Best 22 in 2016

[Bobby_]

What you got to remember though Bobby is that Adding 2 a graders (Danger and a fit and year older / another preseason into him ) Duncan plus S Selwood, that drags the rest up a notch. Adding Danger free's J Selwood. That makes him better. That in turn frees Caddy and makes him better. Blitz comes back another year better. His improvement has been exponential year by year. I wouldnt be surprised to see multiple AA's next year from J Selwood, Dangerfield, Blicavs and Duncan and Motlop.

I think Blicavs is still years away from ever being an All Australian. He's poor in ruck but going ok as a midfielder. Doesn't kick goals though and as a bigger bodied midfielder, that's where the truly great ones earn their AA nominations year after year. Blokes who average 6-8 clearances per game along with a goal every game or second game.
No doubt he's improving, but he wont be All Australian next year in my opinion. Still a few years a way before he's a dominant match winner of the highest order.

Neither will Duncan. He doesn't grab a game by the balls and demand you take note. Promising signs but as a predominant outside mid (also capable of playing inside), Sidebottom, Haneberry, Treloar, Hill/Neale, Edwards/Deledio, Smith, Bennell, Greene . . . there are so many more players better than him at the moment.
I see Duncan more like Christensen, not quite there yet and who knows if they ever do take that next.

 

[Catsmaninamerica]

I think Blicavs is still years away from ever being an All Australian. He's poor in ruck but going ok as a midfielder. Doesn't kick goals though and as a bigger bodied midfielder, that's where the truly great ones earn their AA nominations year after year. Blokes who average 6-8 clearances per game along with a goal every game or second game.
No doubt he's improving though but he won;t be All Australian next year in my opinion.

Neither will Duncan. He doesn't grab a game by the balls and demand you take note. Promising signs but as a predominant outside mid (also capable of playing inside), Sidebottom, Haneberry, Treloar, Hill/Neale, Edwards/Deledio, Smith, Bennell, Greene . . . there are so many more players better than him at the moment.
I see Duncan more like Christensen, not quite there yet and who knows if they ever do take that next.

I respectfully disagree. Blitz will just about win the Carji this year. And Duncan is already elite. Go wath his games effort he got injured.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Don't know for certain who we'll get and I'll assume that Enright is going to retire

FB Kolodjashnij Lonergan Bews
HB Thurlow Taylor Mackie
C Motlop Selwood Duncan
HF Murdoch Clark Gregson
FF Vardy Hawkins Menzel
Fol Stanley Caddy Guthrie
Int Blicavs Bartel Horlin-Smith Lang

Next in line: Smedts, Cockatoo, Walker, Cowan, Kersten

A lot of marking power up forward, plenty of speed on the outside and the flanks, a little shallow in the inside

Average age round 1 2016: 25 years 147 days

are you confident Hawkins, Vardy and Clark can play in the same forward line together ?

 

[Bobby_]

I respectfully disagree. Blitz will just about win the Carji this year. And Duncan is already elite. Go wath his games effort he got injured.

he may indeed but Selwood has been down on his usual output all year and still probably ends up winning it.
Duncan is elite but he's not All Australian elite. He is not A grade. Look at what he did in last years finals campaign. A graders don't shit the bed like that.

 

[Lana]

are you confident Hawkins, Vardy and Clark can play in the same forward line together ?

It depends on their fitness and our midfield's clearance ability.
If each of them are all fit enough to run the 14+km, and do those long leads up the ground that open up space then it shouldn't be a problem.
If we're competitive in the clearances then we can go back to our our 2011 philosophy, long kicking to a contest, and a heap of forward pressure, built on the work rate of Murdoch, Gregson and Lang.

in 2011 we ran Hawkins and Podsiadly as our two key talls with West as the third tall/ 2nd ruck who rotated with Ottens.

I see equivalents for every role
Menzel takes over Johnson's role as the freaky midsize forward who's hard to match up on
Murdoch, Gregson and Lang in for Varcoe, Christensen and Stokes
Stanley and Vardy for Ottens and West, around a 50-50 split in the ruck
Hawkins for Hawkins
Clark for Podsiadly

The aim is to create a mismatch either on our resting ruckman or on Menzel

 

[Cezz The Catter]

Is it just me or are half back rebounders so overated? Id take a slow dog like Enright who makes good decsions, impacts a contest and influences play over some fool who zips out of the backline and flops a kick. Reminds me to much of wojo back in the day.

All we need is Jed Bews as a small forward gaurd thats it, no rebounders required. our back six can easily lockdown anything with support of wingers like mots and Duncan. I think quick rebounders like Marley Williams, Brodie Smith, Malceski are to over exaggerated, hawks do it fine and Birchalls no Usain Bolt, just makes good decisions

 

[Daniel McL]

he may indeed but Selwood has been down on his usual output all year and still probably ends up winning it.
Duncan is elite but he's not All Australian elite. He is not A grade. Look at what he did in last years finals campaign. A graders don't shit the bed like that.

In last years finals campaign yes. But in terms of 2015 once played in his correct position/role Duncan was our best player by far for 2-3 weeks before the injury & definitely A-Grade as he was building that consistency you talk about. Full pre-season, Dangerfield another one to help in midfield along with the developed Guthrie & Caddy. And I'm picking Duncan to come top 15 in the Brownlow (big call) obviously just depends on if our other good midfielders there take votes off him but we'll see!

 

[thegerman]

Is it just me or are half back rebounders so overated? Id take a slow dog like Enright who makes good decsions, impacts a contest and influences play over some fool who zips out of the backline and flops a kick. Reminds me to much of wojo back in the day.

All we need is Jed Bews as a small forward gaurd thats it, no rebounders required. our back six can easily lockdown anything with support of wingers like mots and Duncan. I think quick rebounders like Marley Williams, Brodie Smith, Malceski are to over exaggerated, hawks do it fine and Birchalls no Usain Bolt, just makes good decisions

Wojo?

You miss the point badly on what a tonne of speed and ability to break the lines does to the press.

The hawks also have the midfield prepared to run back. They've got some pace in there.

 

[Cezz The Catter]

Wojo?

You miss the point badly on what a tonne of speed and ability to break the lines does to the press.

The hawks also have the midfield prepared to run back. They've got some pace in there.

In a game of footy line breaking via speed happens pretty rarely. A succession of effective kicks and handballs is far more effective. Motlop breaks the lines for us already in that manner.

If you dont know who wojo is you might want to rewatch our primiership years.

 

[thegerman]

In a game of footy line breaking via speed happens pretty rarely. A succession of effective kicks and handballs is far more effective. Motlop breaks the lines for us already in that manner.

If you dont know who wojo is you might want to rewatch our primiership years.

I know who he is, my point was why raise wojo? He was a gun at breaking lines.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

In a game of footy line breaking via speed happens pretty rarely. A succession of effective kicks and handballs is far more effective. Motlop breaks the lines for us already in that manner.

If you dont know who wojo is you might want to rewatch our primiership years.

When they talk about rebounding defenders, nobody is reffering to Pace, they are reffering to defenders who set up plays and get involved in movements out of defence. It isn't a reference to pace.

Enright is probably one of the all time greatest rebounding defenders, if not the greatest of all time

 

[Cezz The Catter]

I know who he is, my point was why raise wojo? He was a gun at breaking lines.

Yeah he was great at that part, cause he ran like a headless chook and shanked the kick. He did more damage then good at times.

When they talk about rebounding defenders, nobody is reffering to Pace, they are reffering to defenders who set up plays and get involved in movements out of defence. It isn't a reference to pace.

Enright is probably one of the all time greatest rebounding defenders, if not the greatest of all time

Agree that people are referring to all types of rebounders, however the word 'slow' and 'backline' being frequently used in this thread suggest people want a pacey rebounder. I was pretty happy with Thurlows set up kicks early in the season, he seemed to tire but he made plays.

 

[candiehappy]

Not a whole lot of point to the exercise before the trade/draft period is over.

Not much point in having bigfooty if you can't speculate ....

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I can't see us losing a game next year.

Thanks a lot. Now we're a certainty for the spoon

 

[Sttew]

B: Enright, Lonergan, Henderson***
HB: Thurlow, Taylor, Kolo
C: Dangerfield*, Caddy, Duncan
HF: Guthrie, Clark, Bartel
F: Vardy, Hawkins, Motlop
R: Stanley, Blicavs, J Selwood
IB: Mackie, Cockatoo, S Selwood**, Menzel,
EMG: Cowan, Smedts, Lang, Gregson, Murdoch, Bews

* If we do not get Danger, Murdoch to come in on wing
** If we do not get Scott Selwood, Gregson to be elevated to bench
*** If we do not get Henderson, Mackie to be elevated to BP

 

[candiehappy]

for me Bews is starting 22

 

[Cezz The Catter]

B: Enright, Lonergan, Henderson***
HB: Thurlow, Taylor, Kolo
C: Dangerfield*, Caddy, Duncan
HF: Guthrie, Clark, Bartel
F: Vardy, Hawkins, Motlop
R: Stanley, Blicavs, J Selwood
IB: Mackie, Cockatoo, S Selwood**, Menzel,
EMG: Cowan, Smedts, Lang, Gregson, Murdoch, Bews

* If we do not get Danger, Murdoch to come in on wing
** If we do not get Scott Selwood, Gregson to be elevated to bench
*** If we do not get Henderson, Mackie to be elevated to BP

I reckon domsy and hendo will interchange throughout the year, surely we cant play 4 KPDs with Kolo among them. I also think scooter selwoods poistion is arguable. Bews showed some good signs

 

[candiehappy]

I reckon domsy and hendo will interchange throughout the year, surely we cant play 4 KPDs with Kolo among them. I also think scooter selwoods poistion is arguable. Bews showed some good signs

I think that is spot on, it would be a natural progression.

 

[Cezz The Catter]

Either way if we sign all those players there would have to be a mass exodus next season, likes of Enright, Bartel, Domsy, Mackie.

I would be gutted to see a fit Cowan, Lang, Gregson and Bews not getting games into them.

 

[candiehappy]

Either way if we sign all those players there would have to be a mass exodus next season, likes of Enright, Bartel, Domsy, Mackie.

I would be gutted to see a fit Cowan, Lang, Gregson and Bews not getting games into them.

those are the four in line with retirement next year, and totally agree that those other players need the commitment of game time.

 

[Cezz The Catter]

those are the four in line with retirement next year, and totally agree that those other players need the commitment of game time.

Candice to replace Hocking in 2016?

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

I find it hard to really create a team at this stage. Not until we know for sure who's in the team after the trade & draft periods are over.

One thing I do find interesting is how Clark may fit into the team structure with Vardy looking so good in the games he played. Especially if the Cats recruit another ruckman, releasing Vardy from that role (except for back-up).

Can Clark & Stanley actually put together a whole season in 2016?

Where will they play Bartel? Hopefully, not as a HB sweeper anymore.

Can Menz & Vards put together a whole season next year? Will their knees hold up?

So many questions really.

 

[Sttew]

Can Clark & Stanley actually put together a whole season in 2016?

Can Clark put together a full season?

 

[Biggy_Boy]

Not much point in having bigfooty if you can't speculate ....

My point is just that any predictions at this point may become completely redundant in about two months' time. I would suggest that speculating about what the best 22 may look like next year may be a more worthwhile exercise once we have an idea of what the list will look like. Before trade period, that best 22 could be whatever your wildest fantasies are because there's no grounding in reality. Might as well just put every free agent and player looking for a trade in there.

 

[Catsmaninamerica]

I think that Scott and Vardy are both on record as saying Vardy is a ruckman. I think going forward - particularly now the sub is gone - you will see Stanley and vardy split the ruck with the non ruckman playing forwArd. Clark will play as a genuine key forward along with hawk. And I don't actually think well recruit a ruckman - I think they'll back Vardy and Stanley in, and maybe sign Dawson Simpson on a 1 year deal - and just smash a million. Km's into him over summer. I know he did nothing this year - but he hasn't done a preseason in years. He's been injured and injured and injured. But finally he's played a string of games and finished the season not injured. Be a shame to not let him actually have a run at a preseason on the back of 10 games now he's not Injured. He'll be behind Stanley and Vardy, but not bad insurance if he can get through preseason.

The reality is that recruiting a ruckman sends a signal that they don't believe Vardy, Stanley and Clark will play. When in actual fact on 2015 forms Stanley is gonna be a jet in the ruck, Vardy has shown HEAPS and Clark was leading the goal kickin before he went down.

So I think - we'll go with Stanley, Vardy, Hawkins and Clark, with a fitter Simpson as insurance.