AFL's best mids answer the 'Crowley question'

[Ricochet]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-09-24/how-do-you-stop-crowley

ALL EYES at the opening bounce in Saturday's AFL Grand Final will be on Fremantle's Ryan Crowley  the game's leading tagger and in many ways the key to a Docker premiership.

He has the scalps of Steve Johnson and Kieren Jack already during the finals and a bunch of other elite midfielders from the home and away matches.

On the eve of the Grand Final, those who have watched him from up close tell AFL.com.au about what Sam Mitchell, or any of the other Hawthorn prime movers can expect from Crowley on Saturday afternoon.

GARY ABLETT: He's done a fantastic job this year, given a role and done the job on some really good players. I reckon he'll go to Sam Mitchell, who showed how damaging he can be on the weekend. I think Ryan gets a lot of help from his teammates because they're the best defensive side in the competition and if Sam does get away from him, Ryan will have teammates running to help him. Irrespective, Sam is a terrific player and I'm sure he will get a lot of the ball.

MARC MURPHY: He got me this year. He's obviously extremely fit and I think he's one of their strongest with the bench press, so he's hard to shake that way. He's pretty diligent with his work, did well on Kieren on Saturday night, which is a fair effort. The Hawks should try to get the ball to Ryan's opponent as often as they can because that might get Ryan thinking. All the best to whoever he takes on Saturday.

PATRICK DANGERFIELD: I took Ryan deep to try and get him playing out of the goalsquare. There is the ability to do that, but I think he'll go to Sam Mitchell, whose greatest asset is his lateral movement inside a stoppage, so it will be a tough assignment for both players. Ryan's No.1 strength is whatever he does, he never loses sight of his opponent. He never goes kick chasing and has a narrow focus.

NATHAN JONES: I'm not sure what the Hawthorn blokes can do. He's got my measure at the moment. we had a couple of games where we broke even but the last time he got me. I think they're such a team unit and he's a great player, but his role gets enhanced by how well they defend as a team. Obviously the Hawks will need to be on and the better they use the ball, the easier it will be for whoever he's on.

DANIEL HANNEBERY: Obviously he's an incredible tagger and he's had a really good year. I played on him earlier in the year and I got him a few times, but after that he didn't take a backwards step. It's a real credit to him, he works very hard, he's a disciplined player and the Hawks will have to work really hard to support whoever he's playing on. He's a strong runner, got himself a lot leaner and he's got a great coach in Brett Kirk who has really helped him out. It will take a great effort from one of the Hawks' mids to get on top of him on Saturday.

DANIEL JACKSON: We're both taggers, so we wouldn't waste time playing on each other. But we have crossed paths a few times. Good teams have a shutdown player and he's a good player. He does a good job and he plays within the rules. He might push them a few times, but we all do and in the end the umpires do the game and they do it very well. He's just a solid player at what he does.

[Cicjose]

Crowley to sit on Mitchell all day unless Hodge goes into the middle

[Ricochet]

Yeh Crowley to Mitchell. Mzungu to Smith?

[Cicjose]

if Mzungu to Smith happens Mzungu needs to hit the scorecard

[valkorum]

Yeh Crowley to Mitchell. Mzungu to Smith?

Sounds about right to me.

[tor01doc]

If Angry Al Clarkson plays it smart, he'll move Mitchell out of the middle.

That will open it up a bit and allow more clearances and hopefully fewer stoppages.

Hawks don't have a fulltime dominant mid so one tagger won't be enough.

[Ricochet]

I wouldn't mind if he didn't, as long as he stopped Smith's carry across the middle and his fwd 50 entries

[Ricochet]

If Angry Al Clarkson plays it smart, he'll move Mitchell out of the middle.

That will open it up a bit and allow more clearances and hopefully fewer stoppages.

Hawks don't have a fulltime dominant mid so one tagger won't be enough.

I think that actually works in our favour. He would move Mitchell to a half back but Crowley is a notable goal kicked when he is up forward. I would prefer this then Mitchell in the middle.
It would also allow 3 of our gun mids to benefit off Sandi's dominance in the middle, rather than 2 and a tagger

[anchorman]

Actually I think you will find that Mitchell has been playing off the half back flank for a major part of the season,even in the last game.Not sure the Creepy would go to him there.

[stew42]

Actually I think you will find that Mitchell has been playing off the half back flank for a major part of the season,even in the last game.Not sure the Creepy would go to him there.

Definitely don't agree with this. Just because he plays half back doesn't mean he has no influence. Just the opposite for Sam Mitchell. A good tagger can shut down anyone he wants.

[Vinny]

Crowley is the best at what he does but sometimes, flower! He gets annoying..

[JBs-Hawks]

Actually I think you will find that Mitchell has been playing off the half back flank for a major part of the season,even in the last game.Not sure the Creepy would go to him there.

Mitchell was playing half back to rest/manage/peak his body for finals, he will be playing in the guts on Saturday.

[newfreofan]

Crowley to Mitchell wherever he goes is a given, what do we do about Hodge? We can't let him be a quarterback from their back line, or he'll carve us up by spreading across the wider mcg with precise kicking through our zone.

[Ricochet]

Crowley to Mitchell wherever he goes is a given, what do we do about Hodge? We can't let him be a quarterback from their back line, or he'll carve us up by spreading across the wider mcg with precise kicking through our zone.

If he is zoning up across half back we will put a defensive forward tag on him like de Boer

[tor01doc]

I would try and make sure a few champions ( ie Hawks) stay just off the ball a bit as Freo seem to scramble push scary tackle then fling the ball out to the next sort of inner ring of players waiting who know that the next ring then spread like crazy.

No point having 6 players on their knees scrambling after the pill. Guys like Rioli, Smith and Hill should ride 'shotgun' and use their pace and let Sewell, Mitchell, Lewis, Puopolo and Hodge smash body on body in the clinches.

Looking forward to it.

Fact - In 2013 Freo have only scored over 100 points against a top 8 team once - Port.

Hawks have kicked over 100 points 9 of 12 games against top 8 sides.

Go you good things!