Best 22 for the start of 2017?

[The King!]

What I want:
FB: Smith, Grundy, Melican
HB: Mills, Aliir, Sir Dane
C: Jones, Parker, Lloyd
R: Naismith, Kennebery
HF: K. Jack, Buddy, Reid
FF: Florent, Tippett, Hewett
I/C: Robinson, Marsh, Cameron, god knows

What I think will be the case:
FB: Smith, Grundy, Melican
HB: Mills, Aliir, Sir Dane
C: Jones, Parker, Lloyd
R: Naismith, Kennebery
HF: K. Jack, Buddy, Reid
FF: Florent, Tippett, Cunningham
I/C: Hewett, Robinson, Marsh, Towers

I say we pick 22 players

 

[caesar88]

I say we pick 22 players

Power to the people.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I say we pick 22 players

God Knows not a player? He'll prove you wrong.

 

[Xhoquelin]

Is Z Jones actually capable of playing outside? Was under the impression that he was similar to his older brother as a crash and bash style player.

 

[caesar88]

Is Z Jones actually capable of playing outside? Was under the impression that he was similar to his older brother as a crash and bash style player.

He's actually better/more suited to the outside. He's just got the balls/the physicality to rip it up on the inside too. Win/win

 

[Xhoquelin]

He's actually better/more suited to the outside. He's just got the balls/the physicality to rip it up on the inside too. Win/win

Awesome. I know Longmire rates him but is he guaranteed a game when Mills could just as easily run through the middle/on the wing?

 

[caesar88]

Awesome. I know Longmire rates him but is he guaranteed a game when Mills could just as easily run through the middle/on the wing?

Judging by this pre-season series, Horse seems willing to throw Jones in the middle for virtually a full game. Mills has been more of the same from last year. In terms of midfield time I'm guessing Jones and Mills will be about 60/40

 

[GoTheSwannies]

I'm loving Jones work through the middle. Knows when to dispose and when he has time and space to run with it. Makes very good decisions with ball in hand and knows how to use it to full effect.

He complements our midfield better than Mitchell imo. And at this point I'd prefer Jones in the mids over Mills.

 

[The Swans Blog]

Jones is very light and quick on his feet in the midfield, creates time and space easily.

 

[melbournehammer]

What I want:
FB: Smith, Grundy, Melican
HB: Mills, Aliir, Sir Dane
C: Jones, Parker, Lloyd
R: Naismith, Kennebery
HF: K. Jack, Buddy, Reid
FF: Florent, Tippett, Hewett
I/C: Robinson, Marsh, Cameron, god knows

What I think will be the case:
FB: Smith, Grundy, Melican
HB: Mills, Aliir, Sir Dane
C: Jones, Parker, Lloyd
R: Naismith, Kennebery
HF: K. Jack, Buddy, Reid
FF: Florent, Tippett, Cunningham
I/C: Hewett, Robinson, Marsh, Towers

simply cant see them picking cameron, tippett and naismith. and i seriously hope they dont

I think more likely will be florent for towers as towers really isnt in the team with a place to lose. He's very much player 23-33 on the list. He might get a run instead of heeney and rohan but theyll be back in straight away if so. i think it more likely that theyll go with florent and see how he goes at the level

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

Smith - Grundy - Rampe
Mills - Allir - Laidler
Hannebery - Kennedy - Lloyd
Towers - Reid - Jack
Tippett - Franklin - Hewett

Naismith - Parker - Jones

Robinson, Marsh, Cameron, Cunningham

I think we're ok, but wouldn't want too many more to fall over.

Couple of alterations following final JLT.

Smith - Grundy - Melican
Mills - Allir - Rampe
Hannebery - Kennedy - Lloyd
Towers - Reid - Jack
Robinson - Franklin - Hewett

Naismith - Parker - Jones

Florent, Marsh, Laidler, Tippett

Insert Rohan, Heeney and Papley into that side and it's a very strong one.

 

[Punts]

Can't see them playing melican and laidler in the same side

 

[S120]

Can't see them playing melican and laidler in the same side

Agreed, I imagine Cunningham will get the nod over one of them. And I suspect Melican will get picked over Laidler even if Aliir is fit now.

 

[Punts]

I do think they can play Aliir ,melican and grundy in the same side though

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

I do think they can play Aliir ,melican and grundy in the same side though

Smith - Grundy - Melican
Mills - Aliir - Rampe

Fair enough. With Lloyd as your seventh, Rampe can play tall if necessary. Aliir's capacity for attacking football really adds something in this regard.

 

[S120]

Smith - Grundy - Melican
Mills - Aliir - Rampe

Fair enough. With Lloyd as your seventh, Rampe can play tall if necessary. Aliir's capacity for attacking football really adds something in this regard.

Yep I'd go with that too.

The issue now though is that if we go with those 7, which I'd prefer to see, our bench is going to be picked from like Cunningham, Marsh, Laidler, Florent, Foote or Rose (who has only played one NEAFL reserves game). Meaning we either pick even more defenders on the bench like Marsh or Laidler or we pick inferior players like Foote or underdone players like Rose. I mean our midfield/forward depth isn't great right now given our injuries are primarily to those kind of players (Rohan, Papley, Jack, Heeney). Plenty of options in defence, not as many for smaller/medium forwards/HF/wingmen.

 

[Tedeski]

I do think they can play Aliir ,melican and grundy in the same side though

I agree! Shock horror!

Longmire wants defenders who have a capacity to attack. Refer to Rampe's progress. That is why Aliir was suddenly fast tracked at years end.
So based on this, Melican seems to be really focusing on his attacking rebound when he has won the ball & it is really coming off for him. Marsh is good but when it comes to a quick moving on of the ball, it doesn't seem to come naturally to him as it does for Melican as he hesitates but he is trying pretty hard.

We are in a good place with our defenders after having concerns when we thought Ted Richard's retirement was imminent! The positive for Harry Marsh is that he can play big or small & has the pace to keep up with them. Perhaps a key element we missed against the cheats in the GF!

So tough call for team selection.
One thing I do feel right about is Florent. The kid plays. He has such quick hands & smarts. Once he gets 10 games under his belt to get with the flow of senior AFL football, he may just become the closest player we will ever get to a Bontempelli, though perhaps not in that class. I really feel good about this selection now having watched him improve week to week.

 

[CD__]

I agree! Shock horror!

Longmire wants defenders who have a capacity to attack. Refer to Rampe's progress. That is why Aliir was suddenly fast tracked at years end.
So based on this, Melican seems to be really focusing on his attacking rebound when he has won the ball & it is really coming off for him. Marsh is good but when it comes to a quick moving on of the ball, it doesn't seem to come naturally to him as it does for Melican as he hesitates but he is trying pretty hard.

We are in a good place with our defenders after having concerns when we thought Ted Richard's retirement was imminent! The positive for Harry Marsh is that he can play big or small & has the pace to keep up with them. Perhaps a key element we missed against the cheats in the GF!

So tough call for team selection.
One thing I do feel right about is Florent. The kid plays. He has such quick hands & smarts. Once he gets 10 games under his belt to get with the flow of senior AFL football, he may just become the closest player we will ever get to a Bontempelli, though perhaps not in that class. I really feel good about this selection now having watched him improve week to week.

No pressure!

 

[The King!]

Im still waiting for caeser to pick a rover

 

[caesar88]

Im still waiting for caeser to pick a rover

A Stretcher

 

[caesar88]

I'm actually leaning towards Foote. Laidler and Towers should not be in our best 22, Cunningham's too soft, Hayward's not ready, Rose isn't an option, Fox didn't do much... i'm not even sold on Cameron yet.

Foote's not a great choice at this point but we don't have a lot of choices

 

[CD__]

I'm actually leaning towards Foote. Laidler and Towers should not be in our best 22, Cunningham's too soft, Hayward's not ready, Rose isn't an option, Fox didn't do much... i'm not even sold on Cameron yet.

Foote's not a great choice at this point but we don't have a lot of choices

Your Foote fetish is will documented.

 

[The King!]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/syd...w/news-story/3deecaa0807ef20a966567b096563edc


Fair article

Also interesting best 22, missing a certain superstar

 

[connolly]

Couple of alterations following final JLT.

Smith - Grundy - Melican
Mills - Allir - Rampe
Hannebery - Kennedy - Lloyd
Towers - Reid - Jack
Robinson - Franklin - Hewett

Naismith - Parker - Jones

Florent, Marsh, Laidler, Tippett

Insert Rohan, Heeney and Papley into that side and it's a very strong one.

Mate just a question. Why do u have two similar defenders on the interchange when we will need to maximise the number of running midfielders? Surely Foote or Cunningham or both will be on the bench to maximise the midfield rotations. Horse played Foote on the backline last Sunday to develop his flexibility to go back and defend a small forward. He did ok in defense

 

[caesar88]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/syd...w/news-story/3deecaa0807ef20a966567b096563edc


Fair article

Also interesting best 22, missing a certain superstar

That's a hilariously bad 22. Some journos must get blackout drunk while watching Sydney's preseason games. Laidler? Brandon Jack? LOL