Hooker won’t be going back IMO and I just can’t see Bags being best 22
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He was clearly best 22 last year and a genuine small defender. Saad hasn’t come to the club as a stopper, jelly has gone, McGrath is moving to the mids… I think Mark will get a game and have a good year.
B: Francis/Gleeson Ambrose/Hartley Saad
HB: McKenna Hurley Goddard
C: McGrath Langford (it’s time) Smith
HF: Tippa Daniher Stringer
F: Fantasia Hooker Stewart
R: Tbell Heppell Merrett
Int: Laverde, Mutch, Zaharakis, Myers
As of 21/10 depth is ridiculously good: Baguley, Begley, Bird, Brown, Colyer, Dea, Green, Howlett, Leuenberger, Long, McKernan, McNiece, Merrett … plus other kids in the system raring to go.
Competition for spots = excellent
Bags Hurley Gleeson
Saad Francis McKenna
McGrath Heppell Goddard
Stringer Daniher Fantasia
Stewart Hooker Tippa
TBell Zerrett Parish
Int: Zaharakis Smith Laverde Ambrose (for when Francis runs out of puff)
B: Gleeson Ambrose Baguley
HB: Saad Hurley McKenna
C: McGrath Heppell Zaharakis
HF: Stringer Daniher Smith
F: Fantasia Hooker McDonald-Tipungwuti
Fol: Bellchambers Merrett Parish
I/C: Stewart Goddard Begley Green
Another who forgot Parish
F: Colyer Stringer Green
HF: Smith Fanta Tippa
I’d love to see that lineup… just kick it along the ground and watch the magic happen
Hooker back vs forward is (still) a tricky one so I’ve done both.
I’d love us to just put Stringer in the F50 by himself and watch him wreak havoc ala Danger a couple of times this past season gone but dunno if Worsfold will go for it.
I also think traditional positions are pointless these days but everyone cracks the sads if I just use list 22 players so in the name of keeping everyone happy
Option 1)
FB - Baguely - Ambrose - Gleeson
HB - Saad - Hurley - Goddard
C - McGrath - Heppell - Zaharakis
R - Bellchambers - Merrett - Parish
HF - Fantasia - Daniher - Smith
FF - Tippa - Hooker - Stringer
I - Stewart - McKenna - Green - Colyer
Option 2)
FB - Baguely - Ambrose - Hurley
HB - Saad - Hooker - Gleeson
C - McGrath - Heppell - Zaharakis
R - Bellchambers - Merrett - Goddard
HF - Fantasia - Daniher - Smith
FF - Tippa - Stringer - Stewart
I - Green - McKenna - Parish - Colyer
I could envision one of the bigger bodied young mids (Laverde, Langford, Begley) coming in at Colyer’s expense, and you’d hope a second would come through and eventually take Goddard’s spot once he retires.
Baguely to start best 22 and be pushed out come end of 2018 with McKenna, Saad and at times McGrath rolling through the 2 small back positions
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Well, I’ll have a shot, simply for the joy of coming back in 12 months and seeing how I was (cough) right (cough).
Firstly, what was our best 22 this year? As in, not necessarily the best players, but who was being played, and the formation. I’d have said it was the below, with players who have/are leaving in bold (note, the bench in my mind is a bit pointless now days, since nobody spends long on it):
BACKS
Tall: Hartley, Hurley
3rd Tall: Gleeson
Smalls: Kelly, Bags, McGrath, McKenna
MIDFIELD
Rck: Belly
Inside: Watson, Myers, Heppell
Inside/outside: Zerrett, Zaharakis, Parish, Goddard
Outside: Colyer
FORWARD
Tall: JD, Hooker, Stewart
Small: Raz, Walla, Green
Emergencies/In if fit: Ambrose, Howlett, Bird, Laverde
Frankly, I think there is a good chance if Brown or Ambrose had been fit more, we’d have played one of those over one of those smalls, although exactly which small back goes out is tricky. Otherwhere, I think we had close to our best side available all year, once we decided on Stewart as the 6th member of the forwards, and Green’s injuries and uncertainty over Myers slow start also opened up opportunities.
So how do I think it will change next year?
BACKS
Tall: Hartley, Hurley, Ambrose
3rd Tall: Gleeson
Smalls: Saad, Bags, McKenna
MIDFIELD
Rck: Belly
Inside: Stringer, Langford, Heppell
Inside/outside: Zerrett, Zaharakis, Parish, Goddard
Outside: Smith
FORWARD
Tall: JD, Hooker, Stewart
Small: Raz, Walla, Green
Begley could be in for Stewart, and Mutch, Francis and Ridley may also be pushing. I really want to see some of those guys (plus Laverde) challenging to get a role in the side. However, the one I really want to recapture his form would be Colyer. The 2014/15 version will be a big boost to the side. Everyone is writing him off, without considering how his finding form could effectively change another place in the side from average/weak to a big role player.
I also want Myers to get back to his best, but I’ve given up most hope of that! So how do I want it to change for next year, or at least the second half of the season:
BACKS
Tall: Hartley, Hurley
3rd Tall: Francis
Smalls: Saad, Bags, McKenna, Goddard
MIDFIELD
Rck: Belly
Inside: Stringer, Langford, Heppell
Inside/outside: Zerrett, Zaharakis, Parish, Smith
Outside: Colyer
FORWARD
Tall: JD, Hooker, Stewart
Small: Raz, Walla, Begley
With Ridley, Redman, Mutch and Laverde pushing damn hard for positions.
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Kobe Mutch will get AFL games next season and will surprise a few
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Pretty sure the club dont provide him with a list of young female members mate
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If Hartley and Rambo are in the consensus side hooker isn’t back.
I think the controversial selection issues are:
- hooker fwd or back
- 3 tall defenders or 2 and Gleeson
- 2 key forwards or 3
- Myers/langford
- colyer
- lav/begley
I kinda feel 3 tall fwds and 3 tall defenders is a bit Top heavy which is why I’m leaning ever so slightly towards moving hooker back again I’m turn though because he has a super year forward.
I’m half keen to see Stewart play on a wing with Joe and hooker forward.
We really didn’t get to see Hartley Ambrose and Hurley settle as unit last season. I still think they could be very effective if the mids protect them properly.
Getting our full ground defense right and sustained is what it’s going to take to really elevate ourselves and few teams are running 6 talls and a ruck.
Can’t believe we have to wait four months
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I used the most popular 18 players as the starting 18 but agree that it doesn’t make much sense to have Hooker back with both Ambrose and Hartley on the bench.
Hmm, that should have been Begley in for Green, not Stewart.
So um, what were you going to say about my post? Feel free to PM.
Baguley, Hurley, Ambrose
Gleeson, Hooker, Saad
McGrath, Heppell, Zaharakis
Smith, Daniher, Tipungwuti
Fantasia, Stringer, Stewart
Bellchambers, Parish, Z.Merrett
Goddard, Langford, Laverde, McKenna
Emg: Myers, Colyer, Green
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I started on a best 22 but I couldn’t work out whether to put big JoeD forward or back so I think we need to start a thread on this and talk about it all summer.
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Hartley’s position in side is the one that causing most debate
Hooker back or Ambrose just taking it seems to be the discussion but Mitch Brown would have to be part of the conversation.
The coaches dropped Harts for Brown last year on the basis of Browns better intercept, ball winning and attacking game. More agile & quicker too.
It was only the ankle injury that cost him his place in side so if he is fit again would be in the mix.
Also able to switch with Hooker fwd if need be which gives team great flexibility.
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II don’t think Brown will see much AFL footy next year.
With Gleeson playing the way he has been (third up) we can have two bigger bodied backs and him. They would be Ambrose and Hurley if everyone was fit.
I also think we have to play the newbies in the positions we drafted them for. Smith on a wing and Stringer in the centre.
Bags Ambrose Saad
Gleeson Hurls McKenna
Smith Stringer Zakka
Raz joe Stewart
Walla hooker green
TBC hepps Zerrett
Bj, mcg, begley, parish
My biggest battle was for clearance players. Hopefully Langford or Myers can make a claim but it would be at the cost of begley, parish, stringer or hepps and I’d back them in first.