Because it has been quite dramatic and achieved even without Libba.

[Go_Dogs]

Different looks are key.
We must continue to do this.

[ledge]

Big chance next week , pies lost Cox and Mihocek, they should struggle to get goals and our defence is playing well.
Let’s hope Jamarra, Darcy English and Lobb can get hold of them.

[whythelongface]

Great post and so true. We need to move on from being so reliant on our stock standard mids. It is great to see the three Rs in there as well as Gags. When everyone is fit we can then rotate Libba, Richards, Treloar, Bont, Macrae, the three Rs and Gags through the midfield. It is great that we are finally exposing our younger brigade to quality midfield time. Whilst we may not reap the rewards this year it will certainly set us up for future success.

[mighty_west]

It was the change that had to be made, especially in the middle, the years of us being belted at times even though we have this "amazing" midfield, all great or very good players : Bont, Treloar, Macrae, Libba but clearly the blend wasn't right, quality players but was it a quality "team" of mids?

Now players like Richards, Garcia, Sanders, Gallagher, West enter the midfield mix with what looks to be a positive outcome thus far, it puts less pressure on Bont especially, imagine thinking our midfield would be looking so promising without Libba in there, wasn't long ago that the media and probably on the top of that supporters thinking if Libba and Bont have a not so good game the team struggles, Libba has been out, Bont hasn't dominated over the past few weeks yet our midfield looks stronger with having more impact, we are never going back to just the same olds.......

It also brings players into the game more who may be struggling to get a kick which also gives them an added responsibility and confidence to have more of an impact in the game.

Just on Thursday nights game alone, i haven't been as excited about this team especially after a loss for a long time, sounds weird but it almost feels like we won, we found a formula which may still need a few tweaks here and there to play good and exciting football, that game was our benchmark, we didn't lose Naughton and Richards we win that game!

[westdog54]

For years we've bemoaned the notion that we need one Bont in the middle and one up forward.

Watching Rhyley? win that centre clearance and send the ball forward was easily my highlight of the night.

[macca]

It was the change that had to be made, especially in the middle...
Now players like Richards, Garcia, Sanders, Gallagher, West enter the midfield mix with what looks to be a positive outcome thus far, it puts less pressure on Bont especially, imagine thinking our midfield would be looking so promising without Libba

Totally agree .
I was getting worried after the Geelong game with the dependency on Libba and Bonts.

Round 11 , some of the young players have stood up in the games against the Swans. It's like we have found 5 new midfielders, when all the time they just needed opportunity. Add in Smith ( if he stays) and Scott as a tagger/utility, there is some depth there.

[Mofra]

Pretty sure it was MJP who said that when Bont, Adz and Libba all had 35 disposals (can't remember which game) and no one else had anything close, that it was a concern due to not sharing the load.

Geelong have won all their games when no player gets 30+ disposals, and lost every game when a player does. We simply need to keep rotating as hard as we did in 2021