CBAs & MID Premos – 2021 AAMI Community Series

Finally got my hands on the CBA (center bounce attendance) data courtesy of Chaos Theory and I’ve gone back and taken another look at the performances of MID premos in the AAMI Community Series. By way of analysis, we’ll go game by game, lay out the CBA data and look at the relevant MID premos and notable CB attendees.

CARLTON v ST KILDA

• CBAs
• Cripps 25, Walsh 24, Dow 18 & Williams 16
• Steele 23, Ross 21, Crouch 19 & Gresham 16

Patrick CRIPPS ($523 700)

Game and team high CBAs for Cripps were a tick, however he only recorded 2 clearances, 2 tackles and 15 handballs to 3 kicks. Perhaps most troubling though was the frequency and duration of his stints up FWD, wherein he’d attend a CB and then float forward rather than remaining on ball around the ground and at stoppages. Body looked good and has the CB load, just be cautious of how his game seems to have changed.

Sam WALSH ($543 300)

Teague’s express comments and his CBA load point to Walsh in a inside MID role this year. Notched up 25 touches and 9 contested but at a dirty 60% disposal efficiency, a kink he’ll need to work out of his game.

Jack STEELE ($658 000)

Steele appeared to be taking it easy for most of the game and understandably not giving a pre-season game 110%, but he’s role was unchanged and sailed to 27 touches and team high tackles. No complaints.

Notable Attendees: Dow and Williams not discussed at length as Dow’s a rookie and Williams isn’t a MID and our focus in on midfield premiums here, however their CBA numbers bode well if you were looking at starting them (well, not Williams anymore lol).

RICHMOND v COLLINGWOOD

• CBAs
• Bolton 24, Dusty 15, Edwards 15, Collier-Dawkins 8
• Pendlebury 19, De Goey 19, Elliot 10, Sier 10, Daicos 8

Shai BOLTON ($462 400)

As flagged, Bolton played as a pure inside MID but didn’t accumulate anywhere near enough to warrant selection – only 16 touches. Could have just been an off night in an inconsequential game, but I also think he lacks to body to be a contested ball winner.

Dustin MARTIN ($541 600)

Called it a night towards the back end of the game (64% TOG) but had already racked up 21 touches and 4 clearances from a healthy CBA load. One of the competition’s best, but the issue from a SC perspective with Martin has been the strength of the entire Tigers’ side means he’s not always needed on ball. Great selection, just be prepared for those quiet games where he chills in the goal square.

Jordan DE GOEY ($435 200)

Had an injury scare early on, but otherwise put in a very strong performance. While tied with Pendles as the Pies’ leading CB attendee, De Goey’s most impactful work was done outside of the center square at FWD stoppages and around the ground. Decision making and efficiency a little poor, but had 27 touches and hit the scoreboard . Personally, I think he’ll revert to back to more time FWD – still a cut price F3 option with upside.

Notable Attendees: Doesn’t look like Daicos or Sier were able to monopolize that 3rd MID spot and instead shared the CBs between themselves and Elliot – not enough for a breakout. Collier-Dawkins also notched up 8 CBAs in his limited appearance, could be a decent MID bench option.

NORTH MELBOURNE v HAWTHORN

• CBAs
• Simpkin 25, LDU 23, Tyson 17
• Worpel 27, Shiels 22, Phillips 15, Howe 13

Notable Attendees: No actual “premos” per say to review here, but a couple cut price M5 dice rolls and potential F3 to mention. Simpkin looked decent and moved well, LDU was genuinely exceptional 12/21 touches contested from only 73% TOG and is set to finally play as pure MID and Phillips accumulated, used and covered the ground very well. Issue is Cunnington and Anderson for the Roos and Titch and O’Meara for the Hawks are all set to return, so take that into account if you give any of the aforementioned a look (eg. Phillips will play as a pure winger).

GEELONG v ESSENDON

• CBAs
• Zerrett 20, Parish 14, Caldwell 12, Shiel 11
• Dangerfield 17, Selwood 16, Parfitt 16, Guthrie 11

Zach MERRETT ($620 900)

Ugh! I’d been sitting on Zerrett as a cheeky POD for atleast a month, but of course he had to go ahead and get 37 touches and 13 contested possessions and sky rocket in ownership (18% currently). Suppose it’s nice to affirm the selection though. Clearly the Dons CBA chief, proven accumulator, lock.

Patrick DANGERFIELD ($611 900)

All eyes were on Danger to see how he’d track after battling a groin injury over the pre-season which lead many of us to put a line through him – how that changed. Although he cooled his jets in the second half, Danger led the Cats for CBAs with 23 touches, 10 contested and 4 clearances. Moved well and set to return to a traditional midfield role as the Cats angle for a flag.

Notable Attendees: Caldwell was decent with 24 touches and 11 contested from 67% TOG, can probably do 90~ this year as he rotates through with Parish and Shiel. Handy F3 if you can’t afford a premo option but don’t want to stoop to Daniher or Ziebell.

GWS v SYDNEY

• CBAs
• Hopper 24, Coniglio 21, Taranto 18, Kelly 16, Green 16
• Mills 23, Parker 23, JPK 18, Rowbottom 16

Josh KELLY ($615 600)

Flicked on the burners in the second half though to round out on 24 touches, 13 contested and 5 tackles at 87% DE and 85% TOG. Looked lean and sharp after a strong pre-season. Only 16 CBAs, but the strength of Kelly’s outside game should assuage those concerns.

Callum MILLS ($544 800)

Doesn’t have MID status but the interest in Mills has been piqued by a flagged move for him from half back to inside MID this year. Team high CBAs and decent contested work came as good signs, but yet to develop that on ball accumulating dimension to his game (only 17 touches) and looked a little out of place at times. His new role could still make him a viable selection, just be prepared for him to find his sealegs.

Notable Attendees: Taranto racked up 31 touches and looked lively but was unimpactful with his disposals (30% contested rate) and still appears to have issues with efficiency (71%), so you’d have to back him in to continue to accumulate and improve on those two fronts to start him. Green’s statistics were promising: 22 touches, 11 contested and a goal from 72% TOG. However, it looks like GWS aren’t prepared to slip and give their kids a full run just yet. That plus the existing issue of too many cooks in the GWS kitchen means Green may not have the space to breakout this year.

PORT ADELAIDE v ADELAIDE

• CBAs
• Laird 20, Crouch 20, Sloane 14, Schoenberg 6, Berry 5
• Wines 14, Rockliff 14, Drew 11, Boak 8, Butters 4

Rory LAIRD ($564 800)

Team high CBAs, retained his MID role and 25 touches even in a pounding. Lot of other DEF options have popped up, but Laird’s still Top 6 without question.

Zac BUTTERS ($471 4o0)

Primed for a breakout this year and supposedly slated for more MID minutes, but only managed 4 CBAs in a game where Rockliff and Boak played less than half the game. Still found plenty of the ball (24 touches) and tracked across the ground from a loose HFF role really well.

Notable Attendees: Wines, Rockliff and Boak all had managed loads so it’s tricky to get a read on them and Drew teased in both the practice and AAMI game but might not materialize into a full, SC viable season.

WEST COAST v FREMANTLE

• CBAs
• Sheed 17, Shuey 10, O’Neill 9, Duggan 8, Redden 7, Gaff 6
• Brayshaw 16, Mundy 16, Fyfe 11, Blakely 10

Liam DUGGAN ($448 600)

Same deal as Mills pretty much, slated for more MID minutes this season but didn’t look at home in the AAMI match. Kelly and Yeo to return, so don’t think Duggan will pan out as a MID. Honestly, given how half backs look to be scoring, I’d be more interested in him down there.

Andrew GAFF ($570 800)

This season’s shaping up to be return of the accumulators, so Gaff at 4% ownership could be a cheeky, consistent POD. Plays outside, so doesn’t need a high CBA load.

Andrew BRAYSHAW ($544 200)

Racked up 28 touches from a team high CBA load, but only managed 7 contested possessions and played 80% TOG. Will improve again this year, but just be cognizant of his CP and TOG issues.

Nat FYFE ($608 300)

Looked absolutely fantastic with 27 touches, 12 contested and 10 clearances. Had periods where he drifted FWD, but when he attended CBs or stoppages he remained on-ball (unlike Cripps) and had an impact. Only concern is now that injuries to Lobb, Walters and Crowden have severely depleted Freo’s FWD stocks Fyfe may have to spend more time up there.

Notable Attendees: Nothing else to report, but note that Cerra, Serong, T. Kelly and Yeo will all return to on ball roles.

WESTERN BULLDOGS v MELBOURNE

• CBAs
• Macrae 26, Bont 22, Libba 22, Dunkley 18
• Petracca 20, Harmes 20, Vandenberg 10, Sparrow 10

Jack MACRAE ($650 100)

All three Big Dogs were just superb, holy f*ck. Macrae was back to his accumulating best with team high CBAs, 39 touches and 8 tackles. You get what you pay for.

Marcus BONTEMPELLI ($623 900)

Had Bont in a few of my pre-season drafts, but his double ton has gone ahead and ruined any chance of him flying under the radar. 31 touches, 3 goals and 23 kicks to 9 handballs. Will plod along 115~ and then have those huge ceiling games.

Josh DUNKLEY ($560 200)

For my money, Dunks was the most impressive of the Big Dog: from ONLY 74% TOG he put up 32 touches, 11 tackles and a staggering 20 contested possessions. L-l-lock.

Adam TRELOAR ($587 600)

Now, Treloar didn’t play so you’ve got to account for his return. He can only play inside, so my guess would be his CBA load will be drawn roughly equally from the Dogs MIDs who just played rather than at the expense of just one. Assume he trims the CBAs of Macrae, Bont, Libba and Dunks by 20% each as he’ll come back with managed minutes.

Christian PETRACCA ($631 400)

Gets a slight pass because the Dogs midfield are elite and Satan was absent, but Racca was a little quiet. Team high CBAs, contested possessions and clearances still bode well though.

Notable Attendees: More so notable absentees, Satan and Treloar (discussed) weren’t playing. Satan reportedly just a precautionary omission and Treloar might get up for R1. Again, they’ll return to on ball roles no question.

GOLD COAST v BRISBANE

• CBAs
• Rowell 23, Anderson 17, Greenwood 16, Brodie 15, Miller 13
• Neale 28, Lyons 16, Berry 11, McCarthy 11, McCluggage 11, Bailey 11

Matt ROWELL ($495 100)

Argh, hard to get a read on Rowell here. The game was pretty open and slow paced to start, no tackles and only played 70% but 17 of his 20 possessions were contested – very impressive and highly conducive to SC.

Lachie NEALE ($721 800)

Neale just taking it easy and chilling for the first half, but he turned it on and had a 55 point and 13 touch third quarter. Attended every CB when onfield and had great TOG considering he had pre-season issues.

Notable Absentees: Seen a few site regulars bullish on Lyons but it’s worth noting that prior to Rayner, who was on ball, going down Lyons was playing off-ball with few CBAs and sitting at half back.

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