Prediction Best 22 for Round One, 2017

[DontArgue4]

The one constant in all these best 22's is the improved depth in the midfield, and thats what im most excited about

Seeing Cotch play the role that won him a brownlow, and Dusty playing more forward where he is capable of tearing games apart is getting me pumped for the season

Other than a couple of the kids like Markov and Rioli, im most excited about what Cotch can do

 

[Goldust]

We still need to wait and see what happens in the JLT series....

What I've been hinting at since Saturday morning, but hasn't stopped plenty trying to argue the point with me.
But still we have people anointing Player X a definite 22-game starter, Player Y and seriously leapfrogged Player Z etc. on the basis of 50 minutes of an intra-club match.
If our depth is as improved as many like to believe ... for the record I think it significantly has in some areas, especially the midfield, but has actually weakened in others (defence) .... players are one game away from being dumped on their arses, such is how competitive it will be to get a game.
I for one won't be going ga-ga over a praccy match. For every player who played a blinder, or even well, he played on one of his Richmond teammates who he beat.

 

[turtle27]

it will be interesting to see what happens

Certainly will. I just can't for the life of me seeing them Dusty across HBF. TBH, I think his attacking game is so strong it far out ways any weaknesses in his defensive game.

 

[Morro]

righto, I have a new plan based on Vlas and Conca being best on in the midfield in the intra and destined to be a tough mids.


Grimes Astbury Short
Houli Rance Batch
Conca Vlas Kmac
Rioli Jack Lloyd
Cotch Dusty George
Nank Caddy Prestia

Griff / Hammer Edwards Bellis Grigg

Something a little different, but if that starting midfield can get enough fwd 50 entries, there isnt a defender in the comp that woudlnt be shitting bricks.

Obviously the high ball deep wouldnt be the go, but kick to space or on a lead and we have serious, 1v1 power, speed, toughness and creativity.

The back 6 has height, toughness, skill and very good aerial cover.

Bench has mid, back, ruck,fwd cover.

Our deep forwards can all play on ball or higher up the ground and Lloyd can pinch in the guts also.

Possible a tall missing but no point playing a tall that doesnt impact.

 

[RobsJourney]

What I've been hinting at since Saturday morning, but hasn't stopped plenty trying to argue the point with me.
But still we have people anointing Player X a definite 22-game starter, Player Y and seriously leapfrogged Player Z etc. on the basis of 50 minutes of an intra-club match.
If our depth is as improved as many like to believe ... for the record I think it significantly has in some areas, especially the midfield, but has actually weakened in others (defence) .... players are one game away from being dumped on their arses, such is how competitive it will be to get a game.
I for one won't be going ga-ga over a praccy match. For every player who played a blinder, or even well, he played on one of his Richmond teammates who he beat.

Regardless of the intra club game, I'm honestly going on who I think our best players and best footballers are, and what our most balanced side looks like.
My 22 doesn't even contain a speculative pick besides Nankervis, as new guys Prestia and Caddy are walk-ins.

Having looked at our whole list, I can't see a better balanced side, based on what we have available.

The only player I lament omitting is Grigg, but I'd prefer the extra inside midfielder like Miles and Grigg sh*ts me.

The only other player I see others lamenting me not choosing is Short, but in our backline I don't believe you can play both Markov and Short, and I personally am extremely excited about Markov.
So the debate is then Batchelor or Short, and for mine Batchelor is the one, being bigger and making our back 6 more solid.

I still don't see why people think Short is walk-up best 22... He was handy-ish last year, that's all, and his recent intraclub was decent, but he's purely a small-fwd come small-def, and at AFL level, he's purely a battler.
Batchelor is a more solid defender, and then you have Houli and Markov for run and rebound.

The only place I see for Short is if he takes Houli's place and either Houli doesn't play, or plays wing and then we omit Corey Ellis or Brandon Ellis, or maybe Miles.

Anyway, see how we go.

 

[RobsJourney]

Also, compare these two sides, that is if I'm roughly correct about the 22 we run out with this year:

Round 1, 2016:

B: Dylan Grimes - David Astbury - Steven Morris
HB: Bachar Houli - Alex Rance - Nick Vlastuin
C: Kamdyn McIntosh - Jacob Townsend - Brandon Ellis
HF: Connor Menadue - Ben Griffiths - Kane Lambert
F: Daniel Rioli - Jack Riewoldt - Ty Vickery
R: Shaun Hampson - Trent Cotchin - Dustin Martin
Int: Anthony Miles - Corey Ellis - Shane Edwards - Sam Lloyd

(Miles was also carrying an injury and Edwards had just come back from injury and was way underdone, as was Corey Ellis)


Round 1, 2017:

B: Dylan Grimes - David Astbury - Jake Batchelor
HB: Bachar Houli - Alex Rance - Oleg Markov
C: Trent Cotchin - Reece Conca - Kamdyn McIntosh
HF: Josh Caddy - Ben Griffiths - Dustin Martin
F: Daniel Rioli - Jack Riewoldt - Shane Edwards
R: Toby Nankervis - Nick Vlastuin - Dion Prestia
Int: Anthony Miles - Corey Ellis - Brandon Ellis - Sam Lloyd


Not only are all our players fit again, we have added some new gun players, a more competitive ruckman, and our back 6 looks more solid with this set up.
Plus another preseason into Corey Ellis, Rioli and Markov.

PLUS we have an awesome new guernsey!

Anyway I'm itching for it all to start....

 

[matt_y106]

We still need to wait and see what happens in the JLT series....

And I do see people's points about wanting to play Jayden Short as he did well....

But I can't find any other room in this 22 and this has to be it.

Drop anyone for Short or say Lennon, and I think we'll be lacking in the midfield again.


So yeah unless something drastic changes in the JLT cup, or perhaps Graham begins to make a charge, this is my 22 and I don't think it will change.


B: Dylan Grimes - David Astbury - Jake Batchelor
HB: Bachar Houli - Alex Rance - Oleg Markov
C: Trent Cotchin - Reece Conca - Kamdyn McIntosh
HF: Josh Caddy - Ben Griffiths - Dustin Martin
F: Daniel Rioli - Jack Riewoldt - Shane Edwards
R: Toby Nankervis - Nick Vlastuin - Dion Prestia
Int: Anthony Miles - Corey Ellis - Brandon Ellis - Sam Lloyd

Grigg will play round 1. I also believe Conca will feature. At the expense of Miles, Corey Ellis or Markov

 

[Scullz85]

Shai bolton in rhis team would be nice also!

 

[TigerImposter]

Also, compare these two sides, that is if I'm roughly correct about the 22 we run out with this year:

Round 1, 2016:

B: Dylan Grimes - David Astbury - Steven Morris
HB: Bachar Houli - Alex Rance - Nick Vlastuin
C: Kamdyn McIntosh - Jacob Townsend - Brandon Ellis
HF: Connor Menadue - Ben Griffiths - Kane Lambert
F: Daniel Rioli - Jack Riewoldt - Ty Vickery
R: Shaun Hampson - Trent Cotchin - Dustin Martin
Int: Anthony Miles - Corey Ellis - Shane Edwards - Sam Lloyd

(Miles was also carrying an injury and Edwards had just come back from injury and was way underdone, as was Corey Ellis)


Round 1, 2017:

B: Dylan Grimes - David Astbury - Jake Batchelor
HB: Bachar Houli - Alex Rance - Oleg Markov
C: Trent Cotchin - Reece Conca - Kamdyn McIntosh
HF: Josh Caddy - Ben Griffiths - Dustin Martin
F: Daniel Rioli - Jack Riewoldt - Shane Edwards
R: Toby Nankervis - Nick Vlastuin - Dion Prestia
Int: Anthony Miles - Corey Ellis - Brandon Ellis - Sam Lloyd


Not only are all our players fit again, we have added some new gun players, a more competitive ruckman, and our back 6 looks more solid with this set up.
Plus another preseason into Corey Ellis, Rioli and Markov.

PLUS we have an awesome new guernsey!

Anyway I'm itching for it all to start....

The FB line reminds me of the Giraffe enclosure at Royal Park Zoo.
Toooooo slow mate.

 

[RobsJourney]

The FB line reminds me of the Giraffe enclosure at Royal Park Zoo.
Toooooo slow mate.

You think Grimes, Rance and Markov are slow..?

 

[TigerImposter]

You think Grimes, Rance and Markov are slow..?

You had grimes Astbury and Batchelor RB or are my eyes playing tricks again?
Grimes is a brilliant reader of the ball in the air and has excellent closing speed , but he has as much rebound as a squashed ping pong ball. As for Girrastbury and Girrbatchelor they give nothing in terms of run and rebound , but offer a half arsed deconstructed contest at best.

 

[Charlie Pannam]

If Martin is to be played out of defence more then he better be super fit as we need him to spend a fair amount of time fwd also to see some opposition sphincters tighten up. If we can get some defensive run from the likes of Short, Houli, Markov, B Ellis, Mckintosh etc then it frees up Martin to be a more offensive tool.

I don't know exactly who we are trying to fool, but surely any suggestion of Dusty to the back half is bollocks. Dusty has the potential to be a 35 goal mid/forward. He needs to play beside Jack deep forward (when not on ball). Not too many backlines in the comp will be able to handle that combination.

 

[Charlie Pannam]

Is short best 22? I like him but not sure I rate him to the same degree as others

best 18 I reckon. I'm a little surprised that he's missing from a few posters teams. Foot skills and speed are something we have been crying out for in the back half. To play the likes of Morris and Batchelor infront of him would be a big step backwards imo.

 

[PetterdHoisted]

Regardless of the intra club game, I'm honestly going on who I think our best players and best footballers are, and what our most balanced side looks like.
My 22 doesn't even contain a speculative pick besides Nankervis, as new guys Prestia and Caddy are walk-ins.

Having looked at our whole list, I can't see a better balanced side, based on what we have available.

The only player I lament omitting is Grigg, but I'd prefer the extra inside midfielder like Miles and Grigg sh*ts me.

The only other player I see others lamenting me not choosing is Short, but in our backline I don't believe you can play both Markov and Short, and I personally am extremely excited about Markov.
So the debate is then Batchelor or Short, and for mine Batchelor is the one, being bigger and making our back 6 more solid.

I still don't see why people think Short is walk-up best 22... He was handy-ish last year, that's all, and his recent intraclub was decent, but he's purely a small-fwd come small-def, and at AFL level, he's purely a battler.
Batchelor is a more solid defender, and then you have Houli and Markov for run and rebound.

The only place I see for Short is if he takes Houli's place and either Houli doesn't play, or plays wing and then we omit Corey Ellis or Brandon Ellis, or maybe Miles.

Anyway, see how we go.

Short can kick. Makes him near-unique at Richmond with Lids gone. Kid was given responsibility for kick outs in his 3rd-4th game! Since Vlas is moving up the ground, without Short there is only Houli to distribute by foot out of the backline, too 1D for mine.

But the Batchelor question is a good one, straight swap for Vlas down back?

 

[Madtiger2006]

Short can kick. Makes him near-unique at Richmond with Lids gone. Kid was given responsibility for kick outs in his 3rd-4th game! Since Vlas is moving up the ground, without Short there is only Houli to distribute by foot out of the backline, too 1D for mine.

But the Batchelor question is a good one, straight swap for Vlas down back?

Always liked Batch. It was unfair to match him up on players 3 inches and 7kg bigger. Playing as KPD at 6'2" is not what you commonly see at any other club

 

[Tango67]

can't have batch, astbury and grimes in the same side if you ask me and astbury, rance and grimes are a lock, as would Markov and Houli so that leaves only 1 spot for a defender that can kick and run..... and that's not batch

 

[TheProwler]

I don't know exactly who we are trying to fool, but surely any suggestion of Dusty to the back half is bollocks. Dusty has the potential to be a 35 goal mid/forward. He needs to play beside Jack deep forward (when not on ball). Not too many backlines in the comp will be able to handle that combination.

You familiar with our senior coach at all? There are very few players who haven't played roles in our defence in recent years. In fact we recruit forwards and mids and try turn them into defenders. It's like he has a thought where some player in his playing days became a great defender and wants to do the same with his own list. Last year when we struggled to find targets whilst trying to come out of defence and were screaming for a forward target we played our two time Coleman medalist back there. Not sure how many times but I recall several occasions where Jack lined up on the back corner of the square at a centre bounce. Without doubt Dusty will spend significant time back there and the oposition coach will be smiling away. Then I guess that's why I am a fan and he is a coach?

 

[NaturalDisaster]

They have already said Dusty will be spending more time up forward. What Lambert meant was, they wanting him to be more defensive in general i.e lay more tackles, not play in the defensive area of the ground.

Just because you don't play in the back 6, doesn't mean you never defend...

 

[TigerImposter]

They have already said Dusty will be spending more time up forward. What Lambert meant was, they wanting him to be more defensive in general i.e lay more tackles, not play in the defensive area of the ground.

Just because you don't play in the back 6, doesn't mean you never defend...

Lambert's crap on spiel was ambiguous. Unless you've spoken to him we all are in actual doubt to what he meant. Read paragraph five.

 

[NaturalDisaster]

Lambert's crap on spiel was ambiguous. Unless you've spoken to him we all are in actual doubt to what he meant. Read paragraph five.

http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/...pend-more-time-in-attack-20161219-gte5i7.html

read all the paragraphs.

 

[TigerImposter]

http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/...pend-more-time-in-attack-20161219-gte5i7.html

read all the paragraphs.

It's ambiguous and you cannot make a clear account of it. I will tell you this as you seem to struggle with detail.

Dusty was the leading contested and uncontested ball winner in our side last year.
Now with DH at the helm anything goes especially when defence is involved, but like you I'm hoping Bubba Sheep messed up his lines.

 

[TheProwler]

can't have batch, astbury and grimes in the same side if you ask me and astbury, rance and grimes are a lock, as would Markov and Houli so that leaves only 1 spot for a defender that can kick and run..... and that's not batch

Only problem is we don't play a back six, we play a back 17.

B Ellis has by reports been spending most of his time with the defensive group this PS so I reckon he slots in there somewhere. I wouldn't be totally against him in Houli's role and allow Houli to play the sweeper/winger.

I reckon plan A is Vlastuin as a defender regardless of what the PS talk is. With more guys competing for spots in the midfield some will end up as starting defenders. Mackintosh, Conca, C Ellis, Menadue are a few more that come to mind trying to play that mid role. Cotch, Martin, Miles, Prestia, Caddy, Vlastuin, Grigg, Edwards, Lennon, Lloyd are all trying to find a role in the mid/HF role so some will either miss out or be moved elsewhere.

 

[Goldust]

Only problem is we don't play a back six, we play a back 17.

B Ellis has by reports been spending most of his time with the defensive group this PS so I reckon he slots in there somewhere. I wouldn't be totally against him in Houli's role and allow Houli to play the sweeper/winger.

I reckon plan A is Vlastuin as a defender regardless of what the PS talk is. With more guys competing for spots in the midfield some will end up as starting defenders. Mackintosh, Conca, C Ellis, Menadue are a few more that come to mind trying to play that mid role. Cotch, Martin, Miles, Prestia, Caddy, Vlastuin, Grigg, Edwards, Lennon, Lloyd are all trying to find a role in the mid/HF role so some will either miss out or be moved elsewhere.

I think this is all on the mark!

 

[RobsJourney]

Short can kick. Makes him near-unique at Richmond with Lids gone. Kid was given responsibility for kick outs in his 3rd-4th game! Since Vlas is moving up the ground, without Short there is only Houli to distribute by foot out of the backline, too 1D for mine.

But the Batchelor question is a good one, straight swap for Vlas down back?

That's the idea yeah, Batch for Vlas.
Batch was great doing that until they tried to make him a tall defender.

And Short can kick, yes, but I just don't see much else to his game.

 

[turtle27]

It's ambiguous and you cannot make a clear account of it. I will tell you this as you seem to struggle with detail.

Dusty was the leading contested and uncontested ball winner in our side last year.
Now with DH at the helm anything goes especially when defence is involved, but like you I'm hoping Bubba Sheep messed up his lines.

What are you getting so angry about.

Earlier we had this discussion and you seemed rather civil. The other difference is that you seemed to think that Lambert had suggested Dusty would probably be played of half back.

Lambert mentioned in an interview they will probably run him off HB more. I agree with you on this.

I read it your way first, but the first sentence in the fifth paragraph states otherwise.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ffensive-and-defensive-threat-20170211-guantv

But above you say Lambert's statement was ambiguous?