2025 Starting Line-Up

[NAUGHTY100]

If we are to play Bont, Libba, Adz, Ed, M Kennedy, Garcia and Sanders, something has to give with the CBAs. I am going on and on about it, but there's a really limited amount of inside mid time. If all of our main 4 are going to spend vast majority of their TOG as inside mids, there will be at best, say 25% inside mid TOG left to share between Sanders, Garcia and Kennedy.

We either:
- find more time via Bont, Ed and/or Adz spending time elsewhere (think Libba is inside mid or finished)
OR
- Kennedy, Garcia and/or Sanders have to justify a game playing a role outside of inside mid as that's where at least two of them will spend nearly all their TOG

Think your right here Rocco , one solution is for Bont to go forward a bit more easing the Crunch inside mid time , i think this is where M. Kennedy comes into play, a hard seasoned afl body very strong around the contest , a win win in my humble option, and just quickly , mjp is so right, you look through the teams and i think you find most of the elite guys in each side are their inside mids , who not nessesarly are the quickest by foot but move the ball so quickly by hand and hurt opposition teams that way , so yeah im thinking there still is a place for inside mids in the modern game.

[Grantysghost]

Think your right here Rocco , one solution is for Bont to go forward a bit more easing the Crunch inside mid time , i think this is where M. Kennedy comes into play, a hard seasoned afl body very strong around the contest , a win win in my humble option, and just quickly , mjp is so right, you look through the teams and i think you find most of the elite guys in each side are their inside mids , who not nessesarly are the quickest by foot but move the ball so quickly by hand and hurt opposition teams that way , so yeah im thinking there still is a place for inside mids in the modern game.

That ability to drive out of stoppage and create overlap is where the elite guys thrive. Draw a crowd and open up exits.

[Mofra]

Think your right here Rocco , one solution is for Bont to go forward a bit more easing the Crunch inside mid time , i think this is where M. Kennedy comes into play, a hard seasoned afl body very strong around the contest , a win win in my humble option, and just quickly , mjp is so right, you look through the teams and i think you find most of the elite guys in each side are their inside mids , who not nessesarly are the quickest by foot but move the ball so quickly by hand and hurt opposition teams that way , so yeah im thinking there still is a place for inside mids in the modern game.

This is where Macrae may be the better player, but Kennedy may be better for the team - he's quite handy as a HF and very good overhead. Macrae's a better mid but with a logjam for CBAs, the HF who can rotate through the middle is a better list fit.

[ibonttobreakfree]

That ability to drive out of stoppage and create overlap is where the elite guys thrive. Draw a crowd and open up exits.

This is the best insight I've read in a while. 100% on the money.

[Rusty12]

UM. It wont. Few exist because there are maybe 2x spots for pure inside mids on a LIST - and they are the BEST PLAYERS AT THE CLUB. Guys who play inside battle to get a game because they have been winning the ball 35+ times per game since they were 8 years old and only understand one way to play footy.

That's why players can't make a go of being 'solely' inside mids...'cos if they aren't the best players in the game, they can't play that role and are forced to do something else...which isn't their natural position and they battle to find consistency because it isn't footy as they understand it.

Kennedy (Matt) is 100% an inside mid. He has developed a few tricks to play forward but make no mistake - he's a inside mid with a forward string to his bow, NOT a forward who can play in the centre square. Yep - he will probably play forward, pushing up as a 5th + stints inside the game for us...but because he starts high doesn't make him a forward.

As an aside, I'm not sure what Serong has done to upset you...he's won the Dockers B&F 2-years in a row + been in the AA squad 2-years in a row. Suggesting he made some kind of leap in 2024 might be because a few media people accidentally tuned into a Freo game during 2024.

Happy to agree to disagree on this; however wanted to confirm
Are you referring to wingmen as outside midfielders and all midfielders as Inside midfielders?

Midfielders who win most of their ball on the inside (extractors, Matt Rowell). Players like this who, aside from that skillset and who are not great ball users, not great defensive runners, can't push forward, etc, are the players I am referring to that have a limited scope going forward in AFL footy as teams crave flexibility. You need to be really, really good at that to still exist.

The very best players or midfielders can extract the footy, can be 1st or 2nd receive, and are damaging when getting out the front of the clearane or going inside 50, can push forward, hit the scoreboard and or take a contested mark, as well as push back to help with defensive running.

[Uninformed]

Happy to agree to disagree on this; however wanted to confirm
Are you referring to wingmen as outside midfielders and all midfielders as Inside midfielders?

Midfielders who win most of their ball on the inside (extractors, Matt Rowell). Players like this who, aside from that skillset and who are not great ball users, not great defensive runners, can't push forward, etc, are the players I am referring to that have a limited scope going forward in AFL footy as teams crave flexibility. You need to be really, really good at that to still exist.

The very best players or midfielders can extract the footy, can be 1st or 2nd receive, and are damaging when getting out the front of the clearane or going inside 50, can push forward, hit the scoreboard and or take a contested mark, as well as push back to help with defensive running.

So Libba our Rowell. Who would you pose as examples of these other 'best players' across the league.

[jazzadogs]

So Libba our Rowell. Who would you pose as examples of these other 'best players' across the league.

I would say Bont is our best example of someone who can get it, receive it, mark it, score it, exit the stoppage with it...basically do everything. Cripps, Heeney, Petracca all the sort of player I was thinking of when reading Rusty's post.

It's the pure inside mids like Crouch's, Macrae, Tom Mitchell who are finding it difficult to maintain a role. Can get and distribute the ball, mostly by hand, and maybe have elite endurance, but don't really have speed, scoring or overhead ability.

[Uninformed]

I would say Bont is our best example of someone who can get it, receive it, mark it, score it, exit the stoppage with it...basically do everything. Cripps, Heeney, Petracca all the sort of player I was thinking of when reading Rusty's post.

It's the pure inside mids like Crouch's, Macrae, Tom Mitchell who are finding it difficult to maintain a role. Can get and distribute the ball, mostly by hand, and maybe have elite endurance, but don't really have speed, scoring or overhead ability.

Would you put Ed in that type? And do you think Sanders can be that?

[jeemak]

Happy to agree to disagree on this;

Mate loving your posts, so while I know you're new I just thought I'd point out you're not allowed to openly disagree with MJP. He cracks the sads and disappears for days when that happens...........

[jeemak]

I would say Bont is our best example of someone who can get it, receive it, mark it, score it, exit the stoppage with it...basically do everything. Cripps, Heeney, Petracca all the sort of player I was thinking of when reading Rusty's post.

It's the pure inside mids like Crouch's, Macrae, Tom Mitchell who are finding it difficult to maintain a role. Can get and distribute the ball, mostly by hand, and maybe have elite endurance, but don't really have speed, scoring or overhead ability.

Maybe they find it difficult to maintain a role because there's one player in the side valued ahead of them already performing it, and teams are realising you can only have one because the game has moved on in the last few years. The role isn't obsolete.

I'd have avoided extending Libba last year, retired him, maintained Jacko and given him that role in our side until Sanders or someone else proved they could take over for the longer term. I'd have said to Jacko you have two more years, maybe three of absolute punishment on the inside with us.......but importantly, it will be with us and you'll be a dual premiership and one club player. Get trim, work your arse off. I'm still devastated he's not with us anymore as I feel he's got the toughness, hands and creativity to really thrive, without the concussion issues hanging over his head.

It sounds like I'm diminishing what Libba can do, but I genuinely fear for him.

[Rusty12]

I would say Bont is our best example of someone who can get it, receive it, mark it, score it, exit the stoppage with it...basically do everything. Cripps, Heeney, Petracca all the sort of player I was thinking of when reading Rusty's post.

It's the pure inside mids like Crouch's, Macrae, Tom Mitchell who are finding it difficult to maintain a role. Can get and distribute the ball, mostly by hand, and maybe have elite endurance, but don't really have speed, scoring or overhead ability.

Those 3 are perfect examples of that kind of player, thanks

[Rusty12]

So Libba our Rowell. Who would you pose as examples of these other 'best players' across the league.

Key difference with Libba is, when he does get it as 1st or 2nd receive, his ball use is actually great, he is not butcher.

[Rusty12]

Would you put Ed in that type? And do you think Sanders can be that?

Given we gave up 3 first rounders for Sanders, he needs to become this for us, he can't be a Matt Rowell type.

I think Ed is close to this, however as long as we have Libba and Trelor, I would rather Ed be the 1st or 2nd receive as his ball use and speed out of the clearance is elite. Don't waste the class in a grunt's job. (Collingwood faced this problem last year due to injury, although Daicos can extract, he is way more dangerous receiving it).

BONT is all and everything, LOL..

Extractors - Greene, Mitchell, Rowell, Tarranto

Elite Mids - Crippa, Heeney, Trac (Bit of a butcher, though), Daicos, Butters, Danger, Rankine (needs more mid time though)

Mostly Receive Mid - Warner, Kelly, Young, Merritt

Lachie Neale is almost his own category, he is an extractor but so efficient at it, and still an elite runner.

Just a few examples

[mjp]

Mate loving your posts, so while I know you're new I just thought I'd point out you're not allowed to openly disagree with MJP. He cracks the sads and disappears for days when that happens...........

I'm walking out now!!

[azabob]

I hate, hate, absolutely hate the idea of playing Bontempelli anywhere else other than as an inside mid.

It makes no sense to me moving our best player out of his best position because of other players limitations.