Carlton Supporters Club

From what I've heard, Thomas is well respected by the playing group and his approach to training and games is a great example.  However, his all Australian days are well behind him.

If he can stay fit, I expect that he will play as a half forward with an occasional burst in the midfield rotations.  His pace and kicking may have dropped off but he still knows how to get the footy and he uses it pretty well.  Just don't expect too many goals from beyond 30 metres.

I see him at HBF or BP, doing a job and possibly using his experience to make the right choice coming out of defence.

The only thing that bothers me as a forward is that his set shot kicking is awful.

We need another very good young mids this draft/trade period as a minimum.

One I rate and did in his draft year is former Murray Bushranger Nick Holman. Great size, good clean hands and now needs some time in the ones.

The absolute jets/classy ball users and movers we need now - Darcy Parish is one and Luke Partington is another for starters out of this year's draft class.

We need talls too, especially of the key forward kind and Schache, McKay and Weideman lead the way here.

I think we can add the 'new wave' of mids/runners to Cripps, Bell and Graham with the likes of Holman and Boekhorst in the mix along with possibly Whiley too. Can those guys become the next batch of AFL footballers will be the key. I'd like a large group of them to come through together.

Still maintain we need more class and skill in the midfield in the 'next wave'. The excitement machines to add to the grunt and experience (Murphy, Gibbs, Carrazzo) would be the next step for me.

Agree , we have a good supply of Blue Collar workers but lack some silk and class...Parish and Partington are good players, the latter  was probably one of  the best
players at the Carnival....like I have said before I also like the taller mid Greg Clark from WA...

When we get the two Irish lads back on the park (hopefully) we'll have an abundance of good, solid running half back types - The two Cierans,   Docherty, Yarran & Tuoy to start with then the likes of Walker & Clem Smith who could play there, or have done in the past.

There's no reason at least a couple of these blokes can't be moved into the midfield engine room to fill whatever need we have there.  Question is who ?

If we think we've got enough extractors (Cripps, Bell) then I'd love to see Yarran get a midfield role.  If he can push himself to get the tank required, he could do some serious damage with his delivery.  Could Zach play midfield ?  Hard as nails, but is still a quality kick.  What about one of the other irish lads, it's probably easier for them to develop & learn the game off half back, but longer term, could they rotate midfield ?  Clem Smith ?

I think there's a good lot options just in this group alone, and most of them seem to have that element of hardness about their game that the best midfielders need.

What do others who've obviously seen a lot more of these guys think ?

cheers

Mal.

I really believe that Walsh will make it in the next season or so. Hard nut in the Jack, Hanaberry role.

Here's what our midfield brigade looks like right now :

A GRADE
Cripps
Gibbs
Murphy

B GRADE
E. Curnow

C GRADE
Cuningham (potential to be a B)
Kerridge
Boekhorst
Buckley (potential to be a B)
Graham
Thomas

D GRADE
Viojo-Rainbow
Tutt
Whiley

Curnow is better than Murphy and has been for some time. Buckley is not a midfielder let alone a C grade one.