Preview 2025 Best 22 Discussion

[pK75]

B Ryan Pearce Chapman
HB Clark Cox Walker
C Sharp Young Johnson
HF Bolton Treacy Switkowski
F Frederick Amiss Jackson
R Darcy Serong Brayshaw
I Simpson Reid Erasmus Draper
Sub- Walters

Prelim at a minimum I reckon. This team could win the flag.

Also note that the likes of Fyfe, JOM & Walters likely play a fair bit of footy still. I just wanted to see what the team would look like with the young guns of Erasmus, Simpson & Reid included as I rate all three highly as flankers/mids. Also NOD & Sturt unlucky.

I like your thinking, IMHO though NOD and Sturt are a fair way ahead of Reid and Simpson, NOD is a better flanker than Ras as well. It’s interesting that the non freo fans seem to drop Sturt when he’s our 3rd highest goals per game player in 2024 only behind Treacy and Amiss.

 

[Superkoops]

I like your thinking, IMHO though NOD and Sturt are a fair way ahead of Reid and Simpson, NOD is a better flanker than Ras as well. It’s interesting that the non freo fans seem to drop Sturt when he’s our 3rd highest goals per game player in 2024 only behind Treacy and Amiss.

I would definitely have NOD in the team ahead of Simpson. Reid/Walters/Sturt all vying for that final forward spot. Simpson for mine behind all of Reid/Walters/Sturt. That could change quickly. I’m a Simpson fan but he needs to get more of the pill and more involved more consistently. Once he does that he will be regular.

Three half backs playing at Peel (Aish, Wagner and Worner).

Fyfe as sub.

 

[Lingsface]

Schultz and Logue would hardly get a game now looking at those lineups, pretty good trading by the dockers.

 

[Docker82]

Schultz and Logue would hardly get a game now looking at those lineups, pretty good trading by the dockers.

Schultz would be one of the first ten players picked.

I don’t think anyone but Freo fans and now Collingwood fans appreciate just how good he is.

 

[Johnny Dalmas]

Schultz and Logue would hardly get a game now looking at those lineups, pretty good trading by the dockers.

Logue definitely wouldn't be B23. You are right, that was a good trade for us.

Schultz would get a game but, again, it was still a good trade as it helped have draft capital this year to both trade for Bolton and have a decent 1st round pick. The ROI on drafting Schultz was very good.

 

[Docker82]

Logue definitely wouldn't be B23. You are right, that was a good trade for us.

Schultz would get a game but, again, it was still a good trade as it helped have draft capital this year to both trade for Bolton and have a decent 1st round pick. The ROI on drafting Schultz was very good.

We could've got pretty damn close to getting Bolton without the Schultz trade. It hasn't helped our best 22 at all yet IMO.

 

[Number29]

Heres my go at our best lineup, though I am out of the loop a bit. Live in Sydney so just going off reports, BigFooty and general knowledge!

B Ryan Pearce Chapman
HB Clark Cox Walker
C Sharp Brayshaw O'Driscoll
HF Bolton Treacy Sturt
F Switkowski Amiss Jackson

R Darcy Young Serong
I Frederick Johnson Walters Erasmus
Sub Fyfe

• Back injured - Young goes back/Fyfe mid
• Forward injured - Frederick/Walters Fyfe mid rotations
• Wing injured - Johnson goes wing/Fyfe mid
• Mid injured - Fyfe/Johnson/Erasmus/Bolton more rotations

No injuries take off a Switkowski/Frederick/Erasmus/Sturt/Walters if not having an impact, and bring on Fyfe for maximum effect

 

[Alfonz]

Schultz would be one of the first ten players picked.

I don’t think anyone but Freo fans and now Collingwood fans appreciate just how good he is.

Not sure Pies fans think he is that good. I watched him a lot last year and he was very average. Half the time I was convinced he was a sleeper agent put in place for our Collingwood death ride. The AFL website has him last man listed on the bench for the Pies best 22 and that seems about right.

We have about 15 automatic players before you get into the discussion for who fills out the remaining spots for 7th defender, wings, backup mids, and small forwards outside Bolton. I'd pick the same first 20 names listed by Schmook on the AFL website, and then it would be down to who fills out the last 2 spots and sub position. Not sure I'd agree with Fyfe and Wagner, but I would want a mid and defender for team balance, leaving Schultz to be competing for the sub role if he was still with us and everyone was fit.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Not sure Pies fans think he is that good. I watched him a lot last year and he was very average. Half the time I was convinced he was a sleeper agent put in place for our Collingwood death ride. The AFL website has him last man listed on the bench for the Pies best 22 and that seems about right.

We have about 15 automatic players before you get into the discussion for who fills out the remaining spots for 7th defender, wings, backup mids, and small forwards outside Bolton. I'd pick the same first 20 names listed by Schmook on the AFL website, and then it would be down to who fills out the last 2 spots and sub position. Not sure I'd agree with Fyfe and Wagner, but I would want a mid and defender for team balance, leaving Schultz to be competing for the sub role if he was still with us and everyone was fit.

Schultz would be our best forward pocket easily.

Bolton plays higher up the ground, he is a clear upgrade on Switta as he actually kicks goals, and I would have in before Frederick as well.

 

[Docker82]

Not sure Pies fans think he is that good. I watched him a lot last year and he was very average. Half the time I was convinced he was a sleeper agent put in place for our Collingwood death ride. The AFL website has him last man listed on the bench for the Pies best 22 and that seems about right.

We have about 15 automatic players before you get into the discussion for who fills out the remaining spots for 7th defender, wings, backup mids, and small forwards outside Bolton. I'd pick the same first 20 names listed by Schmook on the AFL website, and then it would be down to who fills out the last 2 spots and sub position. Not sure I'd agree with Fyfe and Wagner, but I would want a mid and defender for team balance, leaving Schultz to be competing for the sub role if he was still with us and everyone was fit.

Most pies fans I talked to seemed to realise he does a lot of team stuff that they didn't see before he was traded to Collingwood.

He offers so much more than a goal and a half a game both offensively and defensively. A goal and half a game is probably top 10-15 small forwards in the competition without all that other stuff.

I'm not even convinced Collingwood would be thinking they lost that trade tbh.

 

[Docker82]

Schultz would be our best forward pocket easily.

Bolton plays higher up the ground, he is a clear upgrade on Switta as he actually kicks goals, and I would have in before Frederick as well.

Bolton is genuinely top 2-3 in the competition at that role.

Switta and Frederick play too high up the ground to score as many goals as the unrealistic expectations some are putting on them. Unless you're an absolute freak that's not possible.

The greater issue is closer to goal and always has been. Whenever Bolton isn't further up the ground he'll help but I do expect him to be further up the ground a lot.

 

[Alfonz]

Schultz would be our best forward pocket easily.

Bolton plays higher up the ground, he is a clear upgrade on Switta as he actually kicks goals, and I would have in before Frederick as well.

I can see an argument in taking Switta's position, but Switta has more speed and midfield versatility.

Freddy actually kicks the same amount of goals as Schultz, and Freddy has far more speed, marking ability and x-factor. I'll take that over a couple of extra tackles from Schultz.

Bolton might spend time up the ground, but that gives us the flexibility to play Serong as a small forward more. He kicked 11 goals in the last 12 games and I won't be surprised if he goes close to the amount of goals Schultz kicks next year.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Bolton is genuinely top 2-3 in the competition at that role.

Switta and Frederick play too high up the ground to score as many goals as the unrealistic expectations some are putting on them. Unless you're an absolute freak that's not possible.

The greater issue is closer to goal and always has been. Whenever Bolton isn't further up the ground he'll help but I do expect him to be further up the ground a lot.

What smalls do we have that play close to goal? and that is their best role.

I can't think of any, and that is why we miss Schultz

 

[Docker82]

What smalls do we have that play close to goal? and that is their best role.

I can't think of any, and that is why we miss Schultz

I thought that was your argument for literally since Schultz left - there isn't really any.

I don't believe I ever said otherwise either but I do think every team in the AFL has weaknesses. It's not like there isn't other ways to get goals.

 

[go_the_dockers]

I thought that was your argument for literally since Schultz left - there isn't really any.

I don't believe I ever said otherwise either but I do think every team in the AFL has weaknesses. It's not like there isn't other ways to get goals.

It is, we have none. This is why Schultz would be best 22.

 

[Docker82]

It is, we have none. This is why Schultz would be best 22.

Yes, but I also think he's incredibly underrated. He's not the flashiest player and that's probably why.

But throw one and half goals a game, his play up the field and also defensive pressure with is pretty close to the best in the league together and as a small forward package he's an absolute gun.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Yes, but I also think he's incredibly underrated. He's not the flashiest player and that's probably why.

But throw one and half goals a game, his play up the field and also defensive pressure with is pretty close to the best in the league together and as a small forward package he's an absolute gun.

Agree.

 

[Bigger]

This decision looks a bit better when you put it in actual context.

Using AFL round numbers:

Rd 18: Away v Hawthorn. Darcy doesn’t play this game and as it’s an away game Reidy flys across and doesn’t play as an emergency.

Rd 19: Peel Thunder have a bye and don’t play.

Rd 20: Derby where Darcy returns but is a bit sore whilst Reidy plays in the WAFL.

Rd 21: Away v Essendon. Darcy is sore so Reidy flys as an emergency and doesn’t play. Darcy is still sore and Treacy is injured.

So going into the Geelong game, Taberner is the next key forward in considering Corbett isn’t available and Kuek had only just returned from injury. In terms of rucks we have a sore Darcy, Jackson, Reidy who has played one full game in a month and Voss as the emergency option.

The match committee believe Darcy will play against Geelong and that Liam Reidy must play a full game to retain match fitness. The Peel and Freo games are too close together for Reidy to do both so he’s sent to Peel with the assumption that Darcy will play.

Then game day happens and Darcy pulls up short. Reidy isn’t there so Jackson has to ruck which means Taberner has to play forward.

Obviously with the incredible power of hindsight you hold Reidy as an emergency and play him. Or you bite the bullet and play him against Essendon to help Darcy recover. But the combination of loosing Tracy and Darcy being sore in the previous weeks necessitating Reidy fly but Darcy not being sore enough to actually play Reidy led to the Taberner decision.

What sort of biscuits do you prefer in the match committee meetings?

 

[Hamann188]

Heres my go at our best lineup, though I am out of the loop a bit. Live in Sydney so just going off reports, BigFooty and general knowledge!

B Ryan Pearce Chapman
HB Clark Cox Walker
C Sharp Brayshaw O'Driscoll
HF Bolton Treacy Sturt
F Switkowski Amiss Jackson

R Darcy Young Serong
I Frederick Johnson Walters Erasmus
Sub Fyfe

• Back injured - Young goes back/Fyfe mid
• Forward injured - Frederick/Walters Fyfe mid rotations
• Wing injured - Johnson goes wing/Fyfe mid
• Mid injured - Fyfe/Johnson/Erasmus/Bolton more rotations

No injuries take off a Switkowski/Frederick/Erasmus/Sturt/Walters if not having an impact, and bring on Fyfe for maximum effect

For out of the loop, tha't pretty damn close to THE team. Id probably just replace Sonny with Draper for some back up defensiveness.

Other than that, pretty spot on.

 

[Joao]

For out of the loop, tha't pretty damn close to THE team. Id probably just replace Sonny with Draper for some back up defensiveness.

Other than that, pretty spot on.

I'd be extremely surprised if we played 3 KPDs and Ryan in any game.

 

[Hamann188]

I'd be extremely surprised if we played 3 KPDs and Ryan in any game.

Was thinking more along the lines of some depth if Pearce or Cox or even Chappy go down mid game.

But you're right, Young could go back there in a pinch. Maybe swap Walters for Simpson. Maybe.

Don't get me wrong, I love Son Son and am not purposely trying to usher him out of the team. I just wonder if there are better options.

 

[Joao]

Was thinking more along the lines of some depth if Pearce or Cox or even Chappy go down mid game.

But you're right, Young could go back there in a pinch. Maybe swap Walters for Simpson. Maybe.

Don't get me wrong, I love Son Son and am not purposely trying to usher him out of the team. I just wonder if there are better options.

Chapman too.

I wouldn't play Walters, but it's just too tall with all 4. We've shown over and over we'll play undersize in preference to having injury contingencies for tall players.

Draper needs to displace someone to get a game.

 

[Alfonz]

Was thinking more along the lines of some depth if Pearce or Cox or even Chappy go down mid game.

But you're right, Young could go back there in a pinch. Maybe swap Walters for Simpson. Maybe.

Don't get me wrong, I love Son Son and am not purposely trying to usher him out of the team. I just wonder if there are better options.

You are right in putting a defender on the bench. We always select 7 in the 22, and sometimes the sub as well. But it wouldn't be a tall. It would be Wagner, Worner or Aish as the 7th defender. And Wagner is the front runner based on how the team was selected at the end of the year.

 

[Hamann188]

You are right in putting a defender on the bench. We always select 7 in the 22, and sometimes the sub as well. But it wouldn't be a tall. It would be Wagner, Worner or Aish as the 7th defender. And Wagner is the front runner based on how the team was selected at the end of the year.

Yeah I was sort of leaning toward Aish (hadn't considered Wagner) just due to him being able to play all over the field. I went with Draper in the end because I think he is better than either Aish or Wagner. But he probably wouldn't be a required player on the day.

I'll keep an eye on Wags this year, but maybe we need to be shopping around for a quality utility.

 

[bellie4pm]

Yeah I was sort of leaning toward Aish (hadn't considered Wagner) just due to him being able to play all over the field. I went with Draper in the end because I think he is better than either Aish or Wagner. But he probably wouldn't be a required player on the day.

I'll keep an eye on Wags this year, but maybe we need to be shopping around for a quality utility.

Refer our pick 30