Battle or Coffield as midfielders

[beebarry]

So with seemingly a good mix of size and speed in our key forward and back lines, I wonder if there is any chance at all that Josh Battle or Nick Coffield could be eventually be developed into mids ?

Battle is 6 4 and 95kg - thats more or less Fyfe size ....not that I am suggesting our man is Fyfe like ( yet ) .....but I am just daydreaming midfield possibilities for 2021, and think he would be a great POD to rotate through the centre bounces if he could cut it. I strongly believe its the diversity of mids that make the difference ....no good having 4 of the same types in there.

Coffield is also just continuing to develop and I can see him being successful in multiple positions other than the back half

1. In and under ball winners to just get it forward (Ross/Dunstan).
2. Tough as nails with some finesse (Steele, Hannebury, Bytel)
3. Fast hands and feet (Gresh, Jones, Hind)
4. Matrix like evasion and great vision (Clarke)
5. Potential for Battle or Coffield ?

I think we are in the mix for Caldwell which is great, but regardless I would love to see us with and uber-flexible side that allows us to adapt to different teams, conditions, game states and grounds.

I am a massive fan of JB and Coff and as long as they are at St Kilda I am happy, but I have a feeling they could really blossom with the right opportunities. Plus they are big and tough which provides a little cover for Steele when dealing with midfield hardnuts like Taylor Adams, Boak, Selwood etc,

thoughts ?

[skeptic]

Personally I hope not.

IMO one of the worst things you can do to players is try to turn them into something they’re not.

I look at Coffield and see a perfect HBF player.
- Reads the play well,
- Decent overhead for his size
- Has a good mixture of attacking flair, creativity and accountability
- Decent disposal

Don’t know that gut running both ways, tagging or being tagged, chasing the ball opposed to it coming to him, the rough and tumble that comes from regular pack work etc will elevate his game to the next tackle.
Feels to me if anything that they will detract from his strengths.

He looks to me like an elite HBF and you need elite HBFs to support your midfield. Personally, I’d rather just leave him where he is and bringin players that are specifically suited to the midfield.

[fugazi]

It's a good question about Coffield.
Has the attributes to be a very good midfielder who could push from centre square and be a marking threat in the forward 50. He can kick from 50m no problem.

I would think he could start to spend minutes in there through next year and see how he goes.
If he a) wants to be a mid and b) has the engine and sure hands in close.
But on paper he is the closest thing we have to a potential Fyfe type player

[Saintmatt]

Personally I hope not.

IMO one of the worst things you can do to players is try to turn them into something they’re not.

I look at Coffield and see a perfect HBF player.
- Reads the play well,
- Decent overhead for his size
- Has a good mixture of attacking flair, creativity and accountability
- Decent disposal

Don’t know that gut running both ways, tagging or being tagged, chasing the ball opposed to it coming to him, the rough and tumble that comes from regular pack work etc will elevate his game to the next tackle.
Feels to me if anything that they will detract from his strengths.

He looks to me like an elite HBF and you need elite HBFs to support your midfield. Personally, I’d rather just leave him where he is and bringin players that are specifically suited to the midfield.

Fair call. But Hunter was drafted as a mid and he's been our other half back. Some players are more adaptable and able to change roles more than others.

I started a thread earlier this year saying that I'd love Josh Battle to be used as a big bodied mid next year. He's got the physical tools - just needs to train as a mid. He's great both sides of his body and is aggressive and we already know he can go forward and kick a goal. I suspect he'll end up more as a tall winger but - 5 mins a quarter as a centre square mid would be a very dynamic change up for us.

[bigcarl]

Don’t like seeing players, particularly young ones, pigeon-holed into positions.

I mean, some still can’t see Gresham as anything other than a small forward and no doubt others consider Hunter Clark is played out of position when he lines up in the middle. And that Marshall is out of his element when he lines up at CHF.

Truth is, it is easier to find half back flankers or small forwards than it is to find A-grade-or-better midfielders. It’s not easy to find gun CHFs, either, which is a factor if you are talking about Marshall.

On Coffield, I think he’ll be a very good player in whatever position you play him. At the moment, he has the makings of an exceptional rebounding defender. Terrific mark and rarely wastes a possession. You feel safe when the ball is in his hands.

They can’t all play in the middle, so for the moment I’d leave him in defence. But midfield could become an option. I’m sure he’d hold his own.

I think Battle is a very dangerous player, but maybe doesn’t have the prolific ball-winning traits that you want of a midfielder. He is more in the category that he will hurt you, physically or on the scoreboard. He’s very versatile. Can play wing, key forward, key defence. The perfect swing man.

[skeptic]

To add to this...
Hunter IMO is a different proposition altogether

I look at him and see Lenny Hayes.

With Long able to sit on a flank, Clark is one that I def see transitioning into a pure, elite mid

[Impatient Sainter]

I dont think either of them will make geniune midfielders. Coffields best role is the HBF and Battle key forward or defender. Neither are quick enough in close to be pure mids.

[saintsRrising]

What if anything apart from his endurance and running ability suggests that Battle could be an actual true midfielder?

Yes he can play as an outside marking target wing. But that is more suited for periods of games. rather than whole games.

Battle:

• is not agile,

• does not have a burst of speed

• has not shown inside ball winning abilities

I think he has shown:

• that he is a good marking target

• when he gained experienced was capable defender.

• has great running endurance

So far I think that he is shown he is capable on the flanks, including wing in bursts, and ok in a key position.But I see little to suggest that he would be a capable inside mid.

[saintsRrising]

I dont think either of them will make geniune midfielders. Coffields best role is the HBF Neither are quick enough in close to be pure mids.

Coffield is actually quicker than you may think. But I agree that his best role is the HBF . He reads the ball flight and play generally and this makes him an excellent intercept mark.

He is also very good offensively and so from either the intercept, or the release ball from another defender, he is a very good offensive weapon.

Clark is the one who could become a genuine mid and has shown in games at various times all the tools include great inside agility in heavy traffic.

COMBINE TESTING
Coffield tested as one of the fastest players in the draft pool with a sub-three second 20m sprint time. Add to that his sizable vertical leap, 190cm frame and strong hands, and you have a ready-made AFL athlete.

20 Meter Sprint Result (seconds)
Rank Result (seconds) Name
1 2.87 Jack Petruccelle
2 2.90 Kane Farrell
3 2.90 Aiden Bonar
4 2.91 Ben Miller
5 2.91 Nick Coffield
6 2.95 Ben Paton
7 2.95 Brent Daniels
8 2.95 Stefan Okunbar
9 2.95 Jaidyn Stephenson
10 2.97 Nicholas Shipley

Note than Ben Paton came in just behind him. So a backline with Coffield, Long, Paton and Howard in it is quite a quick backline.

[remboy]

I remember reading in his draft year that Coffield started the year at half back and starred. During the season he was tried in the midfield but didn’t have the same impact. I’m not sure if that means he won’t make it as a mid but at this stage half back might be his best spot. He is starting to really grow in that role.

[Gershwin]

On today’s Q & A with Hamill, Butler and Clark, Hamill made it quite clear that the expectation was that Hunter Clark would make it as a midfielder.

[bigcarl]

On today’s Q & A with Hamill, Butler and Clark, Hamill made it quite clear that the expectation was that Hunter Clark would make it as a midfielder.

Where was that Gershwin? Saints website?

[vacuous space]

I remember reading in his draft year that Coffield started the year at half back and starred. During the season he was tried in the midfield but didn’t have the same impact.

Coff started the season with 22 disposals and 4 goals against the Jets. I saved his stats from that year and he seems to have been a genuine utility. He finished the season with 13 goals in 16 games. He had 5+ clearances 5 times for the Knights. He also had 6 rebound 50s a couple of times. By the end of the season, however, he was at least starting in the middle. In his final game of junior he had 25 disposals, 12 contested and 6 clearances in the Knights' loss to the Chargers.

I think the reason he was viewed as a rebounding defender first wasn't so much because he'd struggled as a mid, but because of how well he had played at Vic Metro as a defender. He was Metro's primary kick in player and did a lot of running and carrying for Metro. I believe he played a run-with role on Darcy Fogarty. He did play some wing and centre for Metro, but made the U18 AA team as a defender.

Personally, I don't see us messing with his role. Clark's days as a defender are probably done, but I think Coff and Paton (should he ever re-sign) have found their spots.

[Saintmatt]

On today’s Q & A with Hamill, Butler and Clark, Hamill made it quite clear that the expectation was that Hunter Clark would make it as a midfielder.

Where was that Gershwin? Saints website?

It was a Members-only invite thing you had to register for

[bigcarl]

On today’s Q & A with Hamill, Butler and Clark, Hamill made it quite clear that the expectation was that Hunter Clark would make it as a midfielder.

Where was that Gershwin? Saints website?

It was a Members-only invite thing you had to register for

Ah, okay. I’m a member of course, but wouldn’t bother with something like that. I’d be interested to see a transcript or video though.

[Scollop]

I am a massive fan of JB and Coff and as long as they are at St Kilda I am happy, but I have a feeling they could really blossom with the right opportunities. Plus they are big and tough which provides a little cover for Steele when dealing with midfield hardnuts like Taylor Adams, Boak, Selwood etc,

thoughts ?

No to Battle. And also No to Coff, unless it’s a goal of his and unless he wants to transition to the midfield

[stkfc1]

Coffield will end up AA if he stays in the HBF role. Why would you change that?
Battle is the classic swingman. Every team has one or wants one.
Why would you change that?
Clark will be an elite midfielder so we have that going forward.
If it ain't broke....