First 22 in 2023

[briztoon]

That's where I'd draw the line as better all round players.




All of those have different strengths and weaknesses without being a complete dominant ruck, same as Oscar.

I thought Jackson completely dominated Oscar in every facet of the game after the bye, where both rucked solo.

 

[esbulldogs]

Lyons was also coming off a year with a dodgy ankle when being delisted by the Suns.
For his first couple of years here his defensive running wasn’t as big an issue because he was fit.
I do think he tailed off in the second half of last year, started the year ok this year but then he stopped (literally).
If and when fit, I can see him being in the best 22 next year if he is at a stage where he can run both ways.

I think we have all forgotten how much of an asset he was when he first came. He was a good part of the reason why we climbed the ladder so quickly.
I for one hope he can get back to his best, because if he can we will have a really strong midfield set up, that is for sure.
Hopefully with Dunkley coming in and his end to the year last year (being dropped) his motivation levels will be high enough to get himself to where he needs to be to regain his spot in the side.

It is a big year for him, to say the least.

I would like you all to research AFL CBAs and after reviewing them noting 2022 Lyons attended 65.2% games played only behind Lachie number 1 in comp at 84.7%. Clug 3rd at 52%.

I then want you to overlay Melb Oliver/Petracca and there time 82 and 76% respectively.

I pose this thought - let’s assume Dunkley increases his midfield time to 70% alongside Lachie, I be very bullish in my optimism towards Lions midfield comparison by season end.

If Lyons does get fit all the better, but I do make the point, a 20% spike for Dunks in the middle will equate to a very very good mid combination.

Very smart recruiting indeed!


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[davemc_lions]

Everyone writing off Lyons, Rich and Zorko.
Rich and Lyons both injured and carrying stuff last year had great 2021. Hope they both come back well and fit
Zorko the one I worry about been a few years now carrying leg issues.
All three lacking pace now with more open running game.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Everyone writing off Lyons, Rich and Zorko.
Rich and Lyons both injured and carrying stuff last year had great 2021. Hope they both come back well and fit
Zorko the one I worry about been a few years now carrying leg issues.
All three lacking pace now with more open running game.

I also believe we're not winning a premiership with those guys in the team. Hard to argue after the last 4 years that we couldn't put it all together

Need to fast track their replacements

 

[Gibbo_88]

I'll be surprised if Lyons isn't back to his 2021 form. One down year in his past few seasons where he played injured shouldn't mean he's suddenly not up for it.

 

[Berrygood]

Lyons certainly has a hard road ahead of him. He is going to have to be fitter and a bit slimmer than he has been for a long time to feature in the midfield. I'd reckon he knows that too.

First hurdle is getting his groin right, getting over the surgery and recovering to full training. Then his fitness work can start. A fit, trimmer Lyons that can run further for longer is a starter. However I can see him having a late start to the season, a cautious build up to full fitness. If Dev has a big preseason he could lock himself in early in the year.

Linc, I think will bounce back quickly. Not only is he stringing games together now, he's stringing seasons together. He'll adjust, and be right as rain.

Rich n Zorks I see being managed thru next season. I think both will retire. Both had niggling injuries and had tough seasons. When fit, knowing motivation won't be a problem, both will want to go out as close to a flag as they can get. Both will play as much as they can but full fitness will be a must.

 

[Berrygood]

How's our squad?

Tall Defenders: Andrews, Gardiner, Adams and Payne. Pretty happy with that. Any 3 of those 4 playing and I'm good. Should injuries run deep, Gunston has good form playing back and Lester can play tall if needed. I'd like to have another young tall defender developing in the seconds. No hurry but I'd be looking at next year's draft for one.

Sm/med defenders: Rich, Starce, Answerth, Coleman, Wilmot, Prior, Madden, Carter Michael got a taste, Ah Chee if needed, Lester again can fit here. We're well set here. I expect Rich to retire at 23 end, enough talent and depth to move on with.

Midfield/Wing: Neale, Dunkley, McCluggage, Berry, Robertson, Ashcroft, Tunstill, Lyons (if really fit), Matho if needed. Zorko, more fwd than mid these days. Rayner n Bailey get time in the middle, Prior, Answerth, n Ah Chee can play on the wing. Fletcher developing. Pretty set here for years to come.

Ruck/Tall fwds: Big O n Fort lead our ruck stocks. Hippy, Joe n Gunston our tall fwds. Fullerton our 'best at the moment' next up. Really hoping Henry Smith and Lane take a step or 2 fwd next season and leapfrog Fullerton. Lane a genuine ruck and Smith developing more as a ruck/fwd. I'd like to see a young goalkicking tall developing in the 2nds but again can be addressed in next year's draft or trade. We're OK overall here.

Sm/med fwds: Charlie, Linc, Rayner, Bailey, Lohmann, Blake Coleman, Zorks. Ah Chee n Cockatoo can play a role.

We're in a pretty good spot for a real crack I reckon, next season and seasons after. The end of the 23 season will be a bit of a change over as well, with some retiring, some ending contracts and not in our future. I think Rich, Zorko and Lester will retire. Cockatoo and Fullerton, maybe Matho n Madden will be let go. Lyons will need to prove himself to hold on. We won't need to lose any of our talent but have room to evolve and improve.

 

[mpal6]

How's our squad?

Tall Defenders: Andrews, Gardiner, Adams and Payne. Pretty happy with that. Any 3 of those 4 playing and I'm good. Should injuries run deep, Gunston has good form playing back and Lester can play tall if needed. I'd like to have another young tall defender developing in the seconds. No hurry but I'd be looking at next year's draft for one.

Sm/med defenders: Rich, Starce, Answerth, Coleman, Wilmot, Prior, Madden, Carter Michael got a taste, Ah Chee if needed, Lester again can fit here. We're well set here. I expect Rich to retire at 23 end, enough talent and depth to move on with.

Midfield/Wing: Neale, Dunkley, McCluggage, Berry, Robertson, Ashcroft, Tunstill, Lyons (if really fit), Matho if needed. Zorko, more fwd than mid these days. Rayner n Bailey get time in the middle, Prior, Answerth, n Ah Chee can play on the wing. Fletcher developing. Pretty set here for years to come.

Ruck/Tall fwds: Big O n Fort lead our ruck stocks. Hippy, Joe n Gunston our tall fwds. Fullerton our 'best at the moment' next up. Really hoping Henry Smith and Lane take a step or 2 fwd next season and leapfrog Fullerton. Lane a genuine ruck and Smith developing more as a ruck/fwd. I'd like to see a young goalkicking tall developing in the 2nds but again can be addressed in next year's draft or trade. We're OK overall here.

Sm/med fwds: Charlie, Linc, Rayner, Bailey, Lohmann, Blake Coleman, Zorks. Ah Chee n Cockatoo can play a role.

We're in a pretty good spot for a real crack I reckon, next season and seasons after. The end of the 23 season will be a bit of a change over as well, with some retiring, some ending contracts and not in our future. I think Rich, Zorko and Lester will retire. Cockatoo and Fullerton, maybe Matho n Madden will be let go. Lyons will need to prove himself to hold on. We won't need to lose any of our talent but have room to evolve and improve.

Yep, would love an extra tall defender with one of our late picks this year. 19/20 year old, mature body would be ideal.

I'd also look at moving one or both of Fullarton and Smith back. We need depth to cover in defense and these two can learn the craft over there. We can leave Lane in ruck and Fort in the forward line in 2s.

 

[KissKiss]

Yeah I'd say that tall back is clearly the "shallowest" area of depth. We really could do with another option sooner than later.

Tall forward / Ruck is another area we may not have depth long term - but its all dependant on how Lane and Smith keep developing. Honestly think it would be good if one of them could be getting a game or 2 this year. Good for their development to start getting a taste at some point

 

[Dalions]

Yeah I'd say that tall back is clearly the "shallowest" area of depth. We really could do with another option sooner than later.

Tall forward / Ruck is another area we may not have depth long term - but its all dependant on how Lane and Smith keep developing. Honestly think it would be good if one of them could be getting a game or 2 this year. Good for their development to start getting a taste at some point

With 5 on the bench it could be a good chance.
Fort is likely to get a lot more games as a result but if they are playing well they could squeeze in for a couple.

 

[lionshine]

Yeah I'd say that tall back is clearly the "shallowest" area of depth. We really could do with another option sooner than later.

Tall forward / Ruck is another area we may not have depth long term - but its all dependant on how Lane and Smith keep developing. Honestly think it would be good if one of them could be getting a game or 2 this year. Good for their development to start getting a taste at some point

I’d be interested to see Fullarton moved back full time in the pre season and heading into the VFL season next year. He could turn into a handy key defender as it is looking unlikely he will develop into an AFL standard key forward. Would be great if he could mirror Liam Jones as an average key forward turned gun key defender.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Move our only key forward depth to the backline?

 

[Tom14]

That's where I'd draw the line as better all round players.




All of those have different strengths and weaknesses without being a complete dominant ruck, same as Oscar.

Finlayson playing ruck reasonably competently shows how few are actual genuine difference makers.

Barring Gawn, Witts, Grundy of 2 years ago I don’t think many actually influence results. Jackson has the talent but turned up for about 10/22 rounds last year. Darcy is best of the rest.

Funnily enough I’d have Blicavs as just about the most influential last year for when he rucks and that’s entirely due to what he does outside of tap work.

Oscar is serviceable enough to win a flag if the rest of the midfield/team improves.

 

[mpal6]

Move our only key forward depth to the backline?

After Gunston's arrival, our key forward / ruck depth is Fort now. Beyond Fort, its time to debut Lane and push Oscar forward.

Defense is a bigger worry - Gardiner is no spring chicken and Adams is susceptible to big blocks of injury period. Leaves us with Andrews and Payne. We need more cover there instead of persisting Fullarton in this vanilla sometimes ruck, sometimes third tall role.

Our VFL team should be using players in the role that we'll be calling them to perform in 1s. If it means playing Smith and Fullarton in FB and CHB all season - I think we should do it.

 

[Mighty Lions]

After Gunston's arrival, our key forward / ruck depth is Fort now. Beyond Fort, its time to debut Lane and push Oscar forward.

Defense is a bigger worry - Gardiner is no spring chicken and Adams is susceptible to big blocks of injury period. Leaves us with Andrews and Payne. We need more cover there instead of persisting Fullarton in this vanilla sometimes ruck, sometimes third tall role.

Our VFL team should be using players in the role that we'll be calling them to perform in 1s. If it means playing Smith and Fullarton in FB and CHB all season - I think we should do it.

Gardner is 27 years old.

 

[Dalions]

After Gunston's arrival, our key forward / ruck depth is Fort now. Beyond Fort, its time to debut Lane and push Oscar forward.

Defense is a bigger worry - Gardiner is no spring chicken and Adams is susceptible to big blocks of injury period. Leaves us with Andrews and Payne. We need more cover there instead of persisting Fullarton in this vanilla sometimes ruck, sometimes third tall role.

Our VFL team should be using players in the role that we'll be calling them to perform in 1s. If it means playing Smith and Fullarton in FB and CHB all season - I think we should do it.

Stranger things have happened I guess but I just don’t see Henry Smith as a defender.

 

[scoman]

Stranger things have happened I guess but I just don’t see Henry Smith as a defender.

I remember a few years back we looked as though we had no key defender depth. Nek minute Eagles was switched back and possibly Josh Walker? Not sure that was the same year though. So you're right it has been done before.

I would rather see us bring in another young tall though, possibly a third tall type with a bit of athleticism and versatility. Can often be found late in the draft or added during pre season. I like the idea of a more versatile type as it looks like we might have a couple of genuine KPD guys coming through the academy over the next year or two. The Queensland production line of talls might be back up and running.

 

[mpal6]

Gardner is 27 years old.

With a known history of injury issues.

 

[Nathan Barley]

With a known history of injury issues.

More of a third tall anyway. Lester usually covers him

 

[Mighty Lions]

With a known history of injury issues.

No more or less history than Daniher leaving a hole in our forward line than missing Dizzy out of defence. Think both forward & back lines are a little thin should we lose more than 1 KPF or KPD.

 

[mpal6]

No more or less history than Daniher leaving a hole in our forward line than missing Dizzy out of defence. Think both forward & back lines are a little thin should we lose more than 1 KPF or KPD.

Lot different considering you can play Rayner as a tall or add Lohmann to make it a smaller, speedy lineup. Could also put Fort in forward line or Oscar, there are many different ways to mix n match there.

Won't be the same in defense if Adams and Gardiner go missing - send Lester in and hope for the best, that's all we have at the moment. Or go for break the glass type approach and (surprise!) play Fullarton in defense.

 

[Mighty Lions]

Lot different considering you can play Rayner as a tall or add Lohmann to make it a smaller, speedy lineup. Could also put Fort in forward line or Oscar, there are many different ways to mix n match there.

Won't be the same in defense if Adams and Gardiner go missing - send Lester in and hope for the best, that's all we have at the moment. Or go for break the glass type approach and (surprise!) play Fullarton in defense.

I'm far from convinced that Daniher or Hippy could be replaced by Rayner as a tall or a small to change things up there. No dis-respect to Fort but far too slow to be a key forward in my opinion.

 

[KissKiss]

I'm far from convinced that Daniher or Hippy could be replaced by Rayner as a tall or a small to change things up there. No dis-respect to Fort but far too slow to be a key forward in my opinion.

For a one of game he could do it. Trying to rely on him for more than that would heavily expose us.

And yeah personally think Oscar is a better forward than Fort. But really again if it came to that, I would prefer to have a look at Smith or Lane than sticking with our main rucks as forwards

 

[Liam_The_Latvian]

The definitive list

Full back	Darcy Gardiner​	Harris Andrews (vc)​	Brandon Starcevich​
Half back	Keidean Coleman​	Marcus Adams​	Daniel Rich​
Centre	Jarrod Berry​	Josh Dunkley​	Zac Bailey​
Followers	Oscar McInerney​	Lachie Neale (c)​	Hugh McCluggage​
Half forward	Eric Hipwood​	Joe Daniher​	Lincoln McCarthy​
Full forward	Charlie Cameron​	Jack Gunston​	Cameron Rayner​
Int: Noah Answerth 43 Noah Answerth Age 25 Ht 182cm Wt 82kg Pos. D/F Career Season Last 5 D 12.0 3star K 8.6 3star HB 3.4 3star M 3.7 4star T 2.9 4star MG 208.9 3star D 15.0 4star K 15.0 5star HB 0.0 1star M 4.0 4star T 2.0 3star MG 357.0 5star D 12.0 3star K 7.8 3star HB 4.2 4star M 3.4 4star T 3.0 5star MG 179.2 3star	Jarrod Lyons​	Will Ashcroft	Dayne Zorko​

Medical sub: Deven Robertson

2

Deven Robertson

Age

23

Ht

185cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.0

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

4.0

3star

M

0.0

1star

T

3.0

5star

CL

0.0

1star

D

7.0

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

4.0

3star

M

0.0

1star

T

3.0

4star

CL

0.0

1star

D

7.0

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

4.0

3star

M

0.0

1star

T

3.0

5star

CL

0.0

1star

Some notes:

• Dev replaces Lyons in the side by season's end.
• Darcy Fort is brought to have one more tall, even though I like it better when we play smaller.
• Hipwood and Daniher play much further up the ground, with Daniher spending time in the ruck.
• Rayner and Bailey could spend more time in the middle, or settle in as half-forwards for the majority of the season.
• Payne, Prior, Lester, Ah Chee, Wilmot, Lohmann, Matheison could all be brought in.

 

[Dalions]

For a one of game he could do it. Trying to rely on him for more than that would heavily expose us.

And yeah personally think Oscar is a better forward than Fort. But really again if it came to that, I would prefer to have a look at Smith or Lane than sticking with our main rucks as forwards

Oscar is the better marking forward but Fort is a much more reliable kick for goal.