Preview 2025 Best 22 Discussion

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Freddy is a connector. He brings the speed/endurance combo of getting up and down the ground. He's not supposed to be camped in the 50 tackling blokes and getting front and centre.
Freddy gets a 5 year free pass for the tap back to Schultz in the Collingwood game, and a life membership for the backflip against the Eagles.
 

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I'd be extremely surprised if we played 3 KPDs and Ryan in any game.
Fwiw, as part of David Walls' answer to a question about Bo Allan just after the trade period:

"I feel like Bo probably plays his best footy as a high back, and we really rate him as a player but we do feel like we got a lot of that type with Lukey Ryan, Jordan Clark, Heath Chapman, Josh Draper, Hayden Young goes back there, so that was I guess when we're looking at saying, even though we really rate him, he's not a massive list management need for us."

There have been other quotes hinting as much, but essentially in the short/medium term I don't necessarily think we're viewing him as a pure KPD. Comparing to the 2013 team, you have McPharlin, Dawson and Johnson (Pearce, Cox, Draper), and then Ibbotson, Spurr, Duffield and often guys like Mzungu or Clancee Pearce rotating into defence for that final spot (Ryan, Chapman, Clark, Walker).

This team would be taller, but if they're more skilled and aren't conceding ground in the areas of weakness you'd associate with a taller defence (mobility, rebounding skill, defensive ground balls, ability to defend smalls, etc), I'm not sure I care if they're taller. That's where Draper and Davies differ: it can potentially work with Draper, but it obviously couldn't work with Davies.
 
Fwiw, as part of David Walls' answer to a question about Bo Allan just after the trade period:

"I feel like Bo probably plays his best footy as a high back, and we really rate him as a player but we do feel like we got a lot of that type with Lukey Ryan, Jordan Clark, Heath Chapman, Josh Draper, Hayden Young goes back there, so that was I guess when we're looking at saying, even though we really rate him, he's not a massive list management need for us."

There have been other quotes hinting as much, but essentially in the short/medium term I don't necessarily think we're viewing him as a pure KPD. Comparing to the 2013 team, you have McPharlin, Dawson and Johnson (Pearce, Cox, Draper), and then Ibbotson, Spurr, Duffield and often guys like Mzungu or Clancee Pearce rotating into defence for that final spot (Ryan, Chapman, Clark, Walker).

This team would be taller, but if they're more skilled and aren't conceding ground in the areas of weakness you'd associate with a taller defence (mobility, rebounding skill, defensive ground balls, ability to defend smalls, etc), I'm not sure I care if they're taller. That's where Draper and Davies differ: it can potentially work with Draper, but it obviously couldn't work with Davies.
I think in that case he is intimating that Allan could play any of those roles. I agree that Draper could be a good replacement for Ryan.
 
Do we think Sturt is a guaranteed starter next year or do we think that he may get pushed out at the start of the season? He was one of our highest goalkickers playing only half of the season, he'd be a bit stiff to miss out in my opinion.


Depends on the form/fitness of the 3 veterans in Fyfe, Walters and O'Meara. If 2 or 3 of those guys are in the 23 I think Sturt and Banfield play for Peel.
 
Depends on the form/fitness of the 3 veterans in Fyfe, Walters and O'Meara. If 2 or 3 of those guys are in the 23 I think Sturt and Banfield play for Peel.


Assuming Sturt is fit, then he plays round 1.

I am looking forward to him being fit, and kicking 1.5 to 2 goals a game this year.

Hopefully he plays 20 plus games, and can kick 35 to 40 goals.

Walters and O'Meara will need to do a lot well, to get selected before him in round 1.
Fyfe is battling Erasmus or Johnson for the inside mid role. Should not impact the forward line decisions too much.

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Assuming Sturt is fit, then he plays round 1.

I am looking forward to him being fit, and kicking 1.5 to 2 goals a game this year.

Hopefully he plays 20 plus games, and can kick 35 to 40 goals.

Walters and O'Meara will need to do a lot well, to get selected before him in round 1.
Fyfe is battling Erasmus or Johnson for the inside mid role. Should not impact the forward line decisions too much.

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i like Sturt. He picks up the worst defender given Treacy, LJ and Amiss have the three KPD, Bolton will get their best lock down defender and Freddie gets their best runner. So he gets left alone and with his speed, marking skills, and accuracy, gets his 2 goals a game. Better than most other 6th best forward on any list currently. Shows our forward line is getting seriously dangerous and will stretch defences more than ever (with Bolton to worry about)
 
I definitely see Sturt as a weapon in that general play, moving the ball into the forward line, where he can get on the lead or out the back and take a mark for a set shot, even running into goal.

But what does he do with a forward stoppage?
Defend?
 

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I definitely see Sturt as a weapon in that general play, moving the ball into the forward line, where he can get on the lead or out the back and take a mark for a set shot, even running into goal.

But what does he do with a forward stoppage?
receives the ball cleanly without fumbling it over and over?
 
Does he have the ground/snap game for that? Sturt is really quick when he's moving, is he a burst to speed player or agile enough to be near the stoppage footy in a F50?

Or is he a lead/mark/goal player who then takes up position outside fifty when the whistle goes inside fifty?
 
Does he have the ground/snap game for that? Sturt is really quick when he's moving, is he a burst to speed player or agile enough to be near the stoppage footy in a F50?

Or is he a lead/mark/goal player who then takes up position outside fifty when the whistle goes inside fifty?

If the ball up is on the right side (right side if you are facing towards goal) of the 50 for a left footer, then him moving from the boundary line to the middle looking for a handball or snap for goal would work well.

Otherwise, then him being outside the 50 would work.


Getting side tracked completely, but who has watched Arsenal's set pieces.

They have a huge amount of blocking and everyone starts together and moves late. I wonder if this could translate in the AFL, your forward line especially with a dominate ruck.

I think in your forward line, you could take more risk and if you can get 7 players to an area the opposition only have 4 then you should be able to get a shot on goal.
 
Barring injury, Sturt is a walk up start for round one.
He has credits in the bank after last season.
100% improved greatly in every facet of his game and thats coming from a former non-believer.

his intensity really surprised me. he was also extremely clean and one touch further up the ground and had some pivotal quick handballs out to a player on the move. plump that on top of his fantastic goal kicking and great leading patterns, hes become a very well rounded forward for a bloke whos only JUST been able to string some consistent games together. expecting even further improvement from him with a good confidence boost hes gotten from his performances this year.
 
100% improved greatly in every facet of his game and thats coming from a former non-believer.

his intensity really surprised me. he was also extremely clean and one touch further up the ground and had some pivotal quick handballs out to a player on the move. plump that on top of his fantastic goal kicking and great leading patterns, hes become a very well rounded forward for a bloke whos only JUST been able to string some consistent games together. expecting even further improvement from him with a good confidence boost hes gotten from his performances this year.
I think after so many set backs, he wondered if he was ever going to amke it at the top level.
His body stood up and his fitness gew with each game as did his confidence.
He know knows he fits in at the top level.
Another pre season under his belt, and a bigger tank and bigger in size, to me, a walk up start.
 
If the ball up is on the right side (right side if you are facing towards goal) of the 50 for a left footer, then him moving from the boundary line to the middle looking for a handball or snap for goal would work well.

Otherwise, then him being outside the 50 would work.


Getting side tracked completely, but who has watched Arsenal's set pieces.

They have a huge amount of blocking and everyone starts together and moves late. I wonder if this could translate in the AFL, your forward line especially with a dominate ruck.

I think in your forward line, you could take more risk and if you can get 7 players to an area the opposition only have 4 then you should be able to get a shot on goal.
not sure about Arsenal but Ted Lasso had some good moves we could implement.
 
not sure about Arsenal but Ted Lasso had some good moves we could implement.
Believe Jason Sudeikis GIF by Apple TV


This being the most important ☝️
 

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