Love stants, but can't wait until we can afford to use him as a 'burst' player off the bench and through the midfield/fwdYou want to use one of our best endurance runners as a burst player? Really?
Wrong word to use. My point was it will be good not to have to rely on stants as much in the midfield rotations.
But addressing the topic, it seems like we've really strengthened in that 16-28 bracket on the list (worst 6 in the team/best 6 not in the team) so a lot of it is going to come down to pre-season and in particular the NAB Challenge.I reckon the core of the best 22 will look something like:
B: Baguley - Hooker - Gwilt
HB: Hibberd - Hurley - ???
C: Stanton - Myers - Goddard
HF: Colyer - Brown - ???
F: ??? - Daniher - Bellchambers
R: Leuenberger - Heppell - Hocking
I: Watson - Z Merrett - Bird - ???That leaves 4 spots to be filled by Parish, Francis, Gleeson, Fantasia, Laverde, Cooney, Zaharakis, J Merrett, Edwards and Langford.
My guess is that weāll see Francis, Cooney, Zaharakis and Laverde filling those spots for Rd 1.
No love for SMacK?
Baguley Hurley hibberd Francis hooker Fantasia Stanton Watson colyer Laverde brown z Merrett Mckernan Daniher bird Luenberger heppel hocking Goddard Myers zaharakis parishThis might be the best one Iāve 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. Iām 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 Zakaās spot tearing it up in the VFL.
Youād have thought that Langford and Laverde would have no trouble getting a game in a bottom 4 side. Add in Francis to the list.
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 McKernanVFL 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
Love and like to all who list a VFL team.
Got to love the positive vibe at the moment.
Love stants, but can't wait until we can afford to use him as a 'burst' player off the bench and through the midfield/fwdYou want to use one of our best endurance runners as a burst player? Really?
Wrong word to use. My point was it will be good not to have to rely on stants as much in the midfield rotations.
Now that makes much more sense to me. Totally agree.
Reckon we need to get as many games into Fanta, Langford, Laverde, Parish and Francis as we can, rather than being too worried about our best side.
Something like -
Bags Hurley Brown
Hibberd Francis Fantasia
SMack Hocking Stanton
Zerrett Heppell Parish
Langford Hooker Zaha
Edwards Daniher Watson
Leuey, Goddard et al on the bench
Feel like Iām missing about 5 guys, and I probably am, but I feel itād be quite foolish to try and build again around Watson, Dempsey and co. They should be slotted around the younger brigade, not vice versa.
Dodoro said the 193cm Francis ā a Dons fan who joined the club at No. 6 ā would start as a āJake Stringer-typeā forward and evolve into a big-bodied midfielder, dismissing knocks on his stamina
The interesting position for me is who stands next to Joey. Brown or Smack? 50/50 for me
there are alot of questions that wonāt be answered until round 1.
A new coach means new opportunities. some players will have different roles than there used to.
Given Dodoroās plans for Francis to play forward now, I wonder if Brown might slot into Fletchās spot.
Brown has the capacity to play on a wing so clearly has the running capacity/agility side of things for a 196cm player.
I guess it will all come down to match ups but youād think heād have Gwilt covered the majority of the time especially if playing on resting rucks.
B: Baguley Hurley Brown
HB: Hibberd Hooker ???
Still not sure on who that last HBF spot will be.
Can Demps rediscover his A game?
Does Gleeson hang onto it?
Fantasia? also played there late this year
Could Morgan be a bolter for round 1?
But addressing the topic, it seems like we've really strengthened in that 16-28 bracket on the list (worst 6 in the team/best 6 not in the team) so a lot of it is going to come down to pre-season and in particular the NAB Challenge.I reckon the core of the best 22 will look something like:
B: Baguley - Hooker - Gwilt
HB: Hibberd - Hurley - ???
C: Stanton - Myers - Goddard
HF: Colyer - Brown - ???
F: ??? - Daniher - Bellchambers
R: Leuenberger - Heppell - Hocking
I: Watson - Z Merrett - Bird - ???That leaves 4 spots to be filled by Parish, Francis, Gleeson, Fantasia, Laverde, Cooney, Zaharakis, J Merrett, Edwards and Langford.
My guess is that weāll see Francis, Cooney, Zaharakis and Laverde filling those spots for Rd 1.
No love for SMacK?
I donāt think itās likely he plays Rd 1 at all. Woosha seems pretty keen on Leuey/TBC together and I think Brown will get the first crack at CHF.
But addressing the topic, it seems like we've really strengthened in that 16-28 bracket on the list (worst 6 in the team/best 6 not in the team) so a lot of it is going to come down to pre-season and in particular the NAB Challenge.I reckon the core of the best 22 will look something like:
B: Baguley - Hooker - Gwilt
HB: Hibberd - Hurley - ???
C: Stanton - Myers - Goddard
HF: Colyer - Brown - ???
F: ??? - Daniher - Bellchambers
R: Leuenberger - Heppell - Hocking
I: Watson - Z Merrett - Bird - ???That leaves 4 spots to be filled by Parish, Francis, Gleeson, Fantasia, Laverde, Cooney, Zaharakis, J Merrett, Edwards and Langford.
My guess is that weāll see Francis, Cooney, Zaharakis and Laverde filling those spots for Rd 1.
No love for SMacK?
I donāt think itās likely he plays Rd 1 at all. Woosha seems pretty keen on Leuey/TBC together and I think Brown will get the first crack at CHF.
Will just have to go back to VFL and smash the door down all over again.
O_ODodoro said the 193cm Francis ā a Dons fan who joined the club at No. 6 ā would start as a āJake Stringer-typeā forward and evolve into a big-bodied midfielder, dismissing knocks on his stamina
Interesting - I think weāve actually got a reasonable assortment of guys we could deploy as mid sized forwards now.
Wonder where they see Langford and co then?
He certainly ticks all the boxes for an Essendon forward - career defender, vanilla as vanilla can be, wobbly shot on goalā¦
Watch us use him as a bit parts forward / back / 3rd string ruck, destroy all his confidence & momentum, and get delisted end of the year.
But addressing the topic, it seems like we've really strengthened in that 16-28 bracket on the list (worst 6 in the team/best 6 not in the team) so a lot of it is going to come down to pre-season and in particular the NAB Challenge.I reckon the core of the best 22 will look something like:
B: Baguley - Hooker - Gwilt
HB: Hibberd - Hurley - ???
C: Stanton - Myers - Goddard
HF: Colyer - Brown - ???
F: ??? - Daniher - Bellchambers
R: Leuenberger - Heppell - Hocking
I: Watson - Z Merrett - Bird - ???That leaves 4 spots to be filled by Parish, Francis, Gleeson, Fantasia, Laverde, Cooney, Zaharakis, J Merrett, Edwards and Langford.
My guess is that weāll see Francis, Cooney, Zaharakis and Laverde filling those spots for Rd 1.
No love for SMacK?
I donāt think itās likely he plays Rd 1 at all. Woosha seems pretty keen on Leuey/TBC together and I think Brown will get the first crack at CHF.
Will just have to go back to VFL and smash the door down all over again.
Yeah exactly. Hopefully heās given a role in the 2s which will allow him to compete for a 1s spot, rather than just going up against Leuey for a ruck spot because heās not winning that battle.
I was quite impressed with his game at KPF against North early last season, and pre-draft I thought heād start there for Rd 1.
O_ODodoro said the 193cm Francis ā a Dons fan who joined the club at No. 6 ā would start as a āJake Stringer-typeā forward and evolve into a big-bodied midfielder, dismissing knocks on his staminaInteresting - I think weāve actually got a reasonable assortment of guys we could deploy as mid sized forwards now.
Wonder where they see Langford and co then?He certainly ticks all the boxes for an Essendon forward - career defender, vanilla as vanilla can be, wobbly shot on goalā¦
Someone posted the stats from Francisās move forward at junior level and it was very impressive. Kicked goals and continually got himself scoring opportunities.
Freak overhead. Beautiful kick. Competitive beast.
Langford IIRC is looking at moving to a inside mid role. In terms of the player he is with his athleticism/marking power and his size he could be Fyfe 2.0
Given we delisted NOB and KAV, players like Langford should be getting a lot more centre square time at VFL level learning their craft.
So i tried to just put together my best 22 and its ā ā ā ā ā ā hard!
Most are going to feel a lot of pressure for spots I feel - Only the ones below I feel should be locked in for a spot.
Hurley
Hooker
Hepp
Baguley
Watson
Zerrett
Smack
Hocking
Stanton
Myers
FB: Baguley, Hurley, Hibberd
CHB: Dempsey, Hooker, Goddard
C: Colyer, Watson, Z.Merrett
HF: Langford, McKernan, Francis
FF: Edwards, Daniher, Zaharakis
FOL: Bellchambers, Heppell, Myers
INT: Laverde, Hocking, Parish, Stanton
(Hopefully Morgan takes over from Dempsey before round 1)
EMG: Fantasia, Brown, Gleeson, Howlett
So i tried to just put together my best 22 and its ā ā ā ā ā ā hard!Most are going to feel a lot of pressure for spots I feel - Only the ones below I feel should be locked in for a spot.
Hurley
Hooker
Baguley
Watson
Zerrett
Smack
Hocking
Stanton
Myers
Rough on Dys.
I must be the only one that would have a fit Cooney in my best 22.
define fit ? Iād have s 75% fit cooney in the side if he played the way he did rd 1-3 this year.
Iād retire him straight away if heās gonna produce the putrid stuff he did for the rest of the year fit or not.
On the best 22 side of things.
Think we have enough of both young players coming through and older players who can fill voids that I hope the team next year is more fluid and picked on current form.
A small example would be Iād love to see Francis play most of the year as a 3rd tall back or at worst hbf. However if he is struggling we have Brown and Hartley now who providing they were in good form could come in and pick up the slack.
or vice versa maybe Brown starts in that role, and maybe struggles or is pushed forward and Francis comes in.
Ditto the forwardline if dempsey is struggling hopefully langford or laverde are put in the side.
Like i said think thereās enough rotatable players (at least on paper) that there shouldnāt be a āsetā 22 next year, well hopefully.
form should be the biggest contributing factor.