Star Mid in 2011

[bunyip]

We have a few young players. Simon Hogan has been around for a year or two and is ready to take the next step. he's played 21 games of which 11 were last season. He's the most experienced.
Other players that were given a game last season that look OK are Mitch Duncan, Taylor Hunt, Daniel Menzel and Stephen Motlop.

[BoredSaint]

We have a few young players. Simon Hogan has been around for a year or two and is ready to take the next step. he's played 21 games of which 11 were last season. He's the most experienced.
Other players that were given a game last season that look OK are Mitch Duncan, Taylor Hunt, Daniel Menzel and Stephen Motlop.

menzel looks like hes gonna be a gun.. same with hunt.. cats recruited pretty well i reckon :D

[Cicjose]

I think Menzel and Duncan will be the gun picks from this group

[BoredSaint]

yeah duncan looks pretty good too

[Milton]

Simon Hogan has been around for a year or two and is ready to take the next step
Other players .. that look OK are Mitch Duncan, Taylor Hunt, Daniel Menzel and Stephen Motlop.

All good young players but no gun midfielders there yet .. Hogan has some potential .. Duncan and Menzel will play as forwards initially .. Motlop has big wraps but a small crumbing forward at the moment .. and Hunt will play off half back
For 2011 it look's like it's going to be Bartel, Selwood, Kelly, Chapman & Varcoe with cameo roles from Corey, Enright, Mackie, Stokes, Byrnes .. in descending order

[Wes Mantooth]

I have a couple of theories (as always  ;)) Firstly Ling is definitely too slow to play the tagging role anymore, I presume his last attempt of reinvention will be up forward, so Geelong's midfield will look different without Ling & Ablett.

I believe the key to maintaining the potent midfield offering at Geelong is Joel Corey. 2010 was largely a write-off year for Corey who couldn't get his body up to play at his usual level. The question is whether Corey will stay down back or progress back to the midfield to join Bartel & Selwood? If he returned to the midfield, and could get back to 100% it would be powerful combo - still way ahead of Freo, Carlton, Bulldogs, Sydney and possibly around the mark of Collingwood & St.Kilda.

The other thing I think Geelong need is somd genuine youth to top up the midfield  talent. Are there any genuine young midfielders who are on the radar for 10-15 games in 2011? I'm not talking about recent draftees here.

Yes Cruise, names that spring to mind are Mitch Duncan, Travis Varcoe and the young lad Allen Christiansen. Allen is light on, but he was highly touted last yr so may get a run this yr. Mitch did alright in his debut yr and Travis is entering his prime but isnt really an in and under.

[Cicjose]

Varcoe stepped up last year though and i'm not sure whether ablett leaving will improve his scores

[Maca24]

agree boys duncan looks like a real talent. as does menzel.
think cats have some good youth they just hav2 give them game time.

[bunyip]

I'll be REAL interested to see how Joel Corey goes next season. He reads the play well but lets face it, he's no speed machine.
Whether that's a problem or not I don't know. You don't need to be fast to get into a scrum.
Players who go in and get the ball and feed it out are the value picks here. I think Geelong have plenty of those.
You don't have to be a particularly quick player to move the ball quickly, just an accurate kick to position.
How many times have we seen players seemingly kick the ball indiscriminately out of a pack and it's landed in a teamates hands. Thats no accident (OK sometimes it is) it's the ability to spot a teamate in a second and deliver the ball accurately.
Todays midfielders need to be able to do that.

[Wes Mantooth]

I dont know - he's going to be 29 soon and Geelong should be prioritising with youth. I won't be picking him in my team. I can see getting injured again despite his great games per season record in the past.

[bunyip]

Injuries are a problem for every player, not just the older ones. If Joel can stay relatively injury free, as with the other players, I think he would still be good value. You don't lose your skill just like that, and if you don't depend as much on speed for your game, and lets face it, some of our champs are not quick players.
Over all, I think Geelongs center line will hold it's own against most other teams. Whatever game plan Scotty has in mind, they will cope.
Without Gazza though, you would have to give them a minus 1. I would expect some improvement from the other players. Perhaps find a good younger player, of which they have some good prospects.

[Barlow 21]

Selwood and Chappy will gain #1 and #2 tags.

[Junktimer]

ling is finished IMO.

bartel and selwood will have to take more responsibility this year

[Cruiseon]

I agree Bunyip, speed can be overrated. See discussion on Peake in  the St.Kilda board.

What I thik is highly underrated is composure. The ability to assess the time one has, assess the options and choose the right options is one of the best skills. I think in the two Grand Finals Goddard and Pendlebury showed this, neither would win their team's sprints but their immaculate use of the ball comes down largely to composure.

Corey has a fair degree of this, as do guys like Hodge, Drummond, Dal Santo, Scarlett and Didak. None of these guys are that quick.

[Barlow 21]

I agree Bunyip, speed can be overrated. See discussion on Peake in  the St.Kilda board.

What I thik is highly underrated is composure. The ability to assess the time one has, assess the options and choose the right options is one of the best skills. I think in the two Grand Finals Goddard and Pendlebury showed this, neither would win their team's sprints but their immaculate use of the ball comes down largely to composure.

Corey has a fair degree of this, as do guys like Hodge, Drummond, Dal Santo, Scarlett and Didak. None of these guys are that quick.

+1