Bombers best 22

[In the Outer]

Positions don't mean much these days, so here's my 22.
(To have Davey in the team with MJ on a bench, when both are fit, is an insult to MJ)

I disagree - Positions mean a hell of a lot because you use the strengths of players in certain areas to overall strengthen the teams gameplan. You have not listed any defensive midfielders. Thats why guys like Pev/Heff MUST be considered.

Look at the job Steven Baker does for St Kilda...

Davey in the team with MJ on the bench is to add another dimension to the forward line besides height/strength/toughness and marking ability. Davey adds pace, crumbing ability, and finishing skills. MJ is a similar type player to Monfries. So its no insult to MJ its making the forward line more balanced.

 

[Footylover1]

I disagree - Positions mean a hell of a lot because you use the strengths of players in certain areas to overall strengthen the teams gameplan. You have not listed any defensive midfielders. Thats why guys like Pev/Heff MUST be considered.

Look at the job Steven Baker does for St Kilda...

Davey in the team with MJ on the bench is to add another dimension to the forward line besides height/strength/toughness and marking ability. Davey adds pace, crumbing ability, and finishing skills. MJ is a similar type player to Monfries. So its no insult to MJ its making the forward line more balanced.

I agree, Jared Crouch is so important to the Swans make up that if he played in the Grand Final I reckon we would have certainly have won. Defensive players are just as important as attacking players.

 

[Velvetsledgehammer]

- Bradley with his mobility on the other wing to create a miss match and give us a bit of an advantage in the air when linking up from defense to attack.

- Even though he is first year Davey is a ready made player and with his pace and crumbing ability will be a good asset @ HF. Another area in which we have been lacking - probably since Darren Bewick.

- I have seen a lot of arguments that we might be too tall in the forward line with Lloyd/Lucas/Johns/Hird. This will be our biggest weapon with the 3rd and 4th best defenders going to Hird and Johns. This will stretch every side in the comp! Plus dont forget that Jimbo is probably one of the best players in the comp when the ball hits the deck clean hands and can pick up and still kick the ball when he takes possession around his ankles.[/quote]


3 things.

1. Kepler Bradley is clearly not in our best 22, probably not in the best 35. With Mal Michael on board there is no need to persist with a bloke who slow, unco, and couldn't catch a cold led alone take a grab down back. He is embarrassing, and needs some development at Bendigo.

2. Lets not get carried away with Alwyn Davey on the strength of an intra club prac match. Wait till the real stuff arrives before getting excited.

and 3. I agree having a forward line of Lloyd, Lucas, Jim, and Johns with a couple of whippets under their feet will be pretty intimidating for any other club. I like the look of Johns, he will be a good player for us this year.

 

[In the Outer]

3 things.

1. Kepler Bradley is clearly not in our best 22, probably not in the best 35. With Mal Michael on board there is no need to persist with a bloke who slow, unco, and couldn't catch a cold led alone take a grab down back. He is embarrassing, and needs some development at Bendigo.

2. Lets not get carried away with Alwyn Davey on the strength of an intra club prac match. Wait till the real stuff arrives before getting excited.

and 3. I agree having a forward line of Lloyd, Lucas, Jim, and Johns with a couple of whippets under their feet will be pretty intimidating for any other club. I like the look of Johns, he will be a good player for us this year.

I believe Kepler Bradley is in the best 22 - just in the wrong position. A switch to the wing would give Essendon a real advantage utilising his height and mobility. Being more creative rather than defensive may suit him better.

Davey's inclusion was based on him being able to transfer his SANFL form to the AFL. If he can then in my opinion he is in the best 22 because he offers greater balance to the forward line.

 

[Mero]

I disagree - Positions mean a hell of a lot because you use the strengths of players in certain areas to overall strengthen the teams gameplan. You have not listed any defensive midfielders. Thats why guys like Pev/Heff MUST be considered.

Look at the job Steven Baker does for St Kilda...

Davey in the team with MJ on the bench is to add another dimension to the forward line besides height/strength/toughness and marking ability. Davey adds pace, crumbing ability, and finishing skills. MJ is a similar type player to Monfries. So its no insult to MJ its making the forward line more balanced.

Which would be fine if Pev or Heff were up to it.
But I don't rate them in the best 22.

As for positions meaning anything, what do you call Baker's position?
Tagger? He's not a Ruck Rover or Rover. He's not a Centreman.
He just plays on an opponent.
That's what I meant by positions not meaning much.

MJ plays before Monfries, Davey or just about most other players on the list.
MJ offers more up forward than an untired kid, and offers more in the midfield than Monfries.
In fact, Lloyd, Hird, Fletcher, Michael, Lucas, MJ is where I rate him when he's fully fit. And he is.

 

[Longy413]

In fact, Lloyd, Hird, Fletcher, Michael, Lucas, MJ is where I rate him when he's fully fit. And he is.

Ahead of Jason Johnson?

Ahead of Stanton?
Ahead of McPhee?

In fact, I think with the way football is played a fully fit Andrew Lovett and Jobe Watson are also more important to us than Mark Johnson.

 

[danzan22]

Which would be fine if Pev or Heff were up to it.
But I don't rate them in the best 22.

As for positions meaning anything, what do you call Baker's position?
Tagger? He's not a Ruck Rover or Rover. He's not a Centreman.
He just plays on an opponent.
That's what I meant by positions not meaning much.

MJ plays before Monfries, Davey or just about most other players on the list.
MJ offers more up forward than an untired kid, and offers more in the midfield than Monfries.
In fact, Lloyd, Hird, Fletcher, Michael, Lucas, MJ is where I rate him when he's fully fit. And he is.

People seem to forget that only 1 year and a few months ago iirc the Johnson boys finished 1-2 in the Crichton Medal.

 

[Longy413]

People seem to forget that only 1 year and a few months ago iirc the Johnson boys finished 1-2 in the Crichton Medal.

Yes, but in that year the likes of Stanton and Watson have improved dramatically.

I'd also have David Hille ahead of MJ in terms of his importance to the side.

 

[foj1]

Jobe has only played one good year of footy, is pretty slow, does not hurt opposition by foot and can really play in only one position imo. To rate him too highly is questionable imo. He is going to be a really interesting player to watch this year.

 

[Crave]

Jobe has only played one good year of footy, is pretty slow, does not hurt opposition by foot and can really play in only one position imo. To rate him too highly is questionable imo. He is going to be a really interesting player to watch this year.

Thats what the general consensus was regarding Misiti and look how great his career turned out to be. You're a harsh critic, the kid was runner up in our b+f. I think he'll turn out to be just like Misiti in years to come. He isnt required to do any hard running when we have a great selection of fleet footed types. Reads the play at stoppages, dishes it out....his job is done.

 

[Longy413]

Jobe has only played one good year of footy, is pretty slow, does not hurt opposition by foot and can really play in only one position imo. To rate him too highly is questionable imo. He is going to be a really interesting player to watch this year.

You really are a harsh critic of Jobe aren't you?
That's fair enough.

Jobe does hurt the opposition by the sheer nature that he brings others into the game. As our younger midfielders develop, Jobe's importance will increase a great deal.

And I think it's unfair to say he can only play one position, he can most definately play as a forward.

 

[danzan22]

I have heard that jobes kicking skills have imrpoved, can anyone comfirm this?

 

[Longy413]

I have heard that jobes kicking skills have imrpoved, can anyone comfirm this?

I don't think they were ever that bad, he just made poor decisions by foot.
He was a very good kick at VFL level.

 

[danzan22]

I don't think they were ever that bad, he just made poor decisions by foot.
He was a very good kick at VFL level.

At times last year his kicking was fairly shocking.
If he has improved his decision making and skills by foot then he will be a much better player next year.

 

[Longy413]

At times last year his kicking was fairly shocking.
If he has improved his decision making and skills by foot then he will be a much better player next year.

Yeah it was...but using the Richmond game for example. That kick that went out of bounds, he was torn between having a shot and passing to Lucas and he sprayed it.

That isn't a skill error, it was a pressure/decision error.

His kicking as a rule is good, his application and decision needs to be better and that comes down to experience. It's a bit like Brent Stanton.

 

[danzan22]

Yeah it was...but using the Richmond game for example. That kick that went out of bounds, he was torn between having a shot and passing to Lucas and he sprayed it.

That isn't a skill error, it was a pressure/decision error.

His kicking as a rule is good, his application and decision needs to be better and that comes down to experience. It's a bit like Brent Stanton.

Yeh i agree with you, 2-3 years time we could have a superstar on our hands.

 

[Longy413]

Yeh i agree with you, 2-3 years time we could have a superstar on our hands.

I don't think he'll ever be a superstar, but he does have enough natural talent and footy smarts to be in the Joe Misiti class.

 

[Crave]

I actually dont recall anyone in our history that has had such a turn around in one season. The sheer magnitude of the effort and sacrifice involved in shedding that much weight, then having to endure a gut wrenching preseason is monumental in anyone's language. Fact remains, he matched the hype surrounding this incredible transformation.

 

[danzan22]

I don't think he'll ever be a superstar, but he does have enough natural talent and footy smarts to be in the Joe Misiti class.

It's called optimism

 

[Crave]

I don't think he'll ever be a superstar, but he does have enough natural talent and footy smarts to be in the Joe Misiti class.

Very glad you said that...have had many arguments comparing him to Joey.

 

[danzan22]

Very glad you said that...have had many arguments comparing him to Joey.

Thats one thing im sure everyone can agree on, seeing some of his lightning quick handballs reminded alot of "smoking joe".

 

[Crave]

Thats one thing im sure everyone can agree on, seeing some of his lightning quick handballs reminded alot of "smoking joe".

The way he reads the play and tracks his teammates almost simultaenously...

A guy I used to know was a successful local women's field hockey coach. Albeit, a Doggies supporter also....he would tell me there are only a select few who can pretty much slow play down to meer milliseconds and have something like 5 automatic options to compute in their minds before they even have possession of the ball.

With all this running through their minds as the ball is tracking a path into their possession, suddenly (much like a top line batsman against a fast bowler) can produce a high percentage successful outcome almost in the blink of an eye. Ive forgotten the term he used for this measure of disposal, but he mentioned players like Hird, R. Murphy, Greg Williams and someone else's name that escapes me right now.

It really stuck in my mind having this conversation and brought home just how special players like Hird and co. have been for their respective teams. Wanganeen might have been the other...not sure though. Fascinating conversation all the same.

 

[Mero]

Ahead of Jason Johnson?

Ahead of Stanton?
Ahead of McPhee?

In fact, I think with the way football is played a fully fit Andrew Lovett and Jobe Watson are also more important to us than Mark Johnson.

yes ahead of JJ
Yes ahead of Stanton. (Maybe not by R22, but right now he is)
Maybe ahead of McPhee (OK, if McPhee is 100% fit, he's in front of MJ)

MJ should have won a Crichton two years ago.

I wouldn't have Hille in front of MJ because I think MJ is a better player than him. He just has that ounce of mongrel we lose with Solly going, as well as the pure footy side of things.

 

[Longy413]

Mal Michael has the mongrel in him that Solly had in him.
I'm a big Mark Johnson fan, I think he's one of the most under-rated footballers of the last few years. But his importance to the side is well below JJ, Stanton, McPhee and David Hille.

It's like the old "Dustin Fletcher is our most important player, James Hird is our best player" theory.

Mark Johnson's importance to the team is limited, at his best he isn't really a match winner. He can perform a number of roles and do them effectively but he doesn't really lift the side, he doesn't drag others along with him. He's a role player and a very good one at that.

Take David Hille out of our side and you might as well put a line through 2007 right now. Take away MJ and we have Slattery, Cole, Davey that are near on ready made to take his place.

Mark Johnson is a fine footballer at his best and he's most definately in our best 22 but IMO Stanton, McPhee, Hille and JJ are more important to us.

 

[danzan22]

Mal Michael has the mongrel in him that Solly had in him.
I'm a big Mark Johnson fan, I think he's one of the most under-rated footballers of the last few years. But his importance to the side is well below JJ, Stanton, McPhee and David Hille.

It's like the old "Dustin Fletcher is our most important player, James Hird is our best player" theory.

Mark Johnson's importance to the team is limited, at his best he isn't really a match winner. He can perform a number of roles and do them effectively but he doesn't really lift the side, he doesn't drag others along with him. He's a role player and a very good one at that.

Take David Hille out of our side and you might as well put a line through 2007 right now. Take away MJ and we have Slattery, Cole, Davey that are near on ready made to take his place.

Mark Johnson is a fine footballer at his best and he's most definately in our best 22 but IMO Stanton, McPhee, Hille and JJ are more important to us.

I would'nt go that far, i know the ruck is one of our weaker spots but if Hille goes down then it adds more excitement to the season imo. Laycock and ryder would rotate through the ruck and could possibly form a good team.