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Bont and Ed are stars. Libba just keeps on keeping on. Adz finally got healthy right at the end, and we even gave Freijah a crack in the middle. If Sanders and/or Garcia play VFL, they’ll probably rack up 40 touches — but the real question is: how do we get the right fit?
A lot of fans see Sanders or Garcia piling up 40 in the twos (as Adz did too) and wonder how they can’t get a game when players like LMN and Vanders aren’t contributing much. I get that — but I think what’s often missed, perhaps because of how surface-level most AFL media analysis is, is how finite inside-mid time really is.
If you look at CBAs, think of it like a “300% game” — three players getting full inside-mid loads (3 lots of 100% not counting the ruck). Yes, there are stoppages around the ground too, but outside those, players are primarily in another role.
Most good teams (and us ) run with three big CBA loads — around 70–80% each — plus a fourth around 50%. After that, there are only a few “pinch-hit” attendances shared by one to three others, who spend the majority of their time in non-mid roles.
Cam Rayner’s a good example — mostly a forward who goes in occasionally. The Lions also use Berry that way, though he’s mainly a wing.
Our issue, both historically and right now, is that our inside mids often struggle to contribute in other roles.
Adz and Libba both need significant CBA time to be effective — they don’t offer much value elsewhere. That’s already about half our “inside-mid pie” gone. Then we have Ed and Bont — who can be great in other positions, but they’re also our key inside winners. This year, Ed averaged 75% of CBAs and Bont 67%, even with Bont playing reduced time there early when he was coming back from injury.
Even if Bont spends a little more time forward, there’s still not much midfield time left to go around.
Whichever way you cut it, there are basically four spots in the team that play mostly inside mid. Everyone else is spending most of their time elsewhere. So the question becomes:
Do we actually want to pick Sanders or Garcia over other small forward or role options, when their inside-mid strengths don’t come into play unless one of the main four goes down — and even then, Kennedy’s next in line?
A lot of fans see Sanders or Garcia piling up 40 in the twos (as Adz did too) and wonder how they can’t get a game when players like LMN and Vanders aren’t contributing much. I get that — but I think what’s often missed, perhaps because of how surface-level most AFL media analysis is, is how finite inside-mid time really is.
If you look at CBAs, think of it like a “300% game” — three players getting full inside-mid loads (3 lots of 100% not counting the ruck). Yes, there are stoppages around the ground too, but outside those, players are primarily in another role.
Most good teams (and us ) run with three big CBA loads — around 70–80% each — plus a fourth around 50%. After that, there are only a few “pinch-hit” attendances shared by one to three others, who spend the majority of their time in non-mid roles.
Cam Rayner’s a good example — mostly a forward who goes in occasionally. The Lions also use Berry that way, though he’s mainly a wing.
Our issue, both historically and right now, is that our inside mids often struggle to contribute in other roles.
Adz and Libba both need significant CBA time to be effective — they don’t offer much value elsewhere. That’s already about half our “inside-mid pie” gone. Then we have Ed and Bont — who can be great in other positions, but they’re also our key inside winners. This year, Ed averaged 75% of CBAs and Bont 67%, even with Bont playing reduced time there early when he was coming back from injury.
Even if Bont spends a little more time forward, there’s still not much midfield time left to go around.
Whichever way you cut it, there are basically four spots in the team that play mostly inside mid. Everyone else is spending most of their time elsewhere. So the question becomes:
Do we actually want to pick Sanders or Garcia over other small forward or role options, when their inside-mid strengths don’t come into play unless one of the main four goes down — and even then, Kennedy’s next in line?
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