Prediction Best 22 for 2017

[Kimbo]

Let's say we replace Boomer and Dal (including the latter because you did, didn't rate his year) with 2x Brady Rawlings.

Our midfield defensive pressure would go up 1000% but we'd in a huge scoring opportunity and inside 50 deficit to offset it.

What I'm saying is regardless of his limitations, it's near impossible to lose a player of Brent's calibre and come out with a net gain.

Brady Rawlings?! Where did you pluck that one from KC? To be relevant we need to look to actual likely replacements, where the 'overall' gain could potentially come from (vs replacing a primarily offensive player with a predominantly defensive player.)

Let's say with the retirements of Boomer and Dal Santo we now have two of the following five more permanent fixtures in the best 22; Jed Anderson, Nathan Hrovat, Ryan Clarke, Ben Jacobs or Trent Dumont.

Lets say they average 6/10 offensively and 6/10 defensively, playing through the middle. Offensive rating based on things like metres gained, effective disposals, I50s, goals and goal assists, with the defensive rating based on tackles and 1%ers and holding better defensive positions around the stoppages or generally. I'm not being precise here, but trying to give a sense of it. So, assume the average overall or total rating is 12/20.

Now, let's say Boomer was 8/10 offensively and 2/10 defensively (10/20) and Dal 7/10 and 2/10 respectively (9/20). Their overall contribution is lower.

At the end of the day it'll be about goals kicked vs goals saved and it'd be a complex task to identify and value the different components, but I think your Rawlings example you're replacing a 8/2 with a 2/8, rather than a better all round example. In short, I can conceive of a total net gain. There may even be a certain synergy that comes with the replacements if they're all on, and see themselves as all on, the same level more or less. We may see more teamwork than reliance on the star factor.

 

[naturally north]

Good call on day of Port loss nn.

Thanks man aren't over the moon about it all of course. Would rather be well wrong. I suppose the reason I was so pissed off this season, I saw it and relived it over and over again as weeks turned into months.

Probably the most disappointing season I can remember. I've forgotten about 98

But things are looking up.

 

[Mav]

Moving to this thread!

Sometimes no one got past 20 possessions in our midfield though..

Hence why we need to develop Dumont, Clarke, Garner, LMac and Jed into ball winning mids while seeing if Mounts, Wags, Jy and Hibberd are up to it.

^I'd expect both dumont and Jacobs in the team

yeah, but you'd drop the one guy on our team who can run long and hard enough to get the ball multiple times!

 

[Keystone agony]

I like to wrap my head around other teams best 22. So I will give it a crack with a few comments.

I still think North Melbourne believe they can play finals next year and rightfully so, however it may not be the best if they do because I cant see them going much further. Still in a transition period, have a few older blokes like Hansen, Thompson, Swallow, Waite, Higgins, L.Thomas and S.Gibson who probably need to be superseded and wont be for the early part of next year until finals is out of the race and the club will know it needs to develop Vicker Willis, Fordham, Dumont, Mcdonald as a midfielder, Jacobs as a ball hunter,M.Hibberd, Turner, Durdin/Mackay ect

The toughest thing for me is do the Roos use Hansen as the 3rd tall defender or McMillian as undersized 3rd tall - Maybe depend on matchups/team played.

Hansen - S.Thompson - Wright

Atley - Tarrant - L.Mcdonald

McMillian - Ziebell - Jacobs

Wood - Waite - Higgins

Thomas - B.Brown - M.Daw

Goldstein - Dumont - Cunnington

A.Swallow, R.Clarke, S.Gibson, (Last spot probably worth debuting a Fordham, E.V.Willis, Hibberd, Simpkin ect)


Will not surprise if later in the year the team resembles something like this due to injury/development

Vicker Willis - Thompson - Wright

MacMillian - Tarrant - Hibberd

Jacobs - Ziebell - Fordham

Simpkin - Wood - Anderson

Turner - B.Brown - Daw

Goldstein - Dumont - Cunnington

R.Clarke, L.Mcdonald (pure mid rotations), Atley (Pure mid rotations), Garner

 

[WesternRoo]

Will give it a go:


Vickers-Willis - Tarrant - Williams

MacMillan - Thompson - Wright

McDonald - Dumont - Mountford

Wood - Waite - Ziebell

Thomas - Brown - Daw


Goldstein - Cunnington - Clarke


Jacobs - Garner - Hrovat - Atley

 

[Firestarter]

I like to wrap my head around other teams best 22. So I will give it a crack with a few comments.

I still think North Melbourne believe they can play finals next year and rightfully so, however it may not be the best if they do because I cant see them going much further. Still in a transition period, have a few older blokes like Hansen, Thompson, Swallow, Waite, Higgins, L.Thomas and S.Gibson who probably need to be superseded and wont be for the early part of next year until finals is out of the race and the club will know it needs to develop Vicker Willis, Fordham, Dumont, Mcdonald as a midfielder, Jacobs as a ball hunter,M.Hibberd, Turner, Durdin/Mackay ect

The toughest thing for me is do the Roos use Hansen as the 3rd tall defender or McMillian as undersized 3rd tall - Maybe depend on matchups/team played.

Hansen - S.Thompson - Wright

Atley - Tarrant - L.Mcdonald

McMillian - Ziebell - Jacobs

Wood - Waite - Higgins

Thomas - B.Brown - M.Daw

Goldstein - Dumont - Cunnington

A.Swallow, R.Clarke, S.Gibson, (Last spot probably worth debuting a Fordham, E.V.Willis, Hibberd, Simpkin ect)


Will not surprise if later in the year the team resembles something like this due to injury/development

Vicker Willis - Thompson - Wright

MacMillian - Tarrant - Hibberd

Jacobs - Ziebell - Fordham

Simpkin - Wood - Anderson

Turner - B.Brown - Daw

Goldstein - Dumont - Cunnington

R.Clarke, L.Mcdonald (pure mid rotations), Atley (Pure mid rotations), Garner

Due to injury (/development)? Do you know something I probably missed? (I like the effort otherwise)

 

[The Stifmeister]

This is not my best 22 per se but just what I think Scott would go with in round 1 with all players available.

Best 22
2. Marley Williams 16. Scott Thompson 19. Sam Wright
11. Luke McDonald 25. Robbie Tarrant 34. Jamie Macmillan
43. Sam Gibson 7. Jack Ziebell 3. Jed Anderson
4. Shaun Higgins 50. Ben Brown 32. Mason Wood
12. Lindsay Thomas 30. Jarrad Waite 27. Taylor Garner
22. Told Goldstein 10. Ben Cunnington 9. Andrew Swallow
8. Nathan Hrovat 18. Shaun Atley
38. Majak Daw 5. Ben Jacobs
Werribee
33. Ed Vickers-Willis 26. Daniel Nielson 6. Lachlan Hansen
39. Mitch Hibberd 35. Declan Watson 17. Aaron Mullett
37. Will Fordham* 14. Trent Dumont 36. Josh Williams
21. Jy Simpkin 24. Sam Durdin 44. Cameron Zurhaar*
28. Kayne Turner 23. Ben McKay 41. Corey Wagner
31. Braydon Preuss 13. Ryan Clarke 42. Declan Mountford
46. Matthew Taylor* 45. Oscar Junker*
40. Nick Larkey 15. Paul Ahern

 

[koshari]

turners ahead of garner for now.

 

[Jack Bradley]

turners ahead of garner for now.

I feel garner is simply cooked now - he cant string a set of games together and everytime he does a hammy its taking an age to get back.

 

[RobZombie]

The toughest thing for me is do the Roos use Hansen as the 3rd tall defender or McMillian as undersized 3rd tall - Maybe depend on matchups/team played.

More likely that EVW is the Firrito replacement, while Macmillan stays in a HB/Wing role. As for Atley, year after year of expecting him to move into the midfield has borne no fruit. Seems he's best with the game in front of him. My feeling is that recruiting Williams (initially Marley, but also now drafting Josh) is designed to add an extra speedy general defender and take the pressure off Atley as the only rebounding defender with real pace.

 

[Route57]

I like to wrap my head around other teams best 22. So I will give it a crack with a few comments.

I still think North Melbourne believe they can play finals next year and rightfully so, however it may not be the best if they do because I cant see them going much further. Still in a transition period, have a few older blokes like Hansen, Thompson, Swallow, Waite, Higgins, L.Thomas and S.Gibson who probably need to be superseded and wont be for the early part of next year until finals is out of the race and the club will know it needs to develop Vicker Willis, Fordham, Dumont, Mcdonald as a midfielder, Jacobs as a ball hunter,M.Hibberd, Turner, Durdin/Mackay ect

The toughest thing for me is do the Roos use Hansen as the 3rd tall defender or McMillian as undersized 3rd tall - Maybe depend on matchups/team played.

Hansen - S.Thompson - Wright

Atley - Tarrant - L.Mcdonald

McMillian - Ziebell - Jacobs

Wood - Waite - Higgins

Thomas - B.Brown - M.Daw

Goldstein - Dumont - Cunnington

A.Swallow, R.Clarke, S.Gibson, (Last spot probably worth debuting a Fordham, E.V.Willis, Hibberd, Simpkin ect)

I rate this because it makes a whole lot of sense. I like how you haven't included Williams and Hrovat as automatic inclusions as they will be competing with several players for the same position who have either already broken into the line up or could heavily compete.

 

[Keystone agony]

More likely that EVW is the Firrito replacement, while Macmillan stays in a HB/Wing role. As for Atley, year after year of expecting him to move into the midfield has borne no fruit. Seems he's best with the game in front of him. My feeling is that recruiting Williams (initially Marley, but also now drafting Josh) is designed to add an extra speedy general defender and take the pressure off Atley as the only rebounding defender with real pace.

Yeh i have been keeping an eye on EVW and his stats through VFL is impressive. Id like to see North go that way and run with him from the start push Hansen out of the team from the start.

Yeh think Atley maybe just has to be an offensive half back do what Brodie Smith did in his AA year. Very similar players producing different outputs in regards to impact at the moment in career.

 

[Kimbo]

Yeh i have been keeping an eye on EVW and his stats through VFL is impressive. Id like to see North go that way and run with him from the start push Hansen out of the team from the start.

Yeh think Atley maybe just has to be an offensive half back do what Brodie Smith did in his AA year. Very similar players producing different outputs in regards to impact at the moment in career.

Yes, with EVW or Nielson (or Durdin), the sooner they've pushed their way into the team the better.

Brodie Smith is a far smarter footballer than Atley though I'd suggest.

 

[Jack Bradley]

I like to wrap my head around other teams best 22. So I will give it a crack with a few comments.

I still think North Melbourne believe they can play finals next year and rightfully so, however it may not be the best if they do because I cant see them going much further. Still in a transition period, have a few older blokes like Hansen, Thompson, Swallow, Waite, Higgins, L.Thomas and S.Gibson who probably need to be superseded and wont be for the early part of next year until finals is out of the race and the club will know it needs to develop Vicker Willis, Fordham, Dumont, Mcdonald as a midfielder, Jacobs as a ball hunter,M.Hibberd, Turner, Durdin/Mackay ect

The toughest thing for me is do the Roos use Hansen as the 3rd tall defender or McMillian as undersized 3rd tall - Maybe depend on matchups/team played.

Hansen - S.Thompson - Wright

Atley - Tarrant - L.Mcdonald

McMillian - Ziebell - Jacobs

Wood - Waite - Higgins

Thomas - B.Brown - M.Daw

Goldstein - Dumont - Cunnington

A.Swallow, R.Clarke, S.Gibson, (Last spot probably worth debuting a Fordham, E.V.Willis, Hibberd, Simpkin ect)


Will not surprise if later in the year the team resembles something like this due to injury/development

Vicker Willis - Thompson - Wright

MacMillian - Tarrant - Hibberd

Jacobs - Ziebell - Fordham

Simpkin - Wood - Anderson

Turner - B.Brown - Daw

Goldstein - Dumont - Cunnington

R.Clarke, L.Mcdonald (pure mid rotations), Atley (Pure mid rotations), Garner

I have doubts on Hibberd as his body looks like it has been made out of stale bread. I like the idea of dropping Thomas for Tuner.

If thomas brings his same ol bullshit this year he can EAD then GAGF - can no longer tolerate his undisciplined bullshit if we want to build a strong culture for these young blokes.

 

[Dodecahedron]

Look maybe I've missed an announcement but it is Dec 7th.
All the players are back, the list is finalised, players all have their numbers allocated.
Is there any remote chance North can tell us who our Captain is?

 

[Firestarter]

Look maybe I've missed an announcement but it is not Dec 7th.
All the players are back, the list is finalised, players all have their numbers allocated.
Is there any remote chance North can tell us who our Captain is?

Do you mean "is it not Dec 7th?"

 

[Kimbo]

Look maybe I've missed an announcement but it is not Dec 7th.
All the players are back, the list is finalised, players all have their numbers allocated.
Is there any remote chance North can tell us who our Captain is?

Mate, there's a whole off season news cycle to manage. It'll happen in the fullness of time, when everyone has been consulted, had extensive leadership feedback conversations and engaged in a gruelling knockout series of rock-paper-scissors.

Relax, when they're ready to announce Jack Ziebell as the next Captain we'll be the first to know.

 

[Firestarter]

Mate, there's a whole off season news cycle to manage. It'll happen in the fullness of time, when everyone has been consulted, had extensive leadership feedback conversations and engaged in a gruelling knockout series of rock-paper-scissors.

Relax, when they're ready to announce Jack Ziebell as the next Captain we'll be the first to know.

Probably teaching everyone how to spell Ziebell on a piece of paper.

 

[Spitter9]

If hrovat is fit then he's a definite round 1 starter IMO

 

[Twinkletoes]

Look maybe I've missed an announcement but it is not Dec 7th.
All the players are back, the list is finalised, players all have their numbers allocated.
Is there any remote chance North can tell us who our Captain is?

The players and coaches usually decide upon a captain sometime into the preseason so there's a body of work from which to judge who the standout leadership candidates are.

In other words, shut up and buy a membership (VALE Geoff Walsh).

 

[Shermanator]

The players and coaches usually decide upon a captain sometime into the preseason so there's a body of work from which to judge who the standout leadership candidates are.

In other words, shit up and buy a membership (VALE Geoff Walsh).

Jisse W Smuth-ism?..

 

[Twinkletoes]

Jisse W Smuth-ism?..

Twinkle toes.

Shakey fingers.

 

[Firestarter]

TwinkIetoes?

... for some reason a capital i is shorter than a lower case L.

 

[Twinkletoes]

TwinkIetoes?

... for some reason a capital i is shorter than a lower case L.

Its not the size of the letter but how you use it apparently.

 

[getgaff]

Hey guys and girls, sorry to intrude but looking to visit all the club best 22's over the next couple of weeks before Xmas. I'm up to North Melbourne so here's my crack at best 22 for North. Appreciate any feedback

FB: Sam Wright ~ Robbie Tarrant ~ Marley Williams
HB: Shaun Atley ~ Scott Thompson ~ Luke McDonald

CENTRE: Jamie Macmillan ~ Jack Ziebell ~ Sam Gibson
FOLL: Todd Goldstein ~ Ben Jacobs ~ Ben Cunnington

HF: Shaun Higgins ~ Jarrad Waite ~ Mason Wood
FF: Ben Brown ~ Majak Daw ~ Lindsay Thomas

INT: Jed Anderson ~ Nathan Hrovat ~ Andrew Swallow ~ Taylor Garner

My ideal back six for North would include an extra tall defender but don't want to be shouted out of here so I won't add Hansen . It would be my hope, and I'm sure the hope of a lot of North supporters, that Nielsen or Durdin can start making a genuine imprint on the best 22 and putting pressure on at selection. Both lads are powerful enough to hold down a key post and would allow Thompson to play a real he is more accustomed to, third tall that can play smaller also.

Other than that the back line of 2017 is fairly similar to what was on the park in 2016 apart from the addition of Marley Williams.

MacMillan and Atley swapping between HB and midfield duties, Sam Wright continuing his role down back and Luke McDonald as that set up defender using his penetrating kick as a weapon from the back half.

Adding Williams brings in a genuine smaller defender that can set up play and be an effective rebounder. Maybe I rated him to highly but to get him for the price you gave up I think is an absolute steal and so long as his fit will be a regular best 22 contributor at North. Had a quieter 2016 but finished inside the top 10 of Collingwood B & F count in 2015.


Looking to the midfield and I've gone with Macmillan/ Atley and Gibson as the more outside types. Gibson's endurance and running power is well known at North and is an important factor in his starting 18 role for me.

Ziebell and Cunnington are proven consistent performers in the midfield but adding Swallow in there as well is a little bit one dimensional. Would make them a very strong inside midfielder but a touch one paced which is where I've added Jacobs as that possible run with midfielder.

Goldstein is still a premier ruck in the comp and has some good experience around him in the midfielder starting 5.

The potential second tier midfield with names like Swallow, Anderson, Hrovat, Wood (outside), Higgins and Atley going through there is another good mix of youthful energy and experience.


The big change in the forward line is the inclusion of Daw over the retired Petrie and the hopeful extended run given to Mason Wood.

Daw is a damn exciting player but can easily get lost in the game as well. I'm a fan of Mason Wood and with his endurance if he can add regular midfield minutes to his games it makes there second tier midfield stronger for outside run.

Higgins, Thomas, Brown and Waite have been regular best 22 players (when fit) over recent season and add some size (Brown and Waite), goal scoring power (all 4 have the ability to hit the scoreboard in multiples), class, skill at ground level and goal sense (Thomas and Higgins). If you add interchange players like Anderson, Hrovat and Garner in the mix I think is a good mix in it and some depth in numbers of players rotating through the forward and midfield zones.

Andrew Swallow I'm a big fan of, largely because his a mate of mine, but he plays to his strengths well. Knows his limitations and doesn't try things that seem a bit far fetched. A tireless midfield worker who was a under rated captain at North, very much a leader by example.

I guess that I have a vested interest in Andrew doing well gives him some leeway at selection in my best 22 over younger inside mids like Clarke and Dumont who are both ripper players and the future of North whereas if you wanted a more outside player to replace him than Kayne Turner is a genuinely good fit. Nearly time to sacrifice himself for Clarke and Dumont in the best 22 however because that's the way forward for North.


Looking onto the recent draft and Simpkin once back to full fitness is an ideal fit. Ideally he would see some AFL action in 2017, his skinny and had a long time out of the game but don't let that put you off him.

Same goes for Ahern who is basically a new draftee. If he can play some VFL footy in the back half of 2017 (not aware how likely this seems) hopefully he puts his case forward strongly at AFL selection to.

Watson and Williams I was shocked initally at how early North put there bids in but in hindsight I can see merit in it particularly with Watson. As a taller defender at the next level he needs to put on size but is a strong competitor who is composed under pressure and uses the ball well by foot. Depending on his pre season and early season VFL form could mount a challenge as that 3rd tall down back but it just as likely to be developed well in the VFL.

Williams has some serious wheels on him but is skinny as a rake. If he can build his body size and endurance without losing that pace he will be a lively player but initially would spend a good amount of time in the gym and with the VFL side.

Larkey is a real project tall type. Needs to spend some time in the weight room with Williams but is a versatile tall which makes him appealing. Can ruck but would be better suited to a KP role at either end.

Zurharr is a real rookie draft selection. Competes hard and has a powerful body size leaning to think he may play VFL 1's early but has areas for improvement that will need to be worked on at that higher level against men instead of at Colts level against players his age and younger.

Junker I was surprised to see still available when he was. Versatile in the role he works hard, I'm interested to see if he is maybe an early rookie upgrade, if you have room to add any primary listed players, LTI upgrade for Ahern may be his best chance however would be competing with Fordham.

Matt Taylor is a good size player who uses the ball well. Will need to adapt to the difference between WAFL and VFL initially but as someone that was bypassed in both the national and rookie drafts in 2015 and being a WA boy I'll take interest in how he goes over in Victoria.


Looking deeper into my crystal ball and this is as hard to predict as those magic 8 balls you used to get, especially with the amount of list changes that happen plus things that can't be predicted like injuries or trades, but it's a bit of a re-generation of the 22 from 2016 and 2017. This would be a great outcome to see in 2018 IMO. At least 1 new player in every zone of the ground.

FB: Sam Wright ~ Daniel Nielsen ~ Scott Thompson/ Ed Vickers Willis
HB: Marley Williams ~ Robbie Tarrant ~ Luke McDonald

CENTRE: Jamie Macmillan ~ Ryan Clarke ~ Mason Wood
FOLL: Todd Goldstein ~ Jack Ziebell ~ Ben Jacobs

HF: Shaun Higgins ~ Ben McKay ~ Jy Simpkin
FF: Ben Brown ~ Majak Daw ~ Lindsay Thomas

INT: Shaun Atley ~ Nathan Hrovat ~ Ben Cunnington ~ Paul Ahern ~ Mitchell Hibberd ~ Jed Anderson ~ Trent Dumont