Opinion 2024 Round 1 Team

[Scorpus]

True about their young stars but it's probably more the experience heads we have the better of - Laird, Dawson, Tex, Crouch (I know), Smith vs Miller, Swallow, Ellis, Witts

I guess so when talking about the best couple of players.

Gold Coast have 20 players with 80 games of experience though, compared to just 10 for us (Fogarty on 79 games). That's a pretty sizable difference throughout the 22. A huge chunk of their best players are just about to hit their prime.

The big thing for me is I believe Gold Coast's midfield is comfortably better and more experienced than ours which will probably decide it

 

[1990crow]

I guess so when talking about the best couple of players.

Gold Coast have 20 players with 80 games of experience though, compared to just 10 for us (Fogarty on 79 games). That's a pretty sizable difference throughout the 22. A huge chunk of their best players are just about to hit their prime.

The big thing for me is I believe Gold Coast's midfield is comfortably better and more experienced than ours which will probably decide it

It comes down to how far have the likes of Soligo, Rachele, Thilthorpe, Pedlar, Max, Keane, Rankine, Worrell progressed over the preseason and can Curtin have an impact?

 

[Scorpus]

It comes down to how far have the likes of Soligo, Rachele, Thilthorpe, Pedlar, Max, Keane, Rankine, Worrell progressed over the preseason and can Curtin have an impact?

I agree but you have to remember that both teams would be hoping for progression over the preseason

 

[Danger in Texas]

Going off what I'm reading and seeing, I would be shocked if Sloane plays round 1

Likewise, I'd be very surprised if Nankervis and Curtin didn't play

Is Milera likely to be fit?

 

[AFC979810]

Gold Coast should be about 2 years ahead of us in their rebuild

Not saying they actually are, but they should be.

Their emerging midfield has about 40 games per player on ours (eg. Anderson/Rowell vs Rachele/Soligo) and the same for their forward line and defense. Older, more experienced, more players in their prime plus plenty of elite talent

At home with better coaching than previous years they should be comfortable favorites

Dawson, Laird and Crouch aren't going to spend majority of their time in the midfield?

 

[Footypie32]

Going off what I'm reading and seeing, I would be shocked if Sloane plays round 1

Likewise, I'd be very surprised if Nankervis and Curtin didn't play

Is Milera likely to be fit?

I think our back six for round one is Curtin, Worrell, Keane, Smith, Hinge, Michalanney, with Nankervis and Jones moving through there as well.

It would be a bit of a slap in the face to those that completed the full preseason if Milera was put straight in. Needs a 2 or 3 weeks in the SANFL for mine.

 

[Scorpus]

Dawson, Laird and Crouch aren't going to spend majority of their time in the midfield?

I'm talking about emerging midfielders. Gold Coast have guys like Miller and Swallow in there too

 

[Danger in Texas]

Bookies generally get it right, if we beat the Suns on their home deck in their conditions we are in for a big year indeed.....personally I'd be tipping the Suns if I'm tipping with my head not my heart. Bailey Humphrey is going to be a beast in their midfield this season too.

Is he predicted to go in there full-time? GC would be stacked for minutes with Rowell/Anderson/Miller/Flanders there, too (Swallow I'm guessing moves forward)

 

[AFC979810]

I'm talking about emerging midfielders. Gold Coast have guys like Miller and Swallow in there too

You shouldn't be. Anderson and Rowell are not emerging midfielders - they are Gold Coasts two main two midfielders.

CBA's in 2023:

Rowell - 517
Anderson - 446
Miller - 246
Swallow - 287

They will be going up against Laird, Dawson and Crouch as our primary 3 with Rachele, Rankine, Pedlar, Soligo rotating through on a limited basis.

You can make the argument they are more talented, but their midfield group is nowhere near as experienced as ours.

 

[Scorpus]

You shouldn't be. Anderson and Rowell are not emerging midfielders - they are Gold Coasts two main two midfielders.

CBA's in 2023:

Rowell - 517
Anderson - 446
Miller - 246
Swallow - 287

They will be going up against Laird, Dawson and Crouch as our primary 3 with Rachele, Rankine, Pedlar, Soligo rotating through on a limited basis.

You can make the argument they are not talented, but their midfield group is nowhere near as experienced as ours.

They have already emerged and become a mainstay of their midfield. That's the point. Ours are not at that level yet

 

[AFC979810]

Is he predicted to go in there full-time? GC would be stacked for minutes with Rowell/Anderson/Miller/Flanders there, too (Swallow I'm guessing moves forward)

It's going to be an interesting midfield mix for them this year.

I think you are correct that Swallow will be pushed out.

 

[Scorpus]

It's also worth remembering that last year Gold Coast beat us away with a midfield of Rowell, Anderson, Swallow, Davies, Fiorini and Humphrey

Our midfield was Dawson, Laird, Keays, Sloane and we had Rachele, Rankine, Pedlar all in the team

Gold Coast were missing Miller and Flanders

 

[AFC979810]

The big thing for me is I believe Gold Coast's midfield is comfortably better and more experienced than ours which will probably decide it

Their emerging midfield has about 40 games per player on ours (eg. Anderson/Rowell vs Rachele/Soligo) and the same for their forward line and defense. Older, more experienced, more players in their prime plus plenty of elite talent

They have already emerged and become a mainstay of their midfield. That's the point. Ours are not at that level yet

Hmmmmm....

Dawson, Crouch and Laird will be in the midfield against Rowell, Anderson and Touk. Our 3 win the experience battle there.

 

[AFC979810]

It's also worth remembering that last year Gold Coast beat us away with a midfield of Rowell, Anderson, Swallow, Davies, Fiorini and Humphrey

Our midfield was Dawson, Laird, Keays, Sloane and we had Rachele, Rankine, Pedlar all in the team

Gold Coast were missing Miller and Flanders

We got absolutely killed by Rowell and Anderson in the middle. Rowell alone had more centre clearances than Dawson, Laird, Keays and Sloane combined.

Hopefully Nicks will mix it up a little more against Gold Coast, but I think we are better placed with Crouch and one of Rankine, Rachele, Pedlar, Soligo in their over Keays / Sloane.

 

[Scorpus]

Hmmmmm....

Dawson, Crouch and Laird will be in the midfield against Rowell, Anderson and Touk. Our 3 win the experience battle there.

A midfield isn't three players

Dawson, Crouch, Laird, Jones, Soligo, Rachele up against Rowell, Anderson, Miller, Flanders, Swallow, Ellis

625 games versus 827 games from each side's six best midfielders encompassing contest and wing

I mean we match them if we remove Rachele from the midfield and put in Sloane...

 

[1970crow]

There’s no doubt he will get games , hopefully more as sub than anything

Not sure he plays round 1 , had alot of interruptions with hammies and eye and not a walk up start anymore

I don't think he's had a "lot of" interruptions. 1 hammy and 1 eye. The eye took him off the track for 2 weeks and the hammy was minor. Compared to coming in off a near year knee, plus a full 2023 under the belt, his 3-4 weeks off are negligible compared to last year. What's more important though is what he says when interviewed or doing his bits. If (when) he states how amazing he feels and is raring to go, he'll be putting pressure on selectors to play him in the 2s. I don't think they'll do it, they couldn't even bear to drop him to the sub last year. This is a very protected species.

 

[1970crow]

I think Nicks has been tapped on the shoulder.
His narrative on Sloane has changed immensely since the contract extension.


I love Rory but he should be left to a role playing in our SANFL side if not retire for his quality of life.

if anyone other than fellow selection committee members are influencing selection, then we've got more problems than just our senior coach believing Rory Sloane isn't a game day liability when selected.

 

[1970crow]

I think it will give us a bit of advantage being able to see how Gold Coast play in rd 1. Would much prefer to play them after watching them in action than coming up against them in their first game under Hardwick.

i doubt that anything will change having seen them play their opening round. Our 23 and strategy will have been locked in prior to our external trials.

 

[1970crow]

I think our back six for round one is Curtin, Worrell, Keane, Smith, Hinge, Michalanney, with Nankervis and Jones moving through there as well.

It would be a bit of a slap in the face to those that completed the full preseason if Milera was put straight in. Needs a 2 or 3 weeks in the SANFL for mine.

gut feel is that Butts will play ahead of Keane.

 

[1970crow]

Dawson, Laird and Crouch aren't going to spend majority of their time in the midfield?

"emerging", it was part of what you bolded. You seriously put Laird and Crouch in the 'emerging' basket?

 

[Footypie32]

gut feel is that Butts will play ahead of Keane.

Hopefully 2022 Butts not 2023 Butts.

 

[1970crow]

You shouldn't be. Anderson and Rowell are not emerging midfielders - they are Gold Coasts two main two midfielders.

CBA's in 2023:

Rowell - 517
Anderson - 446
Miller - 246
Swallow - 287

They will be going up against Laird, Dawson and Crouch as our primary 3 with Rachele, Rankine, Pedlar, Soligo rotating through on a limited basis.

You can make the argument they are not talented, but their midfield group is nowhere near as experienced as ours.

they're still on the improvement curve, they're young midfielders, this being their 5th year. We're only looking at deploying Rankine to more midfield minutes this year and he was drafted a year earlier. Connor Rozee's and Zac Butters' 5th years were last year. You need to look beyond your own nose.

 

[1970crow]

Hmmmmm....

Dawson, Crouch and Laird will be in the midfield against Rowell, Anderson and Touk. Our 3 win the experience battle there.

"experience battle" just LOL.

 

[1970crow]

Hopefully 2022 Butts not 2023 Butts.

with Keane much fitter and a few games in, we'd hope there's no need to play Butts as injured as we did last year.

 

[Southerntakeover]

"experience battle" just LOL.

Just a few more seasons out of Crouch, Sloane and Laird and we'll really have reached the experience hot spot. Dynasty time.