Stewart has done enough given the circumstances but I doubt he’d be in contention if luey was fit and we’d seen a few decent games from hooksey.
He shows promise and i would like to think he will quickly progress to the stage where we can play 2 AA defenders in defence.
Not seriously a best 22 at the moment, but trying to take a different approach, with McNiece being my most original suggestion, which is a little ambitious for round I, but we are short on genuine small backs, Jerrett, may be coming along in this department too. I think our two extremes of ruck and small back are the two easiest routes into the side at the moment.
McNiece Hartley Ambrose
McKenna Hurley Gleeson
Colyer Watson Parish
McKernan Heppell Zerrett
Walla Daniher Stewart
Fantasia Hooker Laverde
I: Green, Zaharakis, Stanton, Goddard.
Emerg: Hocking, Langford, Kelly, Dea
I think McNiece could be a weapon getting us out of defence more efficiently as could McKenna. I think speed and precision of ball movement is our potential strength, and holding up the ball in the forward line and making the most of our opportunities, is the best way of frustrating the Hawks attack.
Having Smack, Stewart and JD sharing the ruck, while not ideal could help them all share the intensity required to compete in the ruck and for all of them to have something left to be effective mobile forwards when not rucking (pinched this idea from @munna1 ).
I can see that I’m leaving out too much strength and experience in the emergencies, but I am deliberately erring on the side of speed and youth. If Cyril or Puopolo get loose, Raz could go back for McKenna and maybe Walla for McNiece, with Green and McKenna staying forward. Against sides with 2 deadly small forwards, having the option of sending our smalls forward or back is potentially very helpful, especially if we are not playing all 3 forward simultaneously.
However not having Langford in the side seems unjustified, but I only see him playing in a side with only one of McKernan and Stewart.
EDIT: Forget I didn’t put Bags in: I didn’t look up this until after the above.
Realistically is going to take us 4 or 5 rounds to find our feet. We are not like most teams that can hit the ground knowing what they are capable of and know where they all fit into the team. We’re like a mini expansion team that will need gel over time. Plenty to work with but the gap between old and new might be to big?
With due respect Mr Carey, McNiece has not played a game, and is lucky he has “Indian” heritage.
All I have seen of him in the two’s, shows he is a strong type of player, with average results and some potential. At this stage Rioli, Puopolo and Bruest would destroy him.
And Langford is not competing with Smack or any forward for a place in the team, more about him being a mid.
Agree with you. Realistically not enough strength in the team, so Langford as mid makes more sense, and I miss Hocking out of the side too.
I was thinking of deleting this side, but too late now. McNiece only put out there with the thought at least he could help get the ball out of defence. I think Hawthorn smalls are going to slaughter us regardless, getting our ball forward and kicking our own goals seems the best option to me. But McNiece is not going to happen round 1.
Though I’d post Scotty Lucas’ best 22 from yesterday’s Friday footy panel. Pretty close to some of the above predictions.
FB Kelly Hartley Ambrose
HB Gleeson Hurley Stants
Cen Zaha Heppell Goddard
HF Parish Hooker Langford
FF Tippa JD Fantasia
Foll Luey Watson Merrett
Int McGrath Bellchambers Hocking Colyer
Two rucks. Hocking made the cut but Bags and Green missed. He said that Myers missed due to injury and that Dea was a bit unlucky. He also mentioned that Goddard needs a clear role (eg, wing) rather than floating around behind the ball.
Like that team
Who’s locking down the opposition small forward in that backline?
Also, who’s locking down the opposition’s second small forward in that backline?
Miserly back pockets are so out of fashion.
Fwiw I think Kelly is smart and disciplined enough to perform the role. I guess he is also thinking McGrath
He mentioned that he wanted good decision makers/ball users in the back line.
I guess McGrath gets the small defender role if required.
By the end of the year you’d expect Francis, Lav and perhaps Myers (and McKenna?) to have forced their way into the side at the expense of a couple of the older guys.
They’ll race back into fashion after Puopolo or any of Collingwood’s filthy midgets boot 8 against that defence.
Quite possibly yes
Well that would be Gleeson and McGrath wouldn’t it? With Kelly being 3rd option. In an emergency, Walla or Fantasia.
I would probably like Green in the side, and maybe Bird over Hocking, but otherwise pretty happy with that team.
Round One:
B: McGrath Hartley Ambrose
HB: Gleeson Hurley Kelly
C: Zaharakis Watson Parish
HF: Goddard Daniher Tippa
F: Fantasia Hooker Green
R: McKernan Heppell Z.Merrett
I/C: Colyer Stanton Langford Stewart
Emg: Brown, Dea, Baguley
Had Hocking in there until I realised that I’d left Colyer out! Damn, this is difficult. Trav back in, bad luck Buddha.
Stewart to rotate with our underdone forwards in Daniher & Hooker, whilst also giving Smack a chop-out in the ruck when needed.
Bags unlucky based on credits in the bank but I suspect that we’ll have a look at McGrath if it comes down to a toss of the coin.
Reckon this be be the side Round 1
Looks good but what about Colyer?
Only way to beat these small forwards is to have them more worried about your hbf getting the ball and what they do with it rather than just having to beat a blanket.
Betts will still score 60, cyril will turn games with 5 minute brilliant bursts, puopolo will still get frees from outsmarting the blankets.
Agreed.
How anyone can leave him out is staggering.
Bugger! I knew I’d left someone else when I was shifting things around. Colyer back in for Hocking.