2025 Best 23

[tora tora tora]

Nearly spat my Cornflakes out this morning when I read the HUN said Hugo was a possible to replace Rioli off half-back.
Imagine Hugo spraying the ball everywhere as our distributor across half-back.

Hugo played half back in 21. Not that well. Started 2024 in
the VFL at half back and killed it got promoted. I caught the VFL game up the Goldie, excellent...
I can see him being a good candidate off half back. Brown is playing in Grimes spot. 193 now. Trainor is 194 he's competing for Grimes spot too IMO. Banks, Smith are the other choice or rotations.

 

[tora tora tora]

Anybody that doesn't have Short in our best 22 really needs to rethink their sides.
Having the majority of our experience come from the back half will only be beneficial for all the younger players involved as they will serve as on field voices and leaders seeing play unfold in front of them.

Kaleb Smith's first pre season as a half back does not uproot the 10 years Short has had in the club to personify what it means to be a Richmond Man. Drafted in 2015 he has seen every up and down this club has had the pleasure of gracing us with over the last decade.

My picks for the back flanks have to be Short and Brown.

Our backline has broad, vlas and balta soon. More experience in that part of the ground than middle or forward. Short shouldn't be selected for his experience

 

[Grrr]

Anybody that doesn't have Short in our best 22 really needs to rethink their sides.
Having the majority of our experience come from the back half will only be beneficial for all the younger players involved as they will serve as on field voices and leaders seeing play unfold in front of them.

Kaleb Smith's first pre season as a half back does not uproot the 10 years Short has had in the club to personify what it means to be a Richmond Man. Drafted in 2015 he has seen every up and down this club has had the pleasure of gracing us with over the last decade.

My picks for the back flanks have to be Short and Brown.

But Short was problematic last year. He got cheap kicks and didn't break the lines. He called for balls in shocking positions and because we were young we kicked it to him. Many of his kicks were out the back hoiks up the ground that came back faster. Go for the same old same old and he will do much the sam.

How many times did you see Short kick it 25m to the pocket, run past and call for the ball another 25m up the ground. 2 kicks and we are on the dead flank still inside 50m with the opposition set up behind the ball. Try the inside pass, miss and it is an easy goal. It happened over and over.

Without Rioli to break the lines we need another. Short has never really done it, before Rioli it was Houli. In our great backline he was good because he could hurt opponents with his long kicking and he knew his team mates had his back if things were turned over. This new side is nothing like that. Need to be brave and try something. Smith is a dasher and a very good kick. Brown has had a big running preseason and a great kick. Time to change it up, although I agree with you in one respect, I think Short will play there unfortunately.

 

[Moppey]

Rd 1 2024
TIGERS

B: D.Grimes, T.Young, J.Gibcus. In Miller, Blight and Trainor.
HB: J.Short, N.Broad, N.Vlastuin. In smith for Short and Brown for Broad. Broad in the 22 on the bench.
C: K.McIntosh, T.Taranto, J.Ross. Banks for McIntosh and Campbell for Ross who also goes to the bench.
HF: M.Rioli, L.Baker, S.Bolton. Alger for Bolton, Lalor for Baker
F: N.Balta, D.Martin, T.Lynch. Fawcett for Balta, Bauer for Martin.
FOLL: T.Nankervis - C, J.Hopper, D.Prestia
I/C: D.Rioli, T.Dow, M.Pickett, R.Mansell, S.Campbell. Smillie for Dow. McAuliffe for Pickett.
EMG: T.Brown, S.Naismith, S.Banks

At least 9 changes from our R1 team last year minimum. Dow out for me makes 10.

In: Smillie, Lalor, Bauer, Blight, Kosi/Miller, Ralphsmith, Banks, Sonsie, Brown & Ryan.

Great take on it.

The epitomy of madness is to do the same things over and over expecting different results

Our forward half and mids were smashed last year so the obvious thing to do is actually do something different.
How people pick old shortsteps after his last few years is beyond belief as well.

For what its worth my 9 ins given the unavailable players we have would be

Alger, Smillie, Lalor, Blight, Miller, Banks, Brown, Smith, McAuliffe, Fawcett, Bauer, and Trainor i would be adding Short, McIntosh and Dow to the ones you have bolded allowing for the 12 changes.

 

[captain cotch 9]

R1

FB: Vlaustin Blight Broad
HB Short Miller Brown
C: HRS Hopper Banks
HF: Campbell Fawcett Rioli
FF: Mansell Lynch Bauer
R: Nank TT Prestia
Bench Lalor Smillie Trezise Alger

R22
FB: Vlaustin Gibcus Broad
HB Short Balta Brown
C: HRS Hopper Banks
HF: Campbell Fawcett Rioli
FF: Mansell Lynch Armstrong
R: Nank TT Prestia
Bench Lalor Smillie Trezise Alger

 

[tony__montana]

B. Short Miller Broad
HB. Brown Blight Vlastuin
C. Hugo Hopper Ross
HF. Campbell Bauer Mansell
F. MJR Lynch Ryan
R. Nankervis Tarranto Prestia
Int: Banks, Lalor, Smilie, Kosi McIntosh

Not the side I'd go with but the side I think we'll pick if everyone is fit. Not a fan of Shorts performances last season, but theres no way he's not in the side for rnd 1. I think Ryan gets a game rnd 1 bc of nanks interrupted pre season, he'll be short of a gallop so will want the insurance of Ryan there to take a bit of a load off. Barring injury Lynch and Bauer are locks imo.

McIntosh gets the nod for experience, McAuliffe and Trezise are 24th and 25th picked and well in the mix too.

Miller, Blight and Kosi have a month or two to cement their spots

 

[Moppey]

Hugo played half back in 21. Not that well. Started 2024 in
the VFL at half back and killed it got promoted. I caught the VFL game up the Goldie, excellent...
I can see him being a good candidate off half back. Brown is playing in Grimes spot. 193 now. Trainor is 194 he's competing for Grimes spot too IMO. Banks, Smith are the other choice or rotations.

Smith = Rioli. Smith plays.

Trezise = Vlastuin. Vlastuin plays unless he is injured. Trezise could be tried in running roles.

Miller = Balta. Balta plays Miller may play third tall but thet role should be earmarked for Trainor.

Blight = Gibcus. Gibcus plays when fit and ready.

Brown = Broad. Brown does not play like a tall imo Broad isn't really one either. Both can take a tall if need be, Both are too small for kpd, both offer run and rebound and play more like mediums. Brown in Broad bench and 7th defender if you like. Dont believe Brown is 193cm.

Trainor = Grimes. Trainor plays. Good on the ground athletic very good in the air and can clearly play on smaller players.

Wing options in order of preference.
Banks, Campbell, H-RS, Trezise, Broad, Ross, Short, McIntosh.

H-RS got promoted and played wing. Kicking toughness and finding enough ball at AFL remain an issue imo.

 

[LTT]

But Short was problematic last year. He got cheap kicks and didn't break the lines. He called for balls in shocking positions and because we were young we kicked it to him. Many of his kicks were out the back hoiks up the ground that came back faster. Go for the same old same old and he will do much the sam.

How many times did you see Short kick it 25m to the pocket, run past and call for the ball another 25m up the ground. 2 kicks and we are on the dead flank still inside 50m with the opposition set up behind the ball. Try the inside pass, miss and it is an easy goal. It happened over and over.

Without Rioli to break the lines we need another. Short has never really done it, before Rioli it was Houli. In our great backline he was good because he could hurt opponents with his long kicking and he knew his team mates had his back if things were turned over. This new side is nothing like that. Need to be brave and try something. Smith is a dasher and a very good kick. Brown has had a big running preseason and a great kick. Time to change it up, although I agree with you in one respect, I think Short will play there unfortunately.

Agree with you. Also why does everybody on this thread pick a back line with 7 defenders above 190cm and Short. Every side we will play will have at least two small forwards, yet we have one small defender (Short) who we expect to provide run and carry out of the backline and shut down a small forward.

 

[docko911]

Agree with you. Also why does everybody on this thread pick a back line with 7 defenders above 190cm and Short. Every side we will play will have at least two small forwards, yet we have one small defender (Short) who we expect to provide run and carry out of the backline and shut down a small forward.

Only Trezise can really fill that role. Kaleb Smith is a worse defender than Short. I don’t think having tall defenders is an issue. Plenty of clubs have tall backlines. There aren’t many quality lockdown small defenders so get the tall guys to keep it away from them.

I think our backline will be different in the sense we will rely on long/good kicking rather than pure dash like Rioli was providing. The reality is we were never successful with Rioli at halfback but Short and Houli were pivotal in our premierships. They both run but kick long rather than handball and short kick like Rioli.

 

[beema limapep]

Anyone who doesn't have Alger in the 23 will soon quickly adjust. You watch.