Who has been playing in Fremantles midfield, and how likely are each of them to hold their spots in there? I havent seen either of their games this season and would like to hear from someone that has. Cheers
Fyfe has been doing pretty much everything. Getting a good mix of hard ball and outside ball. Broughton seems to hang off the contest when he's running through the mids...how long he stays there in any given game is anybody's guess. Barlow will stay when fully fit. Pav spent very little time there. Other than that...seems to be a few rotate through in lieu of Mundy. Other's might be able to offer more detail, but they're my impressions.
Agree with Midge. To me it seems like the midfield is unsettled and they are waiting for Munday and Barlow to return to get something concrete. I've watched both games, the only regular spot in the mids is Fyfe and he follows the ball everywhere. Barlow played on the ball immediately after he was subbed on and did the same thing as Fyfe just chased the rock. Aside from Fyfe and Barlow they have been heavily rotating another 8 players through there, the composition is different at every centre bounce. Pav played about a qtr on the ball both games. Broughton starts in the middle occasionally but then basically plays a loose man in defence, or tags someone, its completely obvious he isn't following the ball like Fyfe or Barlow. Hill was probably the most often in there after the other 2 mentioned, but he wasn't getting a ton of it so went a bit unnoticed. Last week Ballatyne was going through too. Overall Broughton might be named in middle in the team sheet, but his role is anything but on game day.
Ross has been running multiple players through the midfield and with Mundy, Lower, and possibly Morabito (mid-year) to return, it will surely get more complicated. Fyfe has played a majority of his time in midfield but with Mundy and Lower returning, it should free him up to play more half-forward. It's a shame to see him doing so much grunt work when he's so damaging near the goals. He'll score and win the footy regardless of where he plays. Barlow looks to be coming back to his best. Ball magnet and a key cog in the midfield. He's had the vest but has played a majority of his time in the guts. Hill has played mostly midfield, and it looks like Lyon wants to keep him in square or on wing. Still can't break a hard tag which is frustrating. Ballantyne ran through the middle against Geelong, but we need him forward, so he'll only play in spurts. Pav has started a few quarters on ball and plays for five minutes before moving forward. (See Ballantyne) Mzungu will play in the middle and on the wing it looks like. Finds the ball and works hard. Crowley, Broughton, and McPhee look to be tagging and will occassionally follow their men into the square (Chapman, S. Johnson, Goodes). Once everyone is healthy (if that ever happens), my thoughts are Barlow, Mundy, Mzungu and Hill will be permanent midfielders, with Fyfe, Lower, and Mora rotating through and Pav, Ballas, Crowley, Broughton making short cameos.