#12 Will Setterfield

Plays his best footy in the midfield but that’s the problem, he’s useless anywhere else and takes up a spot in the midfield.

Trips now a days are fine right? Hopefully they don’t give him a week.

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Loves a tackle old Setters.

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Just a big defensive beast. Talk about a blue collar midfield, Caldwell, Durham and Setterfield all great defensively. I bet our defenders are happy when they look up and see those guys.

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A couple of our defenders seem happier looking at their long long big $ contracts.

Did a great job on Heeney early, and did the usual grunt and tackle work. He is very handy.

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He is a big reason why we are playing better. He makes other better just by being there. The new Heath Hocking.

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Not sure that makes much sense. He plays good footy in the midfield but he takes up a spot in the midfield.

Don’t you want an effective midfield footballer in the midfield?

I dont see other teams lamenting that their midfield can’t play back pocket.

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Defensively, he’s playing well, but his shortcomings haven’t changed, in particular his disposal. When it comes to midfield rotations, Merrett, Durham and Caldwell can all play in other positions, Setterfield can’t, he’s limited, it’s in the guts or the bench for him.

Consequently, if Tsatas, who is an extractor can provide anything close to similar defensive output I’d play him as he’s 7 years younger. Both are early first round draft picks, we know what Will gives, let’s see if Elijah can provide something more.

Caldwell and Durham are great defensively also and can tag, but still provide something as we move the ball forward.

Setters is playing well at the moment so it’s not critical, but going forward I believe we can do better.

I remember Heath Hocking being way better. He was serviceable at first but became a bulldog in the contest, as tough as nails.

But still, maybe it’s just fond memories clouding my judgment there.

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I think that’s the point though. We need some balance in the midfield and for more defensive action to happen there. That’s why he’s there to contrast the attacking nature of our remaining mids. Having Setters means the other mids can focus less on areas of thei game they are deficient in and play to their strengths.

I know Heath Hocking did this quite well for us but I’ve long thought we never really replaced Chris Heffernan in midfield. We need someone to do the defensive grunt work. Instead of judging him on his disposal, judge the whole midfield on their combined output

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I think he provides great balance but the point being he is a pure inside midfielder only is fair but it is what we need. At 27 he is not that old. Alex Davies from the Gold Coast could be a younger upgrade but not sure he has the same defensive side as Setters. I am just glad he is getting a decent run at it fitness wise.

Also the fact that he can only play pure midfield is offset by the fact that Merrett, Duzz and Caldwell can all play forward and it hit the scoreboard.

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Setterfield offers more than Hocking who was just a tagger and sometimes goal kicker. Can he get another 50 games to go past Hocking on games played - depends if his body can hold up. Still in good footy years.

Its Shiel/Brad holding out Tsatas not Setterfield.

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Not sure a comparison like that works, the games different now and we are a very high possession side so our current players will always average more possessions.

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This the point on Setters, we’ve let oppo mids waltz out of the centre way too much. He helps mightily in that regard

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Prime hocking was better.

But what Heath brought was that defensive mindset and contested game that really allowed other to be more ball players. He was good at transitioning to a ball player at times too.

I feel setters bring similar aspect and we are a better midfield with him in, even though many can prob be more impactful themselves. The sum of the parts is greater than the individual components and all that.

The real value I think will be when you have Merrett, Durham, Caldwell and Parish around him.

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Playing better???

We’ve had a good run of wins, but it was against 5 teams in the bottom 6. Sydney kicks straight (or less 50m penalties), WCE and North each score 3 more points, and we’d be 3rd last.

I hate when people say this, we won 5 games, I don’t care who against and how much by. Brisbane couldn’t beat Norf, Carlton couldn’t beat a bottom four side. Sydney and Port who were in premiership contention are below us and we’re above them

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We got Setters and Carlton got a future fourth they didn’t need/use

it’s been a very good trade for no real cost to us

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Articulated perfectly- hate it too.

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