Rate our midfielders not in the AFL team

E · Joined: 05 May 2010

this survey is flawed. Adams is in our current team!

jackcass · Joined: 01 Mar 2005 Location: Bendigo

jackcass · Joined: 01 Mar 2005 Location: Bendigo

Beast · Joined: 26 Oct 2011

Adams was very poor last night but that didn't come a s surprise to me for some reason.....
As I've said all along he is a limited player with woeful disposal and not many other attributes apart from mongrel at this stage of his career and JT is in front of him by a mile.
On a positive note he didn't drop his head after a mare of a game and kept busting his gut till the end, here's hoping he can take his game to a new level and eventually replace Bally. But he has a lot of work ahead of him.

think positive · Side By Side Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Location: somewhere

Duff Soviet Union · Joined: 16 Aug 2010

Duff Soviet Union · Joined: 16 Aug 2010

Albert Parker · Joined: 13 Dec 2012

^Agree with some of your observations re JT and Adams
Martin shows a bit and can kick goals. Elliott and Fas showed last night what straight kicks can do with limited disposals.

Dwyer was our best player against Carlton. Not a midfielder for mine but can definitely rack up the pill and disposal is quite good. Can play a flank well.

Rank him ahead of Kennedy for now. His disposal is rushed. By contrast Dwyer has more poise than just about anyone except Pendles on our list. That perhaps comes with a bit more age relative to Kennedy and Adams.

Broomhead is class. Can't wait to see him with a bit more bulk on him, plying his trade in the senior side in time.

Knocks on Adams disposal must also be worried about Blair based upon last nights performance. He has been better in recent weeks though.

jackcass · Joined: 01 Mar 2005 Location: Bendigo

AN_Inkling · Joined: 06 Oct 2007

After last night, Thomas is clearly the best of these players at this stage. Into the future Adams, Kennedy, Seedsman, Broomhead may go past him, but right now he's at the top of the list.

The bonus for Thomas is that he's able to play alongside Ball. He's a better runner than Adams and a bit less one dimensional. I just don't see a spot for Adams if he's not replacing Ball. Last night only emphasised that as well as showing he's not yet ready to replace Ball. Will need to do better whith his next opportunities.

stui magpie · Posted: Sat May 31, 2014 4:16 pm

I must have been watching a different game. Thomas converted better when kicking at goal but in field kicking he butchered it, at least early on. Adams was much better. Confused

AN_Inkling · Joined: 06 Oct 2007

Early on Thomas did miss targets, but improved. Adams was never hitting them. Had better efficiency early on but that's because he only had a few kicks, most of his disposals were handballs. I'm not saying Thomas' ball use was great, but he was better than Adams. Other than that he won much more of the ball and was actually able to run with it.

Final stats:
Thomas: 18 kicks, 11 handballs, 62% eff, 6 clangers, 4 clearances, 5 tackles, 3 goals
Adams: 7 kicks, 11 handballs, 61% eff, 6 clangers, 4 clearances, 7 tackles

AN_Inkling · Joined: 06 Oct 2007

I will add that I'm not concerned about Adams' disposal. He's a primary extractor and does not need superb skills. Once he's more comfortable in the team and at the level he'll definitely improve to the required standard. I think he'll be a very good player for us in the Luke Ball role.

From his senior games this season though, he has not shown an ability to play anywhere other than centre square. He is slow to make decisions and does not run with the ball the way Thomas does. Like Luke Ball he looks to be a one-dimensional player. That fine, but it does mean until he goes past Ball he won't be a regular in our team. Thomas on the other hand has shown he does not need to be the main extractor and can play alongside a Ball or Adams.

Maybe saying Thomas is "clearly" the better player was going too far. But with more years at the club he is the more assured player and definitely played the better game of the two last night. Into the future, I feel that Adams has the more certain and defined role in the team and that Thomas will be competing with a number of others.

roar · Joined: 01 Sep 2004

Breadcrawl · Joined: 13 Oct 2007

I understand the logic but I don't agree that players currently getting a game are best 22, and those that aren't, are not.

If we hoping to contest the premiership then the team that matters is the one that has been assembled by the end of the home and away. In the meantime there are countless considerations impacting upon selection.

I think Josh Thomas is a gun. I think he is in our best 15, let alone best 22. I don't think he has been struggling to get a game based on merit, I think it has been about injury and general management.

I see Adams in a similar boat, though he's not up to JT's standard yet. I'd still have a bet on him featuring in our finals side later in the year.

I will also put Seedsman into this group who have had injury, and/or are being held up for a well-timed run at the senior side with a view to finals.

If Luke Ball is in the side at the end of the year I will despair that both of these guys has not gone past him, because he has played his best footy. Not that he doesn't still have good footy in him, but I hope for performances from Thomas and Adams that Ball can no longer produce.

Pendlebury, Beams, Swan, Thomas, Sidebottom, Macaffer and Adams is just a stupidly good onball squadron IMO. Seedsman and Young on the wings and Lumumba sent back is what I'd like to see.