Prediction 2023 Best 23

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Bombers36

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I know its a long way away but thought I'd jump on this to see what our best 22 might look like round 1 next year - obviously from the list of players we have pre trade/draft etc;-

Ridley Zerk Kelly
Redman Lav McGrath
Langford Shiel Durham
Martin Stringer Perkins
Jones 2MP Wanga

Draper Parish Merrett

Bench: Caldwell Hobbs Hind Cox

Emergency: D'Ambrosio Snelling Reid Bryan

I've left out Heppell, Guelfi, Stewart & Francis all who are uncontracted and will be exploring external options you'd think
 
B: Ridley - Zerk-Thatcher - Laverde
HB: McGrath - Reid - Redman
C: Durham - Caldwell - Merrett
HF: Langford - Jones - Martin
F: Stringer - Wright - Guelfi
R: Draper - Shiel - Parish
I/C: Perkins - Hobbs - Cox - D’Ambrossio
Sub: Hind
 
B: Ridley - Zerk-Thatcher - McGrath
HB: D’Ambrossio - Reid - Redman
C: Durham - Caldwell - Merrett
HF: Langford - Jones - Martin
F: Stringer - Wright - Guelfi
R: Draper - Shiel - Parish
I/C: Perkins - Hobbs - Cox - Baldwin
Sub: Menzie

Hopefully pick up a few as I don’t think Baldwin or Menzie are ready for solid best 22. I can’t stand the thought of having Laverde and Hind in our back line next year
 

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When people pick their best 22, is it "best 22 for 2023 that might sneak in to an elimination final loss' or 'best 22 in the hope of getting games into players who might be around to contribute in 3-5 years'?
 
Not so much a best 22 but right now this is who I want to see in round 1.

B: Ridley BZT McGrath
HB: Redman Reid Laverde
C: Durham Shiel Merrett
HF: Stringer Jones Langford
FF: Guelfi Wright D'Ambrosio
R: Draper Caldwell Hobbs
Int: Cox Parish Martin Perkins

The more notable omissions are Snelling, Menzie, Hind, Stewart, Heppell, Kelly and Phillips.
 
Pre trade/draft period

B Ridley - Zerk-Thatcher - Laverde
HB McGrath - Reid - Redman
C Durham - Shiel - Martin
HF Langford - Jones - Perkins
F Guelfi - Wright - Stringer
R Draper - Parish - Merrett
Int. Caldwell - Hobbs - D’Ambrosio - Hind
Emg. Cox - Menzie - Baldwin - Bryan

Interesting preseason ahead, a lot of kids I’d like to see go past the guys who are what they are.

Also feel we need one of Menzie/Wanganeen/Davey Jnr in that 22, unwilling to drop Guelfi as it stands though and don’t know who else makes way.
 
It'll depend on who stays and goes, as well as anyone else we pick up. What I hope to have (Parish traded, Heppell going to GC, gain Jack Bytel)

Jayden Laverde - Brandon Zerk-Thatcher - Jake Kelly
Jordan Ridley - Zachary Reid - Andrew McGrath
Kyle Langford - Jack Bytel - Nic Martin
Will Snelling - Harrison Jones - Massimo D'Ambrosio
Jake Stringer - Peter Wright - Jye Menzie
Sam Draper - Dylan Shiel - Jye Caldwell
Sam Durham - Zach Merrett - Mason Redman - Ben Hobbs/Archie Perkins
 
B- J.Laverde B.Zerk-Thatcher A.McGrath
HB- J.Ridley Z.Reid M.Redman
C- K.Langford D.Shiel Z.Merrett
HF- N.Martin H.Jones D.Ambrissio
F- J.Menzie P.Wright J.Stringer
FOLL- S.Draper J.Caldwell D.Parish
I/C- A.Perkins, N.Cox, B.Hobbs, S.Durham
 
Lav BZT Ridley
Redman Reid McGrath
Durham Shiel Langford
Martin Jones Perkins
Stringer Wright Massimo
Draper Parish Merrett
Caldwell Hobbs Cox Hind

We desperately need games into Cox and Reid. On paper, this team is about around average.

Get everyone to buy in and who knows what could happen. To contend for a spot in the 8 we would need see a couple players take some big steps forward. Durham and Perkins would be my picks. Perkins at this stage is only getting a game because of his draft pick
 

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BP1 - Ridley - Good year of learning to play tighter defensively. Still our best user out of defence
FB - Zerk - Great finish to the year. defends, intercepts, distributes. man-crush levels are high. please continue
BP2 - McGrath - Bite the bullet, he's a defender. Let him lead the backline
HB1 - Redman - Our best offensive weapon off the backline. Also like that he doesn't stop pointing. Goddard mode has been reached.
CHB - Reid - hopefully ready. need more height down back
HB2 - Laverde - don't mind how he goes when he presses up, but need him out of CHB so we're not left short when he does
W1 - Martin - Kids a gun and runs all day. Let him own a wing
Ruck - Draper - cos who else
W2 - Langford - Better on a wing and getting involved over the ground. too good a ball user to have him languishing forward too often
HF1 - Hobbs - Let him continue to develop in the dual role. His time for parma-mid will come
CHF - ??? - see below
HF2 - Jones - Liking more as a Gunston type. But probably plays the CHF role
FP1 - ??? - need to find one as we develop whoever we recruit. or Snelling is it for a bit.
FF - Wright - 7 for Daniher and Wright for a 4th about the best list move we've made in a decade. keep it up 2.02M/LP
FP2 - Guelfi - ahead of Snelling as a pressure forward.

Midfield group - Merrett, Shiel, Caldwell, Parish, Perkins, Stringer.

Last spot - D'Ambrosio. Kid is a jet. Let him grow in the AFL. Think his Richmond VFL time has got him ahead of that level. Don't mind that he can play back or forward either. Or Durham. Another jet who gets better each game.
Suspect the spots are available given Jones is likely CHF and Stringer in that FP1 spot.

-------
On that midfield group, I don't feel it's ideal at all. But with a new coach and probably no value out there to trade for, I'd hold off a year on changes other than adding pick 4 to that group (Sheezel, Tsatas, Wardlaw). Perkins needs to transition in. The glimpses we get show me he's more modern mid than HF.
the challenge needs to be thrown to Stringer. Get fit to play to midfield more. Our best footy in 15 years was with him playing bull. He has 3 years left of top footy in an ideal world, and he's our barometer.

CHF - either need someone who can help ruck, or is enough of a gun that it's ok when Wright is playing 2nd ruck.

FP - another one I feel we need to recruit for. Menzie, Tex, Jayden - all raw. As would Alwyn Jnr for any time he spends there. Loss of Tippa is really stinging there.
 
As we are right now of course:

Ridley Reid BZT
Redman Cox McGrath
Martin Shiel Merrett
Perkins Jones Hobbs
Stringer Wright Guefli
Draper Durham Caldwell
IC: Massimo, Kelly, Parish, Laverde


Langford: most probably think I'm nuts not having him in the 22 but his comeback from injury sucked. Not for the first time, he seemed a bit disinterested here and there, but wouldn't be long until he is best 22 again.
Snelling : is behind everyone after his season(yes he had injuries but looked nowhere near it when he came back)and needs to work his way back in.
Hind: Can do a lot but can also do too much. He needs to find balance quick smart since I would rather put games into Mass right now. Not saying Hind is finished though.
Bryan : We all know he needs a big preseason. I am hoping mid-year he is playing seniors more than not
Menzie: Probably close to been in the side, I like what he does bring.
Stewart: Can easily be in the side at either end but ideally he probably isn't. Has a lot to offer the kids but not yet saying he can't make himself useful at senior level

These are our core player's right now. Tex, Brand, Baldwin etc just need more time to develop.
I bet I left someone out !
 
Ridley Zerk Lav
Redman Cox McGrath
Martin Shiel Merrett
Langford Stewart Guelfi
Stringer 2MP D’Ambrosio

Draper Durham Parish

Bench: Caldwell Hobbs Hind Wanga
SUB: Davey

Would like to see more of Durham on the ball - less Shiel/Parish/Merrett combo. In fact would not be adverse to trading one of these 3 while they still have currency so we can build a midfield with some bigger bodies over the next year or two. I’ve left out Jones who needs work, Reid could easily replace Cox at CHB, Kelly, Perkins and Snelling also not in the side


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Bombers36 said:
Would like to see more of Durham on the ball - less Shiel/Parish/Merrett combo. In fact would not be adverse to trading one of these 3 while they still have currency so we can build a midfield with some bigger bodies over the next year or two.
Click to expand...

I really like the idea of Durham patrolling the defensive wing that Heppel did for large parts this year. HAs the work rate to patrol the wing and seems prepared to put his body on the line now after a few so:so moments early doors.
 
These are who I consider to be my 'locks' for the first game of 2023 (sans injury/trading issues obviously)

FB: McGrath/Laverde/_______
HB: Redman/Ridley/_______
C: Langford/Parish/________
HF: Stringer/______/Merrett
FF: _______/Wright/________
Foll: Draper/Shiel/Caldwell

With four on the bench, that leaves 10 spots in the best 22 to be won over the off-season. Fair bit of competition for the remaining spots.
 
Kyptastic said:
These are who I consider to be my 'locks' for the first game of 2023 (sans injury/trading issues obviously)

FB: McGrath/Laverde/_______
HB: Redman/Ridley/_______
C: Langford/Parish/________
HF: Stringer/______/Merrett
FF: _______/Wright/________
Foll: Draper/Shiel/Caldwell

With four on the bench, that leaves 10 spots in the best 22 to be won over the off-season. Fair bit of competition for the remaining spots.
Click to expand...
I'd argue Nic Martin probably belongs on this list.
 
JT_the_Man said:
I'd argue Nic Martin probably belongs on this list.
Click to expand...

I was close to putting him in there, but I think the back half of his year was not as strong as the first half. Strong pre-seasons from players like Cox, Durham and Perkins could put his starting spot in a slight bit of jeorpardy, although I expect he'll be lining up Round 1.
 
Kyptastic said:
I was close to putting him in there, but I think the back half of his year was not as strong as the first half. Strong pre-seasons from players like Cox, Durham and Perkins could put his starting spot in a slight bit of jeorpardy, although I expect he'll be lining up Round 1.
Click to expand...
1st year player who didn't get the full pre-season though.
When did he join the group?

I'd comfortably say Martin is in on 2022 output and 2023 projections over Durham. Who looked better as the season wore on but has things to work on (i.e. sticking tackles, tidy up the skills)

I'd be exploring McGrath on a wing too. Has the athleticism, balance of def & mid and can tag an opponent.

Like the Shiel, Caldwell, Parish starting 3 in the middle.

Lastly, slide Ridley to where McGrath is as 3rd/intercept defender. Our CHB is still an unknown for me.
 
Here's an early indicator for me. I'd hope to see Alwyn Davey get some chances in 2023, Jayden will need more time and I've got Tom Phillips as a DFA, thoughts very welcome

B: Ridley ~ Stewart/ BZT ~ Kelly
HB: Redman ~ Laverde ~ Heppell

C: Langford ~ Caldwell ~ Merrett
RR: Draper ~ Parish ~ McGrath

HF: Perkins ~ Stringer ~ Martin
FF: Guelfi/ Menzie ~ Wright ~ Jones

INT: Hobbs ~ Shiel ~ Cox ~ Hind
SUB: Durham/ D'Ambrossio/ Tom Phillips

*Jye Menzie would love to see given greater opportunities and would hope he has broken well clear of Guelfi before the end of 2023.

*Tom Phillips is an addition given what's been mentioned since he was de-listed by Hawthorn and the interest from Essendon after the Collingwood departure. Think his experience would be valuable and when given a good run at it would be one of the better wingers in the comp, see his 2018 form. Doesn't have a clear second position which has caused me not to select him in the 22.
 
Kyptastic said:
These are who I consider to be my 'locks' for the first game of 2023 (sans injury/trading issues obviously)

FB: McGrath/Laverde/_______
HB: Redman/Ridley/_______
C: Langford/Parish/________
HF: Stringer/______/Merrett
FF: _______/Wright/________
Foll: Draper/Shiel/Caldwell

With four on the bench, that leaves 10 spots in the best 22 to be won over the off-season. Fair bit of competition for the remaining spots.
Click to expand...
Ridley needs to be freed up into that 3rd/4th tall role. I dont mind what Rutten was trying to do as it did make Rids better defensively but we drained his confidence. Time to play to his strengths again and get him back on track
 
getgaff said:
Here's an early indicator for me. I'd hope to see Alwyn Davey get some chances in 2023, Jayden will need more time and I've got Tom Phillips as a DFA, thoughts very welcome

B: Ridley ~ Stewart/ BZT ~ Kelly
HB: Redman ~ Laverde ~ Heppell

C: Langford ~ Caldwell ~ Merrett
RR: Draper ~ Parish ~ McGrath

HF: Perkins ~ Stringer ~ Martin
FF: Guelfi/ Menzie ~ Wright ~ Jones

INT: Hobbs ~ Shiel ~ Cox ~ Hind
SUB: Durham/ D'Ambrossio/ Tom Phillips

*Jye Menzie would love to see given greater opportunities and would hope he has broken well clear of Guelfi before the end of 2023.

*Tom Phillips is an addition given what's been mentioned since he was de-listed by Hawthorn and the interest from Essendon after the Collingwood departure. Think his experience would be valuable and when given a good run at it would be one of the better wingers in the comp, see his 2018 form. Doesn't have a clear second position which has caused me not to select him in the 22.
Click to expand...
decent. I reckon it's how Scott starts unless we see a bolter come from the depth. D'ambrosio is not far off replacing Hind imo. Just needs the tank for AFL.

Suspect Scott tries McGrath in the middle. At some point, the bambi moment comes with Heppell and Cox plays back.
Im predicting we get Sheezel in the draft and he'll probably play early. Think Guelfi's spot is the vulnerable one there
 

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Prediction 2023 Best 23

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