Best 22 (25yrs and under)

[lunacy]

On our current list right now we have 24 players who are 25 years old or under. Personally I think the club should aim to have about 28-30 players 25 years old or younger. Having said that Mcleod, Goodwin and Bassett still have another year after this next season IMO. Personally, I'd be delisting Biglands, Edwards (and possibly Welsh depending on the development of other forwards) after the 2008 season.

Here is our best 22 from those 25yrs or under:

FB: Stevens Rutten Johncock
HB: Vince Bock Symes
C: Knights Thompson VB
HF: Porps Gill Wallker
FF: Tippett Hentschel Douglas
1R: Griffin Reilly Campbell
Int: Maric, MacKay, Jericho, Moran/Sellar
Emerg: Moran/Sellar, Gallman
(bold = players who are 25yrs or turning 25yrs next year).

If Vince cannot break into the midfield I wouldn't mind seeing him play across half back. He has a good footy brain and good execution. Could probably play lose man well (in future).

I would prefer Symes to play on wing and rotate through midfield but there weren't any other HBF in the under 25s lineup.

When recruiting, I think the Coaching/recruiting staff should look at this lineup to ascertain where our needs/deficiencies really are as Bassett, Goodwin, Edwards, Mcleod, Biglands, Welsh, Burton wont be around by the time most of our new draftees play their first game.

 

[Vader]

On our current list right now we have 24 players who are 25 years old or under. Personally I think the club should aim to have about 28-30 players 25 years old or younger. Having said that Mcleod, Goodwin and Bassett still have another year after this next season IMO. Personally, I'd be delisting Biglands, Edwards (and possibly Welsh depending on the development of other forwards) after the 2008 season.

For my money, here are the 2008 delistings:
Massie - delisted
Doughty - delisted
Jericho - delisted (surely one more year of this rope-a-dope is enough?)
Biglands - delisted or retired

And the retirements:
Bassett - retired
Edwards - retired
Burton - retired

With Roo & Edwards gone, I would not be the least bit surprised to see Goodwin pull the plug voluntarily as well.

Quite sad really that I feel I have a great deal of certainty regarding so many departures, 12 months before any decisions actually have to be made.

For the record, I see Welsh as a 2009 departure - along with Goodwin (if not gone in 2008), Shirley, McGregor and probably McLeod (though age is not wearying him yet).

When recruiting, I think the Coaching/recruiting staff should look at this lineup to ascertain where our needs/deficiencies really are as Bassett, Goodwin, Edwards, Mcleod, Biglands, Welsh, Burton wont be around by the time most of our new draftees play their first game.

If yesterday's propaganda is to be believed, then most of our 2007 draftees can be expected to play in 2008. On that basis, the veterans will indeed still be around when they play their first games.

This in no way detracts from your point that our recruiting needs to be based on a needs/deficiencies assessment of replacing these veterans in the side.

 

[FlyingCrow]

I agree with this yout idea, heck the team mentioned could do quite well. What would happen of we play this team, with Goody Macca Bassett and Edwards and are in top four during the year. Would that stifle development??


ie older players hang aoround to win a flag. Look at Port. The success they had this year has them beleiving a flag is in their grasp. Players like Brogan, Lade Tredders and Wilson will want to hang around. None of these players have back ups for when they go.
Either way some tough calls are gonna be made in next two seasons.

 

[Mismatched]

Sorry guys, I'd expect to see Edwards around for a few years yet, the bloke is still avoiding any serious injuries and still makes our top 4 in the B&F, behind only Mcleod, Thompson and Goodwin.

I would expect to see our current 27-30 year old group get cut before the likes of Edwards and Basset, although Basset does struggle with injury at times, so depends on whether he can get over them.

I would say Welsh is quite likely to be given the flick if one of two things happen, 1 he has another injury riddled year, 2 if Tippet, Walker and Sellar come on well, if not, he would get 1 more.

Biglands will only stay if our younger ruckman don't improve any more, or he finds himself a place in the forward line.

Doughty, Massie and Shirley are in big trouble for mine, they all have to be at their best to warrent selection and if not, expect not to see them again.

Jericho is the luckiest bugger in all being to still be on our list, surely if he cannot perform(hopefully he is given a chance to), he will be delisted.

My predictions for the delistees/retirees of 2008 are to come from:
Biglands
Massie
Doughty
Shirley
Welsh
Basset
Jericho
with Vince and Cambell needing to show something desperately at AFL level.

I agree with our need to introduce youngsters, however, I would not do it at the expense of some of our most experienced leaders, they will be required to instruct the young ones still out on the field. Young players in the team are great, but they are also inconsistent, as was shown by teams such as the Port, Hawthorn and the Roos in the finals.

 

[MickyCrow]

Can almost guarentee Edwards will play 300 before he retires/ is pushed

Therefore 2009 will prob be his last

 

[Porps_is_HOT_loz]

LOVE IT!
thats all i have to say
team for 2008!!!!!!!

 

[Rugged_Battler]

What's the word on Sellar? Is this boy going to be a star? I hear conflicting reports about him. Some say he's over-rated while others rate him quite highly. Was glandular fever and his subsequent absence from draft camp last year the reason for not being picked in top 5 or 10 as anticipated last year or did other clubs just not fancy him? Will he get any game time this year? Future CHF?

 

[Campbell's Chunky]

What's the word on Sellar? Is this boy going to be a star? I hear conflicting reports about him. Some say he's over-rated while others rate him quite highly. Was glandular fever and his subsequent absence from draft camp last year the reason for not being picked in top 5 or 10 as anticipated last year or did other clubs just not fancy him? Will he get any game time this year? Future CHF?

Had a bout of 'too-good-for-AFL' alitis.

Not even Chris Judd has had that.