Analysis 2018 Best 22

[PremiershipNo4]

Do you think Brander is in mix for rd1

No

 

[Doashuey]

Cole>>>>>>Nelson.
He has had a great pre-season, been one of our better backmen in both games and a lock for Rd 1 IMO.

 

[RookiePick]

Yeah given the fact that Vardy has gone down, and Nic Nat seems a fair way off playing McInnes is a lock for round 1. Big bodied and competes well, there are no other legitimate options to give Lycett a break. Brander is way too underweight to compete in the Ruck, and playing McGovern as the 2nd ruck would be robbing Peter to pay Paul, especially against Sydneys forward line.
McInnes is a good forward just a bit slow, but it's not too often you'll see him beaten in a marking contest, most of the time it will come to ground and every now and again he'll clunk one, like you said let the crumbers do their thing

Fraser could have a Sinkers 2015 year if his body stays right. He did several really good things in the Freo scratchy - tap down to Yeo goal a highlight. As much as anything he just needs the confidence to back himself in a bit more, he has always been tidy at worst with the ball in hand.

He looks in bloody good nick I reckon and he looks to have a bit more muscle on his frame which will help him a lot in the contest and hopefully help him feel like he can crack in more. Sinkers made a stack of blues in 2015 but his continual attack on the footy and pushing to as many contests as possible delivered plenty of positive outcomes too.

 

[flamingEMBERS]

Sounds like the old Paddy McGinnity argument, only at least Paddy was able to keep his feet most of the time.

Wow really? Nelson’s opposite side skills are like 1000 times better than pats. The guy has shown glimpses in a position he wasn’t drafted in. Play him up the ground

 

[Glenno18]

Here's our 2017 Semi final lineup V GWS

B: Duggan, McKenzie, Sheppard
HB: Yeo, McGovern, Hurn
C: Jetta, Priddis, Gaff
HF: Redden, Darling, Petrie
F: LeCras, Kennedy, Cripps
Fol: Vardy, Mitchell, Shuey
I/C: Sheed, Wellingham, Hutchings, Barrass

There's only 4 permanent spots in the 22 to fill from that lineup. The teams starting lineup for Sunday's JLT hit out is pretty close to full strength except for 3 short term injuries in Naitanui (Vardy), JK and Mckenzie.

B: Sheppard, Barrass, Cole
HB: Hurn, McGovern, Duggan
C: Jetta, Redden, Gaff
HF: LeCras, Waterman, Sheed
F: Cripps, Darling, Ryan
Fol: Lycett, Yeo, Shuey
I/C: Masten, Brander, Venables, Schofield, Ainsworth, Hutchings, Mcinnes, Rioli

Permanent spots
1. Cole looks like he's taken Mitchell's spot with Yeo on the ball now, which is a good move. He looks to be ahead of Watson.
2. Lycett replaces Petrie permanently, if he can stay on the park.
3. Venables replaces Priddis with Redden going into the middle.
4. Waterman will probably come in for Wellingham long term.
Sheed, Hutchings and Barrass will be in the team for round 1 barring more injuries so that leaves only 3 short term injuries to cover in Naitanui (Vardy), JK and Mckenzie.
Injury Step ups
Naitanui > Brander off the bench. Lycett is starting ruck and you'd think he if he's fit he'll ruck 80% of the game so I'd go small in the backline for when he needs a breather and ruck McGovern. I'm hoping that we give some minutes to Brander off the bench rather than chicken out and use Schofield or McInnes.
JK > Ryan in a small lineup with JK at FF.
Mckenzie > Barrass has fullback locked up now and I'd push Hurn onto a tall forward if needed in the rotation, like in 2015, so you're really only filling a bench spot. We could throw Yeo back and roll someone else onto the ball if need be as well. I'd play Rioli but any one of Watson, Ainsworth or Nelson off the bench until we're back to full strength.

 

[kerr87]

My Best 22 with a fit Naitanui & Kennedy

B: Sheppard, Barrass, Cole
HB: Hurn, McGovern, Duggan
C: Jetta, Redden, Gaff
HF: LeCras, Darling, Sheed
F: Cripps, Kennedy, Ryan
Fol: Naitanui, Yeo, Shuey
I/C: Lycett, Venables, Hutchings, Rioli

Kennedy replaces Waterman.
Naitanui replaces McInnes.

Pretty exciting team aye!

 

[kerr87]

So excited by Brander btw. Moves so well for a player at 195cm and doesn't stop presenting. Really knows how to read the play and time his leads. We haven't had a pure CHF for a long long time so its going to be great to see him partner with Waterman (FF) over the next 10 years.

HF O. Allen Brander Petrucelle
FF Ryan Waterman Rioli

Great blend of marking power, speed, skill and tackling pressure.
Venables will rotate off the HFF too.
Get excited.

 

[flamingEMBERS]

I really think Brander should be given first crack in the scenario that JK doesn't play round 1. McInnes should be given a shot for the 2nd ruck, but Brander definitely should come in for JK.

All this talk of Waterman being a natural forward is great and I love it, but that is exactly the type of player we need to move into the midfield. He's clearly not tall enough to be a key forward, so developing him as a mid that has natural fwd capabilities would be all time.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

All this talk of Waterman being a natural forward is great and I love it, but that is exactly the type of player we need to move into the midfield. He's clearly not tall enough to be a key forward, so developing him as a mid that has natural fwd capabilities would be all time.

Except O. Allen is the player we should do that with, not Waterman.

 

[flamingEMBERS]

Except O. Allen is the player we should do that with, not Waterman.

Why not Waterman too?

 

[WestCoast05]

NicNat's leg doesn't fall off during scratch match
He played 54 minutes,
14 possessions and 33 hit outs

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-10/nic-nat-back-star-impresses-in-scratch-match


Article highlights:
"
Importantly, he got through unscathed, playing 54 minutes for East Perth and tallying 14 possessions and 33 hit-outs at East Fremantle Oval.

Just as importantly, the 201cm big man appeared confident in his reconstructed left knee, leaping and landing on that leg at centre bounces and in marking contests – albeit not as highly, yet, as he has in his pomp.

"(It was) encouraging. It's a follow-on from what he has been doing at training. Nothing adverse. He looked pretty natural most of the time," football manager Craig Vozzo said.

"(He) probably didn't jump as high as we have seen in the past, but there are some encouraging signs. He landed well.

"I think we got a good outcome."

Despite lining up at centre half-forward, he was almost immediately into the ruck, and was clearly too big and powerful for the Sharks' 197cm ruckman Michael Cronan, who was far from disgraced against the 2012 All Australian.

Watched by West Coast's coaches and his teammates, Naitanui contested his first centre bounce at the six-minute mark and started to showcase his trademark deft taps into space as the match wore on.

To start the third term, he palmed a brilliant left-handed tap into the path of Luke Partington, before snatching the ball cleanly from the next restart and bombing inside 50.

As his opponent tired, Naitanui began to dominate stoppages around the ground, standing his ground and palming the ball down teammates' throats.

"I think he was a bit angry on the bench there for a bit according to the staff," Vozzo said.

"He probably unleashed a little bit more; got a bit higher, a bit more follow-up on the ground.

Naitanui played 19 minutes in each of the opening terms, usually in short six-minute bursts interspersed with three-minute breathers on the interchange bench, and 16 minutes coming back from the half-time break.

The Eagles pulled their most prized asset from the contest at three-quarter time, with Naitanui finishing with five kicks and nine handballs.

He got his hands to several contested marking attempts but none stuck. Positively, though, he showed no hesitation leaping into packs.

 

[kerr87]

Boding well. Great news.

 

[Eagle Wrath]

Some Nic Nat highlights from today.

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/w...for-east-perth-in-scratch-match-ng-b88770344z

 

[Obeanie1]

Fraser could have a Sinkers 2015 year if his body stays right. He did several really good things in the Freo scratchy - tap down to Yeo goal a highlight. As much as anything he just needs the confidence to back himself in a bit more, he has always been tidy at worst with the ball in hand.

He looks in bloody good nick I reckon and he looks to have a bit more muscle on his frame which will help him a lot in the contest and hopefully help him feel like he can crack in more. Sinkers made a stack of blues in 2015 but his continual attack on the footy and pushing to as many contests as possible delivered plenty of positive outcomes too.

McInness was retained for kp forward and ruck depth. Right now we are down two rucks and our best forward. Fraser did ok last week and if he holds his own today should play rnd 1.

Also he is well liked by the players and won best clubman last season. Looks fit and ready to play his role for the team.

I say unleash the Big Mac round 1.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

Fraser is a terrible fall back option.

 

[Quinz]

Fraser is a terrible fall back option.

He was the only player I saw for us in the whole game who lowered his eyes and hit a leading forward. For that he can play in Round 1!

 

[bUCKET__]

He was the only player I saw for us in the whole game who lowered his eyes and hit a leading forward. For that he can play in Round 1!

Fraze to play on a wing perhaps? Haha

 

[Eastern Rangers]

He was the only player I saw for us in the whole game who lowered his eyes and hit a leading forward. For that he can play in Round 1!

Makes all the difference if we're getting chewed up in stoppages.

 

[Coinz]

Whats the likelihood that Tom Cole holds his spot as best 22 this year?

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Whats the likelihood that Tom Cole holds his spot as best 22 this year?

Pretty reasonable I think. He's better than his main competition in Nelson and Watson.

 

[RookiePick]

Pretty reasonable I think. He's better than his main competition in Nelson and Watson.

We'll see. Cole worries me in the air and i think he might find it difficult to not get pushed off the ball for a while yet.

Hopefully he proves me wrong.

 

[Godfather32]

Whats the likelihood that Tom Cole holds his spot as best 22 this year?

Not only will he he hold his spot he'll get a rising star nomination this year

 

[WCE_phil]

Cole has talent but I think he's 2 years away from being a very good small defender.

 

[ziad]

Waterman has shown enough to make me think he is a better forward that JD. If he improves quickly which is likely given his 2017 miss adventure it will be interesting.
Venables is another that I think will come on quickly.
Cripps and LeCras are now under pressure to hold spots which is a good thing as we have other smaller forward options. Ryan will settle.

 

[Books]

Is Yeo in the midfield a permanent move?