Fark me sideways we are a small team. Taking L2L’s midfield for example, 4/5 are midgets.
It’s true but there is more than enough size overall imo
Yeh I know.
Langfords, Begleys, Clarke and Mutch’s development is critical.
We need at least 1 but hopefully 2 to be able to hold an strong inside midfield position for the next few years.
Really need them to…
Correct
I’d rather have someone small and good than someone big and rubbish.
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I think Stewart is the most interesting prospect going into 2018 because our structure depends a lot on how he develops over the preseason. If he can improve his 1-on-1 marking contests and ability to bring the ball to ground from long bombs then we have the luxury of putting Hooker back. Buttttt, if he doesn’t improve then I don’t know if there’s a place in the team for him, with Stringer being a better 3rd tall option. Hooker was arguably our most important player this year playing that role.
Anyway because I really rate Stewart, I will back him to become a good 1-on-1 marking player over the offseason and therefore include him in the team.
B: Baguley - Hurley - Gleeson
HB: Saad - Hooker - McKenna
C: McGrath - Heppell - Zaharakis
R: Bellchambers - Parish - Zerrett
HF: Tipungwuti - Stewart - Smith
F: Fantasia - Daniher - Stringer
Int: Langford - Colyer - Goddard - Laverde
Look at that bottom full-forward line!
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We were one of the highest scoring teams this year. But we got scored against heavily also, easy to blame defence for that but mostly it was due to lack of midfield pressure caused by the personnel.
That will be rectified. Midfield will be far more dynamic including moving McGrath to wing but maintaining two blistering HBF’rs.
It also didn’t help that we had a midfield who didn’t win enough footy. Jobe was way below his best, Myers was a passenger & Colyer mostly ran around in circles. That also will be part of the change.
B: Baguley Hartley Gleeson
HB: McKenna Hurley Saad
C: McGrath Stringer Smith
HF: Fantasia Daniher TIPPA
F: Green Hooker Stewart
R: Belly Heppell Zerrett
B: Zaka Goddard Parish Langford
On call- Colyer, Myers, Brown,Leuey, LAV, Begley
I’m not sure we will switch up our very effective fwd structure just yet. The 3 talls / 3 smalls worked so well for us. It will stay for now. Must maintain the fwd pressure with all 3 amigos inc Green.
Stringer is going to be playing 50:50 mid/fwd. starts in the guts & will be so powerful out of stoppages in the way Dusty is, when any of our 3 talls are benched or JD in ruck Stringer can go fwd.
Unless opposition team is playing a genuine 3 tall structure Gleeson who seemingly came of age this year, his final was awesome, will trump Ambrose/Brown or others including Francis (for time being anyway).
Baguley is still a gun and holds his spot for mine. Goddard will just do his thing all over the ground. Both of these two will likely finish up end of 2018. Hopefully McNeice is ready to take over from Bags & LAV perhaps in Goddards midfield utility role.
A lot of gelling as a side still to come especially with the new midfield mix so will not be all smooth sailing but we will be a super exciting team to watch that’s for sure and press towards top 4.
Lid off
Defence is still a weakness though so in a perfect world we try land another kpf, Hooker goes to full back and Francis becomes that 3rd tall he should be: Tom Lynch end of 2018. One can dream.
Or maybe it’s Schache next week, if so he won’t be quite ready to allow for the Hooker move just yet. Will develop nicely in 2’s in readiness for it though.
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I’ll have a crack.
This is the best 22 I’d like to see by the end of next year. It assumes we get Stringer and Saad, and keep Francis.
Bags - Hartley - Francis
Saad - Hurley - Mckenna
Zaha - Heppell - McGrath
Tippa - Daniher - Stringer
Fanta - Hooker - Stewart
TBell - Zerrett - Parish
Int: Smith, Goddard, Gleeson, Begley.
Emg: Langford, Lav, Mutch
Toss of the coin on Hartley / Ambrose, and Begley / Langford.
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Hooker enveloped in mixed emotions.
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That side is lacking a CHF starting with ‘H’.
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Not much love for Benny Howlett.
Assuming we pick up Saad and Stringer (as I think we will)… I would follow (urghh) the Tigers lead and go smaller in the forward half. and I’m the stick in the mud who still thinks we need Hooker down back more than down forward.
My best 22 next year:
Bags - Hooker - Ambrose
Saad - Hurley - McKenna
Zaka - McGrath - Parish
Stringer - Daniher - Stewart
Walla - Francis - Fanta
TBell - Zerrett - Heppell
Int: Goddard, Begley, Smith, Gleeson
Depth: Langford, Laverde, Hartley, Colyer, Luey, Myers
Although, no matter how you slice it… the team looks very good on paper. Probably need to find one more extractor of the footy but I am confident Stringer, Smith, Parish and Heppell can all play that role.
Ambrose Hartley Baguley
Goddard Hurley Saad
McGrath Heppell Smith
Tippa Daniher Stringer
Fantasia Hooker Stewart
Bellchambers, Merrett, Zaharakis
McKenna, Parish, Gleeson, Colyer
Not sure three tall backs are en vogue
Hooker showed he can be great down forward…great this year.
He stays forward IMO.
A solid top 17 say pick me on our senior list.
We need that to be 22 in 6 months.
Some inconsistency/unknown in our worst 5.
Assumes landing Ss and S.
Hartley
Hurley
TBC
Daniher
Hooker,
Stewart,
Smith,
Zmerrett,
Heppell,
Fantasia,
Mcgrath,
McKenna,
Zaharakis
Gleeson,
Parish,
The rest will be discussed each week I think, either through age,matches,consistency,readiness
With Walla,Colyer and Goddard probably consistently picked for different reasons(impact,experience)
Stringer,Laverde,Langford,Mutch,Begley,Saad
Francis,Green debated prob demand good form in the VFL or preseason form first. Although we ain’t recruiting Stringer or Saad to play seconds. And some.othes who will be better for another preseason.
Depth Burger(and I think he could take #1ruck again),Howlett, Dea,Bird,
We have a good list. Think a bit short and expect us to draft Tall.
Not unless the other side have at least two tall forwards.
Against Richmond’s GF team, I’d have Hurley on Riewoldt, Ambrose on Townsend, Gleeson on Caddy and Hartley looking on.
But against Adelaide, you’d probably need all three.
Hurley essentially plays as the third tall these days and a attacking defender. Having ambrose and Hartley allows them guys to take the key forwards/resting ruck and Hurley just floats around doing whatever. Hurley is a lot more valuable to us when he actually doesn’t have to defend that much, he struggled all year 1 on 1
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With forward lines setting up the way they are, maybe you can’t afford to do that much longer.
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I do agree in a sense but maybe we are getting too caught up with Richmond. Most teams still have 2+ big forwards you have to mind. and when Hurley isn’t playing as a key defender, he’s pretty agile.
My preference would be for Hurley to get some muscle back in his arms and be able to defend…
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Mine to