Geelong’s ‘muggle’ midfield needs to make better use of its “magic”, according to a dual premiership player.
And the answer might be “hiding in plain sight”.
After starting the season undefeated, the Cats have dropped three consecutive games to fall to 7-3 as they cling on to a top-four spot.
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Their latest beating came in a 64-point shellacking at the hands of Gold Coast during which it conceded 164 points — the most a Chris Scott-led Geelong side has allowed across 319 games in charge.
Fox Footy analyst David King pinpointed a lack of “magic” generated by Scott’s current midfield combination, citing a veteran superstar’s injury absence.
“Muggles don’t have any magic,” King told AFL 360 of Geelong’s current midfield situation, channelling some classic Harry Potter lore.
“I like who they are — and they’re good AFL players, so there’s no slant on the guys we’re talking about — but we’re talking about (Jack) Bowes and (Brandan) Parfitt and (Tanner) Bruhn, who have been their front-liners in the absence of Patrick Dangerfield, who is their magic-maker — who is that guy. But he’s ageing, and he’s been injured.”
Over the past six weeks, Bruhn has rated 119th in the AFL for ball use, while Parfitt is 61st and Bowes is 55th. Bowes has also been classified ‘below average’ for clearances throughout the same period.
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Lamenting the Cats’ lack of production, King revealed what he believes is the answer to the club’s on-ball shortfalls.
“You’re not going to get hold of teams with that (output), you have to compete with that. So, in the absence of ‘Danger’, sometimes the answer is hiding in plain sight, and I think it’s Gryan Miers,” King said.
“We saw in the last six minutes of last week’s game (against the Suns) — when it was probably all over — they threw him in at centre bounces, and the response was immediate, because he’s a difference-maker.
“He attacks the game in a different way. He’s a bit of a scientist, really, the way he plays.”
As a result of the four centre bounces Miers attended in the waning stages of his side’s loss, the Cats recorded four clearances and scored two majors.
“I think you have to have one of these types in your midfield centre bounces at all times,” King continued.
“He goes in, and he gives you a look. That’s a warning (to his opponent); ‘I’m getting forward of you’. So, if that ball spills, look out. That was the first (centre-bounce attendance).
“Then he’s in — he gave you a warning, he gave you a cider — and if you don’t take notice, he’s going to kick a goal on you. That, you don’t get from a lot of other midfielders. That’s the damage you’re looking for. ‘We win it, we score’.
“’Is he hard enough?’ is the question. Is he tough enough to win a ground ball? Absolutely he is. And he’s clean, so you maintain possession and you go.”
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The former Kangaroos champion lauded Miers’ footy nous and implored the Cats to make more use of him between the arcs.
“You get this. You get the cleverness to dump it forward, and then they go forward and score. It’s not always obvious, and it’s not always plain, but I think this guy has to go in for 15-20 (centre-bounce attendances) a week. He’s been in for six for the year,” King said.
“The answer is there; you’ve got to maximise your stars. Chris (Scott) would know this — we’re not pointing anything out that the Geelong staff wouldn’t know.
“And maybe they were pleasantly surprised in a game that we all thought brought nothing positive. That could be a huge positive for them going forward in this season.
“Get your magic in the middle.”
The Cats host the Giants at GMHBA Stadium this Saturday afternoon in what is likely to be Tom Hawkins’ record-breaking 356th game, surpassing Joel Selwood’s 355 as the most-ever by a Geelong player.
Source Agencies
