Darren Minchington

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Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653869Post BackFromUSA »

I have mentioned this before but after the JLT Series, I believe it even more, Meatball has to learn to play off half back this year in the VFL to give him a fair crack at an AFL career and make us better as a team.

He dominates VFL midfield.

He doesn't get a crack at AFL midfield and may be a class below.

He is serviceable as a an AFL small forward but competition on our list fr the small forward position is fierce.

Why do I think he can play as a half back in the Savage / Montagna role in 2018+.

Competitiveness is excellent.

Attack on the ball is first rate.

Tackling technique is very very good.

What excites me is his bullet passing in traffic. Cuts teams apart. Love to see it off half back.

Then again, I may be a poor judge.


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653870Post WellardSaint »

Savage scares me.
Meatball could replace him, try him for a quarter


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653872Post SemperFidelis »

I have some sympathy for this view, BFU. I wonder where he fits; he has great talent and endeavour, but not as much as some, but I really would be disappointed to lose him. HBF is not a bad option at all, given that there there are likely to be pushed through the mids.


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653877Post skeptic »

I get this...

Savage to me is seriously under the microscope.

IMO he's meant to be in the team as a play maker of the HBF line and his disposal is far too temperamental for the role. Now this would be okay if he was a super hard working player with superb fitness but there are question marks about the defensive aspects of his game too.

So for me, without some significant improvement with his disposal/decision making, or general improvement in his work rate he fits into that category of square peg round hole or jack of all trades.... he doesn't fit.

Minch is one of a few guys on the list along with Sinclair, Long, Lonie that should be considered for that role if Shane can't keep it. Wright is another name that has been bandied around as of late if he can improve his disposal and it's one of the reasons we have Montagna back there at the moment.

The more I think about it now though, Dasher is actually potentially really suited to it and pbly deserves first crack at it. We all know he's super fit, hardworking, has the ability win the ball, get it out and he's clever around goal too which makes me think he has good composure

I like it


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653881Post saintsRrising »

179cm


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653882Post Long Term Injury »

I like him, don't get me wrong, but under pressure he is 50-50. Minch I mean. He can spin and evade and looks fantastic and his kicking can be very accurate, but as often he puts team mates under pressure with a nervous hand pass. For me what I want to see from Minch is a bit more time with ball in hand before we send him back. The poor decisions in close could be a young player getting used to AFl speed, but of all the in betWEen players on the list, I have him behind the majority. But as always I hope he makes it.


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653886Post sunsaint »

saintsRrising wrote:179cm
Yep
Isn't this the problem with many our list​, good but not quite "right'
If he has lost his position as a pressure forward then where can he go?
Maybe he will be a victim of the drive to recruit and develop more multi role players
As for hbf - he would have to be a long way behind savage (don't agree with the opinion he is a poor kick) geary, Dempster (although he will get fewer games this year)roberton, Steele played in the backline against swans, the ghost like Godard, and there have been reports that the two Irish are improving rapidly are fast and play like men possessed


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653891Post saintspremiers »

I think we need JB to be a pure midfielder and then Meatball can slot into HBF.


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653896Post Toy Saint »

saintspremiers wrote:I think we need JB to be a pure midfielder and then Meatball can slot into HBF.
Savage scares me too, what about Billings off the half back..

We have plenty of other options for the small forward position..


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653897Post dragit »

It can't hurt to try it at least at vfl level, but I don't like his chances of playing consistent AFL football TBH.

He's not quite good enough as a forward or mid to push anyone out of our best side and if someone like freeman can get himself fit I think he is exactly what we need off half back.

Minch is a really good depth player to have on the list and we know he can play, I just think he is a natural midfielder that just doesn't seem to get enough of the ball at afl level.


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653901Post St Chris »

At the moment we have Montagna and Savage as defenders who don't defend.

The other flankers/pockets who play down there (Dempster, Gilbert, Geary, Webster, Roberton etc) all have defensive capability, on the deck and in the air. But Savage and Montagna give us nothing. Unless Minch can tip one of those 2 out, he'll struggle to get a look in because we couldn't carry another attacker in the back 6.


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653902Post prwilkinson »

Meatball seems to be stuck in that limbo land at the moment... better than VFL but hasn't been able to play 12 games in a row in the AFL to really find his place and belong at that level.


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653906Post Vazelos »

Savage is one I can see in trouble post this year....
Minchington may be a player that plays 50 odd games but never really kicks off his career..
A player on the list puts pressure on the 22 and has his moments..


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653907Post samoht »

Darren Minchington needs to do better at AFL level.
re: Savage --
Savage is doing well - in fact here's a comparison between Savage and Heath Shaw at the same age (see link below).
Savage's disposal efficiency is significantly ahead of Shaw's... and his pace and run is handy.
I wish we had someone like Savage in the midfield - a genuine, pacy midfielder to take the pressure off Steven.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_p ... 1=O&fid2=O


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653911Post #gosaintas »

samoht wrote:Darren Minchington needs to do better at AFL level.
re: Savage --
Savage is doing well - in fact here's a comparison between Savage and Heath Shaw at the same age (see link below).
Savage's disposal efficiency is significantly ahead of Shaw's... and his pace and run is handy.
I wish we had someone like Savage in the midfield - a genuine, pacy midfielder to take the pressure off Steven.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_p ... 1=O&fid2=O

Savage's disposal the other night was woeful


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653914Post samoht »

#gosaintas wrote:
Savage's disposal the other night was woeful
So was Bruce's disposal.
Over the whole year, his (Savage's) disposal - considering his long, speculative kicking - is OK. There's always room for improvement, mind you.


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653916Post Sainter_Dad »

Re Savage

It is the short, 30 metre passes that are intercepted around 60 metres out that cause me to lose my sh!t though


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653917Post samoht »

Sainter_Dad wrote:Re Savage

It is the short, 30 metre passes that are intercepted around 60 metres out that cause me to lose my sh!t though
Mild laxatives vs Savage laxatives. :wink:


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653918Post sunsaint »

samoht wrote:
#gosaintas wrote:
Savage's disposal the other night was woeful
So was Bruce's disposal.
Over the whole year, his (Savage's) disposal - considering his long, speculative kicking - is OK. There's always room for improvement, mind you.
yeah I agree - i dont get the knock on savage's disposal - it was MOST likely the reason we got him from Hawthorn in the first place - pace and kicking disposal
He might be getting tarred with, and in some spectators views the scapegoat, for our generally poor disposal coming out of the back line -

We cant afford to carry Montagna as a seventh non accountable backman for too many more games
Roberton has the height so he might be safe for a while

oh for a Callum Mills who has youth, speed, and disposal


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653921Post To the top »

I have a big problem with Savage's defensive skill set.

We acknowledge that Montagna can be exposed overhead, but Montagna is not firstly and foremost a defender.

We have the luxury now of a Carlisle led defence, with Brown, Gilbert and Roberton.

Then we get to the likes of Savage - and that is where I look for improvement.

That mid sized, accountable, skilled defender able to impact on and capitalise on disruption football

So when the ball either falls to their advantage or is fed to them, they have leg speed to gain immediate separation and then dispose with depth and accuracy

It is imperative that these players can hold their feet in a contest - and can negate their opponent.

So Savage - and Minchington - would not be in my side.


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653929Post saintsRrising »

To the top wrote:I have a big problem with Savage's defensive skill set.
IMO Savage has much improved his defensive game.
To the top wrote:So Savage - - would not be in my side.

Opposition coaches would thank you as last year they targeted him bigtime to try and shut him down. When they did not he was very influential with his kicking and metres gained.

They would cover Savage and were more than happy if we had to go through our poorer kicks and slower runners.

His game against the Swans was impressive and also timely as he knows that the competition now for a place in the 22 is the fiercest it has been since his arrival at the club.

There are no easy places in our 22 now though and only his best will keep him in. Good players will miss our 22 each week now.


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653964Post Con Gorozidis »

Feel for the Minch. I think if he was allowed to get to the magical 50 game mark he would be a very reliable AFL standard player. But I dont think he will get that opportunity.
If I was his Manager I would have been looking for a trade to Carlton, Tigers or Lions.


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653967Post Bluthy »

Is Minch that good a kick really? He seems to land a few bullet passes that catch your eye but not sure he's consistently great to my eye. Then you've got another small guy in defence. I reckon Minch's go would be to try and become that Puopolo forward pocket dynamo just pressuring constantly, competing around the packs when its on the forward line and trying to snag some goals.

Off the backline, I'd be looking at fast tracking White - has a powerful, penetrating kick, 188 a great height for a hb to help out defensively, a good mark, pretty tough and good decision maker from what I've seen - looked very much at home in his one AFL game last year - even kicked a goal!. Of course he had second helpings of chrissy pudding so he's obviously had a line put through him for 2017.


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653969Post BackFromUSA »

I think he is a wonderful kick.

I don't see him competing with White / McKenzie / Webster who will be taking the Gilbert / Roberton / Geary roles over the next five years (and I have said 2018 onwards) instead I see him competing for the spots that will open up post Montagna that currently we only have Savage and maybe Rice for ...


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Re: Darren Minchington

Post: # 1653971Post sunsaint »

To the top wrote:I have a big problem with Savage's defensive skill set.

We acknowledge that Montagna can be exposed overhead, but Montagna is not firstly and foremost a defender.

So Savage - and Minchington - would not be in my side.
so do you montagna in - Im not sure I would
just did a quick check on Savages game against sydney for his 29 possns he was at 79% Effective
top of the class for a game that many have excused other players errors on being wet and slippery
Yeah I know one game in isolation - but its just not my recollection that he is one of the worst offenders in the backline

but none us can come up with a plan to help Minchington out of the twos


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