Can Angus Brayshaw and Jack Viney play in the same Melbourne midfield?
Vice-captain Viney missed Sunday night’s 57-point win over North Melbourne through injury allowing Brayshaw to move into his preferred position as an inside midfielder.
Brayshaw racked up 29 disposals, seven score involvements, eight inside 50s and 563 metres gained against the Kangaroos - his best performance this season - having spent a lot of time on the wing or rotating from the bench in 2020.
Gerard Whateley posed the question on SEN’s Whateley: “Did we learn last night that Brayshaw and Viney can’t be in the same team? Or maybe to reframe that … one thrives without the other?”
“They are essentially the same player.”
Former Melbourne strategist Craig Jennings thinks the Demons ball-winner would be a starter for any team in the competition.
“I like teams with really great balance,” Jennings told SEN’s Whateley.
“Ultimately there’s only one ball to win and if you’ve got three great contest players all going at the same ball … I’d like to spread that talent a little bit more.
“What it does say to me is Gus’ (Angus Brayshaw’s) best footy is when he’s on the inside and if he can’t be a permanent inside player at Melbourne then he’s only got one career and he can find that opportunity elsewhere.
“He’d certainly be an asset at any team in terms of being a starting midfielder – I think he’s a starting midfielder in any team.
“For whatever reason he can’t get that opportunity at Melbourne and he’s brother (Andrew) is at Fremantle – they should make an offer to him.
“It’s a luxury for Melbourne to have because they’ve got phenomenal depth and midfield is a massive strength of theirs.”
Brayshaw is contracted to Melbourne until the end of 2022.