B: Baguley Hartley Ambrose
HB: Gleeson Hurley McGrath
C: Zaka Watson Colyer
HF: Langford Daniher Begley
F: Fantasia Stewart Tippa
Foll: L’Berger Merrett Heppell
Int: Parish Stanton Goddard Brown Laverde Howlett Smack Kelly Dea
3 to drop out of squad
Disappointed that Conor had been omitted. Think he was important at stages last game
Clearly only Hooker missing from the full strength squad. I wonder if Hurls will actually play. ?
Starting to feel a little more like footy season now… Team selections getting tight… Think I might make the trip up on Sunday from Ballarat (massively better city than Bendigo, by the way…)
Green I’d have in my best squad also.
It could just be about managing loads and what not but assuming hypothetically that it isn’t, I think that he needs to do a bit more to build up trust with the coaching staff and the players as well.
At this stage I don’t have the trust in him doing the right things defensively or that he is capable of standing up under immense pressure as a defender at this stage of his development. He needs to refine his craft and tidy up his marking (he drops too many he should take) and his 1 v 1 body work.
He has plenty of upside don’t get me wrong. We need defenders capable of providing run and carry and good foot-skills, both attributes he possesses.
CATS SQUAD Looks close to their best side.
Only 1 out of Howlett, Hocking, Bird and Myers potentially playing if Howlett plays. I know Myers is injured are the others? Could this be the way the side is comprised going forward? There may only be room for 1 hard nut contested player in the team this year.
With Hartley, Brown and Ambrose all in the squad I’d imagine it’s unlikely. Conservative approach thanks.
Gleeson[quote=“Preliminary_Point2, post:48, topic:9905”]
, Hocking, Bird and Myers potentially playing if Howlett plays. I know Myers is injured are the others? Could this be the way the side is comprised going forward? There may only be room for 1 hard nut contested player in the team this year
[/quote]
My preference would be Myers (inj)
then Hocking
Then Howlett
then Bird
Also think Watson/Heppell fit that type as well, so if they are injured another one of above could come in.
While it’s so important to identify and settle the back six, I’d be resting Hurls for this game. He’s already had a couple of ankle scares this preseason and he’s way too important to be risked for JLT 3. Why not see how Begley goes down back?
Conor out? Gonna hire Gatto to fix woosha’s selection
WAT
He just kicked four goals - why not see if he can do it again?
So if he kicks four in the first half we can switch him down back then?
Why not see if he can play blindfolded. i bet he can.
Begley isn’t an Essendon player until he’s rucked.
BIG.
BOI.
BEGLEY
BEGLEY AND LAV-LEY MONSTERING DEFENDERS TIL THE EARLY MORN
How many positions Fridge play?
I disagree that this game will unveil the 22 we take into round 1.
I think we will use it as another practice game. Woosha and the line coaches will want to see if what has worked previously can work better, and if what was broken can be fixed.
I don’t think we will want to give too much away to the Hawks. If we play our best side and Geelong beat us, then the Hawks will know exactly what to do.
Not that I think there will be any real surprises come round 1. We know who can play well, who will improve quickly, who is suited to which position and which players are relatively interchangeable, it’s just a matter of which philosophy Woosha and the selection committee apply.
Personally I think the team will be a bit more boring than people are hoping for.
And by that I mean more old blokes (Hocking/Stanton/Howlett) and less small/med forwards. Only 4 of of Langford, Laverde, Green, Begley, Tippa, Fantasia, Colyer.