Best 23 in 2025

[Lifelong Pie]

A legit question for those that have Membrey / Checks / McStay fwd.

What is it that demands we should go that way?
Specifically over the 2 ruck strategy we've favour?

I absolutely do not get the love for it.
i'm actually intrigued to hear about why we should go this path?

Because they are all better players than Cox, even though Cox is important for our structure he probably averaged about 7 disposals and .5 goals a game last season, I haven't checked numbers so not sure on that but it never felt like he had the ball much. I don't mind Cox, just answering your question

 

[sadako1999]

A legit question for those that have Membrey / Checks / McStay fwd.

What is it that demands we should go that way?
Specifically over the 2 ruck strategy we've favour?

I absolutely do not get the love for it.
i'm actually intrigued to hear about why we should go this path?

 

[TheVillageIdiot7]

Because they are all better players than Cox, even though Cox is important for our structure he probably averaged about 7 disposals and .5 goals a game last season, I haven't checked numbers so not sure on that but it never felt like he had the ball much. I don't mind Cox, just answering your question

Not disagreeing with any of that.

But still doesn’t explain why the arrival of Membrey forces us to change strategy?

The strategy of two rucks is multi faceted and far beyond the arrival of a sub 190 forward.

Changing from 2 rucks is a pretty big thing for us.
I just don’t get why it’s been mooted as on the cards.

 

[PiCkLeJuiCe]

Not disagreeing with any of that.

But still doesn’t explain why the arrival of Membrey forces us to change strategy?

The strategy of two rucks is multi faceted and far beyond the arrival of a sub 190 forward.

Changing from 2 rucks is a pretty big thing for us.
I just don’t get why it’s been mooted as on the cards.

I am not sure anything's being forced. I think we play the 2 ruck scenario.

However, if either Cox or Cameron are injured, then we have an option to switch from a 2 x ruck approach and using Frampton as the 2nd ruck to a 3 x tall forward option and basically have whoever rucks do so full time.

 

[Mick F]

Not disagreeing with any of that.

But still doesn’t explain why the arrival of Membrey forces us to change strategy?

The strategy of two rucks is multi faceted and far beyond the arrival of a sub 190 forward.

Changing from 2 rucks is a pretty big thing for us.
I just don’t get why it’s been mooted as on the cards.

How many games did Cameron, McStay and Cox play in the same side in 2024? 2023? Let alone be on the field at the same time?

 

[FromTheBoundaryLine]

I’m the other way. I was hoping we would stick with the half back experiment. People forget that whilst Josh was amazing in 23 (though lost some spark at the end of the season and in finals), he was far from that in 24 up until the move at half back.

My hope was that we got Perryman to be a defensively minded mid and hence Josh at HB. You can very easily swap them but to me our midfield lacked that defensive running and positioning especially once Mitchell went down.

I’m open to switching it back depending on how Perryman performs, plus Fly’s mantra is versatility so you’d expect lots of rotations in these two positions, but it’s my preferred set up at round zero.

You can also argue this setup allows us more flexibility in the middle (with the likes of Lipinski, Sidey, even Allan).

All very good points thanks.

 

[FromTheBoundaryLine]

Not disagreeing with any of that.

But still doesn’t explain why the arrival of Membrey forces us to change strategy?

The strategy of two rucks is multi faceted and far beyond the arrival of a sub 190 forward.

Changing from 2 rucks is a pretty big thing for us.
I just don’t get why it’s been mooted as on the cards.

I feel it’s been mooted because if we play Membrey, McStay and Mihocek and Cox we would be sacrificing some pace and pressure elsewhere. To be honest I’ve not been impressed with McStay when he’s chopped out in the ruck. Will be interesting and no doubt circumstances will conspire to consider a couple of options throughout the year.

 

[sr36]

Not disagreeing with any of that.

But still doesn’t explain why the arrival of Membrey forces us to change strategy?

The strategy of two rucks is multi faceted and far beyond the arrival of a sub 190 forward.

Changing from 2 rucks is a pretty big thing for us.
I just don’t get why it’s been mooted as on the cards.

I can't see it changing if both Cox and Cameron are fit.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

A legit question for those that have Membrey / Checks / McStay fwd.

What is it that demands we should go that way?
Specifically over the 2 ruck strategy we've favour?

I absolutely do not get the love for it.
i'm actually intrigued to hear about why we should go this path?

I don't know if it's "over" the 2 ruck strategy

I've always said I just very much doubt we got Membrey to be depth

 

[Fruit]

It may not have been the original strategy but I think the log jam for spots may end up having a positive impact. It will give us more opportunity to rest players in the same way Geelong have over the past 2-3 seasons.

 

[Mollythedolly]

It may not have been the original strategy but I think the log jam for spots may end up having a positive impact. It will give us more opportunity to rest players in the same way Geelong have over the past 2-3 seasons.

I don’t like the idea of resting players and I doubt many clubs actually “rest” best 23 players too often in the H&A season if they’re fit. The competition is too even to risk it. It’s more a “he has a bit of a niggle, would/could play if it was a final, but we’ll be more cautious in the H&A and get them cherry ripe for the following week” scenario.

 

[sadako1999]

I don’t like the idea of resting players and I doubt many clubs actually “rest” best 23 players too often in the H&A season if they’re fit. The competition is too even to risk it. It’s more a “he has a bit of a niggle, would/could play if it was a final, but we’ll be more cautious in the H&A and get them cherry ripe for the following week” scenario.

 

[sadako1999]

A legit answer…

T.Membrey B.Mihocek L.Schultz
J.Elliot D.McStay B.Hill.

Occam’s Razor.

 

[PiCkLeJuiCe]

A legit answer…

T.Membrey B.Mihocek L.Schultz
J.Elliot D.McStay B.Hill.

Occam’s Razor.

That leaves Cox and McCreery on the bench

 

[Forethought]

That leaves Cox and McCreery on the bench

Probably just McCreedy I’d say

 

[PiCkLeJuiCe]

Probably just McCreedy I’d say

So no Coxy in your best?

If so, I get that. His direct impact could and should be higher than what it is. I sometimes think Cox plays shorter than what he is. That said, the form of the team when he plays tells me he's definitely got a important role.

 

[Mick F]

Not disagreeing with any of that.

But still doesn’t explain why the arrival of Membrey forces us to change strategy?

The strategy of two rucks is multi faceted and far beyond the arrival of a sub 190 forward.

Changing from 2 rucks is a pretty big thing for us.
I just don’t get why it’s been mooted as on the cards.

Hopefully what has changed is having Cameron, McStay and Mihocek all on the park at the same time.

 

[sr36]

I don't know if it's "over" the 2 ruck strategy

I've always said I just very much doubt we got Membrey to be depth

We needed depth, so if not Membrey, we probably would have gotten someone else to be depth.

 

[Forethought]

So no Coxy in your best?

If so, I get that. His direct impact could and should be higher than what it is. I sometimes think Cox plays shorter than what he is. That said, the form of the team when he plays tells me he's definitely got an important role.

Not atm.
Reason being we have hardly seen Checkers and Mcstay as a pairing for the last 2 years. This definitely the preferred option. Adding Membrey and Degoy likely playing more forward for the first part of the season, I believe leaves Cox outside our best 25.
Mcstay, plays well as a 2nd Ruck for 6 mins a qtr.

 

[Mick F]

Not atm.
Reason being we have hardly seen Checkers and Mcstay as a pairing for the last 2 years. This definitely the preferred option. Adding Membrey and Degoy likely playing more forward for the first part of the season, I believe leaves Cox outside our best 25.
Mcstay, plays well as a 2nd Ruck for 6 mins a qtr.

Why it is not clear cut is that McStay is not much of a ruckman, and Cox is not much of a forward.

 

[RobJD]

Not atm.
Reason being we have hardly seen Checkers and Mcstay as a pairing for the last 2 years. This definitely the preferred option. Adding Membrey and Degoy likely playing more forward for the first part of the season, I believe leaves Cox outside our best 25.
Mcstay, plays well as a 2nd Ruck for 6 mins a qtr.

6 minutes a quarter, each quarter is almost a quarter of the game - add to that the time that he'll spend on the bench recovering, the time that Mihocek spends on the bench recovering and you'll have around half the game where our two best tall forwards aren't playing together!

 

[LarryKinn]

For me the biggest reason for 2 rucks is it allows one to ruck in the forward 50, while tjhe other ruck provides cover in defence effectively locking the ball in as an extra tall

 

[MoreMoore]

B. IQ. Frampton. Maynard
HB. Jaicos. Moore. Houston
C. WHE. Pendles. Sidey
HF. Membrey McStay. Shultz
F. Elliot. Checkers. Hill

R. Cameron. Naicos Degoey
Int. Howe Crisp. Mcreery Perryman
Sub Allan

 

[Jen2310]

B. IQ. Frampton. Maynard
HB. Jaicos. Moore. Houston
C. WHE. Pendles. Sidey
HF. Membrey McStay. Shultz
F. Elliot. Checkers. Hill

R. Cameron. Naicos Degoey
Int. Howe Crisp. Mcreery Perryman
Sub Allan

Lippa and Sidey will be the wingers.
WHE will only play a third string wing if he rotates there from stints in the forward line.

 

[Jock1eyemcpie]

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B: B.Maynard J.Howe J.Crisp
HB: I.Quaynor D.Moore S.Pendlebury
C: D.Houston N.Daicos J.Daicos
HF: L.Schultz B.Mihocek T.Membrey
F: J.Elliot D.McStay B.Hill
R: D.Cameron J.DeGoey H.Perryman
INT: ([emoji6] from T.Mitchell S.Sidebottom B.McCreery M.Cox B.Frampton W.Hoskin-Elliot)
EMERG P.Lipinski E.Allan

Flawless Victory - Fatality.

Wouldn’t be surprised if Allan takes Sidebottoms spot pretty early on.