The Best 22 thread

Football Discussion Dustin Fletcher Hangar
21
Hey, where do people see Laverde in a few years time?

A lot of discussions about our future make-up, point to Laverde being a HFF as opposed to pure midfielder. At 190cm and relatively quick and agile, I’d thought (hope) he could be that big-bodied midfield beast that would complement our smaller sized contested young mids in Zerett and Parish quite well.

That said, I have been wrong though about a similar type in the past – such as McPhee. Do people see any concerns with Laverde’s tank, contested work etc? or is he just a better prospect as a forward pushing into midfield as opposed to the other way around?

I see him as a Robbie Gray/Dustin Martin/ type of player…goal kicking midfielder. But will need to spend early years up forward building his tank. Think he will increase his midfield time once he builds his tank.

Draft BIO
Being a big-bodied midfielder seems to be his go at the next level given he has the pace, agility and strength around the ball and the breakaway qualities to find space.
Around the ground Laverde has shown his ability to cut off the play from half-back and he reads the play well to take overhead, intercept marks and then get moving.
Powerful, quick and with excellent lateral movement, Laverde has some genuine game-turning traits to his game. He kicked 15 goals from 10 games for the Jets, showing his attacking mindset.

22
Best 22 Start with Langford as mobile CHF...but if hes not ready Brown or McKernan to Come in.

B: Baguley, Hurley, Gwilt
HB: Hibberd, Hooker, Dempsey
C: Z. Merrett, Watson Colyer
HF: Zaharakis, Langford, Laverde
F: Bellchambers, Daniher, Cooney
R: Leuenberger, Heppell Myers
Int: Hocking, Howlett, Goddard Stanton
Emg Bird Brown McKernan

VFL Boys will be strong next year IMO.

B: Ashby Hartley Francis
HB: Gleeson Pears Fantasia
C: Long Coughlan J Merrett
HF: Edwards Brown Ambrose
F: Kommer Tagliabue Eades
R:McKernan Bird Parish
Int: Redman Morgan Wallis Bewick Tippa Polkinghorne, Schroder

Bird in the VFL I’m not so sure, and I don’t think Francis and Parish will be there for long if they are.

23

No disrespect to Jimmy Gwilt, but, people are smoking crack if they think Francis is gonna marinate in the back pocket in the VFL - Kid is ready to go round 1.

24
No disrespect to Jimmy Gwilt, but, people are smoking crack if they think Francis is gonna marinate in the back pocket in the VFL - Kid is ready to go round 1.

And if Gwilt stills get a game, we are a bottom 4 team

25

Baguley Hurley hibberd
Francis hooker Fantasia
Stanton Watson colyer
Laverde brown z Merrett
Mckernan Daniher bird
Luenberger heppel hocking
Goddard Myers zaharakis parish

26

FB: Baguley Hooker Francis
HB: Hibberd Hurley Gleeson
C: Stanton Watson Colyer
HF: Laverde McKernan Parish
FF: Edwards Daniher Bellchambers
R: Leuenberger Heppell Z.Merrett
Int: Bird Goddard Hocking Fantasia
Em: Cooney Zaharakis Myers

Thoughts?

27
FB: Baguley Hooker Francis HB: Hibberd Hurley Gleeson C: Stanton Watson Colyer HF: Laverde McKernan Parish FF: Parish Daniher Bellchambers R: Leuenberger Heppell Z.Merrett Int: Bird Goddard Hocking Fantasia Em: Cooney Zaharakis Myers

Thoughts?

Too much Parish.

28
Baguley Hurley hibberd Francis hooker Fantasia Stanton Watson colyer Laverde brown z Merrett Mckernan Daniher bird Luenberger heppel hocking Goddard Myers zaharakis parish

This might be the best one I’ve seen with an eye to the future. Brown can drop back if the opposition forward line is huge and Francis can move up the field. I’m hoping Langford would be pressing for a game in that side and even better would be if someone like Morgan was hot on the heels of Zaka’s spot tearing it up in the VFL.

29
No disrespect to Jimmy Gwilt, but, people are smoking crack if they think Francis is gonna marinate in the back pocket in the VFL - Kid is ready to go round 1.

Exactly should not get a game unless injuries

30

Blitz pls.

This thread is too early.

You’ve never seen these kids you want to slot in.

You need to wait till after the Friday open training session before you can confirm the Best 22.

31

not necessarily best 22 but best for balancing development and being serious about performing in 2016.

B: Baguley, Hurley, Francis
HB: Hibberd, Hooker, Gleeson

C: Stanton, Heppell, Laverde
R: Leuenberger, Hocking, Z. Merrett

HF: Colyer, Smack Langford,
F: Watson, JD, Bird

Int: Myers, Goddard, Zaharakis, Fanta

Best 22 Depth Chart (ready to go):

Ruck: Tbell
Talls: Brown, hartley
medium talls: Gwilt, Pears, Ambrose
inside mid: howlett
outside mid/flankers: Parish, ■■■■, dempsey, jmerret, mckenna, edwards, ashby, Kommer,

Developing: long, morgan, redman, Eades

got to get more games into langford, laverde and fanta, get games into francis and parish too (zaka on notice). Gleeson needs to earn that spot but i think he can. Cooney shouldn’t be considered unless he absolutely bashes the door down and is prepared to work his ■■■■ off defensively inside forward 50.

stilll not sure on the right tall set up and that side might be one or two talls short but i like the extra run.

also NO SUB!!!

from a list build perspective with an eye to the rookie draft we clearly need another ruck, tall KP and an inside mid or two (wonder if they will rookie NOB or hams). Sadly tippa isn’t any of those things.

32

Baguley Hurley Francis
HB: Gleeson Brown Hibbard
C: Colyer Watson Goddard
HF: langford Hooker Laverde
F: Edwards Daniher Fantasia
Foll: Leuenberger Zerret Heppell
Int: Stanton, Parish, Smack, Myers

unlucky Hocking. But when we have a full team to pick from we don’t lack slow inside mids.
Zacka needs to show some more.

Only one bloke under 6’3 in the fwd line and it still dont look slow.

33

For some reason there seems to be a distinct lack of love for Gleeson. He played every game this season and should be a walk up start for next season. I think the backline is a no brainer at:
B: Baguley Hurley Francis
HB: Hibberd Hooker Gleeson

That should be locked in and maintained as a unit. You can build a side around that unit !

34

Assuming we are going with a ‘resting ruckman’ in the forward line…

Right now…
Tall Forwards - Joe D, Mitch Brown
Forward / Ruck - Bellchambers
Forwards / Mids - Goddard, Zerrett, Colyer
Ruck / Mids - Leuenberger, Heppell, Watson, Myers, Stanton, Zaharakis
Defenders / Mids - Gleeson, Francis
Defenders - Hibberd, Baguley
Tall Defenders - Hurley, Hooker
Bench - Howlett, Hocking, Ambrose, Jerrett

After pre-season with some luck…
Tall Forwards - Joe D, Mitch Brown
Forward / Ruck - Bellchambers
Forwards / Mids - Goddard, Zerrett, Colyer
Ruck / Mids - Leuenberger, Heppell, Watson, Myers, Stanton, Zaharakis
Defenders / Mids - Gleeson, Francis
Defenders - Hibberd, Baguley
Tall Defenders - Hurley, Hooker
Bench - Parish, Laverde, Langford, Bird

By the end of next season…
Tall Forwards - Joe D, Mitch Brown
Forward / Ruck - Bellchambers
Forward - Langford
Forwards / Mids - Watson, Laverde, Colyer
Ruck / Mids - Leuenberger, Heppell, Stanton, Zerrett, Zaharakis, Parish
Defenders / Mids - Francis
Defenders - Hibberd, Baguley
Tall Defenders - Hurley, Hooker
Bench - Gleeson, Goddard, Myers, Bird

It really all comes down to whether we run with a forward / ruck or whether we try and go with a more mobile forward line and gamble on Leuenberger to be able ruck all day without getting injured.

I’ve got Francis and Parish in our 18. They won’t be world beaters, but as top ten picks, they should be able to at least contribute the way Zerrett did in his first season.
I really want to find games for Edwards and Fantasia but there are limited spots and they are going to have to earn them through good solid form and performances (unless there we have heavy injuries again).
Ambrose, Jerrett, Dempsey and Cooney should all be playing VFL to give time to some of the youngsters already on our list and the new ones who deserve their chance.
Hartley, Gwilt and McKernan are all depth for any unexpected injuries.
For me, Kommer and Tayte Pears are clear list cloggers (if they weren’t already) and should be on the chopping block at the end of next season.
That leaves Eades, Redman, Ashby and Morgan to be playing the majority of their games in the VFL developing their skills for seniors footy.

Through the rookie draft, I’d like to target another ruckman, another key position player if available (forward or back), a small defender, another midfielder and a small forward but regardless they’d all be developing in the VFL unless we have a long list of LTIs.

By the end of next season, we have to rid ourselves of playing Hocking, Myers and Howlett. I really like Myers and Hocking, but we need to start looking to the future as younger players develop and earn their spot in our 22.
I’m also hoping there is less of a reliance on Watson and Goddard in the middle and that they can start being played in other positions for the benefit of player development. Depending on whether Zaharakis can find some form and whether Zerrett and Colyer take another step, we may be able to do the same with Stanton and shift him to the back flank.

I think we have an interesting mix of players. If we trade aggressively next season (Hocking, Howlett and Myers should all be trade bait), delist aggressively (Ambrose, Kommer, Pears, Ashby and Gwilt will be around the mark) we might be lucky enough to get another few picks inside the top 30 and be able to continue cycling through the list and bringing in young talent.

35

The interesting position for me is who stands next to Joey. Brown or Smack? 50/50 for me

36
No disrespect to Jimmy Gwilt, but, people are smoking crack if they think Francis is gonna marinate in the back pocket in the VFL - Kid is ready to go round 1.

And if Gwilt stills get a game, we are a bottom 4 team

ah yes, this stupid logic again

37
No disrespect to Jimmy Gwilt, but, people are smoking crack if they think Francis is gonna marinate in the back pocket in the VFL - Kid is ready to go round 1.

And if Gwilt stills get a game, we are a bottom 4 team

ah yes, this stupid logic again

Yep…cause apparently Gwilt wasn’t part of grand final teams nor did he have a super solid and reliable 2015

38

Anyone leaving Hocking out has lost it, he was a match winner for us once back from injury this year.

39
For some reason there seems to be a distinct lack of love for Gleeson. He played every game this season and should be a walk up start for next season. I think the backline is a no brainer at: B: Baguley Hurley Francis HB: Hibberd Hooker Gleeson

That should be locked in and maintained as a unit. You can build a side around that unit !

That’s the exact mentality which will get business , relationships and our football side in the ■■■■ !!!- no one should be a walk up start. Players need to be performing week in week out and if they don’t then , you rotate in players which are in form -like say the bulldogs. Essendon were awful this year and individually they need to earn their spot from the start of next year , not based on what they have done this last season. Hibberd needs to be kept honest , as does Howlett , as does Jackson as does Goddard, etc… Father time stands still for no one , so history may keep you on a list but performance is what will give you a game.

40
Ok I'll start

B: Baguley, Hurley, Hartley
HB: Hibberd, Hooker, Dempsey
C: Stanton, Myers, Heppell
HF: Zaharakis, McKernan, Z. Merrett
F: Colyer, Daniher, Goddard
R: Leuenberger, Watson, Bird
Int: Laverde, Hocking, Howlett, Parish

VFL:

Bellchambers, Francis, Brown, Morgan, Eades, Redman, Langford, Fantasia, Pears, Ashby, Long, Steinberg, Cooney, Gwilt, Kommer, Ambrose, Gleeson, Edwards, Coghlan, Tippa and any other rookie.

Definitely like the fact that you included a VFL side, as i love VFL footy.