You've got Foster twice, and he's currently in a moon boot.
Opinion Best 23 Pre Trade/Draft - Season 2024
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You've got Foster twice, and he's currently in a moon boot.
Pure_Ownage
TheBrownDog
I dont know about that-a lot of the board spent half of last year saying knevitt was miles off and wouldnt make it and i was defending him. Its happened to lots of our young players on here not just mullin. I dont think its an irish thing. Its an across the board thing.
Knevitt has pretty good upside. He was perhaps not quite ready to have more than a bit part role last year, but there's a reasonable chance in 2024 he takes that step. The Bulldogs game at Marvel was a good preview of things to come.
Interestingly the things I noted as his shortcomings (ground balls, composure) in his AFL matches were listed as his weaknesses when he was drafted. If he works on those areas he has a decent tool kit. I don't think we've quite seen his burst of pace coming out of a pack or breaking lines that he showed at Falcons. Some of this will come with experience, confidence and conditioning (power/core strength). 21 is a good age for a midfielder to take a step up in a number of areas, especially around ball winning and contested work.
In reality it would make more sense for Knevitt to play more than Clark next season - even though Clark has a higher ceiling. Then Clark to become best 22 in 2025.
Yeah the one on the interchange should be Furphy, and I did say I was not taking injuries into account. But it’s what the team could look like.
Fact is that Bews was poor last season due to probably a combination of ageing and injury. He won't be around for much longer regardless. We need to replace him with another lockdown small defender of which there is a dearth of on our list. Mullin appears to be earmarked for the role. Whether he can reach the level next year to replace Bews is anyone's guess. Bews, as I said, is ahead at the moment as he should be. Whether that's the case by round 22 in 2024 we'll have to see.
Maybe an unpopular opinion but Bews has never been great. He's probably always been the 20th-23rd player picked. He's played his role well though. It would be good if someone can come in and take the lockdown small defender role, but with a cleaner disposal.
He'd be what you'd refer to as a "good, honest footballer". Gives 100% every week but certainly no star. He's one of many we will be replacing over the next couple of years.
You need a squad of approx 28 players to bat deep into September but if I had to choose a best 23 for next year now the draft/trade periods are finished.
B Kolojashnij DeKoning O'Connor
HB Stewart J.Henry Zuthrie
C Holmes Atkins Blicavs
HF Miers Cameron Close
F Stengle Hawkins Dangerfield
Foll Stanley Cuthrie Bruhn
Int Mullin Mannagh Duncan O.Henry
Sub Bowes
Em from Conway Knevitt Dempsey Tuohy Clark Rohan
A few in that team aren't locks, and could be easily replaced if their not at the top of their game. (Kolo, O'Connor, Mullin, Bowes, Mannagh, Zuthrie).
Still think we'll roll with an experienced outfit next season, but when players are injured, managed etc, we'll dip into a pool of predominately kids as backup. Key position depth is a concern though.
Hopefully by the start of 2025, 3 or 4 of the kids can be pencilled in as regulars.
B Kolojashnij DeKoning O'Connor
HB Stewart J.Henry Zuthrie
C Holmes Atkins Blicavs
HF Miers Cameron Close
F Stengle Hawkins Dangerfield
Foll Stanley Cuthrie Bruhn
Int Mullin Mannagh Duncan O.Henry
Sub Bowes
Em from Conway Knevitt Dempsey Tuohy Clark Rohan
A few in that team aren't locks, and could be easily replaced if their not at the top of their game. (Kolo, O'Connor, Mullin, Bowes, Mannagh, Zuthrie).
Still think we'll roll with an experienced outfit next season, but when players are injured, managed etc, we'll dip into a pool of predominately kids as backup. Key position depth is a concern though.
Hopefully by the start of 2025, 3 or 4 of the kids can be pencilled in as regulars.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Cats hierarchy already has Mullin ahead of Bews heading into 2024.
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With key position depth what are the chances we try to push Cameron into midfield far more this year and give Neale a proper crack up forward?Neale having a breakout year would make our future much brighter and it's about the only way he can make the team.
Wouldn't be surprised either, but I'd love to understanding what their reasoning would be.
As mentioned Bews is no star, but has been solid enough for a long time. Mullin is still completely and totally unproven. How he could be ahead of him while both are upright and breathing is a mystery.
Needs a big, injury free pre-season (which tbh he hasn't had for a few years now) to hit the ground running to start 2024.
Held him back in a big way last season, and as he gets older he can't keep getting away with a comprimised pre-season.
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Nah his back half of the year once he got over his injuries was excellent. He basically came good when the rest of the team turned to shit.
Not saying he can't fall away but he was in our top 5 players in the last 10 games last year.
2nd most effective disposals for the Cats behind Stewart in 2023. Still cracking 5 score involvements and 3 intercepts a game as a wingman/half back. A bit of ring rust early up returning from injuries, but he improved game on game after that.
Duncan is fine.
Perhaps. But I think you if you’ve got a top 5 player in the league, which Cameron is, you play them wherever maximises their ability. You don’t shift them just to include a rookie with <5 games.
Now you might be able to make the argument that Cameron plays his best when roaming up the ground, which may allow for Neale’s inclusion. But you don’t make him play higher up the ground just to accommodate it.
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I would be very suprised.
1. Bews is only 30 years old next year. Not even close to decline age
2. Mullin is not a defender.
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Max Rooke
Debutant
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Bews was one of my favourite stories from the 2022 Premiership. (A story which actually never really got written about much given Selwood, Danger, Cameron, Stengle etc)
His Dad played 200+ games for the club and was captain at the end but never won a premiership. Jed took a while to get going early in his career but has got absolutely everything out of his potential through hard work and perseverance. Does his job each week. Zuthrie in a similar boat. It was great to see.
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It took Bews a lot longer than most to become a decent, average player, it wouldn't surprise to see him drop off sooner than most.
It would be a waste of Mullins' sporting talents to make him a lockdown defender.
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It can.....and he's hoping to play on next year.
Guthrie started that way
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No objection to Mullins learning aspects of his craft that way, so that he can become the player his physical attributes suggest he could be.
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