Two new recruits, one an experienced goal kicker and the other a six-game, hard-at-it midfielder will hold the key for their team’s finals assault.
For Geelong, this player brings the hope of having the dominant ‘twin towers’ that grand finalists Sydney and Hawthorn do. For the Suns, it is someone to release the pressure placed on their young superstars.
Here’s today’s edition of the AFL Missing Link.
Geelong:
There is no debate on who is the missing link for the Cats this year. Mitch Clark could possibly be the recruit of the year and will ensure that the Cats stay in contention for the premiership.
By no standards has Tom Hawkins struggled over the past few years as the Cats lone key forward, but his form has never been the worry. If he were injured, or shut down (which rarely happens), the Cats struggled for a target when going inside 50.
No longer will the Cats have to worry about a Hawkins injury. No longer will they look one-dimensional going forward. No longer will Hawkins cop the attention of two to three forwards. Clark’s introduction into the Geelong forward line will give opposition coaches to even more to worry in the days leading up to a clash with Geelong.
His talent is not unproven either, the top 10 draft pick averaging over two goals a game for the Demons despite battling with injury and depression.
He has already reminded us of this talent this year, kicking six goals against the Crows in the second NAB Challenge despite Hawkins kicking only a solitary goal against All-Australian full-back Daniel Talia. While no one expects the 200-centimetre giant to pump out these performances on a weekly basis, he should average between two and three goals a game.
By doing this, he will be able to improve the Cats scoring by around two goals each game, the difference between making the preliminary final and falling to the Roos in the semi final.
Gold Coast
Is there a more talented team in the competition? A team that boasts the undisputed number one player in the competition and with a host of top 10 draft picks isn’t going to add anything to its list over the preseason that will suddenly place them in top four contention – except for a new, experienced coach.
But in the spirit of the article, I’ll pick a player: Mitch Hallahan. The tough inside midfielder struggled for opportunities in a strong Hawks midfield, only managing six games since he was drafted at the end of the 2010.
In a similar way to Cripps at Carlton and Ellis-Yoleman at Adelaide, Hallahan will prove Gold Coast’s missing link by simply playing his role in the team as an in-and-under, contested midfielder.
Even though he is only 184-centimetres tall, the ex-Hawk will be able to compete with the AFL’s contested beasts, easing the burden his new skipper and the Suns’ younger players.
After Gary Ablett Jr went down in Round 16, the Suns struggled to collect contested possessions with David Swallow, Jaeger O’Meara and Dion Prestia forced to do the in-and-under work against bigger, more experienced bodies.
Rookie draftee Adam Saad will also improve the Suns’ ball movement this year after being promoted to to the senior list in his first year on an AFL list. How someone with the skills and pace of Saad escaped the system for so long is a mystery.
Saad will line up on the half-back flank alongside Nick Malceski, Trent McKenzie (who will play as a third tall defender) and Greg Broughton where his run and dare will prove vital to Rodney Eade’s game plan. Hallahan, and potentially Saad, will prove to be the ‘Missing Links’ that will propel Gold Coast into the top eight in 2015.
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We’re taking a look at one player from each team that needs to make a difference this week, starting with the ANZAC Day games.
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