Opinion 2013 preseason best 22

[winty]

this bloke makes it difficult to constantly hate Hawthorn

And then you read a post by Shepp, Tazhawk or Hodgepodge, and then it becomes easy again.

 

[footscore]

And then you read a post by Shepp, Tazhawk or Hodgepodge, and then it becomes easy again.

Chewy is something else, comes in here and gives his wisdom and all but the moment you start questioning him other threads (watched over by Hawthorn mods) he does his best to try and get you a ban thinking they have his back.
Luckily they see past that and let it go.

 

[rooke33]

B- Mackie – Lonergan – Enright
Hb- Rivers –Taylor- Guthrie
C - Bartel – Kelly -Duncan
Hf - Caddy - Hawkins- Johnson
F - Motlop – Vardy - Chapman
Foll - McIntosh (if fit and full preseason) Selwood, T Hunt
Int – Christensen, J Hunt (not sure if he can play in the same side as Mackie), West, Varcoe (Sub)
Emg – Corey, Hyphen, Smedts

Unlucky
Menzal – I assume he won’t be ready for round 1 anyway.
Stringer
Murdoch
Kersten – Don’t think he will have to wait long to make a debut.
Schroder

I can only assume I missed someone.

 

[footscore]

I can only assume I missed someone.

J-Pod
It's ok though, he's only kicked 50 goals a year and taken 2nd most marks inside forward 50, no big deal if he misses

 

[rooke33]

J-Pod

I knew there would be 1, I don't think he will be in the firsts if Vardy and Hawkins are fit.
However he was very good early last season, so if he is firing during the pre season he might play, do you think we would play Pod, Vardy and Hawkins in the same team? Could Vardy play a Richo style high half forward/wing?

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

AFL
B: Enright Lonergan Rivers
HB: Mackie Taylor T.Hunt
C: Bartel Selwood Duncan
HF: Varcoe Vardy Johnson
F: Menzel Hawkins Chapman
FOLL: Macintosh Kelly Christensen
Inter: West Caddy Smedts Motlop

VFL
B: J.Hunt Bathie Guthrie
HB: Corey Brown Bews
C: Murdoch Stringer Horlin-Smith
HF: Stokes Walker Burbury
F: McCarthy Podsiadly Kersten
FOLL: Simpson Cowan Schroder
Inter (from): Stephensen Eardley Sherringham Hamling PICK 15 Blicavs

Josh Hunt is the ‘23rd’ man, it was between West, Chapman, Motlop, Smedts, T.Hunt and Caddy to miss!

My take on the draft is that we delist Gillies and Stephensen, retain all our rookies bar Simpkin and also keep Brown. With our second draft pick (Pick 73?) we redraft Orren Stephensen.

On paper that surely is the strongest VFL side we have ever had! Just look at the interchange...

Bloody oath its hard, so many options, but that is the beauty of it, we will rotate up to 30 players consistently through the team.

Couple of observations.

Stokes played his best season in 2012 and is a highly respected member of our core unit. He will continue to be a big part of our senior team.

Ditto Josh Hunt who was superb last season.

Billie Smedts is a gun already and will be a permanent fixture in our senior side.

Menzel may be up and about for round 1, but I would expect round 5-10 to be his comeback.

Vardy is bloody exciting we will be pushing very hard to get as many games into him as possible.

Chapman and Corey are still incredibly important, they are both champions and will not fall away and shrivel up as some of you suggest. They maybe rotated through the squad a bit more for management. Chap will play pocket again and Corey continue in his clearance role.

GHS, Kersten, Murdoch, and Cowan will be featured a lot as part of Scott's plans to keep a certain amount of youth developing.

Guthrie is serially underrated by everyone.

 

[The rabbi]

I knew there would be 1, I don't think he (James Podsiadly) will be in the firsts if Vardy and Hawkins are fit.

That comment would get you a life ban if BF was owned by PureOwnage.

 

[rooke33]

That comment would get you a life ban if BF was owned by PureOwnage.

Haha, I'm a fan of PO's work, but he will be 31 and I think Vardy if fit plays. Unless they decide to play all of Hawkins, Pod and Vardy.

 

[you pick one]

forgot travis varcoe too!

menzel varcoe vardy mcintosh rivers caddy + stringer/menzel draft
6 debutants next season practically plus a potential elite kid
thats it, the lids already off for me !

There's no way I could lift the table these days but I'm sure that was a bit of a tingle.

 

[rooke33]

There's no way I could lift the table these days but I sure that was a bit of a tingle.

When the name Varcoe came up, meto went limp.

 

[you pick one]

I knew there would be 1, I don't think he will be in the firsts if Vardy and Hawkins are fit.
However he was very good early last season, so if he is firing during the pre season he might play, do you think we would play Pod, Vardy and Hawkins in the same team? Could Vardy play a Richo style high half forward/wing?

That's what excites me about Vardy he could fill a number of positions

 

[you pick one]

this bloke makes it difficult to constantly hate Hawthorn

Time to read the story of the Trojan Horse.

 

[footscore]

do you think we would play Pod, Vardy and Hawkins in the same team? Could Vardy play a Richo style high half forward/wing?

yeh good point although Richo was a freak but imagine that, Vardy on the wing with Pods, Hawkins and maybe a Kersten roaming around half forward.

The big forward setup seems to work well for North Melbourne and West Coast.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Haha, I'm a fan of PO's work, but he will be 31 and I think Vardy if fit plays. Unless they decide to play all of Hawkins, Pod and Vardy.

I think they'll play all of them at least early on, so no chance Pods misses round 1.

After all HMac will need careful management due to injuries, as will Vardy, and they won't want West to have the same workload as last year. So some rotation policy between the rucks and tall forwards makes sense.

The real question becomes what they will do in finals when they have to make a call on the best 22, I doubt it will be done early in the year.

 

[FredLeDeux]

I think they'll play all of them at least early on, so no chance Pods misses round 1.

After all HMac will need careful management due to injuries, as will Vardy, and they won't want West to have the same workload as last year. So some rotation policy between the rucks and tall forwards makes sense.

The real question becomes what they will do in finals when they have to make a call on the best 22, I doubt it will be done early in the year.

And what of Saint Dawson, eh, comrades?
They really can't afford him and HMc in the same 22 can they?

 

[Pure_Ownage]

And what of Saint Dawson, eh, comrades?
They really can't afford him and HMc in the same 22 can they?

Probably not, no.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Probably not, no.

So presumably that leaves him doing it on his own in the 2nds for most of the season, with 5 or 6 in the 1sts when HMc has a break?

 

[Strangled Cat]

And then you read a post by Shepp, Tazhawk or Hodgepodge, and then it becomes easy again.

Don't forget bosk, that guy is an uber flog!

 

[Pure_Ownage]

So presumably that leaves him doing it on his own in the 2nds for most of the season, with 5 or 6 in the 1sts when HMc has a break?

Yes (If Hamish stays injury free)

 

[FredLeDeux]

Yes (If Hamish stays injury free)

Probably for the best. I watched him pretty closely through the VFL finals series, and he has a long way to go before he becomes an effective 1sts No.1 ruckman. And, of course, he has not yet spent as long in the 2nds as West.
But I think it's going to make some of the natives restless.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Probably for the best. I watched him pretty closely through the VFL finals series, and he has a long way to go before he becomes an effective 1sts No.1 ruckman. And, of course, he has not yet spent as long in the 2nds as West.
But I think it's going to make some of the natives restless.

He was super effective in the Grand Final and I watched his ruckwork closely. I had my reservations before that match, but I think with a bit more development and a sustained run of games (without injury) he'll eventually become a handy player. He tap work to the advantage of the midfielders was exceptional at times. I know It was only one game, but the potential is there.

 

[FredLeDeux]

He was super effective in the Grand Final and I watched his ruckwork closely. I had my reservations before that match, but I think with a bit more development and a sustained run of games (without injury) he'll eventually become a handy player. He tap work to the advantage of the midfielders was exceptional at times. I know It was only one game, but the potential is there.

Yes, he did well in the GF (against undersized opposition, but you've still got to do it), less well in the earlier finals.
I agree that the potential is there, but it's still largely unrealised.

 

[Strangled Cat]

I have suddenly found myself a hell of a lot more interested in this thread now since our list is a lot closer to being finalised. What ever changes are made from here I'm sure will not have any effect on the starting 22 next year. Having a look over the suggested teams people have put up, I have come to the conclusion that there's not much for me to add. I think tenderwarriors team would be about spot on for me.

One thing that hits me though is just how bloody good both our AFL & VFL teams look on paper. I don't think I have ever seen a VFL team that strong, and providing our senior list stay healthy with marginal improvement from the kids and minimal drop off from the seniors, I think we will be a very damaging outfit next year. Bring on the Hawks Round 1 I say!

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Yes, he did well in the GF (against undersized opposition, but you've still got to do it), less well in the earlier finals.
I agree that the potential is there, but it's still largely unrealised.

The key to that is getting him on the park for an extended period to build up his confidence.

One must remember that big men take longer to develop in the system and continual injury problems aren't helping his cause.

It's a make or break season for the big fella, his career might hinge on the outcome of his performances.

I'd love to see him cement a place in the side around mid season after a run if form in the VFL, it'll be extremely healthy for the club.

 

[FredLeDeux]

The key to that is getting him on the park for an extended period to build up his confidence.

One must remember that big men take longer to develop in the system and continual injury problems aren't helping his cause.

It's a make or break season for the big fella, his career might hinge on the outcome of his performances.

I'd love to see him cement a place in the side around mid season after a run if form in the VFL, it'll be extremely healthy for the club.

I agree with Pure_Ownage, it's extremely hard to see how he and HMc can play in the same side; so if he cements a place in the side, HMc is out.