AFLW 2024 - Round 10 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
This is why I'm baffled from a team balance perspective that anyone could leave these two out. Strong, fit, athletic, skillful, versatile. Teams wouldn't be able to survive Pavlich rolling into the midfield or even playing spare man in defence while you can release Hodge or McLeod to midfield, Ablett or Dangerfield forward etc.
For the record, this might be the best team I’ve seen. Lloyd and Danger the only two line ball decisions for me and they are still not bad choices.
FB: Hodge Scarlett Fletcher
He wasn’t no good just not team of the 21st century good.Ooh, it’s been a hot minute since the ‘Nic Nat no good cause marks’ argument has been rolled out
On Riewoldt and Hawkins if you look at career goals and games they’re near on identical, and if you’re going to include Coleman’s, also acknowledge the team aspect of goal/score assists, Hawkins is right up there in all time stats on that metric! Much more unselfish player.
People forget just how dominant Lloyd was in his heydays...
Geelong had the best ball movement this century with one of the slowest set of players (for an elite side) we've seen in the past 20 years. Hawthorn close to them and with a similar pace profile. Skill, decision making and reflexes count for a lot.
Mitchell and Hodge were the heart beat of that amazing Hawthorn side. Mitchell is up there for highest coaches votes average ever. A clearance beast, immaculate skills on both sides of his body and one of the best decision makers this century. He could also play half back while McLeod or Hodge rotate through the guts (Pendlebury also has this capacity as a fantastic playmaker; he was just needed in midfield more often).
There has never been a side with three key forwards combined athletic profiles of Franklin, Riewoldt and Lloyd at their peaks. But if you need to, think if it like Hawthorn's Franklin, Roughead and Gunston except twice as damaging. Franklin and Riewoldt as absolute work horses still need some bench time and can even play similar to Goodes as a tall wingman. Franklin for starters was more mobile than most smalls and Riewoldt was like Pavlich in that he was a tall player who could do it all and move like a midfielder. From a defensive perspective, who is covering Lloyd, Riewoldt and Franklin while leaving SJ, Brad Johnson, Akermanis and Martin to crumb?
For the 3 key defenders, one would be more of a free roaming interceptor. But I still chose three that if it came down to it could handle three potent talls (in a prospective super side). Fletcher could peel off and be a 20 possession a game rebounding machine if he had the license to. Scarlett pretty close to that. Those two and McGovern would interchange beautifully as far as who was being accountable and who could peel off or be third man up. All very athletic players who read the ball well. Scarlett if he wasn't needed for lockdown roles for example quite easily could perform similar duties to Enright/Stewart.
That's crazy to say about Riewoldt. His tank was unbelievable and he wasn't a slow player at all. Him and Franklin would put in more k's a game than a couple of elite smalls in Johnson and Chapman. Franklin was basically a giant forward flanker who could get to the wing and back to the goal square in half a dozen seconds (like Carey; but more speed).
Yeah I would be happy with Glass or Bolton types too. Fletcher was a slightly more attacking version as he could be lockdown or a prolific rebounder. Gibson would be another candidate. But people underestimate what a machine Fletcher was at his peak just because his longevity was what made the headlines. He was agile as a cat with the inspector gadget arms.
Fyfe and Dangerfield were pretty close in my selection as fairly like-for-like types. Voss is the number one midfield bull. Ablett, Judd and Martin with more zip and then Pendlebury/Mitchell the workhorses with elite decision making. They are incredibly reliable which is why they share over 1000 coaches votes. But I understand people who ignore them as they are less flashy. You need all sorts to make a team and their capacity to be gun halfback playmakers I saw as an advantage too.
I think we're we are breaking down is I consider Franklin as good when the ball hits the deck as any small. I think they would all dominate together; you just don't ever see it as no side has ever had three key forwards that good and agile. We aren't talking about putting current day Hawkins, Walker and Hogan together.Definitely agree his tank was good but I was more referring to if the ball hit the ground then having Riewoldt, Franklin and Lloyd is not going to be the most ideal situation. When the ball hits the ground you want top quality small or medium forwards there.
Also I should say I am genuinely enjoying this conversation about the ideal lineup in terms of the general type of players, though it is a bit nerdy, even for bigfooty
