Quote Originally Posted by liz View Post
I think our defence has held up well enough since Mills broke his foot. I agree his intercept marking is very good but we have other players who can contribute this. Getting Aliir back into the team (and playing very well) has certainly been a positive in this regard.

Our biggest weakness this year has been in the midfield. We've previously been pretty good at winning a decent amount of contested ball and our midfield has been well-regarded as a two-way running, high tackling bunch. We've dropped off in both areas.

This might partly correct itself next year IFF Parker and Kennedy get decent pre-seasons into their bodies (I think both were restricted in the amount they could do last pre-season), and Hannebery can get himself fit and complete a pre-season. The likes of Florent and the young small forwards (who will inevitably float into the midfield at times, even if they aren't truly mids) might get slightly bigger and stronger and be able to stick more of their tackles. Hewett might emerge from his tagging experiences as a more potent clearance winner (and to be fair, he's contributed both defensively and offensively this year). Heeney may become more consistent (though I'm not convinced his best footy will be as a true onballer).

But injecting someone like Mills into the midfield group might be another factor that makes a difference. He has played a little bit in the midfield but mostly when the team's been well down and Longmire has thrown the magnets around a bit. At U18 level (and at NEAFL level before he was drafted) he looked like a natural midfield ball winner who could also navigate well through traffic. I had him pegged as a fair more natural stoppage ball winner than Heeney, who I think is most dangerous as the first or second receiver.

I think we have plenty who can adequately provide Mills' defensive attributes (even if they don't read the ball quite as well as him, or don't have hands quite as reliable as his). I'd like to see whether he can translate his natural ball winning ability as a junior to the senior ranks. I think he'll be more valuable to the team in the long term than playing one of the easiest positions on the ground.
I agree that Aliir in the side reduces the need to play Mills back given Aliir's intercept marking prowess, which was a key part of Mills' role.

However, I'm uncertain whether Mills will dominate as an inside mid. There is something that makes me doubt it a little. It may just be that we don't see him around the clearances that much, so it's hard to imagine. He's also not that quick. Perhaps it's the feeling that if they thought he'd dominate there they'd have played him there already.

Anyway, your post is logical, and I hope they play him there and I'm very keen to see how he goes.