Sorry for butting in as an opposition supporter. But when you look at the back half if youth is the go and it should be. Then if Hughes, Logue, Ryan, Hamling, Wilson and if fit A Pearce all play then the most experienced defender would be wilson at age 25 and just 77 games.Even Hamling at 24 yrs has only played 45 games of footy that makes him the second most experienced and ature player in the back half.
I think M Johnson will play just to give some experience and leadership down back. I think he will play early in the yr anyway because i dont think Pearce will be ready.
Id be looking for a good combination of youth/experience pace run and good foot skills. Atm id be going something like this
FB: Hughes 187/88 23yo/24gms - Hamling 194/90 24yo/45gms - Logue 193/95 19yo/13gms.
HB: Ryan 186/88 22yo/11gms - Johnson 195/92 33yo/231gms - Wilson 185/82 25yo/77gms.
C: B Hill 181/78 24yo/117gms - Blakeley 188/90 22yo/33gms - S Hill 183/81 27yo/190gms.
HF: Walters 177/75 27yo/111gms - McCarthy 192/92 22yo/40gms - Bennell 185/85 25yo/83gms.
FF: Mundy 192/91 32yo/272gms - Taberner 199/98 24yo/53gms - Matera 173/74 26yo/101gms.
R : Sandilands 211/118 35/254 - Fyfe 190/92 26yo/138gms - Neale 177/82 24yo/113gms.
INT: Cerra 186/81 18yo/0gms - Brayshaw 184/84 18yo/0gms - Langdon 182/78 22yo/25gms - Tucker 183/83 21yo/31gms. A spot could go to a swingman like cox or even Darcy playing from the bench in the ruck. But i dont think you will play both Sandi and Darcy in the one team.I think they will be rotated through different games.
In defense i thing Hughes and Ryan look great and should be played. the rest apart from the Pearce conundrum speaks for itself.
Midfield plenty of pace and i reckon Blakeley is a beauty. Not a fan of B Hill though but thats where he will play. Fyfe, Sandi, Neale and Mundy rotating thru there can not be sneezed at.
Fwd half. Pace with Bennell Matera and Walters they need to bring fwd half pressure. No reason why McCarthy cannot play a Jack Riewoldt role just work and run his guts out hit up be a link or shake the opponent and get back.Taberner is a big unit he gives a long out needs to compete and at worst bring the ball to ground.
Put Mundy here as well lots of good reasons to do it. His age his size and his ability to go thru the middle as well. just rotate him and Fyfe a bit like Martin and Caddy the Caddy role is what Mundy needs to do.
Interchange well its a way to ease young players into games its young but hey thats what you lot are about atm.
Its a young side but it only has three teenagers in it it has 9 or so blokes with 100 games or more to their credit and it has only the three vets to give a bit of guidance and plain old know how.The rest are in an ideal age bracket aged 22 thru 27 it means it should be competetive and there should not be huge blow outs. I think ya may even surprise a few people if the injury gods are kind.
