Position 2022: Midfield Discussion

Which premium mids are you currently starting?


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Not going to lie, Touk Miller is one I have slept on, and has not appeared in any of my drafts since supercoach opened.

Yes I understand there are a few favourable factors going into 2022 that could represent some upside in Touk's scoring, but I just feel like (1) a 20 point jump to that 125 average range is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to back up (2) taggers are coming (3) while the pie is larger, Rowell will play a greater role on the inside, and Anderson will steal more uncontested pill on the outside.

I've seen a couple of posters mention that Touk's untaggable, can someone point out which rounds he was tagged last year so I can have a closer look?
There's a stat out there (can't remember where I saw it) which showed that Touk scored more when teams attempted to tag him last season, he also is very prolific in being able to win the ball on the outside as his work rate is elite. Rowell comes in but Greenwood who as a midfielder only has an inside game and led the AFL in tackles last season is gone, plus Rowell played in the second half of last season anyway (albeit at a reduced capacity).
 
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There's a stat out there (can't remember where I saw it) which showed that Touk scored more when teams attempted to tag him last season, he also is very prolific in being able to win the ball on the outside as his work rate is elite. Rowell comes in but Greenwood who as a midfielder only has an inside game and led the AFL in tackles last season is gone, plus Rowell played in the second half of last season anyway (albeit at a reduced capacity).
Here is some info on Miller. The heat chart is interesting.

The best midfielder in the AFL? – AFL Analysis | Footy Talking Points
 
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Almost perfectly symmetrical heat chart :)

I remember watching that game against the Blues, anyone that is outrunning and outworking Sam Walsh like that in the last quarter who is an aerobic beast himself is not going to be stopped by taggers like Matt de Boer.

He is as close as we have right now to the most perfect midfielder in the AFL.
 
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Touk is the best 2 way midfielder in the league for mine, his work ethic is off the charts.
The guy did triathlons in the o***eason for fun … just incredibly fit & we could see the condition he is in from the preseason games.
Can win the ball in close or receive on the outside, tackling machine & can kick goals.
Sounds like all the qualities you want when picking an uber premium mid really.
 
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There's a stat out there (can't remember where I saw it) which showed that Touk scored more when teams attempted to tag him last season, he also is very prolific in being able to win the ball on the outside as his work rate is elite. Rowell comes in but Greenwood who as a midfielder only has an inside game and led the AFL in tackles last season is gone, plus Rowell played in the second half of last season anyway (albeit at a reduced capacity).
I can remember at least one team attempting to tag Touk for about a quarter before the tagger just completely blew up. Rowell could be the one who gets more attention again because he's an easier target.
 
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I can remember at least one team attempting to tag Touk for about a quarter before the tagger just completely blew up. Rowell could be the one who gets more attention again because he's an easier target.
Can see this happening, similar to how teams have targeted Liberatore in the Dogs engine room ahead of Macrae and Bont.
 
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Not going to lie, Touk Miller is one I have slept on, and has not appeared in any of my drafts since supercoach opened.

Yes I understand there are a few favourable factors going into 2022 that could represent some upside in Touk's scoring, but I just feel like (1) a 20 point jump to that 125 average range is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to back up (2) taggers are coming (3) while the pie is larger, Rowell will play a greater role on the inside, and Anderson will steal more uncontested pill on the outside.

I've seen a couple of posters mention that Touk's untaggable, can someone point out which rounds he was tagged last year so I can have a closer look?
According to daily fantasy rankings he was tagged in 4 games last year:
Round 6 vs Sydney 142 points
Round 13 vs Fremantle 130 points
Round 21 vs Carlton 140 points
Round 23 vs Sydney 133 points

Not sure how hard the tags were but seems his gut running and tackling keep his scores from falling off a cliff
 
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Not going to lie, Touk Miller is one I have slept on, and has not appeared in any of my drafts since supercoach opened.

Yes I understand there are a few favourable factors going into 2022 that could represent some upside in Touk's scoring, but I just feel like (1) a 20 point jump to that 125 average range is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to back up (2) taggers are coming (3) while the pie is larger, Rowell will play a greater role on the inside, and Anderson will steal more uncontested pill on the outside.

I've seen a couple of posters mention that Touk's untaggable, can someone point out which rounds he was tagged last year so I can have a closer look?
He's not untaggable, no one is, but he's very difficult as a guy who wins his own ball and the level that he runs at. There's a handful of guys in the league who can spread with him and they're the Gaff or Langdon types that aren't going to be able to handle him inside.

I know Sydney tried Hewett in round 23 last year, it wasn't for a full game as it was over pretty early but he punched out 148 by the end of it still.

Of the guys who I quickly found with a 15+ point jump to that 125+ range:

Jack Steele - Backed it up. (Improved, only jumped to 123)
Gary Ablett - Backed it up. (Improved)
Max Gawn - Backed it up. (Improved for next two years)
Scott Pendlebury - Backed it up. (fell 5 points to 125 then 127 and 125 next 3 years)
Dane Swan - Backed it up. (Improved)
Brodie Grundy - Backed it up. (same score)
Dangerfield - Backed it up. ( only 12 points jump, but improved to 136 the next year)
Jake Lloyd - Didn't back up (only 13 points jump and not to 125+, also in the 2020 that does have some outliers)
Jack Macrae - Backed it up. (4 point drop, stayed there for 3 straight years so far)
Nat Fyfe - Backed it up. (1 point improvement, only jumped to 122)
Tom Mitchell - Didn't back up. (only 11 point jump, broken leg didn't help his chances!)
Todd Goldstein - Didn't back up. (Dropped 20 points)
Tom Rockliff - Didn't back up. (Dropped 30 points)
Brendon Goddard - Didn't back up. (14 point jump, dropped 23 points)
Leigh Montagna - Didn't back up. (dropped 11 points)

Note that the list is, more or less, in chronological order from most recent to oldest, there's definitely become a higher level of consistency in backing it up.

I could be missing a couple, not claiming it's an exhaustive list.
 

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He's not untaggable, no one is, but he's very difficult as a guy who wins his own ball and the level that he runs at. There's a handful of guys in the league who can spread with him and they're the Gaff or Langdon types that aren't going to be able to handle him inside.

I know Sydney tried Hewett in round 23 last year, it wasn't for a full game as it was over pretty early but he punched out 148 by the end of it still.

Of the guys who I quickly found with a 15+ point jump to that 125+ range:

Jack Steele - Backed it up. (Improved, only jumped to 123)
Gary Ablett - Backed it up. (Improved)
Max Gawn - Backed it up. (Improved for next two years)
Scott Pendlebury - Backed it up. (fell 5 points to 125 then 127 and 125 next 3 years)
Dane Swan - Backed it up. (Improved)
Brodie Grundy - Backed it up. (same score)
Dangerfield - Backed it up. ( only 12 points jump, but improved to 136 the next year)
Jake Lloyd - Didn't back up (only 13 points jump and not to 125+, also in the 2020 that does have some outliers)
Jack Macrae - Backed it up. (4 point drop, stayed there for 3 straight years so far)
Nat Fyfe - Backed it up. (1 point improvement, only jumped to 122)
Tom Mitchell - Didn't back up. (only 11 point jump, broken leg didn't help his chances!)
Todd Goldstein - Didn't back up. (Dropped 20 points)
Tom Rockliff - Didn't back up. (Dropped 30 points)
Brendon Goddard - Didn't back up. (14 point jump, dropped 23 points)
Leigh Montagna - Didn't back up. (dropped 11 points)

Note that the list is, more or less, in chronological order from most recent to oldest, there's definitely become a higher level of consistency in backing it up.

I could be missing a couple, not claiming it's an exhaustive list.
Very interesting stats, thank you. It does appear there may have been a shift over time.
 
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