Midfield dilemma

IMO, at the moment we have

 

Guns: Jobe and BJ

Almost Guns: Hep and Zaka

On the way: Melks and Myers??

Workhorses: Stants, Buddha and Benny

Back-up: Merrett, Kav, Colyer, Hams, Brown, others

 

Have I left anybody out?? Chappy?

 

And maybe throw in Kommer.

 

I'm not unhappy with that as I expect Hep and Melks will improve again. Barring injury Zaka will be a force but we need Myers to take a big step upwards and some of the backup team to really make an impact when they get a chance.

 

With the departure of Crameri, Bomber will be looking for a big contribution of goals from the mids when we attack and a better defensive effort when we don't have the ball.

Hird & Bomber were under a lot of pressure and were eyeballing our players and demanding faith, loyalty and promising ourplayers if they gave their all and trusted each other we would be successful.

 

And we were! We were beating teams we had struggled against previously. We were winning the close matches and it's very hard to drop players in those situations just for rotation purposes.

 

I get there is a bit of a conundrum in that the best way to fast track development is to play them at the highest level but if you look at our side last year their was a hell of a lot of development happening in the side.

 

Hille was hardly played. Belly might have been the obvious choice but he was still sitting on around 30 games at the start of the year wasn't he?

 

Same with Carlisle, only 30 games under his belt and was relied upon to take the best defender most weeks (and was thrown forward too).

 

Heppel was only in his 3rd year with around 40 games to his name.

 

Merret (1) & Kommer (0) were fresh off the boat yet we developed them all year.

 

Hibberd only had 22 games prior to 2013.

 

Baguley started with 7 games and finished the year with 28.

 

And we still managed to get games into:

 

Colyer - 7

Daniher - 5

KAV - 3

Dalgliesh - 3

Hams - 2

NOB - 3

Fletcher - 13

 

So while I can see there's a few blokes struggling to get a game, there's been plenty of blokes outside of our best 22 get a crack. And Jetta was the clear standout at VFL level week after week.

 

And I know the question was more midfield related but there's only a certain amount of inexperienced players you can have on the field at once, and midfielders have to do their apprenticeships in the fwd or backline anyway (or as a sub).

 

Don't forget guys like Dempsey/Myers/Goddard/Winderlich are a fair way up the pecking order to play midfield also.

 

Anyway we have a new coach and some mature new players so I'm expecting there will be some big changes... like every year!

Good to be getting games into Fletch. I reckon he's going to be a keeper.

Good to be getting games into Fletch. I reckon he's going to be a keeper.

Deserves more midfield time.

Our midfield is well sorted, IMO.

Going old school, our RR, R and C are Watson, Hocking and Stanton.

Throw in Zaharakis, Heppell (handy), even Goddard or Myers. and we're okay.

Merrett, Kav!, Melksham looks ready, we have others to pick up the slack.  We're good.

 

I would have liked another kamikaze mid in the draft to cover Hocking, but we didn't get one. 

Maybe next year.

In this day and age the team is broken down something like this.

 

2 Power Forwards

2 Power Backs

1 Third Tallish Forward

1 Third Tallish Back

1 or 2 Ruckman (if you have 2, they both need to be able to adequately play another position, whether that is resting as forward or going back)

 

Which leaves 14-15 players who are capable of filling the pockets and flanks and the midfield roles. Of those at least 12 of those should be effective in a secondary role (eg Watson/Zaharkis being able to go forward and hit the scoreboard, or Goddard being able to move into the backline, Chapman being able to move from the forward line to have a run in the midfield etc).

 

The make up of our team at the end of last year I can only think of 2 "smalls" that spent the majority of their time in either the forward of back defensive 50 and those would have been Kommer and Baguley, and even then it's not like they didn't push up the ground which the situation called for it.

 

If blokes like Kav, the Merrets, Hams, Dagleish etc perform in the VFL to a level that demands they be given a shot in the seniors then I'm sure that will happen.

 

Much rather this delimena rather than the one we had in the mid 2000s, which was who the ■■■■ else are we going to put in the midfield seeing we can't clone us another 6 James Hirds.

IMO, at the moment we have

 

Guns: Jobe and BJ

Almost Guns: Hep and Zaka

On the way: Melks and Myers??

Workhorses: Stants, Buddha and Benny

Back-up: Merrett, Kav, Colyer, Hams, Brown, others

 

Have I left anybody out?? Chappy?

 

And maybe throw in Kommer.

 

I'm not unhappy with that as I expect Hep and Melks will improve again. Barring injury Zaka will be a force but we need Myers to take a big step upwards and some of the backup team to really make an impact when they get a chance.

 

With the departure of Crameri, Bomber will be looking for a big contribution of goals from the mids when we attack and a better defensive effort when we don't have the ball.

In exactly what parallel world is Zaha close to Stanton's level?

Let alone two levels above??

He's got a lot of talent but he wasn't overly impressive last year.

I think it says a lot about our progress if we have a consistent midfield and no one else can break in. It's the opposite of rebuiling and giving every body a go trying to find the right mix.

 

Watson

Goddard

Heppel

Stanton

Zaka

Howlett

Hocking

Melksham

Myers

 

I find it hard to think in 2 years time the names above will be that different.

 

Also, is Zaka still vice captain? He was like the secret vice captain that the club never talked about, but now he's not in the leadership group... or is it completely separate. Bit strange if the club makes you VC but the otehr blokes in the team don't rate your leadership.

I think it says a lot about our progress if we have a consistent midfield and no one else can break in. It's the opposite of rebuiling and giving every body a go trying to find the right mix.

 

Watson

Goddard

Heppel

Stanton

Zaka

Howlett

Hocking

Melksham

Myers

 

I find it hard to think in 2 years time the names above will be that different.

 

Also, is Zaka still vice captain? He was like the secret vice captain that the club never talked about, but now he's not in the leadership group... or is it completely separate. Bit strange if the club makes you VC but the otehr blokes in the team don't rate your leadership.

Didn't know he was ever VC.  He was in the leadership group last year, but I thought Hocking was VC.


IMO, at the moment we have
Guns: Jobe and BJ
Almost Guns: Hep and Zaka
On the way: Melks and Myers??
Workhorses: Stants, Buddha and Benny
Back-up: Merrett, Kav, Colyer, Hams, Brown, others
Have I left anybody out?? Chappy?
And maybe throw in Kommer.
I'm not unhappy with that as I expect Hep and Melks will improve again. Barring injury Zaka will be a force but we need Myers to take a big step upwards and some of the backup team to really make an impact when they get a chance.
With the departure of Crameri, Bomber will be looking for a big contribution of goals from the mids when we attack and a better defensive effort when we don't have the ball.

In exactly what parallel world is Zaha close to Stanton's level?
Let alone two levels above??
He's got a lot of talent but he wasn't overly impressive last year.

Zaka was not impressive at all last year. He was carrying back / calf injury.
Stanton was as equally unimpressive last year IMHO. Also carrying injury.
Stanton is an elite runner but his disposal is not elite.
Zaka has won the best and fairest. Has Stanton?
Zaka is younger.
I agree if both fit Zaka is at least a level above.

zaha has zero defensive work rate, something stanton was berated for endlessly before he fixed it. Stanton's disposal in time and space is still terribly underrated around here and his disposal under pressure is arguably better than zaha's who has a nasty habit of just kicking blindly if he feels the pack bearing down.

 

people also ■■■■■ about stanton and taggers, again it is something he has worked on and he was one of the few to take the prize against crowley last year. i have yet to  see zaha break a tag (indeed i struggle to think of a time he has been tagged at all but i know he disappeared from games last year).

 

yes zaha probably has more room to develop as a player and yes if can produce the kinda of football he did on anzac day last year more consistently he will go past stanton in the pecking order but right now stants can lay legitimately claim to gun status and is ahead of him IMO (regardless of B&F results). frankly i'll love it if sides tag zaha heavily instead of stanton because stanton will run riot and he is a damaging player who makes our ball movement hum when he is on song because he works so damn hard to provide an option.

zaha has zero defensive work rate, something stanton was berated for endlessly before he fixed it. Stanton's disposal in time and space is still terribly underrated around here and his disposal under pressure is arguably better than zaha's who has a nasty habit of just kicking blindly if he feels the pack bearing down.

 

people also ***** about stanton and taggers, again it is something he has worked on and he was one of the few to take the prize against crowley last year. i have yet to  see zaha break a tag (indeed i struggle to think of a time he has been tagged at all but i know he disappeared from games last year).

 

yes zaha probably has more room to develop as a player and yes if can produce the kinda of football he did on anzac day last year more consistently he will go past stanton in the pecking order but right now stants can lay legitimately claim to gun status and is ahead of him IMO (regardless of B&F results). frankly i'll love it if sides tag zaha heavily instead of stanton because stanton will run riot and he is a damaging player who makes our ball movement hum when he is on song because he works so damn hard to provide an option.

I agree with this, if i was an opposition coach I know I'd put my best tagger on Stanton before Zaka (Watson is unstoppable so forget tagging him). 

There’s a reason Stants has been our most heavily tagged player in recent years.

KavaNAH.

Don’t win a best and fairest for no reason


 

Don't win a best and fairest for no reason

no you don't but people forget that stants finished 2nd (by 20 odd votes), played 2 less games, played with a cracked shoulder blade for about a month, was heavily tagged through out the year and led zaha in every stat category except goals. when we got flogged by carlton in the elim stanton was BOG for us, zaha didn't lay a single tackle

I agree entirely with your comments Ivan re Zaka.

Very frustrating player, especially when we know he can put more effort sometimes in his defensive play. Against WCE, he had 11 disposals in the first qtr. Got tagged and didn’t touch it since.

Needs to find a way to break that.

I agree entirely with your comments Ivan re Zaka.
Very frustrating player, especially when we know he can put more effort sometimes in his defensive play. Against WCE, he had 11 disposals in the first qtr. Got tagged and didn't touch it since.
Needs to find a way to break that.

did the same thing against the tigers in the 1st half, think it was 17 to half time that night and one more for there rest of the game.

I think if some of the young players can step up, i'd like to see zacka play exclusively off HFF, reckon its ideal for him as it will utilise his goal sense, as well as pick up the ball and give some good delivery into F50.

 

IIRC didn't he win his B&F playing HFF?

 
Essendon Football Club
Check out the world premiere of 'Zaka's Video Diary', and inside, unedited look into the life and times of Bomber Young Gun David Zaharakis. This week pasta carbonara, schnitzel + family friends http://bombe.rs/ZakasDiary
 
Chris Bortone for godsake! its 'zaha' not 'zaka'!!

 

Essendon Football Club Chris, his nickname is Zaka.
March 26, 2011 at 2:54pm
 
 
 
@DavidZaharakis very good Zaka.

 

 

I luv ya posts Ivo .. but Zar Har ... is just so wrong. Where on earth did it even start?

 

It's never been zaha., & besides,  If it's not ZAK - A ...... then how can it be AN ZAK day?

 

Check out the world premiere of 'Zaka's Video Diary', and inside, unedited look into the life and times of Bomber Young Gun David Zaharakis. This week pasta carbonara, schnitzel + family friends http://bombe.rs/ZakasDiary
 
Chris Bortone for godsake! its 'zaha' not 'zaka'!!

 

Essendon Football Club Chris, his nickname is Zaka.
 
 
 

 

 

I luv ya posts Ivo .. but Zar Har ... is just so wrong. Where on earth did it even start?

 

It's never been zaha., & besides,  If it's not ZAK - A ...... then how can it be AN ZAK day?

 

not in dispute, i'll probably still use zaha as an abbreviation of his name though rather than use his nickname