2021 - Best 22

[Punts]

Gulden should go alright in the opposite pocket to papley

Both don't mind a celebration either

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

Put Reid, McDonald, and Sinclair in the same forward line and I guarantee Reid is getting the best backman.

 

[RobbieK]

I would call that rucking solo.

We've had Dawson and Fox pinch-hit in the ruck before. Would much rather them pinch-hit and allow a better player to be included in the 22.

Astbury (195cm) and Lynch (200cm) are significantly more help in the ruck than Fox (185cm) and Dawson (192cm). Nankervis rucking with that support is no more "rucking solo" than Sinclair rucking with Aliir and Reid helping him out this year.

I think it is reasonable to say that you can't replace Sinclair with Hickey and not replace Aliir and Reid in the 22 with anyone with similar capacity to assist in the ruck, particularly when you also have an 18 year old key forward selected who needs to have some protection from being dominated by a first or second choice opposition key defender. If you don't agree with that then I think we just need to agree to disagree, because I think this conversation is now tedious for everyone.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

I would call that rucking solo.

We've had Dawson and Fox pinch-hit in the ruck before. Would much rather them pinch-hit and allow a better player to be included in the 22.

Or melican/brand

 

[caesar88]

Astbury (195cm) and Lynch (200cm) are significantly more help in the ruck than Fox (185cm) and Dawson (192cm). Nankervis rucking with that support is no more "rucking solo" than Sinclair rucking with Aliir and Reid helping him out this year.

I think it is reasonable to say that you can't replace Sinclair with Hickey and not replace Aliir and Reid in the 22 with anyone with similar capacity to assist in the ruck, particularly when you also have an 18 year old key forward selected who needs to have some protection from being dominated by a first or second choice opposition key defender. If you don't agree with that then I think we just need to agree to disagree, because I think this conversation is now tedious for everyone.

I said this like ten posts ago which I thought made it pretty clear I didn't agree haha

I don't think we do need a second ruck, and I think Heeney would benefit McDonald more than Reid/Sinclair. So I don't see the need for them beyond a potential scenario where Hickey gets injured.

 

[Olian]

Reid will pinch hit in the ruck with no Aliir. Reid will get games, the hubris that you replace him with a raw 18 year old and hope for the best. Given Buddy is no certain starter we’ll need Reid on the field to take the best key defender.

 

[RobbieK]

I said this like ten posts ago which I thought made it pretty clear I didn't agree haha

I know you didn't agree. That "if" probably should have been an "as".

 

[Kapers]

LOL, it's always hard to fit all our players into a best 22, becomes a lot easier once we lose the first game, then we start running out of players to fill the best 22.

 

[caesar88]

LOL, it's always hard to fit all our players into a best 22, becomes a lot easier once we lose the first game, then we start running out of players to fill the best 22.

The fact we've had a shit run with injuries the last few years has not helped. Even as I did my best 22 earlier, it was an in-a-perfect-world scenario, knowing full well that as per usual, some key players for us will go down, and we'll have to start screwing up some of our better players to fill the holes, while very average players will end up playing more games than they should be.

Although we are due for a change of luck where injuries are concerned. Surely...

 

[Kapers]

The fact we've had a sh*t run with injuries the last few years has not helped. Even as I did my best 22 earlier, it was an in-a-perfect-world scenario, knowing full well that as per usual, some key players for us will go down, and we'll have to start screwing up some of our better players to fill the holes, while very average players will end up playing more games than they should be.

Although we are due for a change of luck where injuries are concerned. Surely...

DONT JINX US!!!!

Can already see the headlines...

 

[S120]

Cunningham - Rampe - Mills
Dawson - McCartin - Lloyd
Florent - Parker - McInerney
Blakey - Franklin - Heeney
Papley - Reid - McDonald
Hickey - Kennedy - Rowbottom

Hewett - Stephens - Fox - Campbell

Sinclair - Hayward - Ling - Melican

This would be my go at round 1 right now at full strength (minus Naismith).

 

[bungee]

I don't envy the challenge Horse will face in trying to slot all of these guys in in their most suited roles.

Good to have depth

 

[Punts]

Cunningham - Rampe - Mills
Dawson - McCartin - Lloyd
Florent - Parker - McInerney
Blakey - Franklin - Heeney
Papley - Reid - McDonald
Hickey - Kennedy - Rowbottom

Hewett - Stephens - Fox - Campbell

Sinclair - Hayward - Ling - Melican

This would be my go at round 1 right now at full strength (minus Naismith).

I reckon Melican plays

 

[bungee]

Foot got the boot

Well spotted

 

[S120]

I reckon Melican plays

May be so, particularly after receiving a 3 year deal. Comes down to him or Fox I suppose.

 

[sr20]

Best 22
B Rampe - Melican - Cunningham
HB Lloyd - McCartin - Mills
C McInerney - Kennedy - Stephens
HF Heeney - Franklin - Hayward
F Papley - McDonald - Reid
R Hickey - Parker - Rowbottom
INT Blakey - Dawson - Hewett - Florent

Depth (in position replacing, in order of when they should come in)
Ruck/KPF: Sinclair, McLean, Amartey, Naismith (LTI)
Mid/Fwd: Campbell, Taylor, Ronke, Gulden, Gray, Bell, Wicks
Mid: Clarke, Warner
KPD: Brand, O'Connor
Def: Fox, Gould, Ling, O'Riordan, Carruthers
??: Sheather

 

[RUNVS]

I want both Campbell and Dawson playing as high midfielders next year, both being around 75m from goal, and both of them being our main targets when kicking the ball out of defence as I want both Campbell and Dawson to be the ones kicking it into the forward line whenever possible.

 

[Punts]

I want Dawson setting up from the back half and playing interception role , Mal like

 

[RUNVS]

I want Dawson setting up from the back half and playing interception role , Mal like

Dawson is wasted as an interceptor. His main weapon is his kicking. We should be putting both him and Campbell in a position on the ground where their kicking ability can do the most damage.

 

[Punts]

Dawson is wasted as an interceptor. His main weapon is his kicking. We should be putting both him and Campbell in a position on the ground where their kicking ability can do the most damage.

So he isn't damerging as a hbf kicking outlet

Hbf break most games open

Didn't watch 16gf

 

[RUNVS]

So he isn't damerging as a hbf kicking outlet

Hbf break most games open

Didn't watch 16gf

Yes having good distributors off halfback is important, but I think the most important field kick in the game is still the one going into the forward 50.

 

[Vin Rogue]

Cunningham - Rampe - Mills
Dawson - McCartin - Lloyd
Florent - Parker - McInerney
Blakey - Franklin - Heeney
Papley - Reid - McDonald
Hickey - Kennedy - Rowbottom

Hewett - Stephens - Fox - Campbell

Sinclair - Hayward - Ling - Melican

This would be my go at round 1 right now at full strength (minus Naismith).

It is possible that McDonald may get his start at the Swans as the third marking man up in defence. He wouldn't be the first forward who's cut his teeth as a defender. Gets him acquainted with the speed of the game without the need to change direction and cope with a backman who might be intent on ragdolling him. Some forwards he plays on may intend to bully him also - but I've seen enough of McCartin to know that he is a reliable team man and will be thereabouts when the argy bargy starts up.

 

[RUNVS]

It is possible that McDonald may get his start at the Swans as the third marking man up in defence. He wouldn't be the first forward who's cut his teeth as a defender. Gets him acquainted with the speed of the game without the need to change direction and cope with a backman who might be intent on ragdolling him. Some forwards he plays on may intend to bully him also - but I've seen enough of McCartin to know that he is a reliable team man and will be thereabouts when the argy bargy starts up.

Problem is once a forward gets sent to defence most of the time he becomes a defender. It is what happened to Richards, Grundy, McCartin and that is just at the Swans. Once a player is moved to defence, and he plays in defence pretty well most of the time that is where he stays, especially under Longmire.

 

[caesar88]

Well with our list complete for now, I thought I'd have a go at what I'd like our round 1 team to look like.

B - Fox, McCartin, Rampe
HB - Mills, Melican, Lloyd
C - Blakey, Hewett, McInerney
HF - Dawson, Franklin, Campbell
F - Papley, McDonald, Heeney
Foll - Hickey, Rowbottom, Parker
I/C - Kennedy, Cunningham, Stephens, Florent

Emergencies - Hayward, Sinclair, Brand, Clarke

Depth - Ling, Reid, Ronke, O'Riordan, McLean, Wicks, Gulden (included him as depth, not youth, as the academy background tends to make these boys more ready for senior footy.)
Youth - Warner, Gould, O'Connor, Amartey, Sheather, Malachy

Went with the one ruck being Hickey, as I just don't think Sinclair offers enough forward, and personally think between Heeney & Dawson who I like forward of centre, we have enough marking targets there now. I'm obviously not expecting much immediately from McDonald, but he's definitely worth playing above Reid, who was poor this year.

Hayward gets the boot on account of really not showing much the last two seasons, with Campbell filling his spot. (This is subject to change if Hayward has a big pre-season and Campbell needs to be eased into it more.) Florent is also player 22 for mine, as I'd argue Stephens, Blakey and McInerney had all overtaken him and shown more towards the end of the 2020 season.

The main midfield trio becomes Parker, Rowbottom and Hewett, who plays as a pure ball-winner. We have a surplus of quality outside guys as mentioned above, we need to start winning it out of the centre and supplying them, so IMO we can't afford a tagger at our centre bounces. And hopefully this trio will see us start to phase out JPK, which has to happen though we may try to deny it.

Brand and Clarke miss out, while not doing a lot wrong. We simply have better options in their roles until proven otherwise. And a few highly-fancied youngsters, particularly Warner and Gould, who will hopefully press for selection throughout the year.

Amending this, with McLean replacing Sinclair as an emergency. If we're gonna bring anyone in in that supporting ruck/extra tall forward role, which I'm still not keen on, I'd rather it be the 21 year old than the 30 year old, in the hopes that he can settle into that role, and who knows, maybe even forge a partnership inside 50 with McDonald as they develop together.

 

[Vin Rogue]

Problem is once a forward gets sent to defence most of the time he becomes a defender. It is what happened to Richards, Grundy, McCartin and that is just at the Swans. Once a player is moved to defence, and he plays in defence pretty well most of the time that is where he stays, especially under Longmire.

Quite true...but that is where they finished their apprenticeship as failed senior forwards, not where they might have begun their senior journey. Teddy and Reg became great backmen. McCartin's confidence and his marking skills - intercepting as well as pack marks - suggest that the backline will the making of him as a footballer. Whether the forward within him wants to learn from his brief time in the backline and can transition back to the forward line and keep his newly acquired confidence and faith in his ability to dominate - that will be fascinating to observe. Either way the Swans win. Another Paul Roos perhaps?