I would like to see Hurls not in a key back post because he can create play as the intercept man. Colyer ang Green both have to improve.
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If he can improve his touch and finishing back to where it was before the ban he becomes a very dangerous player. Bringing in Smith and perhaps the emergence of some kids makes it harder for him to claim a spot, but heās well worth persisting with.
I think it is great that guys like Myers and Colyer are on the fringe of selectionā¦ means our side is getting much stronger. FWIWā¦ I think that the emergence and recruitment of real talent has just highlighted how bad our list was before.
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While they might not be flavour of the month around hereā¦ Myers and Colyer havenāt been on the fringe of selection in real life.
There is some chance we are just over-rating the kids we want to bring in.
I donāt think our list has been bad. I think it has been very good. Just had too much going on off-field for it to get a chance to really shine.
If Hooker doesnāt make the switch back to defence, then Hartley definitely needs to be included back there IMO.
Ambrose and a slimmed-down Hurley are both only 193cm and have their weaknesses overhead. Gleeson is versatile at 191cm but we need some genuine height back there to take the tallest opponent, kill the high ball and allow Hurley to peel off and attack.
Hartley and Hooker are 198cm & 197cm respectively and whilst personally Iād like to see Cale back in defence, Hartley is the next best option based on team balance IMO.
eg:
B: Gleeson Hartley Ambrose
HB: Saad Hurley McKenna
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Canāt leave Bags out.
We will have Saad or McKenna playing as the 7th defender off the bench and rotating with all the smaller defenders and helping play mid as well when neeed like Kelly did.
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I donāt knowā¦ Colyer was on the verge of being left out (and did he miss a game in the end?) but injury meant he got back in.
Myers is popular and important through the middle but Langford got the nod first upā¦ and Myers dropped himself in an effort to find formā¦
I really think Myers will struggle to get a game if Langford and Laverde step up how the club is expecting. I would agree that Colyer is closer to the wire than Myers but I stand by the suggestion that our team is much much better if these two are considered in the bottom 5 of any teamā¦
Hurls was bad in overhead marking contests by the end of the season. Maybe it had something to do with injuries ?
MICHAEL Hurley will have two bouts of off-season surgery, but Essendon is confident the star defender wonāt face an interrupted pre-season.
The 27-year-old returned from a year out of the game to reclaim his spot as the All Australian centre-half back this season with a career-best year.
With Essendonās season over following its heavy elimination final defeat to Sydney, Hurley will have arthroscopes to repair wrist and hip injuries.
ā'Hurlsā will have a slight modification at the start of the pre-season but be up and running by Christmas and in everything beyond that,ā Essendon high performance manager Justin Crow saidā¦"
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Yepā¦ didnāt play the Gold Coast game (I cannot recall if it was form or injury that caused him to miss). Then Josh Green got injured, and he was back.
I donāt personally disagree with you. However I do wonder whether the coaching staff are as ready to move on as those on this forum appear to be.
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B: Bags, Hooker, Gleeson
HB: Saad, Hurley, McKenna
C: Zaharakis, Parish, McGrath
HF: Smith, Stewart, Stringer
F: Fantasia, Joe D, Walla
R: Belly, Hepp, Zerrett
Int: Goddard, Begs, Laverde, Colyer
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If Zerret and Joedan were in our bottom 5, we would be even betterā¦
Solid & experienced defence with a quick & mobile forward set up, If our mids can get the job done we will be going places.
Nice 22.
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bags ambrose hurly
saad hooker gleeson
mcg hepp zaka
stringer jd fanta
walla stewart smith
belly zerrett parish
mckenna goodard redman francis
colyer myers lav mutch begley etc
Why do people continue to put Hooker in the back line when coaches & captain have said he isnāt going to be playing there?
Itās not happening.
KPDās to come from Hurley, Hartley, Ambrose & Brown.
Weāve just had one of our most productive attacking years ever with Hooker fwd, and when he missed JD/Stewart often outbodied too easily by the oppositions main kpd. Which also affects bringing ball to ground for our smalls.
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And Francis, if they can tape his limbs back on.
I might be going out on a limb here Speedy, but I think it means those people would have Hooker in the back line in their best 22.
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You could be right
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It probably should be stated whether oneās best 22 is what they think it will be, or what it should be.
But yeah, seeing Hooker at FB is like banging your head against a wall.
Who would pick a best 22 on anything other than what they think it should be. Thatās half the fun.
The round 1 team thread is the time to throw out what you think it will be, and lament all those terrible positional changes the coaches have made. Only to be reminded 20 times that the positions named mean nothing anyway.
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Itās the posterās best 22, not a āwhat the coaches thinkā 22.
I believe that Hooker is more valuable as a 40 goal forward but have no issues with people who think the team looks better with him down back.
Besides, if Stringer doesnāt work out in the midfield rotation I expect the coaches will try moving Hooker back and playing Stringer, Daniher and Stewart as the talls in the forward line. Stringer, Daniher, Stewart, Hooker wonāt work.