Does Tim Taranto 2023 have the talent to play #1 mid in a premiership team?

[Dustintime]

2012: Hannebery, Kennedy, McVeigh
2013: Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis
2014: Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis
2015: Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis
2016: Bontempelli, Macrae, Liberatore
2017: Martin, Cotchin, Prestia
2018: Shuey, Yeo, Sheed
2019: Martin, Cotchin, Prestia
2020: Prestia, Edwards, Cotchin
2021: Petracca, Oliver, Viney
2022: Dangerflop, Selwood, C.Guthrie

Hopefully a future premiership midfield:
Bolton, Taranto, Hopper and or Sonsie?

From what I’ve read Rich maintains he’s not a first string midfielder in a premiership team which means you need 3 better.

Looking at that list Taranto only gets a game with West Coast and youd have an argument about Guthrie and McVeigh so Rich is pretty close to the mark.

 

[DavidSSS]

So, now we're creating threads to judge a player by completely unrealistic measures?

The motivation to do this escapes me.

We made finals last year, if it wasn't for the gross incompetence of the AFL we would have made it to the second week of finals. There was a clear deficiency in our team, we were getting killed in clearances.

We recruited for need, gee what a novel idea. What did we get? One player who can get clearances, gets plenty of possessions and kicks the occasional goal. As a contested mid he, like so many other contested mids, doesn't have such a high disposal efficiency, hardly makes him Robinson Crusoe. The other, he's been injured but he has been showing he was becoming part of our team.

DS

 

[eZyT]

Does he get the norm smith?

 

[King Kong]

So many on here and from what I see elsewhere writing Hopper off way too early. You would think the lesson of bagging Taranto early on might have sunk in.

Hopper is a very good player who has been injured and also has taken a little while to be comfortable in our team. His form was fine, not awesome and certainly not poor.

Bolton, Taranto, Hopper and Prestia is right up there with the best midfields in the competition. We haven’t really had all 4 up and going this season yet.

And there is a bloke called Dusty who should be playing more mid than he does imo

I haven’t written Hopper off. Just said he has been disappointing to date and stand by that. He has pretty much been invisible at centre sq bounces. Needs to lift

 

[Colonel]

So, now we're creating threads to judge a player by completely unrealistic measures?

The motivation to do this escapes me.

We made finals last year, if it wasn't for the gross incompetence of the AFL we would have made it to the second week of finals. There was a clear deficiency in our team, we were getting killed in clearances.

We recruited for need, gee what a novel idea. What did we get? One player who can get clearances, gets plenty of possessions and kicks the occasional goal. As a contested mid he, like so many other contested mids, doesn't have such a high disposal efficiency, hardly makes him Robinson Crusoe. The other, he's been injured but he has been showing he was becoming part of our team.

DS

I’m with you. This forensic assessment of Taranto, trying to find faults is bewildering.

 

[Little Ziggyadee]

100% it's a pity he turned up a year too late.
The hate from Kano stems back to him knocking back Port last year..this is all before they approached The gun North Kid, Horne Francis.

 

[tony_montana]

Taranto, Shai and Hopper is a premiership calibre midfield

 

[nikolasmia]

People have short memories

He has won a Best and fairest in grand final team, and finshed second to the goat in the 2019 AFLCA as the player of the finals

Taranto is plenty good enough

 

[momentai]

We really need a Callaghan and/or Green to add to Bolton, Hopper and Taranto to be Premiership contenders. Hooper even when fit has been underwhelming this year to the point of disappointing. We need a lot more from him and then some additional high-level class which is not currently on the list.

The likes of Sonsie may be handy in the future but he is not going be the difference.

Of those who haven't been tried there maybe Dan Rioli is the best fit.

 

[The Big Richo]

I'd change the question to play in the starting midfield in a premiership.

For me Taranto is a good second line midfielder, in a team with a premiership quality list he would play high half forward rolling up and rotate through centre bounce as required. I think he is well suited to that, he is a capable forward and a good mark.

The question for me is do we have the starting three premiership calibre players on our list? Bolton maybe can become one, if he can build the endurance capability. Sonsie keeps getting thrown up but I see him as more suited to the role I've just mentioned for Taranto.

When you look at the list Toothless posted all bar three are from the draft. That's where we need to go.

 

[Danjam]

Agree Hopper is underrated. I like Taranto a lot also. Sonsie, in time.

But we need to add a premium mid. Whether we trade into this years draft or simply finish bottom two (organically) in 2024, we need the next Cotchin or Martin.

To answer your question Jack, Taranto is very good but not quite #1 mid material.

If we could trade into the top 10 of this years draft (trade our future first for gold coast’s first this year) who do you think we should grab?

 

[The Big Richo]

The other point here is if you are of the school of thought that our list is going to require a renovation then we are likely only coming back to finals by 2026 and into premiership contention from 2027 for three of four years and that's a assuming we get back int this year's draft.

Taranto is 29 at the start of 2027, not many names on that list were 29 plus when they won a flag.

 

[mrposhman]

I'd change the question to play in the starting midfield in a premiership.

For me Taranto is a good second line midfielder, in a team with a premiership quality list he would play high half forward rolling up and rotate through centre bounce as required. I think he is well suited to that, he is a capable forward and a good mark.

The question for me is do we have the starting three premiership calibre players on our list? Bolton maybe can become one, if he can build the endurance capability. Sonsie keeps getting thrown up but I see him as more suited to the role I've just mentioned for Taranto.

When you look at the list Toothless posted all bar three are from the draft. That's where we need to go.

Can I ask a similar question? Is Dunkley what you are expecting Taranto to be?

Both traded last year for similar costs (Dunkley probably slightly more expensive), Taranto is performing MUCH better than Dunkley. He's also made us better, Dunkley has made no difference to the Lions IMO.

Why is all the focus on a player like Taranto and not on others like Dunkley?

 

[The Big Richo]

Why is all the focus on a player like Taranto and not on others like Dunkley?

Not sure exactly what focus you mean, if it's's mine I don't even think about Dunkley. I wouldn't want to build a premiership capable midfield around him either.

I'm curious though, when you say Taranto has made us better, by what measure are you talking?

 

[FitenFitenWin]

He’s the axle in the wheel not just a spoke. We do need a rim and a really good tyre though for a smooth ride.

Probably one of the worst metaphors ever used on PRE. Fingers are probably poised over the ignore button after reading it.

 

[toothless]

When you look at the list Toothless posted all bar three are from the draft.

4 of 22 (Yeo (Bris), Dangerflop (Adel), Prestia (GC), & Kennedy (Haw)). Shaun Burgoyne stiff not to make that list after having won 3 flags himself and from Port but probably played more so as a utility in those grand finals

 

[The Big Richo]

Good start from the man of the moment tonight.

More handball, less metres gained. Just getting it and feeding.

If he played like this full time this would be a different thread.

 

[The Big Richo]

Halftime and Taranto is kicking less, hand balling more.

Taking short options, less than half his average metres gained per possession tonight.

Zero turnovers!

Not sure if he can sustain it, but certainly a step in the right direction. If he keeps listening to the wise minds of AFL football he may be able to get to the level we need after all.

 

[MD Jazz]

Halftime and Taranto is kicking less, hand balling more.

Taking short options, less than half his average metres gained per possession tonight.

Zero turnovers!

Not sure if he can sustain it, but certainly a step in the right direction. If he keeps listening to the wise minds of AFL football he may be able to get to the level we need after all.

Fraud.

 

[TigerForce]

Halftime and Taranto is kicking less, hand balling more.

Taking short options, less than half his average metres gained per possession tonight.

Zero turnovers!

Not sure if he can sustain it, but certainly a step in the right direction. If he keeps listening to the wise minds of AFL football he may be able to get to the level we need after all.

Sustain it??? Is it a bad habit or something he has.