Prediction Best 22 for 2020

[Candiru]

So for this, I am going to assume we lose all our free agents at the end of 2018 and that no one born before 1990 is still playing. Basically worst-case scenario. Ages in brackets are at January 1, 2020.

B: Nelson (23) Barrass (24) Duggan (23)
HB: Sheppard (28) Rotham (21) Cole (22)
C: Petruccelle (20) Redden (29) Venables (21)
HF: Cripps (27) Waterman (21) Rioli (24)
F: Brander (20) Darling (27) Ryan (23)
R: Naitanui (29) Yeo (26) Shuey (29)
Int: Vardy (28) Sheed (24) Allen (20) Ah Chee (26)

I've made it aggressively young for the purposes of the exercise. It's still not too bad, even with those outs.

Hopefully we still have the likes of Gaff, McGovern, Lycett and some of the veterans. JK and Hurn could totally still be there. They both turn 33 in August/September that year. And Schofield could well be best 22 if McGovern goes. He'll turn 31 at the start of 2020 and we don't have any other cover in the key defensive posts. It's also a really young backline. It makes a case for going after an experienced defender if it pans out this way. It also makes clear that Sheppard will become one of our most important players, if he isn't already.

Maybe Jetta and/or Masten still in the mix? Poor old Hutchings still not best 22 by then? Probably a bridge too far for LeCras as he'll turn 34 in August 2020.

 

[ioppolo]

Hate to burst your bubble, but these threads are null in void these days.

 

[Candiru]

Hate to burst your bubble, but these threads are null in void these days.

There's no harm speculating about how we might shape up two years down the track. If nothing else, it helps identify the areas that need strengthening.

 

[Candiru]

HB: Sheppard (28) Rotham (21) Cole (22)

Not anymore.

 

[flamingEMBERS]

This thread really struggled to get off the ground in May. Maybe it was the grim outlook. We're going to get all three to sign.

 

[FKASC]

Better off updating the ages to be as at Mid-2020 for a better representation.

 

[Candiru]

Better off updating the ages to be as at Mid-2020 for a better representation.

Disagree. But by all means make the adjustments as you like.

 

[Candiru]

If JK is still playing, what are we going to do with Darling (CHF), Waterman, Allen and Brander?

 

[bl4ke]

If JK is still playing, what are we going to do with Darling (CHF), Waterman, Allen and Brander?

One of Water/Allen can replace LeCras.

 

[Candiru]

One of Water/Allen can replace LeCras.

How many tall forwards in one team?

 

[bl4ke]

How many tall forwards in one team?

Three

 

[Candiru]

Three

So we're going to have a couple of handy youngsters playing in the WAFL.

 

[Candiru]

How does this transition shape up now that we've retained Gaff and McGovern?

It could simply be this from the 2018 GF...

In: Naitanui, Gaff, Sheppard, Kelly
Out: Lycett, Schofield, LeCras, Masten (?)

That would leave Hurn and Kennedy as the old men of the team, at 32/33.

 

[Candiru]

Let me set the scene ...

 

[Candiru]

Update me.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Assuming no Kelly, and banking on Hurn/JK to keep playing til the end of their deals, this basically becomes ‘what is our healthy best 22’.

FB: Duggan Barrass Shep
HB: Hurn Gov Jetta
C: Gaff Redden Sheed
HF: Ryan Darling Allen
FF: Cripps Kennedy Rioli

R: Naitanui Shuey Yeo

I: Vardy, Petrucelle, Cole, Hutchings
E: Brander, Rotham, M. Allen, Venables

Could see an argument for Brander/Mallen over Hutchings, if we go away from tagging, but aside from that it’s hard to project anyone bursting into this year’s best 22.

 

[BigVic]

Assuming no Kelly, and banking on Hurn/JK to keep playing til the end of their deals, this basically becomes ‘what is our healthy best 22’.

FB: Duggan Barrass Shep
HB: Hurn Gov Jetta
C: Gaff Redden Sheed
HF: Ryan Darling Allen
FF: Cripps Kennedy Rioli

R: Naitanui Shuey Yeo

I: Vardy, Petrucelle, Cole, Hutchings
E: Brander, Rotham, M. Allen, Venables

Could see an argument for Brander/Mallen over Hutchings, if we go away from tagging, but aside from that it’s hard to project anyone bursting into this year’s best 22.

That would be a powerful squad. If we re-sign Nic Nat, I can't see us getting Kelly

 

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

That would be a powerful squad. If we re-sign Nic Nat, I can't see us getting Kelly

Why not?

 

[Candiru]

Starting to look very "mature" if we line up in 2020 with all of Hurn, Kennedy, Jetta, Masten, Naitanui, Shuey and Redden in the best 22 and Schofield in the wings. I wonder if there will be a bit of shuffling of the deck at the end of 2019?

 

[Marlin01]

Ryan Williams Cameron
Cripps Darling Rioli
Waterman Yeo Gaff
Rotham McGovern Sheppard
Watson Barrass Duggan

NN Shuey Redden
Sheed Allen Nelson Petrucelle

 

[DickDunn]

Now that 2019 is done and dusted:

Nelson/Duggan Barrass Sheppard
Hurn McGovern Jetta
Gaff Kelly Redden
Cripps Darling Sheed
Brander Allen Ryan
Naitanui Shuey Yeo
Rotham Cameron Ah Chee Watson

Kennedy has been a tremendous servant but is no longer at a point where he should be considered an automatic inclusion. Time to further develop our future key forwards in Allen and Brander. Also banking here on Nic Nat doing a full preseason, allowing us to roll with a NN/Allen ruck combo.

I’d be happy for Schoey to get another year but again, not sure he should be best 22. Rotham looks like a player. Get him in there.

The other key aim here is adding to our midfield rotations so the hard stuff is not all left to a few. Kelly is obviously a big part of this. Ah Chee is a logical inclusion as a high half forward who rotate on-ball. Also reckon Franky Watson could be a dynamic addition to the midfield rotations as someone with a bit of speed and flair, helping to fill the void left by Rioli’s absence.

Have at it

 

[swingdog]

Now that 2019 is done and dusted:

Nelson/Duggan Barrass Sheppard
Hurn McGovern Jetta
Gaff Kelly Redden
Cripps Darling Sheed
Brander Allen Ryan
Naitanui Shuey Yeo
Rotham Cameron Ah Chee Watson

Kennedy has been a tremendous servant but is no longer at a point where he should be considered an automatic inclusion. Time to further develop our future key forwards in Allen and Brander. Also banking here on Nic Nat doing a full preseason, allowing us to roll with a NN/Allen ruck combo.

I’d be happy for Schoey to get another year but again, not sure he should be best 22. Rotham looks like a player. Get him in there.

The other key aim here is adding to our midfield rotations so the hard stuff is not all left to a few. Kelly is obviously a big part of this. Ah Chee is a logical inclusion as a high half forward who rotate on-ball. Also reckon Franky Watson could be a dynamic addition to the midfield rotations as someone with a bit of speed and flair, helping to fill the void left by Rioli’s absence.

Have at it

Sad to see no Willie, but so be it.

I'd also keep Schofield but put time into Barrass teaching him how to play one-on-one. Schofield did this role after Glass, someone needs to pick it up after Schofield. Embarrassing to see Barrass get monstered by Hawkins last night.

 

[Godfather32]

Now that 2019 is done and dusted:

Duggan Barrass Sheppard
Hurn McGovern Jetta
Gaff Kelly Redden
Cripps Darling Sheed
Brander Allen Ryan
Naitanui Shuey Yeo
Rotham/Nelson Cameron Petch Williams

Kennedy has been a tremendous servant but is no longer at a point where he should be considered an automatic inclusion. Time to further develop our future key forwards in Allen and Brander. Also banking here on Nic Nat doing a full preseason, allowing us to roll with a NN/Allen ruck combo.

I’d be happy for Schoey to get another year but again, not sure he should be best 22. Rotham looks like a player. Get him in there.

The other key aim here is adding to our midfield rotations so the hard stuff is not all left to a few. Kelly is obviously a big part of this. Ah Chee is a logical inclusion as a high half forward who rotate on-ball. Also reckon Franky Watson could be a dynamic addition to the midfield rotations as someone with a bit of speed and flair, helping to fill the void left by Rioli’s absence.

Have at it

Bailey Williams is a must have inclusion, assuming Petrucelle doesn't get traded I can't imagine us not having him the team to start off with.
Hopefully we pull a young midfielder out of our arse to include as well as Kelly.

 

[Dugg]

If NicNat is fully fit, do we continue with Hickey? or does Oscar come in as the 2nd ruck/forward? We are way too tall and slow with a resting Hickey, Waterman, Kennedy and Darling in the forward line.

If Kennedy retains his spot, we need one of Waterman or Oscar to be playing a high half forward role.

If Kennedy loses his spot, do we go in with Cameron and Petruccelle, rather than another tall?

Kelly replaces Hutchings in the team and Sheed/Redden rotate off the HFF.

 

[Godfather32]

If NicNat is fully fit, do we continue with Hickey? or does Oscar come in as the 2nd ruck/forward? We are way too tall and slow with a resting Hickey, Waterman, Kennedy and Darling in the forward line.

If Kennedy retains his spot, we need one of Waterman or Oscar to be playing a high half forward role.

If Kennedy loses his spot, do we go in with Cameron and Petruccelle, rather than another tall?

Kelly replaces Hutchings in the team and Sheed/Redden rotate off the HFF.

Neither. Oscar plays exclusively forward.
This man rucks.