Best 22 in ‘22

[Grasshopper17]

Suns and Adelaide will give us a better idea

Are you sure we're playing the Suns? I thought we were playing Adelaide this coming Friday and then the Bulldogs the Friday after.

 

[Section 5]

Are you sure we're playing the Suns? I thought we were playing Adelaide this coming Friday and then the Bulldogs the Friday after.

Yes correct it is Adelaide

 

[BuntonRules]

Anyone that does not have Kiddy in their team is going to be disappointed, IMO. Absolute lock.

 

[Mighty Lions]

Anyone that does not have Kiddy in their team is going to be disappointed, IMO. Absolute lock.

he isnt in my best 22 at present but i would be happy to see his inclusion come Round 1. Disappointed not.

 

[BuntonRules]

he isnt in my best 22 at present but i would be happy to see his inclusion come Round 1. Disappointed not.

Your choice. no problemo. But if you wan't a little wager...........

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Nothing really controversial in mine, although I like a few others don't have Cockatoo in our best team - I'm yet to buy in fully until I see some consistency. He's really only 8 weeks of solid footy away from earning that as his best is definitely good enough. He just needs to show it all that often. I also don't have Fort in the side at this stage as I think Daniher offers enough to pinch hit and I'm yet to see enough of Fort make an assessment. I fully expect to see both Fort and Cockatoo in the round 1 side named.

It should be noted this is the best side when all players are fit (as is the name of the thread):

B: Gardiner Andrews Answerth
HB: Rich Adams Starcevich
C: Berry McCluggage Robinson
HF: Zorko Hipwood McCarthy
F: McStay Daniher Cameron
R: McInerney Neale Lyons
I: Coleman Rayner Bailey AhChee
E: Cockatoo Fort Robertson Payne

This will be pretty close to the Round 1 side. I'd expect Ah Chee to miss out for Cockatoo and Fort to be in the side in place of the injured Hipwood.

 

[Tom14]

Brownlow mid set for switch: Lions plotting new-look engine room

Lions ball-magnet Lachie Neale is set for a positional switch in 2022

www.afl.com.au

"In a wide-ranging interview with AFL.com.au, Fagan also revealed that:

• ...The prodigiously talented Keidean Coleman, who was among the Lions' best in their two finals of 2021 (losses to eventual Grand Finalists Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs), would be given a chance to settle in the backline"

 

[a mayes ing]

Brownlow mid set for switch: Lions plotting new-look engine room

Lions ball-magnet Lachie Neale is set for a positional switch in 2022

www.afl.com.au

"In a wide-ranging interview with AFL.com.au, Fagan also revealed that:

• ...The prodigiously talented Keidean Coleman, who was among the Lions' best in their two finals of 2021 (losses to eventual Grand Finalists Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs), would be given a chance to settle in the backline"

I wonder if the Lions would have secretly not minded if Neale did leave at the trade period last year, get a nice pick and young player and rejuvenate their midfield anyway

 

[LongLion]

I wonder if the Lions would have secretly not minded if Neale did leave at the trade period last year, get a nice pick and young player and rejuvenate their midfield anyway

Personally I prefer having Neale remain as one of the best players going around who should be up & about for another few years while we are in a premiership window. He also sets very high standards that flow onto the newbies.

 

[martinson]

Personally I prefer having Neale remain as one of the best players going around who should be up & about for another few years while we are in a premiership window. He also sets very high standards that flow onto the newbies.

He's our best midfielder. Whilst we hope other guys keep stepping up the payoff for us is that it takes the pressure off him to always be the one. He's absorbed a lot of punishment in the last 3 years and if we have the luxury of broadening his role to other parts of the field it has to make us stronger overall. And give him more freedom. It'd be a huge bonus if Cockatoo could prove to be as good as the way they keep talking him up.

 

[LongLion]

He's our best midfielder. Whilst we hope other guys keep stepping up the payoff for us is that it takes the pressure off him to always be the one. He's absorbed a lot of punishment in the last 3 years and if we have the luxury of broadening his role to other parts of the field it has to make us stronger overall. And give him more freedom. It'd be a huge bonus if Cockatoo could prove to be as good as the way they keep talking him up.

The old highlights I have seen of Cockatoo are mouth watering so yes I've got me fingers crossed as well.

 

[Timetoroarlike44]

He's our best midfielder. Whilst we hope other guys keep stepping up the payoff for us is that it takes the pressure off him to always be the one. He's absorbed a lot of punishment in the last 3 years and if we have the luxury of broadening his role to other parts of the field it has to make us stronger overall. And give him more freedom. It'd be a huge bonus if Cockatoo could prove to be as good as the way they keep talking him up.

I think a GOOD trade at the time would have been okay for us, given the possibility of loading up on picks and effectively replacing the likes of Neale, Zorko, Rich.

But Neale is an absolute gun. And in terms of our midfield mix, he might be small but he is not slow, and one of the cleanest players I have seen. Keeping him definitely helps us for the next 2 years, in my view, and we are firmly in the window, so on balance it has to be good news we kept him.

Interesting to read Fages' theory about changing up the midfield. I am all for changing the mix, as we looked quite slow at times in there. I think Neale can play around the ground. Not sure about JL as a forward though. He is a dead-eye at those quick snaps but i think he gets most of his goals while on-ball. He seems to be one of those players that just has to play on the ball, i thought that is why he left gold coast?!

It seems the Starcevich to on-ball talk from Fages has disappeared. I thought he would be good but he's only young so plenty of time. I suppose if you have Rayner doing some minutes, DevRob and Bailey maybe increasing their time in there, there are only so many spots. And Starce is a gun down back.

 

[mpal6]

I wonder if the Lions would have secretly not minded if Neale did leave at the trade period last year, get a nice pick and young player and rejuvenate their midfield anyway

Nah - he's in his prime and we are in the window.

No trade deal would've appeased the situation we were in and made us better for 2022.

 

[Dalions]

Nah - he's in his prime and we are in the window.

No trade deal would've appeased the situation we were in and made us better for 2022.

Neale back in 2019-20 form is what will make us better in 2022.

 

[bato]

I think it's been proven that Dusty/Petracca types are the ones that win premierships at the end of the day.

We really need Rayner to become someone like that, whilst having Neale there as his normal brilliant self. If that means sacrificing a bit of midfield time this season, then so be it.

 

[Nunez]

I think it's been proven that Dusty/Petracca types are the ones that win premierships at the end of the day.

We really need Rayner to become someone like that, whilst having Neale there as his normal brilliant self. If that means sacrificing a bit of midfield time this season, then so be it.

If we have a fit and firing Rayner and Cockatoo in our team come finals, it could well be the difference.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Brownlow mid set for switch: Lions plotting new-look engine room

Lions ball-magnet Lachie Neale is set for a positional switch in 2022

www.afl.com.au

"In a wide-ranging interview with AFL.com.au, Fagan also revealed that:

• ...The prodigiously talented Keidean Coleman, who was among the Lions' best in their two finals of 2021 (losses to eventual Grand Finalists Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs), would be given a chance to settle in the backline"

Disappointed there's no video of this interview... not like all the other (Victorian) coaches.

 

[martinson]

I think it's been proven that Dusty/Petracca types are the ones that win premierships at the end of the day.

We really need Rayner to become someone like that, whilst having Neale there as his normal brilliant self. If that means sacrificing a bit of midfield time this season, then so be it.

That's a popular theory.

Any team with Neale in its M/F will be a better team. Because he's a champ. You can't just pull a Dusty or a Petracca out of a hat. It's 22 guys who never give up that win flags.

Don't remember the Hawks ever having a player as good in that ilk in their recent era. West Coast ? Na. Geelong ? Not really. Bulldogs and Swans ? No.

It's how good your worst 5 or 6 players are that win it for you.

 

[bato]

That's a popular theory.

Any team with Neale in its M/F will be a better team. Because he's a champ. You can't just pull a Dusty or a Petracca out of a hat. It's 22 guys who never give up that win flags.

Don't remember the Hawks ever having a player as good in that ilk in their recent era. West Coast ? Na. Geelong ? Not really. Bulldogs and Swans ? No.

It's how good your worst 5 or 6 players are that win it for you.

Yes, but the Hawks/Cats teams had several "Petraccas" that were able to win games off their own boot. That's what made them so good.

With all due respect to our boy Neale, he just doesn't strike me as being in the calibre of some of their premiership midfielders.

 

[Mighty Lions]

If we have a fit and firing Rayner and Cockatoo in our team come finals, it could well be the difference.

Both Rayner & Cockatoo have never fired in a game like Dusty/Petracca have. They have both shown glimpses but we need more than that to win a flag. For season 2022 all i want from both players is to play all games and bring consistency. Rayner has been out for more than 1 year & to think he can come back and dominate a season (like some are saying) is way out there. Same goes for Cockatoo.

 

[Nunez]

Both Rayner & Cockatoo have never fired in a game like Dusty/Petracca have. They have both shown glimpses but we need more than that to win a flag. For season 2022 all i want from both players is to play all games and bring consistency. Rayner has been out for more than 1 year & to think he can come back and dominate a season (like some are saying) is way out there. Same goes for Cockatoo.

Absolutely. IMO if both can have a consistent and healthy season then I can see both - especially Rayner - going another level come finals.

 

[POBT]

I'm not underselling the contribution of guys like Martin and Petracca but they get to play the way they do because of the blokes around them. For example, while everyone talks about those two blokes being integral, another thing both clubs shared was an incredibly stingy defensive setup, including a back 6 which won the ball back routinely. I think it is more valid to say "strong defences are the hallmark of premiership sides" than asserting that you "need" a dynamic mid-forward.

We definitely need more variety and explosiveness in our midfield. Having said that, we generally don't have much trouble scoring so hard to conclude that's our biggest problem. I think most people would say our biggest issue in the midfield is not winning the footy but stopping the opposition when they get it. Our games tend to flow with the clearances and we give up scores too easily when the opposition gets first hands to the footy.

 

[Mighty Lions]

I'm not underselling the contribution of guys like Martin and Petracca but they get to play the way they do because of the blokes around them. For example, while everyone talks about those two blokes being integral, another thing both clubs shared was an incredibly stingy defensive setup, including a back 6 which won the ball back routinely. I think it is more valid to say "strong defences are the hallmark of premiership sides" than asserting that you "need" a dynamic mid-forward.

We definitely need more variety and explosiveness in our midfield. Having said that, we generally don't have much trouble scoring so hard to conclude that's our biggest problem. I think most people would say our biggest issue in the midfield is not winning the footy but stopping the opposition when they get it. Our games tend to flow with the clearances and we give up scores too easily when the opposition gets first hands to the footy.

Our full strength forward line dominate against Melbourne's defence..have done for a while now. The weakness we have against Melbourne is their attacking midfield. Petracca, Oliver & Gawn are our biggest challenge (not only challenge) to overcome Melbourne this year. Agree 100% that our midfield struggle to hold those boys back defensively.

 

[briztoon]

I wonder if the Lions would have secretly not minded if Neale did leave at the trade period last year, get a nice pick and young player and rejuvenate their midfield anyway

Bit late to this conversation, but I don’t believe the club would have thought along those lines.

Our midfield will be rejuvenated this coming draft with two quality father sons coming at the end of the year.

We don’t currently have anyone in the two’s ready to step up to the level Neale plays at. Robertson would be the closest, and I’m really hoping JBerry takes that step to the next level that a lot of people believe he has in him.

Our three oldest players are Zorko, Mitch and Rich, and we appear to have drafted in their hoped for future replacements in Lohman, Sharp and Wilmot.

The next age group of players for us to look at, will be Lyons, Neale and McCarthy.


The other aspect of such a hypothetical trade is, Fremantle may not have been willing to trade for Neale. I can tell you the vast majority of their fans didn’t want him back, especially due to where they sit in their rebuild.

Nor might we have received the type trade package that suited us.

 

[BangyBangy]

That's a popular theory.

Any team with Neale in its M/F will be a better team. Because he's a champ. You can't just pull a Dusty or a Petracca out of a hat. It's 22 guys who never give up that win flags.

Don't remember the Hawks ever having a player as good in that ilk in their recent era. West Coast ? Na. Geelong ? Not really. Bulldogs and Swans ? No.

It's how good your worst 5 or 6 players are that win it for you.

Big big believer in this.

However, I'm greedy & would like to have both