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Who has the best midfield left in the AFL?

22nd September, 2016
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How many neutral fans are cheering now for Bulldogs victory? (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Roar Guru
22nd September, 2016
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1156 Reads

Sydney’s depth? Geelong’s firepower? The Giants’ pace? How about the Western Bulldogs’ toughness?

All four of the preliminary finalists’ midfields have their own separate identity. But which one is superior to the rest?

1: Sydney
Midfield group: Josh Kennedy, Kieren Jack, Dan Hannebery, Tom Mitchell, Luke Parker, Isaac Heeney, Jake Lloyd

The Swans’ depth in the middle is daunting; a case can be made that Kennedy, Jack, Hannebery, Mitchell and Parker would be the standout player at most other clubs around the league. Having all of them on the same team is almost unfair.

What makes the Swans so deadly is the variety of ways they can hurt an opponent in the middle.

At the contest, Sydney are intense and dominant. The prowess of Kennedy, Jack, Hannebery, Mitchell and Parker is overawing, as the Swans ranked first for contested possessions, second for tackles and third for clearances this season.

Sydney average 162 contested possessions, 22 more than the competition average – a reflection of how overpowering John Longmire’s men are inside the pack.

The boisterous contested game, though, does shadow Sydney’s sufficient pace, ball movement and scoring threats in the midfield.

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The Swans’ ball movement is subtle but effective. They don’t move at a blistering pace, but Sydney’s midfielders do an excellent job at moving the ball forward.

Hannebery and Lloyd both ranked in the top ten for metres gained this season, while Kennedy, Jack and Parker have the smartness to get the ball moving forward when necessary.

Parker, Heeney and Lloyd also have the capability to hit the scoreboard, adding to the versatility of Sydney’s midfield.

2: GWS
Midfield group: Tom Scully, Callan Ward, Josh Kelly, Ryan Griffen, Stephen Coniglio, Dylan Shiel, Lachie Whitfield

Having quickness is one thing, but playing at your own pace is what separates the elite from the rest. This is what the Giants’ midfield does so well.

Running at breakneck speed for the entire game can be counterproductive to your chances of winning. GWS has the talent to do this, but the intelligent make-up of their midfield allows them to play a fast, but efficient, game.

No team uses their speed advantage better than the Giants. Their tempo allows them to burst out of packs and into free space, move the ball forward at a proficient rate and their quality ball users makes their quickness even tougher to defend.

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It’s clear to see the Giants favour a rapid style of play, as they rank first for bounces, inside 50s and effective disposals in the league. The pace out of the middle also made the Giants the best clearance side in the league.

Don’t think GWS can’t get it done inside, though.

You only need to look back to their qualifying final victory over crosstown rivals Sydney to see how savage the Giants can be at the contest. GWS beat the Swans at their own game that day, out-tackling Sydney by 32, a nod to their aggressiveness around the footy.

Sitting third in contested possessions, it’s clear GWS can win the inside battle when needed. Combine that with their lightning-fast play, and it’s a midfield worth salivating over.

3: Western Bulldogs
Midfield group: Lachie Hunter, Marcus Bontempelli, Liam Picken, Luke Dahlhaus, Tom Liberatore, Caleb Daniel, Jack Macrae

The people’s midfield. Bulldog admirers have run out of superlatives to describe their midfield these finals, but the three F’s are appropriate – furious, frantic and frenzied.

These elements have made the Dogs the story of the finals so far.

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Similar to the Giants’ pace, what makes the Bulldogs’ midfield so good is the way they use their vehement style to their advantage. With the way the Dogs go about it, they could easily give away free kicks at a high rate and play sloppy footy, but they don’t. The attack is solely on the footy, or the man with the footy.

In consecutive weeks, the Bulldogs’ pressure has overwhelmed last year’s grand finalists, Hawthorn and West Coast. On paper, the Dogs don’t have your typical make-up of superstars, but this collective is greater than the sum of its parts.

Daniel and Picken have become cult heroes, with their efforts drawing praise from all corners. Bontempelli is the beast, a player who can change the game off his own boot. Liberatore is the epitome of toughness, embodying his father’s style of play. Hunter and Macrae are the reliable soldiers, while Dahlhaus is always dangerous around goal.

This set of Dogs has fans thinking about the unthinkable. The Bulldogs’ midfielders just need to play the way they have all season two more times, and there is no evidence to assume they won’t.

4: Geelong
Midfield group: Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Sam Menegola, Cam Guthrie, Mitch Duncan, Scott Selwood, Josh Caddy

How ironic it is that the midfield with the best player in the AFL is also the worst remaining group in the finals.

This isn’t saying the Cats midfield is bad. Any team with the names Dangerfield and Selwood running around the middle demands the utmost respect and attention.

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Dangerfield is a force of nature unlike no other. His explosiveness out of a pack is a joy to witness, while his run-and-carry and decisive ball use gives the Cats a dynamic advantage that can’t be matched.

The unanimous Brownlow favourite, Dangerfield ranks in the top ten for inside 50s, kicks, disposals, effective disposals, clearances, contested possessions, goal assists, handballs and SuperCoach points.

His brilliance has made Selwood even better, as it’s lessened the load on the captain’s shoulders.

Selwood now has more time and space to collect the footy, apply pressure and simply get under his opponent’s skin.

Selwood is also an incredible leader. In the finals, where key moments are aplenty, Selwood has shown he can raise his production to another level and rally his teammates around him. With Dangerfield by his side, this leadership is more powerful.

However, a lack of consistency from the likes of Duncan, Guthrie and Caddy puts the Cats at the bottom of these rankings.

Dangerfield and Selwood are amazing – you just hope too much isn’t left on their plate.

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