Strategy Best 23, Post Draft edition for Season 2025 (updated)

[Gazza Greatness]

Yep, it's quite clear you need a squad of 30 competent prospects at least to ride out a season and contend. Injuries and rests will give just about everyone a fair crack at it. Improvement from our sub 25 year olds will be an important factor, just as it was in 2024.

Yeah Shaun Mannagh, Lawson Humphries and Shannon Neale were huge for us, especially in the second half of season and the Port Adelaide final all 3 were awesome. Our recruiting and development in recent times has been nothing short of sensation given our pick selections and for what it worth our selections in National Draft just past looks likely too with a couple of potential very good footballers. Took notice of Wellsy 'singling out' and putting a good word for Jacob Molier which is something he never does and reckons one day he may make a very good footballer, so yes I was glad to hear that from him but also delighted that he backed himself, so I'll be keeping a very close eye on Jacob Mollier for that very reason.

If you remember Mr Meow, early preseason 2024 that Steven King reckoned Lawson Humphries was going to be an elite footballer and bloody hell, he nailed that one 100%.... so thankfully it appears we've got a few good football judges down at Catland including some of us would-be-Geelong Big-Footy-football-judges that make out we know more than what we really do, but hey who wouldn't like to have their opinion known and take a punt..... you wouldn't be an Aussie if you didn't!

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Ones:

View attachment 2178100

Twos:

View attachment 2178101

Sdk will be in the 1s either at chb or in the ruck.

Agree with the rest except that I think Martin will either be in the 1s or more likely injured rather than in the 2s.

 

[BORIS332]

Sdk will be in the 1s either at chb or in the ruck.

Agree with the rest except that I think Martin will either be in the 1s or more likely injured rather than in the 2s.

You probably would've told me SDK would've been picked in the QF and PF too.

 

[Hamingja]

What they do with SDK will be fascinating. I have them picking him as first ruck based on team balance.

Getting SDK back to his best, with players like Bruhn and Neale taking the next step is where the improvement for next year has to come from for mine.

 

[bellpark]

I’m thinking too early for Edwards and Molier in the ruck, Conway body not up to it, so it’s SDK with Reece back-up (just due to age). Think O’Sullivans development is critical here to come in for Blitz of Kolo if hurt, which will be essential. So, O’Sullivan stepping up this year I think is a big part of this.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

You probably would've told me SDK would've been picked in the QF and PF too.

I think it will be pretty different after a full pre season. I think there were unique circumstances late in the year. I'm also less than convinced on Conway which would make sdk the ruck by default.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

B: Z.Guthrie Kolodjashnij Stewart
HB: Humphries Henry C.Guthrie
C: Holmes Bruhn Dempsey
HF: Miers Cameron Mannagh
F: Stengle Neale O.Henry
Fol: SDK Dangerfield Smith
I/C: Close Atkins Blicavs Duncan Bowes

 

[BORIS332]

I think it will be pretty different after a full pre season. I think there were unique circumstances late in the year. I'm also less than convinced on Conway which would make sdk the ruck by default.

Fair enough. Though I think Stanley will be ahead of SDK as a ruck still.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Fair enough. Though I think Stanley will be ahead of SDK as a ruck still.

I think Stanley doesn't have much left in the legs he's really backup at this point like ceglar was last year. He's good for mentoring though.

I worry about Conway's durability and tank. He will clearly be the lead ruck if fit but if he isn't then it will have to be sdk because all the other rucks including Pike (who I like) aren't ready for afl yet (I'm assuming we leave neale at CHF now Hawkins is gone).

 

[BORIS332]

I think Stanley doesn't have much left in the legs he's really backup at this point like ceglar was last year. He's good for mentoring though.

I worry about Conway's durability and tank. He will clearly be the lead ruck if fit but if he isn't then it will have to be sdk because all the other rucks including Pike (who I like) aren't ready for afl yet (I'm assuming we leave neale at CHF now Hawkins is gone).

That’s wishful thinking but there’s no evidence to suggest Stanley is just a back up. As of the PF he was our first choice behind Conway. SDK won’t go ahead of him until either SDK is training as a ruckman and improving his ruck craft, or Stanley breaks down.

 

[Lana]

That’s wishful thinking but there’s no evidence to suggest Stanley is just a back up. As of the PF he was our first choice behind Conway. SDK won’t go ahead of him until either SDK is training as a ruckman and improving his ruck craft, or Stanley breaks down.

We'll probably find out in the first pre-season game. Could go either way, I think the decision on how we use Blicavs will dictate things. I can't see us using both SDK and Blicavs down back at the same time. I can't see us banishing SDK to the VFL, if we did he'd rightly leave.

 

[iameviljez]

In no way do i see Close not being best 22 without injury

I would have Close before I had Mannagh, simply for balance.

 

[iameviljez]

What they do with SDK will be fascinating. I have them picking him as first ruck based on team balance.

Getting SDK back to his best, with players like Bruhn and Neale taking the next step is where the improvement for next year has to come from for mine.

He should just, pure and simple, be our full back for the next ten years.

He’s a bloody good defender, better than being half a ruckman.

 

[Lana]

He should just, pure and simple, be our full back for the next ten years.

He’s a bloody good defender, better than being half a ruckman.

If we had a half decent option for a ruckmen, then it wouldn't be under consideration, but we don't, so the MC has to manufacture something that is best for the team even if it isn't best for the individual

 

[cats_09]

If we had a half decent option for a ruckmen, then it wouldn't be under consideration, but we don't, so the MC has to manufacture something that is best for the team even if it isn't best for the individual

And if we look at his games this past season, he started to have more of an influence on games once he moved into the ruck compared with looking out of sorts in defence - there was the odd call for him to be dropped such was his form as our FB

That's not to say he should be our permanent ruck going forward, but if he did train in that area over summer, it would be interesting to see the trajectory of his development

 

[iameviljez]

If we had a half decent option for a ruckmen, then it wouldn't be under consideration, but we don't, so the MC has to manufacture something that is best for the team even if it isn't best for the individual

Same reason Ben Graham played forward for the last three years (roughly) of his career.

Ruckmen are like tomato sauce, sometimes you have none and sometimes you're Essendon in the 1980s (Merrett, Salmon, Madden and Madden)

It seems pretty evident to me that with a full pre-season Conway is it. But ruckmen are so, so injury prone.

 

[Lana]

And if we look at his games this past season, he started to have more of an influence on games once he moved into the ruck compared with looking out of sorts in defence - there was the odd call for him to be dropped such was his form as our FB

That's not to say he should be our permanent ruck going forward, but if he did train in that area over summer, it would be interesting to see the trajectory of his development

I never liked those calls, they relied on a misunderstanding on what a KPD does and what a KPD is at fault for. Imo 90% of what a KPD role requires is a deterrent.

 

[Vdubs]

Same reason Ben Graham played forward for the last three years (roughly) of his career.

Ruckmen are like tomato sauce, sometimes you have none and sometimes you're Essendon in the 1980s (Merrett, Salmon, Madden and Madden)

It seems pretty evident to me that with a full pre-season Conway is it. But ruckmen are so, so injury prone.

Correct. Losing Colbert meant we really needed 2 Ben Grahams- one at FB, one at CHF. He was accomplished at both ends.

 

[BORIS332]

I never liked those calls, they relied on a misunderstanding on what a KPD does and what a KPD is at fault for. Imo 90% of what a KPD role requires is a deterrent.

Agree with this. SDK's critics were very harsh, one of them being CS himself. It's very difficult being a KPD in a side with no midfield.

 

[Play it Sam]

Currently, he is a terrible mark overhead but he impressed in the first final, was pretty average in the prelim.

40 goals would be the aim in 2025.

Neale still has room to shake that edge of rawness he has, which he'll do with experience. My concern has been his seeming inability to get in front. Rarely is he a direct lead/one on one, and with his build that play would be optimal.

Time and time again he's seen lurking at the back or side of the pack, frustrating enough for me to think surely that was an instruction, one that allowed Cameron/Oliver/Rohan/Hawk to fly? But probably not. Hopefully now with pre season training, Hawk gone, continuous selection and increased confidence he can get some trusted system going with the forwards, use his bulk and height and start clunking. Get up there big fella!.

 

[Play it Sam]

I agree.

The majority on here would say otherwise though, I feel.

Majority would also agree he's always flown under the radar, in the old days we'd call him BP-the silent achiever, and a great leader. Might be a yard slower (and caught out on occasion)- but those leadership and good defensive qualities still exist.
Anyway it's not up to us - We don't seem to have any qualms swinging the axe, and especially not to get faithful players to milestones (see Rohan) which should tell any Duncan disbelievers we still have an important job in mind for him.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

That’s wishful thinking but there’s no evidence to suggest Stanley is just a back up. As of the PF he was our first choice behind Conway. SDK won’t go ahead of him until either SDK is training as a ruckman and improving his ruck craft, or Stanley breaks down.

No offence but I think at 33 it's wishful to think that Stanley won't either decline or get injured. And Stanley himself was preparing to retire until the club talked him into another year so that tells me a)Stanley is comfortable being back up and b) the club has some concerns over Conway's fitness.

As for the other bit I agree Sdk should train as a ruck this year if we plan to play him there but I will remind you they picked sdk as a ruck last year without him training in the ruck at all, and they did it while Stanley was fit and playing in the 2s so there's every chance they do it again. This pre season will be instructive in terms of how they do train sdk though.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

He should just, pure and simple, be our full back for the next ten years.

He’s a bloody good defender, better than being half a ruckman.

If we had a capable ruck absolutely. But we might not have and he might be the best ruck option we do have.

 

[strauchnyy]

2025

Fb. Stewart. Blicavs. Henry

Hb. Humphries. Kolo. Zuthrie

C. Miers. Holmes. Dempsey

Hf. Close. Cameron. Mannagh

Ff. Stengle. Neale. Henry

Foll. SDK. Dangerfield. Smith

Int. Bruhn. Bowes. Martin. Atkins

Sub. Mullin

Emg. Stanley. Guthrie. Clark. Duncan

 

[TryAnHit]

Every fantasy player: Will SDK ruck