Strategy What is the best Richmond midfield mix for 2025?

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Only 1 of Taranto, Hopper and Prestia should attend centre bounces at any one time. We are too slow with 2 of them.

Smilie and Lalor should be in the mix. Reckon a couple of others too but we really need another 2 or 3 quality mids in the 2025 draft. Ross and McCauliffe might be OK for best 22 but aren't top tier and Dow and Sonsie probably won't make it.
 

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beema limapep said:
Only 1 of Taranto, Hopper and Prestia should attend centre bounces at any one time. We are too slow with 2 of them.

Smilie and Lalor should be in the mix. Reckon a couple of others too but we really need another 2 or 3 quality mids in the 2025 draft. Ross and McCauliffe might be OK for best 22 but aren't top tier and Dow and Sonsie probably won't make it.
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Please explain to me how you know this?
Is it because he didn't crack into the starting midfield in his first season after half a dozen games?

For all you know he could potentially be our next Lambert, taken late in the draft and one of our more important players in years to come.

1st sentence i agree with, second sentence can get in the bin. Far too early to be making any call on him.
 
Coach_Required said:
Please explain to me how you know this?
Is it because he didn't crack into the starting midfield in his first season after half a dozen games?

For all you know he could potentially be our next Lambert, taken late in the draft and one of our more important players in years to come.

1st sentence i agree with, second sentence can get in the bin. Far too early to be making any call on him.
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It's where I see him probably ending up. I know this as much as you know he will be our next Lambert.

You can do what you like with your bins.
 
I hope Yze has wiped the slate clean and told the players that whoever earns their spot will play round 1.

The way I see it now is we play the best performing players to begin the season and if they don’t cut the mustard at AFL level they get put back down the pecking order.

If Dow has an outstanding preseason he plays but if his AFL performance doesn’t match or better his outing v Melbourne this year, his tenure in the AFL is short lived. The same goes for Sonsie.

The younger guys get a little bit of leeway in the AFL, minimum 2 weeks but preferably 3-4, at AFL level.

In terms of midfield mix, foot speed is not the biggest issue in a midfield. We need players that find the ball and make quick/good decisions. They also need to be able hold a ****ing tackle (Sonsie/Dow eyes on). The ball moves quicker than the feet but still pace doesn’t hurt.

Ultimately, I think the talent of Smillie, Lalor and Hotton will ensure no duds are getting midfield minutes by the end of the year. McAuliffe looks a good chance to build into our rotation. MRJ is the other one that could be a great part-timer. Remember Daniel Rioli was pretty shit early in his career and we were very good.
 
The Roar Is Back said:
Prestia , hopper , Taranto . Will provide the experience
Ross , McAuliffe , Dow will be the more experienced developing mids with a mixture of draftees getting a run through there from time to time .
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Yeah we're not going to throw our first year draftees to the wolves,v they'll be slowly introduced.
 
rammmbo said:
1 experienced mid + Nank then 2 young mids is what I want to see.

Also 1 of Hopper or prestia should be playing vfl to help fast track development..

Carnt see yze doing this though as he will be trying to get short term results to save his own arse so it will be Tarranto Hopper and prestia as much as possible.
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Agree, If we waste a full year playing Prestia, at 32 with his injury history, as a mainstay through the middle then I will be disappointed. Hopper and Taranto need to be the core with the younger mids rotated through.
 
Tackle Bag said:
Agree, If we waste a full year playing Prestia, at 32 with his injury history, as a mainstay through the middle then I will be disappointed. Hopper and Taranto need to be the core with the younger mids rotated through.
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I would be concerned that playing taranto and hopper with a draftee, would see the developing mids solely used in a defensive role , given Taranto and hopper lack of defense . It’s a mistake many clubs have including Richmond have made in the past .
Need to develop their defensive game without smothering their flare and offensiveness .
 
Michaels said:
I'm 100% with you, I have been throwing up MRJ's name to go into the middle since half way through last year I reckon.

It was good to see him doing this craft at VFL level as well but I think his speed and pressure could be of real use.
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I’m with you here. I’m leaning in the direction of MRJ being a bit of a late developer.
I'm thinking senior may have been? He came across as an “mature” recruit didn’t he?
 
beema limapep said:
Only 1 of Taranto, Hopper and Prestia should attend centre bounces at any one time. We are too slow with 2 of them.

Smilie and Lalor should be in the mix. Reckon a couple of others too but we really need another 2 or 3 quality mids in the 2025 draft. Ross and McCauliffe might be OK for best 22 but aren't top tier and Dow and Sonsie probably won't make it.
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A burst player like Draper would be ideal in the next draft we've got enough extractors, we badly need some speedy link up types imo.
 

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Brisbane had the following in the GF
  • Neale
  • Dunkley
  • Ashcroft
  • Fletcher (W)
  • McCluggage (W)
They also had
  • Berry
  • Rayner
Rotating through the midfield at times but played HF.

Who do we have atm filling those spots?
  • Taranto
  • Prestia
  • Hopper
  • Smillie
  • Lalor
  • McAuliffe
  • McIntosh (W)
  • Ralphsmith (W)
  • Ross (W)
  • Dow
  • Sonsie

I would have the following:

AFL
  • Prestia
  • Taranto
  • McAuliffe
  • Hopper - interchange (playing both Smillie & Lalor we will need an extra mid while they develop)
  • Smillie - HF rotating into mid (early days until he matures to take over full mid roll)
  • Lalor - HF rotating into mid
  • Ralphsmith (W)
  • Ross (W)

VFL
McIntosh
Dow
Sonsie
 
Michaels said:
What is the best midfield mix for Richmond in 2025?

Our midfield mix is something that has left a lot to be desired the last couple of years and 2025 presents some more challengers in this space.

A lot will argue that Prestia, Taranto and Hopper are our best starting mids.

As individual players they all fit the bill, BUT as a collective trio I think we lack too much speed and X factor with all 3 in the guts together.



In the video below Grock and I took a look at it, definitely plenty to consider!

Who are you going with?

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I agree with your belief that our current midfield setup is too slow however these guys seem to be picked because of Nanks ruck strategy or maybe Nanks strategy is because these three as our starting mids. Basically from my observation Nanks strategy is to engage the opposition ruckman a try to bring the ball down to his feet where our midfielders can crack in and Nank can lend support. The tactic appears to be to neutralise the opposition ruck and requires bullocking midfielders. So the question is if we want to change our midfield do we need to change our strategy and our ruck. Samson Ryan is a better tap ruckman IMO than Nank and maybe OHB is as well but are we ready for that big a change which would also mean losing Nanks field marking. So when we talk about what is our best midfield mix then Nank also has to be in the conversation.
 

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Strategy What is the best Richmond midfield mix for 2025?

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