Post-draft Best 22

cul_de_sac · February 28, 2017, 4:20am

Stanton and Kelly are an interesting one. They're both clearly good enough to play seniors, but they both seem to play that back half role in a fairly similar way. It will be interesting to see if they both get tried there at the same time, or if one of them pushes up into the middle and they share a mid/back role.

Kelly is so far ahead of Stants when it comes to playing that half back role. The distance would be similar to how far Stants would be ahead of Jay Neagle in a 3km time trial.

Stanton’s position is indeed interesting. But if it has anything to do with pushing Kelly out… it’s highly unlikely to happen in my view.

So using that example Kelly is an elite HBF with few peers, and Stanton isn’t even close to AFL standard. It doesn’t make a lot of sense.

I don’t think Stanton will push Kelly out (or vice versa), I just think it’s interesting how they will end up being used. There’s a lot of players being trialled in that role, (the defensive group is notably bigger than the forward group this year) but they can’t all play it at once and likely someone will end up playing a large portion of the year somewhere else.

cul_de_sac · February 28, 2017, 4:14am

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.

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.

There’s a certain subset of football fans who are always barracking for the mythical all conquering team that they are certain they will have in 3-5 years if they just keep pumping games into the kids who will all be future superstars, instead of the boring solid AFL standard footballers the last lot turned out to be once they were no longer kids full of potential. Repeat until ad nauseam until death…

samwoods · February 28, 2017, 4:08am

Stanton and Kelly are an interesting one. They're both clearly good enough to play seniors, but they both seem to play that back half role in a fairly similar way. It will be interesting to see if they both get tried there at the same time, or if one of them pushes up into the middle and they share a mid/back role.

Kelly is so far ahead of Stants when it comes to playing that half back role. The distance would be similar to how far Stants would be ahead of Jay Neagle in a 3km time trial.

Stanton’s position is indeed interesting. But if it has anything to do with pushing Kelly out… it’s highly unlikely to happen in my view.

Vanderlegend · February 28, 2017, 4:06am

Ambrose vs Brown… Why not have both?

I’m not sure Hart’s is a certainty for best 22. He’s solid, reliable, spoils very well but that’s about it.

He needs to add more timely marks to his game.

I’m worried about the pace of some of the back six’s that Blitzer’s have been posting. We just can’t afford to be slow down

back when the ball is in dispute. I still think Walla down back (maybe as a spare) with Green & Fanta up forward is the way

forward??

Speedy_Gonzales · February 28, 2017, 3:59am

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.

cul_de_sac · February 28, 2017, 3:59am

Stanton and Kelly are an interesting one. They’re both clearly good enough to play seniors, but they both seem to play that back half role in a fairly similar way. It will be interesting to see if they both get tried there at the same time, or if one of them pushes up into the middle and they share a mid/back role.

westozziebomber · February 28, 2017, 3:43am

There is no fkn way bags gets left out round 1. Had one average ore season game. He has enough runs on the board

We gonna leave Cyril/Puopolo/Breust to Gleeson/stants/Kelly/McGrath? Don’t think so. Bags is a lock for one of them.

Sydontheroad · February 28, 2017, 2:32am

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.

All_Things_Essendon · February 28, 2017, 1:49am

One thing they don’t want to do is play anyone without games under their belt. Daniher will have 2 games by round 1. Hooker … too risky?

Round 1 team? So many options …
Just make sure they’re fit and ready to go

ivan · February 28, 2017, 1:42am

With what Stanton showed on the weekend and Kelly also down back suddenly I feel bags is quite possibly going to get squeezed out in favor of McKenna or McGrath. Let Kelly play as the number 1 lock down, he is that smart a player and so good in the contest he will own most small forwards. It is not like he is significantly slower than bags
The big selection questions for mine are

Ambrose v brown

which 3 of tippa, green, lav, begley

bags v Conor/McGrath/dea

Fwiw I have to say I really like the balance of this side

Kelly Hurley brown
Stanton Hartley Gleeson

Zaha hepp colyer
Luey jobe zerret

Parish JD Fanta
Lav hooker tippa

Bj Langford begley Conor

Emerg: green, McGrath, Ambrose

Final jlt selection will be very interesting. Is it 24 out 26 man squads?

I don’t mind the balance of this side and it is a good blend of youth and experience.

The one thing I can’t agree with is that suddenly Baguley isn’t our best and most dependable lock-down defender. Until I see more evidence than 1 pre-season game where he was a little bit off, he is one of the first picked.

I’d have him replacing ONE of Kelly or Stanton in the back six there. He is actually very good in the air for his size too, mainly due to his stupid courage. If you still want both of those guys in the 22 I’d shuffle things around and accommodate one of them elsewhere and someone else drops out.

I think Kelly offers at least as much in the air as bags because he reads the play so well. He is also perfectly capable of handling most small forwards in the air. Beyond that they should be staying on the ground to do their man crumbing.

I understand the argument but am not convinced.

samwoods · February 28, 2017, 1:36am

Anyone leaving Kelly out is kidding themselves. He looked great last year. He’s looked great this pre-season.

Houli_Dooley · February 28, 2017, 1:28am

With what Stanton showed on the weekend and Kelly also down back suddenly I feel bags is quite possibly going to get squeezed out in favor of McKenna or McGrath. Let Kelly play as the number 1 lock down, he is that smart a player and so good in the contest he will own most small forwards. It is not like he is significantly slower than bags
The big selection questions for mine are

Ambrose v brown

which 3 of tippa, green, lav, begley

bags v Conor/McGrath/dea

Fwiw I have to say I really like the balance of this side

Kelly Hurley brown
Stanton Hartley Gleeson

Zaha hepp colyer
Luey jobe zerret

Parish JD Fanta
Lav hooker tippa

Bj Langford begley Conor

Emerg: green, McGrath, Ambrose

Final jlt selection will be very interesting. Is it 24 out 26 man squads?

I don’t mind the balance of this side and it is a good blend of youth and experience.

The one thing I can’t agree with is that suddenly Baguley isn’t our best and most dependable lock-down defender. Until I see more evidence than 1 pre-season game where he was a little bit off, he is one of the first picked.

I’d have him replacing ONE of Kelly or Stanton in the back six there. He is actually very good in the air for his size too, mainly due to his stupid courage. If you still want both of those guys in the 22 I’d shuffle things around and accommodate one of them elsewhere and someone else drops out.

ivan · February 28, 2017, 12:10am

With what Stanton showed on the weekend and Kelly also down back suddenly I feel bags is quite possibly going to get squeezed out in favor of McKenna or McGrath. Let Kelly play as the number 1 lock down, he is that smart a player and so good in the contest he will own most small forwards. It is not like he is significantly slower than bags

The big selection questions for mine are

Ambrose v brown
which 3 of tippa, green, lav, begley
bags v Conor/McGrath/dea

Fwiw I have to say I really like the balance of this side

Kelly Hurley brown
Stanton Hartley Gleeson

Zaha hepp colyer
Luey jobe zerret

Parish JD Fanta
Lav hooker tippa

Bj Langford begley Conor

Emerg: green, McGrath, Ambrose

Final jlt selection will be very interesting. Is it 24 out 26 man squads?

bombers1 · February 27, 2017, 9:48pm

bags hartley ambrose
kelly hurley tippa

colyer watson parish
looney hepp zack

langford hooker fanta
zaka jd goodard

stanton hocking lav francis

barnz · February 27, 2017, 6:06am

B: Fridge- Fridge- Fridge
HB: Fridge- Fridge- Fridge
C: Fridge- Fridge- Fridge
HF: Fridge- CHFWALLA- Fridge
F: Fridge- Fridge- Fridge
R: JOEDAN- Fridge- Fridge
Int: Fridge- Fridge- Fridge
Emer: Fridge- Fridge- Fridge

Sol · February 27, 2017, 7:07am

I came up with this team in early January

B Mark Baguley,Michael Hartley,Matt Dea
HB Michael Hurley,Patrick Ambrose,James Kelly
C Travis Colyer,Jobe Watson,Brent Stanton
Foll Matthew Leuenberger,Zach Merrett,Dyson Heppell
HF David Zaharakis,Joe Daniher,Brendon Goddard
F Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti,Cale Hooker,Orazio Fantasia
IC David Myers,Heath Hocking,Aaron Francis,Andrew McGrath

Based on Preseason alone I have made 6 personal changes and multiple position changes to my line up.

Preseason has seen Goddard regularly used at half back, so has Stanton so I expect some rotation through there for those guys, for this reason, I have omitted two backs in Ambrose and McGrath, with Hurley likely to take the lock down role at CHB.
I underestimated Gleeson, he has proven me wrong yet again, has to be locked in now.
Langford is a direct swap for Myers and will be replaced as soon as Myers is fit.
I now have Bird ahead of Hocking, Hocking looked extremely rusty, though if he gets back into form, he has a higher ceiling imo and would be back in.
Green and Walla are line ball, im still going with Walla, but he needs to have more influence next week.
Begley is the bolter!! Put on a massive display this week, if backs it up, he is in our forward rotation.

In: Gleeson, Laverde, Bird, Parish, Langford, Begley
Out: Ambrose, Dea, Francis, Myers (inj), Hocking, McGrath

B Mark Baguley, Michael Hartley, James Kelly
HB Brendon Goddard, Michael Hurley, Martin Gleeson
C Travis Colyer,Jobe Watson, Darcy Parish
Foll Matthew Leuenberger,Zach Merrett,Dyson Heppell
HF David Zaharakis,Joe Daniher, Jayden Laverde
F Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti,Cale Hooker,Orazio Fantasia
IC Kyle Langford, Craig Bird, Brent Stanton , Josh Begley

It is seriously hard to fit everyone in and with extended benches and players being thrown all over the place in JLT, it’s hard to get a read on the right chemistry when breaking it down to just 22.

Ants · February 27, 2017, 7:48am

B: Fridge- Fridge- Fridge HB: Fridge- Fridge- Fridge C: Fridge- Fridge- Fridge HF: Fridge- CHFWALLA- Fridge F: Fridge- Fridge- Fridge R: JOEDAN- Fridge- Fridge Int: Fridge- Fridge- Fridge Emer: Fridge- Fridge- Fridge

You put Begley on the emergency list???

INSTABAN!

M10G10 · March 2, 2017, 7:47am

The 2nd ruck position msy just be what Joey needs early in the season to help get him into games if touch is still an issue. A bit of unaccountable play and getting around the ground taking some uncontested marks may not be the worst thing that happens too him, assuming he doesn’t do a knee coz he he has no idea how to ruck.

SCarey1 · March 2, 2017, 7:38am

This is my entry:

B: Bags Hartley Ambrose
HB: Walla Hurley Kelly

M: Colyer Watson Parish
R: Leuey Hepp Zerrett

HF: Raz Joe Lav
F: Fridge CHooka Green

I: BJ Stants Zaka The Langford

It changes it a little bit when you are second guessing somebody else’s best side.

It doesn’t ask for emergencies, but it pains me too much the ones I have to leave out not to mention them:

Emerg: Hocking, McGrath, Gleeson

Under consideration: Brown, Dea, Stewart, Francis, McKernan, Myers, McKenna

If McKernan plays in JLT 3 and plays well, from the point of view of ruck back up, I would consider swapping him with Lav or Fridge depending on the form of all 3.

I gave Smack a free pass in Mackay because I thought his build and game style made the tropics an unlikely place to play well (physical mobile player trying to throw 100kg around the park). Leuey technically is bigger, but less physical.

j_w · March 2, 2017, 6:59am

With all due respect, unless the Essendon legend is John Worsfold, this will be just as subjective as any other punter having a crack. The competition should involve trying to pick the round one team. But whatever, I am a bit bored and will give it a go.