Rate our midfielders not in the AFL team

[stui magpie]

So, as it says in the title, I’m interested in how people rate the midfielders who currently aren't getting a game in the AFL side.

So first, some criteria. There are players who can play small back, small forward, wing or maybe midfield. I call a midfielder someone who is a centre square player who can play elsewhere, not small forward/back who can run round the ground.

So by that criteria Elliot, Williams and Fas are not midfielders. They might be trained up to do it but they get selected because of their skills elsewhere. I consider Blair a midfielder who we play forward because he’s a pressure machine and can kick a goal. Likewise Young isn’t a centre square midfielder, he’s a wing maybe HBF.

So for mine, the midfielders currently playing are (in no order):
MacCaffer
Sidey
Blair
Ball
Swan
Beams
Pendles.
That’s not a bad 7.

The midfielders on our list currently not playing AFL are (in my opinion)
Dwyer
Thomas
Kennedy
Adams
Broomhead
Martin
Seedsman
Freeman and Scharenberg I’m happy to leave out for now as they haven’t had opportunity to show any/much form against adults. As above, I see Sinclair, Yagmoor, Mooney, clarke and Armstrong as primarily small forward/back not genuine midfield options so I haven’t included them.


So, thoughts? Who do you rate highest as a midfielder and why (getting in early, DTM rates Adams, OK) Anyone I've misclassified who should be a midfielder or not a midfielder? I struggle to split the 7 I've named as they have different strengths and different areas for improvement but none of them scream “delist me”, they all look to have the goods.

Over to you. Let those who like making lists have a ball.

[AN_Inkling]

Seedsman, to me, is the same as Young at the moment: wing, half back.

Martin is maybe a mid, but I don't think he'll get there at AFL level when he's not even playing centre square in the twos. Will be a forward if he gets a game.

At AFL level, like Martin, I rate Blair as a forward. As a player he's a mid, but has shown he can't really stand up as a centre square player at the senior level.

So, the others in order, on current performances (would probably be more interesting to rate them based on where I think they will get to; would be very different):
Thomas
Adams
Dwyer
Kennedy
Broomhead

The bottom 3 are all quite even as are Thomas and Adams. Our improvement will come from the likes of Kennedy and Broomhead staking a claim at senior level. They only rank bottom at the moment because they have really not played enough, or any, senior footy.

Do any of them scream delist? No. But I don't think Martin's going to make it as a long term player (may not ever make it to the senior list) and Dwyer my always be on the edge of selection. The others look to have a bright future.

[RudeBoy]

Seedsman and Adams should soon come in to replace Young and Ball.

Kennedy will be kept out of the team as long as Blair maintains good form.

[Dave The Man]

[melliot]

Dwyer is more a HFF. Could play wing. But will always be a solid player, not a star.

Adams might be an inside star. Or the 2nd coming of Jesus according to DTM or at least Grundy's 1st desicple.

I like JT. BUT likely to be a good B grader rather than A grade.
Broomhead, Seeds & BK could be A graders. Although I haven't seen a lot of Broom to make any educated opinion.

[jackcass]

Of the guys listed rate Thomas, Adams and Kennedy in that order but still really early in their careers. See Martin, Broomhead, Dwyer, and Seedsman more as wing, HF, HB types who go through the midfield, at least at this stage in their careers.

[rand corp]

Not getting a game at the moment and in order of preference:

Dwyer
Thomas
Adams
Kennedy
Martin
Broomhead
Freeman

See Dwyer more as a wing man or high half forward though to be honest.

and I don't see Seedy as a mid yet, he could certainly do a Harry and get up on a wing one day in the future.

You can also see the dilemma K Mart has got here, I really rate him and like him as a player and would love to see him get his shot but, he is still going to be most people's 4th or 5th in order of preference I suspect.

[Albert Parker]

Kmart appears to be someone who can form part of the mid rotation but playing mostly up forward.

Broomhead is too light at the current point to play AFL midfield (maybe wing) and shapes more as a creative HFF/HBF

Given our existing younger strong mids (Pendles, Beams, Sidey with Macaffer as tagger) I think Adams and Thomas loom as obvious Ball replacements.

Dwyer more a HFF too for mine. Probably Kennedy too, although he puts his head down and does get involved.

Freeman can be an extracting mid in the Dangerfield mould given his speed and build.

Scharenberg looms as more a Clement style defender for mine, cutting off leads and distributing off half back with precision. Not everyone needs to be a gun mid.

[3rd degree]

I also think Williams could be a handy chop out over time, he fears no one and has great skills

[swoop42]

I'm pretty sure Martin plays as a midfielder first in the VFL.

Regularly gets 30 possessions as well as kick goals. Often tagged.

Unluckiest player on our list.

[jackcass]

[stui magpie]

^

I counted Martin as a midfielder. Most new ones coming in do have to start outside the centre square and earn their stripes.

[AN_Inkling]

^^That's what I'd thought of Blair, but he's never shown enough to be a centre square player at senior level. With his lack of height and pace, Martin would need to be a centre square extractor if he played midfield. I rate Blair as better in this role, if he can't make it I don't see much hope for Martin. If anything, he's a Blair type forward in the seniors with more polish but less desperation.

[HAL]

How do you assume this statement holds true for me?

[What'sinaname]

Dwyer and Seedsman are the only two I'd be confident playing finals with.