Post-draft Best 22

[CJohns]

This is not so hard anymore.

Starting Back:
Hurls, Harts, Brown or Dea (depending on the match ups).
Gleeson, Bags, Stanton

Starting in the centre:
Watson, Zerrett, Zaharakis
Heppell, Colyer, Luey

Starting fwd:
Daniher, Hooker, Walla
Laverde, Green, Fanta

Bench:
Kelly, Goddard, Parish, Langford.

Sorry Ambrose ahead of Brown. Ambrose is playing the shut down role of key forwards really well. Destroyed Darcy Moore game one. Athletic running forwards have always been an issue and Ambrose has been a surprise answer to that issue

[ivan]

B: McGrath- Hartley - Ambrose HB: Gleeson - Hurley - Kelly C: Zaharakis - Watson - Parish HF: Fantasia - Daniher - Tippa F: Green - Hooker - Colyer R: Leuenberger - Heppell - Merrett Int: Laverde - Goddard - Langford - Stanton Emer: Dea - Brown - Bird

Like this team.

[CB9]

Thought I would have a go at this.

B: Bags Hartley Dea
HB: Kelly Hurley Gleeson
C: Coyler Watson Goddard
HF: Zaka Daniher Tippa
F: Fanta Hooker Laverde
R: Luey Heppell Zerrett

Bench: Parish Stanton Ambrose Bird

Ext: Langford Green McGrath Brown

Obviously a lot can change in a month and another JLT game under the players belts.

Think we are a bit light on in the 2nd ruck department and there are a few interchangeable players eg Laverde/Langford, Dea/Ambrose/Brown, Bags/Mcgrath and if Green can build his fitness just a little more in time for Rd 1 he has a good chance of squeezing in.
Just snuck Bird ahead in over Langford at this point. Bird will be competing with Hocking/Howlett but currently has the form over those 2.

lets hear everyones thoughts

[wannabe]

Ok, not sure how controversial this will be but here goes… it’s pretty conservative but I reckon hard to beat.

Kelly, Hartley, Baguley
Stanton, Hurley, Ambrose

Colyer, Watson, Hocking
®Luey, Heppel, Zerret

Fanta, Joe D, Langford
Tippa, Hooker, Green

Bench: Zaharakis, Goddard, Parish, Laverde (Veeeery handy players but I feel there strengths are already covered on field)

Emg: Gleeson, Howlett, Bird, Dea (all legit best 22 and will be called upon, just couldn’t fit in the side)

Edit: Only had 3 on the bench…

[samwoods]

Ok, not sure how controversial this will be but here goes... it's pretty conservative but I reckon hard to beat.

Kelly, Hartley, Baguley
Stanton, Hurley, Ambrose

Colyer, Watson, Hocking
®Luey, Heppel, Zerret

Fanta, Joe D, Langford
Tippa, Hooker, Green

Bench: Zaharakis, Goddard, Parish (Veeeery handy players but I feel there strengths are already covered on field)

Emg: Laverde, Gleeson, Howlett, Bird, Dea (all legit best 22 and will be called upon, just couldn’t fit in the side)

You’ll lose a lot of games if you go in with only 21 blokes.

[wannabe]

Thought I would have a go at this.

B: Bags Hartley Dea
HB: Kelly Hurley Gleeson
C: Coyler Watson Goddard
HF: Zaka Daniher Tippa
F: Fanta Hooker Laverde
R: Luey Heppell Zerrett

Bench: Parish Stanton Ambrose Bird

Ext: Langford Green McGrath Brown

Obviously a lot can change in a month and another JLT game under the players belts.

Think we are a bit light on in the 2nd ruck department and there are a few interchangeable players eg Laverde/Langford, Dea/Ambrose/Brown, Bags/Mcgrath and if Green can build his fitness just a little more in time for Rd 1 he has a good chance of squeezing in.
Just snuck Bird ahead in over Langford at this point. Bird will be competing with Hocking/Howlett but currently has the form over those 2.

lets hear everyones thoughts

I reckon Hocking is a lock but I guess we will wait and see, otherwise looks like a good side (looks a fair bit like mine).

[CB9]

Thought I would have a go at this.

B: Bags Hartley Dea
HB: Kelly Hurley Gleeson
C: Coyler Watson Goddard
HF: Zaka Daniher Tippa
F: Fanta Hooker Laverde
R: Luey Heppell Zerrett

Bench: Parish Stanton Ambrose Bird

Ext: Langford Green McGrath Brown

Obviously a lot can change in a month and another JLT game under the players belts.

Think we are a bit light on in the 2nd ruck department and there are a few interchangeable players eg Laverde/Langford, Dea/Ambrose/Brown, Bags/Mcgrath and if Green can build his fitness just a little more in time for Rd 1 he has a good chance of squeezing in.
Just snuck Bird ahead in over Langford at this point. Bird will be competing with Hocking/Howlett but currently has the form over those 2.

lets hear everyones thoughts

I reckon Hocking is a lock but I guess we will wait and see, otherwise looks like a good side (looks a fair bit like mine).

Its tough fitting everyone in. good to have some depth. Big fan of Hocking just feel like he is coming from a little bit further back which gives bird the edge at this point of time. one could have a shocker and one a blinder in the next JLT game which could switch things up… Howlett could even pushed those two out with his goal kicking ability.

[Klawdy]

Ok, not sure how controversial this will be but here goes... it's pretty conservative but I reckon hard to beat.

Kelly, Hartley, Baguley
Stanton, Hurley, Ambrose

Colyer, Watson, Hocking
®Luey, Heppel, Zerret

Fanta, Joe D, Langford
Tippa, Hooker, Green

Bench: Zaharakis, Goddard, Parish, Laverde (Veeeery handy players but I feel there strengths are already covered on field)

Emg: Gleeson, Howlett, Bird, Dea (all legit best 22 and will be called upon, just couldn’t fit in the side)

Edit: Only had 3 on the bench…

That’s looking pretty close I reckon. The only one you’d probably have to squeeze in there is Gleeson. Has only missed a couple of games in the last 2 seasons and has been on fire all preseason (was a little off yesterday).

[samwoods]

I like to modify my Best 22 based on performance just for fun... and something footy related to do. So after Thursday nights game...

Thought the backline lacked height, so I’ve dropped the Hurley / Ambrose 2 tall idea, and brought Harts back in. This drops one of the medium sized defenders out. I’ve actually dropped Kelly back to the bench to rotate him through the midfield (because I felt he looked really good in there in parts on Thursday night).

Thought our 2nd string mids got belted. Was under-whelmed by Myers so have dropped him, and thrown Hocking back in. And didn’t think Langford was great, so am playing with the thought of giving Kelly his midfield rotation spot off the bench.

Our back-up ruck options all failed spectacularly (excluding Smack, but as a rookie it is difficult to lock him in). As such, for the first time this preseason, I’ve put TBC in the forward pocket as a resting ruck. Didn’t want to, but am struggling to see a viable alternative.

Forward line : I was so impressed by the Fantasia / Green / Walla combination that I’ve gone 3 talls / 3 smalls, and completely done away with the mediums.

On the bench I’m channelling the 2000 side where we had our bench stacked with experience.

B Baguley Hartley Hurley
HB Dea Ambrose Gleeson
C Zaharakis Heppell Colyer
HF Walla Daniher Fantasia
F Bellchambers Hooker Green
R Leuenberger Zerrett Hocking
Int Watson Parish Kelly Goddard

Still not sure I like it… seems too tall and a bit slow. Ah well, it’s all good for discussion.

After JLT #2 there are a few changes to be made.

The backline remains extremely difficult to solve. Stanton’s performance down there was good. His training with the defenders this pre-season does lead one to believe that is where his spot may be. But I can imagine an opposition working out his deficiencies and just towelling him up. Never-the-less, he performed well and wins a spot on the HBF for now, as almost all our HBF’ers have weaknesses.

Bringing in Stanton leaves us short of marking power, and as such I’ve preferred the intercept marking of Brown over the brute stopping power of Ambrose. I’ve also snuck McGrath onto the bench for the first time this year. I think the kid has a wonderful attacking handball, a habit of being in the right place, and doesn’t make many mistakes. It also means if things aren’t working out in the backline, he could go back there and provide some run. The combination of those two moves does push out Dea and Gleeson, which will seem ok until we get a medium forward slaughter us in the air.

In the midfield, and I felt Hocking was a bit under, so I have moved him out of the side and gone with the best starting 3 in Watson / Heppell / Zerrett. We absolutely must have the ability to win, or at least break-even in the stoppages, and at present that seems a key weakness. So Langford with his 4 centre clearances on the weekend takes a jump in my estimations and wins him a bench spot. Colyer and Zaharakis get the wings because they provide running power, with the ability to pinch hit in the guts as required. Parish gets a bench spot, and in my mind is as much a lock in the 22 as anyone else.

Forward line I’ve dropped TBC. I don’t have a solution for the 2nd ruck, but we handily won the ruck taps, and still got slaughtered out of the centre. Laverde happened to perform very well for 3 goals, so I’ve given him the forward spot that opens up.

Goddard has been exceptional this pre-season, but I still have no idea where to name him on the ground. But as a utility on the bench, he’s locked in.

B Baguley Hartley Brown
HB Stanton Hurley Kelly
C Zaharakis Heppell Colyer
HF Fantasia Daniher Laverde
F Walla Hooker Green
R Leuenberger Watson Zerrett
Int Parish Langford McGrath Goddard

[Houli_Dooley]

So, hypothetically it’s round 1 tomorrow, what are we doing about our ruck situation?

You can’t have Leuenberger running 100% game time and slogging it away in the ruck without relief.

We need someone to chip in and ruck at least 20-30% of the game. What is the best approach?

1. Is Stewart fitting into a forward line with Daniher and Hooker and taking the occassional turn in the ruck each quarter?

2. Is Smack getting elevated to the senior list and sharing ruck fwd duties with Looney? Is he up to the grade?

3. Can some bizarre scenario where say Brown begins as a 3rd tall forward and whenever Looney needs a spell Brown goes back releasing Hartley or the champion Essendon ruckman Paddy Ambrose to ruck?

4. Or Brown himself plays the role of 3rd fwd/relief ruck? I can see him getting snapped in half if he did, nor is he that great a forward. Better suited down back.

[wannabe]

So, hypothetically it's round 1 tomorrow, what are we doing about our ruck situation?

You can’t have Leuenberger running 100% game time and slogging it away in the ruck without relief.

We need someone to chip in and ruck at least 20-30% of the game. What is the best approach?

1. Is Stewart fitting into a forward line with Daniher and Hooker and taking the occassional turn in the ruck each quarter?

2. Is Smack getting elevated to the senior list and sharing ruck fwd duties with Looney? Is he up to the grade?

3. Can some bizarre scenario where say Brown begins as a 3rd tall forward and whenever Looney needs a spell Brown goes back releasing Hartley or the champion Essendon ruckman Paddy Ambrose to ruck?

4. Or Brown himself plays the role of 3rd fwd/relief ruck? I can see him getting snapped in half if he did, nor is he that great a forward. Better suited down back.

Nope, hasn’t shown enough as a forward. If Hooker and Daniher play they can pinch hit. And which med/small forward would you drop?

Nope. Not dropping Langford/Fanta or Tippa/Green etc for Smack.

Lol.

Why would Brown ruck? He is handy but not best 22.

[RM_7]

So, hypothetically it's round 1 tomorrow, what are we doing about our ruck situation?

You can’t have Leuenberger running 100% game time and slogging it away in the ruck without relief.

We need someone to chip in and ruck at least 20-30% of the game. What is the best approach?

1. Is Stewart fitting into a forward line with Daniher and Hooker and taking the occassional turn in the ruck each quarter?

2. Is Smack getting elevated to the senior list and sharing ruck fwd duties with Looney? Is he up to the grade?

3. Can some bizarre scenario where say Brown begins as a 3rd tall forward and whenever Looney needs a spell Brown goes back releasing Hartley or the champion Essendon ruckman Paddy Ambrose to ruck?

4. Or Brown himself plays the role of 3rd fwd/relief ruck? I can see him getting snapped in half if he did, nor is he that great a forward. Better suited down back.

Has to be Joey Dan. Has to be.

[Houli_Dooley]

So, hypothetically it's round 1 tomorrow, what are we doing about our ruck situation?

You can’t have Leuenberger running 100% game time and slogging it away in the ruck without relief.

We need someone to chip in and ruck at least 20-30% of the game. What is the best approach?

1. Is Stewart fitting into a forward line with Daniher and Hooker and taking the occassional turn in the ruck each quarter?

2. Is Smack getting elevated to the senior list and sharing ruck fwd duties with Looney? Is he up to the grade?

3. Can some bizarre scenario where say Brown begins as a 3rd tall forward and whenever Looney needs a spell Brown goes back releasing Hartley or the champion Essendon ruckman Paddy Ambrose to ruck?

4. Or Brown himself plays the role of 3rd fwd/relief ruck? I can see him getting snapped in half if he did, nor is he that great a forward. Better suited down back.

Has to be Joey Dan. Has to be.

It will be interesting to see if the club feel he is in a good position to take his turn in the ruck given where he is at physically.

Still, he does have another 3 and a half weeks to get himself physically prepared I suppose which is good.

To be honest, I came up with all those scenarios, 2 of which are utterly ridiculous and I somehow just forgot the JoeDan option haha

[Houli_Dooley]

In an ideal world, Joe can just concentrate on his work as a key forward ASAP.

The conundrum we are in shows how valuable a player like Rory Lobb is in the modern game. He covers the ground so well, as if he isn’t a ruckman at all, is decent below his knees, no huge turning circle, kicks regular goals and is a constant aerial threat.

Hopefully Tbell gets super fit, produces irresistible form in the VFL and at least gives us another option to look at.

[Milanista28]

Just wanna see this set up…

Laverde Daniher Langford
Begley Francis Fantasia

[SMJ]

I have nfi about this anymore. It’s becoming so difficult.

The only certainty I reckon is the nobody in this thread will nail the 22 exactly.

[samwoods]

People constantly obsess over potential and pumping games into kids.

We’ve had years of rebuilding & in 2016 the kids got way more games than they might have ordinarily.

It’s different this year. You pick the players capable of playing their position best to win the game in the NOW, not for future seasons.

Kids need to press past their experienced team mates either on form, they need to be beating door down with 2’s performances or just await opportunity via suspension/injury.

If it was a final I’d want Hocking or Bird playing inside mid rotation over Langford for example. Kelly over McKenna. Baguley over McGrath. And with that in mind it should be the same really for round 1.

Parish however has bypassed Howlett though.

Coaches do have some extraordinary circumstances to deal with though in selecting the round 1 side. What formline do they go on?

I would say that Langford played better as a clearance mid vs GCS than Hocking, and better than Bird managed vs Collingwood. While Hocking was just getting a run into the legs, and Bird was sharing minutes with other quality inside mids, Langford can only beat those put in front of him. Was it enough? Don’t know.

And McGrath improved significantly from game 1 to game 2. I’d say his game 2 was equal to Bags game 1. I don’t think it is over the top to consider McGrath for the role, as he really hasn’t put a foot wrong and has obvious upside. I’d certainly be playing him in JLT3 and just see if his upward progression can continue.

Agreed on Kelly over McKenna… every game… every time… no question.

What? Bags was close to WOG in JLT1 and McGrath improved from “good signs” to “more good signs”

Bags wasn’t that bad. Just blowing out the cobwebs while running around after a highly motivated spring-heeled Elliott. Do keep in mind that he is coming back from an injury that kept him out of the game for half a season. He played ok, and will of course be better for the run.

McGrath had a better game in JLT2 than JLT1… I’ll stand by that improvement being significant. We need to get used to his “good signs”. I have a feeling the kid may never play a poor game.

[Sydontheroad]

I think the defence breaks down like this...

3 Tall/Mediums, 3 Smalls.

Talls.

Pick Hurley
Pick One of Hartley and Ambrose.
Pick either the one of Harley and Ambrose that you didn’t pick first, or Mitch Brown, or Dea.

So for tall/medium defenders (I include Dea as i think he can play taller than the smalls) You end up with Hurley, plus two of Hartley, Amrose, Brown, or Dea, depending on Matchups.

Smalls.

I think Kelly is the safest option at half back, but i wouldn’t be putting him on the most dangerous forward as he could still be exposed for pace by a Cyril or Pupopolo etc.

Therfore:
Pick Kelly.
Pick one of McGrath, Baguely, or McKenna
Pick one of Stanton or Goddard.

The other one of Stanton or Goddard probably start on the bench and rotates through, and you might squeeze one of McGrath, Baguely or McKenna onto the bench as well.

I end up with

Bags Hartley Dea
Kelly Hurley Goddard

Stanton on the bench, if the team had three good talls I’d have Ambrose ahead of Brown and if Bags struggles I think McGrath takes his spot.

Cripes - i completely forgot Gleeson!

[anon71769209]

People constantly obsess over potential and pumping games into kids.

We’ve had years of rebuilding & in 2016 the kids got way more games than they might have ordinarily.

It’s different this year. You pick the players capable of playing their position best to win the game in the NOW, not for future seasons.

Kids need to press past their experienced team mates either on form, they need to be beating door down with 2’s performances or just await opportunity via suspension/injury.

If it was a final I’d want Hocking or Bird playing inside mid rotation over Langford for example. Kelly over McKenna. Baguley over McGrath. And with that in mind it should be the same really for round 1.

Parish however has bypassed Howlett though.

Coaches do have some extraordinary circumstances to deal with though in selecting the round 1 side. What formline do they go on?

I would say that Langford played better as a clearance mid vs GCS than Hocking, and better than Bird managed vs Collingwood. While Hocking was just getting a run into the legs, and Bird was sharing minutes with other quality inside mids, Langford can only beat those put in front of him. Was it enough? Don’t know.

And McGrath improved significantly from game 1 to game 2. I’d say his game 2 was equal to Bags game 1. I don’t think it is over the top to consider McGrath for the role, as he really hasn’t put a foot wrong and has obvious upside. I’d certainly be playing him in JLT3 and just see if his upward progression can continue.

Agreed on Kelly over McKenna… every game… every time… no question.

What? Bags was close to WOG in JLT1 and McGrath improved from “good signs” to “more good signs”

[samwoods]

People constantly obsess over potential and pumping games into kids.

We’ve had years of rebuilding & in 2016 the kids got way more games than they might have ordinarily.

It’s different this year. You pick the players capable of playing their position best to win the game in the NOW, not for future seasons.

Kids need to press past their experienced team mates either on form, they need to be beating door down with 2’s performances or just await opportunity via suspension/injury.

If it was a final I’d want Hocking or Bird playing inside mid rotation over Langford for example. Kelly over McKenna. Baguley over McGrath. And with that in mind it should be the same really for round 1.

Parish however has bypassed Howlett though.

Coaches do have some extraordinary circumstances to deal with though in selecting the round 1 side. What formline do they go on?

I would say that Langford played better as a clearance mid vs GCS than Hocking, and better than Bird managed vs Collingwood. While Hocking was just getting a run into the legs, and Bird was sharing minutes with other quality inside mids, Langford can only beat those put in front of him. Was it enough? Don’t know.

And McGrath improved significantly from game 1 to game 2. I’d say his game 2 was equal to Bags game 1. I don’t think it is over the top to consider McGrath for the role, as he really hasn’t put a foot wrong and has obvious upside. I’d certainly be playing him in JLT3 and just see if his upward progression can continue.

Agreed on Kelly over McKenna… every game… every time… no question.