Mega Thread Best 22/2013 Predictions and all that

[SE_Blue]

In the wake of the creation of the anti-Mega Thread clique, I thought we might introduce a new thread to the board. Is it too early for this thread? Maybe so, but I think we need some more threads on the board.

I propose we make it a general best 22 for next year/predictions for the club and players. This might even become a mega-thread. Plus we can have the obligatory BigFooty "ridicule everyone who doesn't agree with you". Anyway, here's mine:

B: Laidler Jamison White
HB: Yarran Henderson Scotland
C: Simpson Carrazzo Murphy
HF: Walker Waite Gibbs
F: Garlett Casboult Betts
R: McLean Judd Kreuzer
Int: Armfield Bell Robinson
Sub: Tuohy/Lucas

I think we'll see a marked and significant improvement in the team next year (barring the horror injury run from last season). I think the players' attitudes will be far more professional with the new coaching staff and the complacency and even arrogance that seemed to seep in to the team last year won't be seen this year. Think we could finish anywhere between top 4 and 7th - 8th. We often criticise our list and in the process forget that it is largely the same team that lost by less than a kick in a semi-final in Perth in 2011. The potential and ability is definitely there.

Best 22 was difficult. Had McInnes not done his ACL he would be in for White, who has been included on the back of his end to the season which I thought was fantastic. Was tempted to include Watson instead of White, but I feel Watson may be a bit too slow. Have put Scotland into the role Gibbs was in as I feel it's more suited for him, and Gibbs on the HFF, because of the damage he did to other teams there in 2011. Don't like Tuohy as a HBF and think either he or Lucas could be of great use as a sub playing the same defensive forward role that Armfield does. I am personally of the belief that we need to trade one of either Hampson or Warnock. Kreuzer plays much better as the stand-alone #1 ruck and Casboult can provide a chop out. Casboult also provides much more at FF than either Hampson or Warnock.

Break-out season predictions: Casboult, Bell, Gibbs, Laidler (to cement himself as a true on-field leader) and Kreuzer to return to his best.

Players like Rowe, Buckley, McCarthy, Mitchell and Bootsma are unknowns. Other than Rowe (and arguably Buckley) we know that the ability is definitely there. Rowe could be a revelation, though I wouldn't place our hopes too firmly on him. With Mitchell and McCarthy (and Casboult, Waite, Jamison and everyone over 190 cm) it is simply a matter of not getting injured. We could see McCarthy step up and cement a place in the side in the absence of McInnes. Buckley and Boots will spend the year bulking up a little, I think.

Now go forth and praise be to new threads.

 

[Sin City]

Can we make this one a mega thread?

 

[SE_Blue]

Can we make this one a mega thread?

I, for one, welcome our new mega-thread overlords.

 

[Wickzki]

FB: Laidler - Watson - Jamison
HB: Scotland - Henderson - Yarran
C: Carrazzo - McLean - Gibbs
HF: Walker - Casboult - Simpson
FF: Garlett - Waite - Betts
RU: Kreuzer - Judd - Murphy
IC: Lucas - Robinson - Tuohy
SU: Armfield

All-Australian squad: Henderson, Gibbs, Betts, Murphy, Judd, Kreuzer

Brownlow top vote getter: Marc Murphy

Best & Fairest winner: Marc Murphy

Projected Finish: 1st to 6th

 

[zeeCFC]

Laidler, Jamison, Watson
Yarran, Henderson, Tuohy
Simpson, Judd, Gibbs
Walker, Waite, Robinson
Garlett, Casboult, Betts
Kreuzer, Murphy, Carrazzo

Hampson, McLean, Scotland, Bell/Lucas/Armfield

 

[NAUGHT5]

My one hope is that when this thread comes up next year, noone will putting Gibbs at half forward, half back or on a wing.
If he fulfills his potential, there will be no one trying to balance the on all brigade cause he'll be too good to leave out.

One day..

 

[Stamos]

A lot can change over the pre-season, let alone through the course of the year.
All fit and in form, for Round 1 I would pick:

B: Laidler, Jamison, McInnes
HB: Yarran, Henderson, Scotland
C: Simpson, Judd, Gibbs
HF: Garlett, Waite, Armfield
F: Betts, Hampson, Walker
Foll: Kreuzer, Murphy, Carrazzo

Int: McLean, Robinson, Tuohy/Bell

 

[NAUGHT5]

Casboult v Hampson will be a good battle

 

[toomuchsparetime]

BACKS

Jamison (on mid-sized forward) Watson (FB) Robinson (on small forward rotating with yarran)
Laidler (on small forward) Henderson (CHB) Scotland (on mid-sized forward playing loose as much as possible)

MIDS

Yarran (wing) Kreuzer (ruck) Simpson (wing)
Murphy Judd Carazzo (offensive tagger)

FORWARDS

Gibbs (Marking forward) Waite (CHF) Walker (roaming forward)
Betts (crumbing) Casboult (FF) Garlett (crumbing / back-leads)

ROTATIONS

McLean Bell Collins/Lucas
Armfield (sub)

UNLUCKY

Touhy Duigan White

PUT GAME TIME INTO

McCarthy Bootsma Mitchell Buckley
and amazingly talent new draftees!

 

[FlowersByIrene]

I would love to make a best 22 and love the thread

But i'll wait until the draft and trade week are over
Then we'll have a complete squad and a complete look at our team


But Murphy will be in elite top 3 in the league form next year, bookmark it

 

[Sharks On A Plane]

B: Laidler Jamison McInnes/Watson
HB: Yarran Henderson Scotland
C: Simpson McLean Gibbs
HF: Garlett Waite Walker
F: Hampson Casboult Betts
R: Kreuzer Murphy Judd
I: Carrazzo Robinson Armfield (Bell)

Think Hampson can be a valuable player next year. He offers quality relief rucking when Kreuze needs a rest, and will be minded by lesser defenders when forward as Casboult and Waite draw the heat away from him (if Malthouse indeed pursues his traditional three-tall forward line structure). Hampson will never be able to consistently beat top quality defenders but will be a real handful for lesser 'third' defenders.

Love what I saw of McInnes this year, hopefully his recovery is swift. Excellent mobility and seems a very versatile defender. Watson can keep his spot warm until he regains full fitness (although then the backline might be a little too top-heavy).

Tuohy needs to do far more to warrant a spot in my opinion. Wasn't anywhere good enough this year and would/should have been dropped if not for our injury issues. Don't like him in the backline at all so hopefully he is groomed for a more attacking role this year.

 

[Sin City]

Play the young blokes!

Jamison Watson Bootsma
Yarran Henderson Laidler
Simpson Murphy Gibbs
Garlett Waite Walker
Betts Mitchell/Rowe Casboult
Kreuzer Judd Carrazzo
Robinson McLean Bell Scotland

Curnow, Tuohy, Lucas to get plenty of game time too.

 

[Dramoth]

I am going to work a little differently on setting up our best 22. I am going to start with our spine first. I am going to have our first choice listed out first, then put a second choice out after that to allow for injuries.

Our first choice spine if we can get them all on the deck at the same time is:

Jamison, Henderson, Judd, Waite, Casboult

I havent put Kreuzer in the centre because he is our ruck... why would we have him solely in the centre of the ground when he does all his best would roaming all over the place. Judd is a good height (same height as Big Nick was in his playing days and he was a ruckman...)

Our second string spine to be swapped out with the appropriate players from the first string would be:

Watson, McCarthy, Robinson, Rowe, Mitchell

Either way you apply the 2 strings, we have a good solid goal to goal line with some good height in there.

Now that the spine is sorted out, I guess we can start filling out the rest of the setup. I am going to leave out McInnes for the time being as he wouldnt be making many appearances next year thanks to his ACL injury and our inclusion (already) of Tom Bell as his nominated replacement for the year.

A fair few people have been loading up the backline with a plethora of talls but I am going to go with what I feel is a good mix

B - Yarran ... Jamison ... Simpson
HB - Laidler ... Henderson ... Scotland

Depending on the opposition, I would be using Duigan instead of Scotland as a HBF and pushing Scotland to the midfield on a wing. The reason I am putting Simpson in the back pocket is because I like him playing there and pushing up to the wing on the kickout and taking the ball from the kick in and running with it.

Our centres are interesting... I am going to go with this for the centre line:

C - Armfield ... Judd ... Gibbs

With a ruck setup of:

R - Kreuzer, McLean, Murphy

Our forwards are where we have struggled to really settle over the last couple of years since we got rid of Fevola. However, I think that with the discovery of Casboult at the end of last season, we found someone who can crash packs and take the big contested mark. Get a couple more kilo's on him and he was really start leaving some destruction in his wake. Give him more games and his kicking should start really sorting itself out as well.

HF - Walker ... Waite ... Collins
F - Betts ... Casboult ... Garlett

I have gone with the 2 talls, 2 mediums and 2 smalls because of who I have on the bench. I am starting Hampson on the bench because if we rotate him into the forward line when we rest one of the smalls or mediums, then we cause a lot of issues for opposition defences.

I - Hampson, Bell, Robinson (one of Duigan/Lucas/Tuohy)

The opposition is going to have to load up on talls if we play this sort of team and with Hammer coming off the bench into the forward line, I figure that we might end up causing the odd imbalance as the opposition tries to reshuffle the defence so that a tall can get in there and cover him. And if they dont, then they will be playing a small(ish) defender against a 200cm tall ruck/forward.

I would just like to say, this is just one of my views on how to setup the side... obviously we have a few other guys who can make the list but we are asking for our best starting 22 for 2013.

 

[Sharks On A Plane]

^^^^
Carrazzo

Interesting idea re: Simpson, although he's probably too valuable a link in the midfield chain to send down back.

 

[Dramoth]

^^^^
Carrazzo

Interesting idea re: Simpson, although he's probably too valuable a link in the midfield chain to send down back.

Good point re-Carrots... I would have him on the wing instead of Armfield if needed. Damn us for starting to have a large number of players coming good these days. I would move Armfield to where Collins is and use Collins as a potential sub then.

Considering that Simpson started off his career in the back pocket before being moved to the wing, I think that it's a good idea... he pushes up to the HBF on his side of the field while we stack the half back line from the centre line to the opposite flank and then chip short, then kick to him while he is still on his own. Then he gets on his bike and motors for the centre to link up with Gibbs and Yarran who has come steaming out of defence.

Could be an interesting tactical ploy.

 

[Stamos]

What, it's a Mega-thread now?

 

[mediumsizered]

Can we make this one a mega thread?

Can be arranged.

 

[Silvagnis]

B: Jamison Watson Bootsma
HB: Yarran Henderson Laidler
C: Simpson Murphy Gibbs
HF: Garlett Waite Walker
F: Betts Mitchell* Hampson
R: Kreuzer Judd Carrazzo

I: Scotland Robinson McLean

S: Lucas

*Get around him

I'd like to see Bootsma trialed as a small defender. Think Boots has the footy smarts plus Walker's athleticism and intensity that could allow him to play on smalls. Think he ran down Yarran this year. Boots could hurt them with his rebound like Christou used to do. Already a cult figure like Ang.

I wouldn't be shocked to see Mick go against supporter convention and pull off a surprise move. Might back in a Davies or Tuohy for a small defender spot. Toovey would have been one of his first picked at Collingwood. A lot of their supporters wanted him out of their side. JR was similarly a beneficiary of a new coach coming in and backing him in.

Lucas should be the one who comes good under a new coach.

 

[zeeCFC]

Love the idea of Boots as a small defender. Not going to rule out Tuohy releasing Yarran either.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Simpson is in my opinion one of the premiere wingers in the game, If the AA was actually chose on where a person plays, i think Simpson plays the Wing role as well as any player in the competition and would be an AA "Winger"
Therefore i can't have him anywhere else but the wing, it's like the Gibbs dilema, play SImpson where he is at his absolute peak and that is the wing.

 

[Dramoth]

Simpson is in my opinion one of the premiere wingers in the game, If the AA was actually chose on where a person plays, i think Simpson plays the Wing role as well as any player in the competition and would be an AA "Winger"
Therefore i can't have him anywhere else but the wing, it's like the Gibbs dilema, play SImpson where he is at his absolute peak and that is the wing.

He also plays very well in a back pocket and is able to blanket a small forward quite effectively. But I do agree, the wing is perhaps his best position.

 

[Jeremias]

He also plays very well in a back pocket and is able to blanket a small forward quite effectively. But I do agree, the wing is perhaps his best position.

Don't think I've ever seen Simmo blanket a small forward.

 

[ESKIE]

Don't think I've ever seen Simmo blanket a small forward.

Me either

 

[Beer n Skittles]

+1 for bootsma as a small defender.
Would like to see Garlett on a wing, needs to fix up his delivery though

 

[toomuchsparetime]

We are developing good depth through the midfield, but it seems to me most of these guys can't or don't have a role in the forward or back rotations. For example Swan, Pendlebury, Cochin, Martin, etc.. can be isolated up forward and be very damaging.

Who from our midfield can play a decisive role in either the back or forward half... either as a permanent fixture or as a rotation?

An interesting one to start with for me is Robinson, who has played defensive forward in the past. I would like to see how he would go as a permanent back. He has proved himself willing to take on any role to help the team and applies himself to whatever role he is given. I can see him doing a lock down role, but also provide run and carry and despite inconsistent disposal can be quite creative with his kicking.