Build from the trenches.

[mjp]

Sitting at a state league pre-season game two weeks ago, I was chatting to an AFL Premiership player who made the following observation:

"If I could add one player to my AFL team right now it would be Matt Rowell - he would 100% make sure that we were not lacking in the contest for the next 5-7 years...and if you have strength around the contest then every week you can at the very worst 'compete'".

I don't know if I agree with him (actually, I know I don't) but his 'build from the inside out' mentality has had me thinking (a lot) these past 10-days. The AFL now seems all about these inside-to-outside players. Now I guess Rowell is kinda getting better at that side of the game but his strength is (and will remain I guess) that of a ball winner/possession chain starter...I guess he's the next version of Neale, Cripps etc.

What do you think of the philosophy?
If you hate it - where would you 'build' from?

Love it or hate it, which current player would you add to our team right now to ensure we remain competitive through to the end of the decade.

I actually don't care about the whys and wherefores of HOW you might get the player btw - it's the 'what sort of player' and 'which name' I'm interested in.

[hujsh]

I'd rather build from defense. Easy rebound goals means you don't even need great forwards or the most skilled mids. Think the Zac Williams setup for Curnow or the Saad kick into the middle, passed off to Cripps who just kicked long for an easy Lewis Young goal.

A miserly defense means you shouldn't be too far off your opponent even when its not all going your way. You do need a mix of defenders and rebounders though.

It's not the kind of thing that relies on one player, it needs a unit, but if I could pick one then maybe Sam Taylor?

[comrade]

A 120 minute beast ruck that never shirks and is competitive from siren to siren. Some around the ground capability would also be handy.

Tom de Koning vibes.

I’d play him as first ruck, send English forward as 2nd/KPF to partner with Darcy & send Naughton back as the floating defender.

Would instantly make us contenders, once Bont returns.

[Bornadog]

Watching Matty Rowell on Saturday, he is the sort of player you can build around. So to answer the OP, build from the inside with players similar to a Rowell, Horne- Francis, Reid who are all like for like.

[Mantis]

2 really good selections thus far and would be the type of players you can build around.

Taylor is an absolute gun and the perfect choice as the rock in defence. Weitering would be the other one I'd be most interested in.

TDK looks every bit what the modern day ruckman plays like, extremely mobile & super competitive... would include the likes of Meek, Xerri and Jackson in this group. In comrade's scenario I'd be shipping off English as I can't see how you play 2 x 7 footers in attack as Naughton when up and going (which he clearly isn't at present) plays the mobile forward role extremely well, and he ain't going back.

In the midfield I'd be looking at Newcombe, Day, Rowell or Butters as the hardnosed competitive players you need... both JHF & Reid are the perfect fit in terms of power & explosiveness, but as of now they play on their own terms a little too much, but that will improve as they mature.

Up front we already have the man to build around which is so damn exciting... I think Thilthorpe looks the goods too and B.King looks ready to really break-out, but Sam is the man.

[Mofra]

Matt Rowell vs Libba (last year in Ballarat?) was the best player vs player contest I'd seen for a long time.
I too would take Rowell ahead of just about any player in the competition. For the long term, I'd probably look long and hard at Lalor or Langford too.

It's probably a little more esoteric than the thread suggests, but it's less an "inside-out" proposition for me and more picking the guy who will take the game by the scruff and the neck and say "follow me". That's why Bont is so good - he'll do that.

[Bornadog]

Matt Rowell vs Libba (last year in Ballarat?) was the best player vs player contest I'd seen for a long time.
I too would take Rowell ahead of just about any player in the competition. For the long term, I'd probably look long and hard at Lalor or Langford too.

It's probably a little more esoteric than the thread suggests, but it's less an "inside-out" proposition for me and more picking the guy who will take the game by the scruff and the neck and say "follow me". That's why Bont is so good - he'll do that.

Need another Bont to takeover from him in a few years time.

[Grantysghost]

Butters he can start it and get on the end of it

[Rusty12]

The verion of Rowell this year, still a contested beast, but he might be the best place to start by covering the ground to support going the other way, as well as providing an outlet, powering out of stoppage and turning touches into score involvements.
I would not have built off the last 2 years of Rowel and would always take the complete player over that type.
His running mate, Anderson, has the most similar profile to the Bont at the same age that I have seen since Bont. Pretty scary.

Is Darcy just too unique and gifted not to build from him though?

[mighty_west]

It's a great question and right now with our line up, our forward line should be good for the next decade, we could really add a super fast small skillful forward to compliment what we have now but as far as setting the structure up long term i actually can't split Rowell or Sam Taylor, we need both? Right now our backline is good, very good actually with the two key's (Lobb, Jones) and one of JOD, Buku or Buss as that 3rd tall, however both Jones and Lobb are closer to the end than the start so someone like Taylor would be perfect as our numero uno long term, we just don't know what Busslinger will look like yet at senior level, to me he kind of looks like he plays a bit like Weitering but the VFL can make players look better with less intensity and more space (look at Schache).

But then we also have Libba and Treloar also in that older age bracket in the midfield, Bont could still have 6 years left? But Rowell would be ideal to come straight in and give us a real edge in the middle with his tenacity alongside those three with Kennedy, Sanders and co, Butters would also be great for us and funnily enough both Rowell and Butters have been linked to us, dare to dream and all of that and i know we have issues like North, Saints etc with bringing in the bigger names but nothing is impossible.......................

[Mitcha]

Brendan McCartney was a firm believer in building from the inside out and put in place some part of our premiership win. Player wise it would ironically be two players we have tenuously been linked to recently. Butters and Rowell both have very competitive traits and offer both speed and power to win it on the inside but also work out of stoppage by taking grass and apply vigorous tackle pressure back the other way.

[mighty_west]

Need another Bont to takeover from him in a few years time.

The closest thing to Bont i reckon is Will Day, or maybe a midfield version of James Hird? Either way he is a serious talent, Friejah is a smooth mover like Bont.

[Happy Days]

Far be it from me to even imply I agree with Brendan McCartney but I’d also pick Rowell. He does all the hard stuff but has mixed in getting easier ball to his game. His kicking is actually pretty great too.

I think recent history has shown you can get by fashioning key position players out of spare parts to a degree but there’s no substitute for quality around the ball.

[JanLorMill]

Brendan McCartney was a firm believer in building from the inside out and put in place some part of our premiership win. Player wise it would ironically be two players we have tenuously been linked to recently. Butters and Rowell both have very competitive traits and offer both speed and power to win it on the inside but also work out of stoppage by taking grass and apply vigorous tackle pressure back the other way.

Lost me at Brendan McCartney

[soupman]

Are you guys insane?

Rowell is great. But you can pick anybody/type in the league to build yourself around for 10 years, and you pick the inside mid?

If you get the chance to get elite talent that is a pod into your side you have to take it. Sam Darcy is the answer. The hardest position to find a dominant player in, and he is the most unique of the lot, and even has mongrel.

You can find (very) good inside mids deep in the draft or on other clubs discard lists. Is the difference between picking up say Jackson Macrae or Matt Kennedy vs Matt Rowell as big as the difference between Sam Darcy and Dan McStay?

Locking down your midfield so you can "compete" every week is no good if you don't have quality to do more than that. Picking Rowell is opting for mid table mediocrity where you don't know if you can raise the ceiling beyond that. Build around a point for difference instead, trust me St Kilda are the perfect example of solid foundation but no elite pieces to take them beyond that.