Analysis 2019 List, Game Plan and Best 22?

[The King!]

IMO there are a lot of holes and the worst park is if kennedy, Jack , Macca and Grundy plus smith all drop of quick which is likely with there age we are in in shit

Parker is great but is far from a number 1 mid as we seen and melican has never really had to take the big guys by himself and Rampe can no longer do it

Hard times imo

If buddy drops off? heck

 

[swansfan51]

If buddy drops off? glory be

Franklin will be 32 before preseason games start. There were only 26 players 32 or older at the start of this season, he is already in elite company and beating the odds

 

[S120]

The interesting part will be in defence

Smith at times looked old, ditto Grundy , can they play at near the best/

McVeigh was great but is old so will he maintain?

Rampe I thought started to really struggle as a one on one defender and the umps didn’t help him


In the middle

Kennedy had his worst year- still solid, but he has to defy history and age to lift his form back
Jack had his worst year and was at times not worth a spot, he has to defy history and age too
Parker busted his arse but with those two down he copped the majority of attention
Can Heeney take the next step and become the superstar
Who has the pace and skills in the middle

‘Forward

We have some great smalls, promising tall and Reid but it’s become buddy or bust, if he doesn’t create we don’t score



Ruck

Sinclair great but as some say his hit outs don’t give us much
Naismith off injury and yet to establish himself really,

It could all be that these things work out fine, on paper it’s a promising team
‘But we have some big ifs there

Interesting points.

I think Grundy and Jack will both be given the ROK treatment from round 1 next year. Grundy will lost his spot to Melican and he'll form the core with Rampe and Aliir. They'll be told that they're playing reserves until needed. Hopefully they'll start lessening the load on Rampe to play on monsters every week so he can play a more Mills type of game. Smith I think will have another good year, I don't think he looks old at all in real terms - no defenders look good when the midfield gets pumped like ours was consistently. The thing with him will be whether they want to keep picking a purely defensive back pocket when most other teams are moving towards having all of their small/medium defenders as rebounders or interceptors. I think at least for 2019, they'll stick with Smith and he'll continue doing a good job. McVeigh was fantastic this year and if he has another unbroken pre-season I'd expect the same but getting older always brings added risk of breaking down with injury. I'll be happy if we get Langdon in, I think he'll complement Rampe, Melican, Aliir very nicely.

We definitely need Heeney to keep ascending. I thought he had a great year in 2018 but he certainly is prone to drifting out of games and not going full speed for 4 quarters. If he takes another step up to become an AA player, we're in good stead. An inside midfield rotation of Heeney, Kennedy, Parker, Mills, Jones, Hewett, and Dawson with Florent, Cunningham, Clarke on the wings looks pretty good to me.

Reid is the biggest part of the forward line working. Franklin desperately needs help. Papley needs to stay forward - hopefully Mills, Jones into the middle allows for that. Ronke tired out towards the end of the year, we didn't see his ludicrously tireless pressure at all in the last 2 months. He needs a few more pre-seasons to do it for 22 rounds probably. McCartin would do well with some reserves football because he's so damn young. I'm hoping for a better year from Hayward too, he kicked 28 this year which is certainly impressive but I think he has a long way to go before he's a consistent presence in the side. He's young so he has time, but I'm a little on the fence about how good he'll be long term tbh.

It will be very interesting to see what is done when Naismith is fit. Will they play him and Sinclair in the same side? The pendulum is starting to swing back towards coaches being OK to play two 200cm+ ruckmen in the same side again, with WCE, Brisbane, Collingwood, GWS, Hawthorn all doing it for significant portions of the season. I can see Sinclair playing at FF for most of games in 2019 with Naismith in as the first ruck. I'd prefer Sinclair as our number 1, but I can see that happening.

 

[S120]

If buddy drops off? glory be

He was injured all year and still in a league of his own. I don't think he's anywhere near dropping off.

But if we don't find a more effective way of harnessing his amazing ability within the side, we'll probably end up similarly to this year.

 

[The King!]

He was injured all year and still in a league of his own. I don't think he's anywhere near dropping off.

But if we don't find a more effective way of harnessing his amazing ability within the side, we'll probably end up similarly to this year.

Oh agree 100%

Just in the doomsday mode I got thinking

 

[Jewelsbon]

Franklin will be 32 before preseason games start. There were only 26 players 32 or older at the start of this season, he is already in elite company and beating the odds

Well he has spent his whole career in elite company doing elite and extraordinary things, don't see why next year should change that.

 

[Mick Oxlong]

Well he has spent his whole career in elite company doing elite and extraordinary things, don't see why next year should change that.

Well played Jewels...well played!

 

[SSwans2011]

Just to update mine without Langdon:
FB: Smith - Melican - Rampe
HB: McVeigh - Aliir - Lloyd
C: Jones - Kennedy - Heeney
HF: Hayward - Franklin - Reid
FF: Papley - Sinclair - Ronke
Ruck: Naismith - Parker - Hewett
INT: Mills - Florent - Cunningham - Clarke

Defensive depth: Grundy, Maibaum, Thurlow, Marsh, Stoddart, O'Riordan, Ling.
Midfield depth: Dawson, Jack, Blakey, Robinson, Fox.
Forward depth: McCartin, Rose.
Ruck depth: Cameron, Amartey.

The pre-season usually throws a few curve balls at you, and we will likely see a few players come from out of nowhere and obviously a few injuries. Pretty strong base to build from there, though.

Think we have a lot of depth and enough quality youngsters to be able to replace the ageing players. Some pretty handy depth if a few players take the next step. Looking forward to the draft and pre-season!

 

[scaryness]

B: Rampe - Grundy - Aliir
HB: Lloyd - Melican - McVeigh
C: Jones - Kennedy - Florent
HF: Papley - Reid - Ronke
F: Hayward - Franklin - McCartin
R: Sinclair - Parker - Heeney
INT: Cunningham - Mills - Hewett - Dawson

EMG: Naismith - Smith - Jack - Clarke

 

[caesar88]

FB - Smith, Melican, Aliir
HB - Lloyd, Rampe, McVeigh (preferably not)
C - Florent, Parker, Jones
R - Naismith, Heeney, Kennedy
HF - Ronke, Franklin, Reid
FF - Papley, Sinclair, Hayward
IC - Hewett, Mills, Cunningham, Dawson

I still see no place for any of the new additions (including Blakey) and that's with getting rid of the fossils. If McVeigh were to go out, I'd have Ling or Stoddart in his place as they would be quicker than Thurlow. As we know though, lists are never fully fit are they?

 

[scaryness]

If Grundy, Melican and Aliir are playing I see no reason for Smith to get a game as Rampe can take his role and be an upgrade all-around I think.

Grundy still best 22 imo, was his usual best except for 2 or 3 games that are sticking in people's minds.

 

[caesar88]

If Grundy, Melican and Aliir are playing I see no reason for Smith to get a game as Rampe can take his role and be an upgrade all-around I think.

Grundy still best 22 imo, was his usual best except for 2 or 3 games that are sticking in people's minds.

Smith still best 22 imo, was his usual best except for 2 or 3 games that are sticking in people's minds.

 

[S120]

Smith still best 22 imo, was his usual best except for 2 or 3 games that are sticking in people's minds.

If we want only one old guy in the backline, I'm picking Smith.

 

[BloodySwan]

Starting positions....
B: Smith, Grundy, McVeigh,
HB: Aliir, Melican, Rampe
C: Lloyd, Mills, Hewett
HF: Heeney, Buddy, Jones
FF: Papley, Reid, Hayward
R: Naismith, Parker, Kennedy
Int: Cunningham, Sinclair, Florent, Ronke,
EMG: Clarke, Thurlow, Marsh, Dawson, Cameron

I really want to fit Clarke into that list as well but not sure who I would say he'd take out.

 

[Wolftone]

The interesting part will be in defence

Smith at times looked old, ditto Grundy , can they play at near the best/

McVeigh was great but is old so will he maintain?

Rampe I thought started to really struggle as a one on one defender and the umps didn’t help him


In the middle

Kennedy had his worst year- still solid, but he has to defy history and age to lift his form back
Jack had his worst year and was at times not worth a spot, he has to defy history and age too
Parker busted his arse but with those two down he copped the majority of attention
Can Heeney take the next step and become the superstar
Who has the pace and skills in the middle

‘Forward

We have some great smalls, promising tall and Reid but it’s become buddy or bust, if he doesn’t create we don’t score



Ruck

Sinclair great but as some say his hit outs don’t give us much
Naismith off injury and yet to establish himself really,

It could all be that these things work out fine, on paper it’s a promising team
‘But we have some big ifs there

We will move Mills into the mids. Ow we have traded for a defender who can replace him. With Melican coming back this should free up Mills, Jones and Lloyd to mix it through the midfield. I believe Kizza is finished. I don't even understand why we gave him another year. He played a few good games late but much too late and his final was not just lamentable it was terrible.

As for the backs. We have Aliir, Melican, Rampe, Thurlow, O'Riordan, Lloyd and Fox. Ling and Stoddart can also play through the backs. Reg, Smithy and Macca are aging as you say and I believe this will be their last year.

The Buddy forward-line has to change to be the forward'line. Bud has to just be another member of a super efficient forward structure. But Longmire won't do that because he can't see that we are dying by being a one man show. He is blind to the reality that Buddy doesn't win premierships, great teams win premierships and it helps if Bud is a part of a great team. We have the talent in that forward-line we just need to utilise ALL of it not just one of it.

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[The King!]

We will move Mills into the mids. Ow we have traded for a defender who can replace him. With Melican coming back this should free up Mills, Jones and Lloyd to mix it through the midfield. I believe Kizza is finished. I don't even understand why we gave him another year. He played a few good games late but much too late and his final was not just lamentable it was terrible.

As for the backs. We have Aliir, Melican, Rampe, Thurlow, O'Riordan, Lloyd and Fox. Ling and Stoddart can also play through the backs. Reg, Smithy and Macca are aging as you say and I believe this will be their last year.

The Buddy forward-line has to change to be the forward'line. Bud has to just be another member of a super efficient forward structure. But Longmire won't do that because he can't see that we are dying by being a one man show. He is blind to the reality that Buddy doesn't win premierships, great teams win premierships and it helps if Bud is a part of a great team. We have the talent in that forward-line we just need to utilise ALL of it not just one of it.

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The forward line on paper has a heck of a lot of talent if utilised effectively

We should be one of the better scoring sides, if anything light on in defence.

Theres some nice kids there, but they need to by the end of 2019 have taken over from the Grundy, Smith, Jack, Mcveigh types or otherwise you get to the end of 2019 and 4-5 first choice players could all retire. Like I said its a worse case scenario

 

[Swans man]

Alir (rampe roll) grundy smith
Lloyd melican macca

Cunningham (wing) jpk florent(wing)
Followers: heeney/parker hewett naismith

Parker/Heeney Franklin hayward
Ronke reid papley

Interchange mills (midfield/back) rampe (back/midfield) jones (back/midfield) Sinclair ( forward/ruck)

You have ling that will put huge pressure on smith in my oppinion. Seen him play a couple of games he can play but smith is proven afl star. This could change. If macca falls apart ling would come in as well. Great kick on him.
Stoddard. Colin ( irish) thurlow back depth.

Clarke looks great but can butcher the ball he is great back up for on the wing or through the middle.

Macartin will play neafl but forward depth

Jack will become depth in forward/ midfield along with rose.

Cameren ruck depth

I like bell but he is depth.

Dawson i really wanted to find room for which i could only find chopping either naismith or sinclair which is the only way he fits. I think he is ready for afl but he is a forward/midfielder. I dont know who is chopped to fit him.
Maybe if hayward goes quiet dawson is putting pressure on him to perform.

Lets face it we play in defence and push forward. Hence why alot of defence minded players in best 22.

This is how i see it i am wrong but i had a go.
I do think rampe will play midfield minutes but still play big role down back. Depend on injuries down back. If back line is all there he will play midfield

 

[sr20]

PRE-DRAFT

B: Aliir Aliir; Lewis Melican; Nick Smith
HB: Dane Rampe; Heath Grundy; Jake Lloyd
C: Oliver Florent; Josh P Kennedy; Zak Jones
HF: Will Hayward; Lance Franklin; Tom Papley
F: Callum Sinclair; Sam Reid; Ben Ronke
R: Sam Naismith; Luke Parker; George Hewett
INT: Isaac Heeney; Callum Mills; Harry Cunningham; Jarrad McVeigh

Defence: Melican and Grundy take the two KPF's for opposition. Aliir takes the third tall, and plays the third man intercept role. Nick Smith still takes the best small forward. Rampe and Lloyd, and McVeigh when on the field are the distributors from the Back Half of the ground. Releasing Rampe is key, his long kicking is an attribute we haven't taken advantage of enough.
If Melican and/or Grundy don't play, Maibaum comes in
If Smith doesn't play, Marsh comes in
If Rampe, Lloyd or McVeigh don't play, Thurlow or O'Riordan come in
If Aliir doesn't play, Rampe plays the role, and Thurlow or O'Riordan come in

Midfield: Combinations of the 5 of JPK, Parker, Heeney, Mills and Hewett play through the middle of the ground.
Florent, Jones and Cunningham to run the wings. Naissmith should be Rucking 65% of the time at a minimum.
If Naismith is out: Cameron
If any of the Wingers are out: Clarke, Stoddart, Ling
If any of the stoppage midfielders are out: Dawson, Jack, Robinson

Forwards: Franklin, Reid and 65% of the game Sinclair should be our key marking options. One at all times deep in the goal square. Hayward is a more than handy fourth marking option, and Ronke and Papley are genuine crumbers.
If Franklin, Reid or Sinclair are out: McCartin, Amartey
If Papley or Ronke are out: Rose
If Hayward out: Fox, Pink

 

[Punts]

Still think we can push for the 8 in 19

7th-12th

A lot of gaps and blokes that could be finished before the season really starts

 

[The King!]

If Kennedy is back to normal next year we will make the top 8 easily

If he is like this year or declines more we are farked imo

 

[S120]

If Kennedy is back to normal next year we will make the top 8 easily

If he is like this year or declines more we are farked imo

I'm generally on board with this. On the balance of things, we'll be finalists again. Our young guys are a year older, fitter, stronger (Florent, Hayward, Aliir, Papley). None of our real top end guys (Franklin, Kennedy, Parker, Rampe, Lloyd, Heeney) are about to fall off a cliff altogether. Some of our maligned foot soldiers are coming off career years suggesting they have turned a corner in their career (Sinclair, Cunningham). We need the injured bunch from this year to contribute (Mills, Naismith, Reid, Melican). We have enough depth to ensure we'll be finalists again

I'm very doubtful we'll go near a flag unfortunately. If we had snagged Langdon and Vandenberg, I'd be really optimistic about that but I don't think our middle-aged bracket is good enough to get us there.

 

[connolly]

Just to update mine without Langdon:
FB: Smith - Melican - Rampe
HB: McVeigh - Aliir - Lloyd
C: Jones - Kennedy - Heeney
HF: Hayward - Franklin - Reid
FF: Papley - Sinclair - Ronke
Ruck: Naismith - Parker - Hewett
INT: Mills - Florent - Cunningham - Clarke

Defensive depth: Grundy, Maibaum, Thurlow, Marsh, Stoddart, O'Riordan, Ling.
Midfield depth: Dawson, Jack, Blakey, Robinson, Fox.
Forward depth: McCartin, Rose.
Ruck depth: Cameron, Amartey.

The pre-season usually throws a few curve balls at you, and we will likely see a few players come from out of nowhere and obviously a few injuries. Pretty strong base to build from there, though.

Think we have a lot of depth and enough quality youngsters to be able to replace the ageing players. Some pretty handy depth if a few players take the next step. Looking forward to the draft and pre-season!

Agree with most of that FWIW. But disagree with the half forward line. If we play Buddy at CHF more potent f we play Ronke and Papley alongside him. Maybe add to the defensive pressure across the half forward line. Play Reid on a wing further up the ground as linking marking tall. Play Hayward at full forward as a fast leading option with Sinkers in a forward pocket to isolate with a defender one out. This configuration would make the forward line a lot faster away from goal and create more space for Buddy without drawing a second tall defender to him if he had Reid playing on a flank. Anyway if we get the ball into the forward line quickly we have a lot of talent to recieve it.

 

[connolly]

If Kennedy is back to normal next year we will make the top 8 easily

If he is like this year or declines more we are farked imo

Naismith is a key in many ways for Kennedy. Not so much as a tap ruckman but in using his size to clear the pack in the congestion. A bit like Mumford. Sinkers toiled manfully but he just didnt have the bulk to do that job this season. It tolled on Kennedy as the year wore on.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

I think the older guys will play fewer games. Jack is cooked and id be surprised if Maçca could play half as well next year. Smithy is still a good lock down back but offers little run and his disposal is limited to chippetty chip. For me Reg is the most viable.

 

[sthmelb_dimmies]

Funny how none of you blokes have McCartin in the starting 22 next year.

After the season he just had pinch hitting for an injury depleted side, give him a decent off season with all that confidence, and mark my words he’ll hold down a spot in that forward line next year from round 1.