Our Best 22 in 2010 - harder than you think

[Chadwiko]

After a few threads where people have been talking about Harris, Jones, Edwards, Hale etc, and whether or not we should retain them for 2010, I decided to have a go at doing our best 22 in 2010 if injuries aren't an issue at all, and with all players having a good preseason.

It was harder than I thought it would be,

B Thompson - Grima - Gibson
HB Pratt - Firitto - McMahon
C Wells - Ziebell - Urquhart
HF Harvey - Hansen - Ross
F Thomas - Petrie - Warren
R McIntosh - Swallow - Anthony

INT Goldstein - Greenwood - Wright - Adams

Only question marks in that team, for me, are over Ross, Adams and Wright. The rest have shown that when injury free and with a preseason under their belt, that they have what it takes.

That said, i'm fairly confident that Ross, Adams and Wright all have what it takes. They definitely all have the skill and speed, and from what we've seen this year you can't fault their desire either. I'm expecting all three of those kids to really come along in the off-season this year.

Interesting to note that I couldn't find a place for the following (regularly contributing/periphery) players in that team;

• Brady Rawlings
• Matt Campbell
• Aaron Edwards
• David Hale
• Daniel Harris
• Cruize Garlett
• Corey Jones
• Ed Lower
• Sam Power

Now, certainly some of those players will be retained for depth etc, but who? Do you stick with someone like Corey Jones, who only has a year or two left in him realistically, over a player like Cruize Garlett who has shown potential and is very young? What about Harris? Rawlings?

It's a tough one.

Post your best 22 for 2010, and make a note of which players missed out and why.

 

[Giveadogabone]

Wow wicko, Cambo gee buddy u have the attention span of an Elizabethian. Harding not in the squad? No Tarrant? Greenwood tagging from the bench? Firrito CHB?
Who are ya emergencies?

 

[budge11]

Wright and Ross over Campbell?

 

[AGC]

Chuck a Top 5 pick into the team as well (especially if it's a ready made player like Trengove.) And (I do this with great trepidation) Jesse Smith.
I'm not sure why you've put Firrito at CHB instead of Thompson.

 

[mark73]

B-Gibson, Thompson, McMahon
HB-Firrito, Grima, Harding
C-Wells, Swallow, JWSmith
HF-Warren, Hansen, Anthony
F-Adams, Petrie, Campbell
R-McIntosh, Ziebell, Harvey
INT-Pratt, Goldstein, Urquhart, Greenwood
EMER-Wright, Thomas, Rawlings

 

[scottywiper]

Assuming a fully fit squad:

B: Thompson Grima Pratt
HB: Je Smith Hansen Urquhart
C: Anthony Wells McMahon
HF: Warren Tarrant Campbell
FP: Thomas Petrie Harvey
R: McIntosh Ziebell Swallow
IC: Greenwood, Firrito, Harding, Goldstein
Thereabouts: Gibson, Adams, Rawlings, Ross, Wright, Hale, Lower, Harris, Garlett, Jones, O'Keefe.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Assuming no injuries and a full list to choose from.

B: Thompson Grima Gibson
HB: McMahon Hansen JWSmith
C: Wells Ziebell Urquhart
HF: Warren Petrie Wright
F: Campbell Tarrant Harvey
R: McIntosh Swallow Anthony
I: Goldstein Harding Adams Ross

E: Greenwood, Thomas, Lower

Edwards, Rawlings, Pratt, Firrito, Harris, Power all depth players if they are there.

 

[breeno]

B Gibson ~ Grima ~ McMahon
HB Wells ~ Thompson ~ Je.Smith
C Urquhart ~ Ziebell ~ First pick/Adams
HF Harvey ~ Hansen ~ Harding
F Campbell ~ Petrie ~ Warren

R: McIntosh ~ Swallow ~ Anthony

INT Goldstein ~ Greenwood ~ Firrito ~ Thomas

 

[The Filth Wizard]

Easy.

Gibson Thompson Smith
Wells Grima Urquhart
Harding Swallow Anthony
Wright Petrie Warren
Thomas Hansen Campbell
McIntosh Ziebell Harvey

Goldstein, Ross, McMahon, Adams

 

[GarnerSmash]

Assuming no injuries and I am coach:

B: Gibson - Grima - Thompson
HB: Urquhart - Hansen - Je. Smith
C: Wells - Ziebell - Anthony
HF: Warren - Petrie - Harvey
F: Campbell - Tarrant - Wright

R: McIntosh - Swallow - Greenwood

Int: Goldstein - McMahon - Harding - Ross

Interesting note: Age wise, conceivably, only 3 of that 22 would not be around in 5-7 years.

This is a tough exercise, particularly considering players like Rawlings, Pratt and Spud miss out. The question to be asked of a lot of our mid aged guys is, are they going to improve the team? Spud is great, I love him, but his disposal and decision making is questionable, he is not a midfielder and we have better options on the flanks. Would we be better off in the next few years playing him instead of Urquhart, Ziebell, Anthony, a fit JWS, Sam Wright, Levi, McMahon, Gibbo, Ross? What about Raawlings and Pratt (09 version)?

I'd play Tarrant as FF. Why not. See what he has and if he doesn't show anything, dish to FF. Big issues in the forward line. If Tarrant does not come on then we are in a spot of bother. Hansen is a CHB. 3 goals against Casey Scorpions does not mean otherwise although I would be more than happy to be proved wrong. We have no other real forward options except O'Keefe, and he is a matchstick man.

On the edge have to be Adams, Thomas, Rawlings, Spud, Pratt, Hale. Harro and Jones are alright and may stay, but the same questions need to be asked of the older guys as of Firrito.
Garlett and Benjamin to get another development year. Marcus White to be promoted for sure. So too of Delaney.

Edwards gone. Josh Smith gone. Wundke gone. If they were good enough they would be in the team now. Obviously the feeling is that they are not going to make it. I tend to agree. Riggio gone. Watt gone. Clear the rest of the rookies. One or two more to be delisted, probably Lower and one of Harro or Jones.

The team will have a nice collection of young mids, plenty of run, a solid backline and developing forwardline. Good depth.


Now back to reality.

 

[rooloc]

Mc Mahon Thompson Firrito
Harding Grima Urqhart
Wells Ziebell Antony
Cambell Tarrant Harvey
Warren Petrie Thomas

Mc Intosh Swallow JWS

Goldstien, Ross, Greenwood, Hansen

Emg Pratt, Adams, Jones, Gibson

Go Roos

 

[giantroo]

Start adding Tarrant in. If he gets his shoulders right, he will walk straight into the forward line. First game in the VFL this year and kicked 3.3 before falling on his shoulder.

 

[Grossy Morrell]

Edwards gone? I definitely don't see a spot for him.

 

[Paddy_Mac]

B: Jesse Smith, Scott Thompson, Josh Gibson
HB: Scott McMahon, Nathan Grima, Gavin Urquhart
C: Liam Anthony, Jack Ziebell, Leigh Harding
HF: Ben Warren, Lachlan Hansen, Brent Harvey
F: Matt Campbell, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas
R: Hamish McIntosh, Andrew Swallow, Daniel Wells
I: Todd Goldstein, Brady Rawlings, Leigh Adams, Ben Ross
E: David Hale, Daniel Pratt, Michael Firrito

I've seen enough of Leigh Adams to say that he'll be in our best 22 next year. He's only going to get better. Can't fit in Hale, Pratt or Firrito but there good enough if they have form. Greenwood will continue to play more games but competition is high so he's going to have to force his way in. Aaron Edwards will be gone. Corey Jones will be gone, Harris will be gone. Our round 1 draft pick may well be in our best 22 but for now I'll leave him out. Hansen to CHF permenantly. Smith to Back Pocket permenantly. Seriously the team looks pretty good. We need Tarrant to step up next season if he can make FF his position we'll able to have a three pronged attack. Exciting times.

 

[coopers pale]

Interesting to see the pressure for spots in the back 6. Four non-key position places between Firrito, Gibson, Rawlings, Pratt, Harding, McMahon, Urquhart (if not on a wing) and JWS. This presumes Thompson and Grima are the KPP's (if you put Hansen at CHB then you can add one of Thompson & Grima to the list).

For mine, I think that puts Gibson under extreme pressure, and Pratt also under the pump. A year ago you wouldn't have picked that, but this year they both plateued badly, while others (Grima and Thompson) stepped up big time.

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

Using St Kilda as a model, Ie: No soft and/or 1 dimensional players, We should really look something like this round 1 2010:

Thompson Delaney McMahon
Pratt Grima Gibson
Wells Anthony Smith
Ziebell Tarrant Harvey
Ross Petrie Hansen
Goldstein Greenwood Swallow
Firitto McIntosh Harding Adams

Em: Campbell Wright Urquhart Rawlings Lower Hale Thomas

Delist: Jones, Power, Harris, Watt/ Wundke & Smith (if they have no interest in playing them)

 

[Chadwiko]

Some good teams there. I can't believe I forgot Harding. I'd have him in at the expense of Ross or Wright.

I have high hopes for Wright though - I really liked what I saw of him this year. He just needs to bulk up a bit over pre-season and then I think he can really be a solid contributor.

I didn't include Tarrant or Jesse Smith because, quite frankly, if I had, my hopes would get up, and i'm sick of being heartbroken by injuries.

 

[fairdinkum]

Start adding Tarrant in. If he gets his shoulders right, he will walk straight into the forward line. First game in the VFL this year and kicked 3.3 before falling on his shoulder.

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts.

Tell you what, GR. Either Tarrant or Smith string more than two senior games together next season without getting injured, I'll shout you a slab of some of the finest cola money can buy.

 

[alonzo]

B Pratt Thompson Gibson
HB Urquhart Grima Wells
C Harding Swallow Anthony
HF Ziebell Hansen Warren
F Campbell Petrie Thomas
Foll Mclntosh Firrito Harvey
Int Goldstein McMahon Rawlings Greenwood
Emerg Hale Jones Power Harris Lower Ross
Jesse Smith Adams Tarrant Wright

 

[RoyalBlue]

Wouldn't waste time putting Smith in - either of them.

Have just gotten a PM from Chad saying he wanted:

Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow Swallow

Em: Swallow Swallow Swallow

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Wouldn't waste time putting Smith in - either of them.

Have just gotten a PM from Chad saying he wanted:

Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow Swallow

Em: Swallow Swallow Swallow

He needs to realise that 22 Swallows dont make a spring.

On a more grown up note, looks like the script to and adult entertainment movie.

 

[Robertsonroo]

Using St Kilda as a model, Ie: No soft and/or 1 dimensional players,

How can Gibson be in your side.....perhaps the most one-dimensional, one-sided player in the AFL!

 

[roos_fanatic08]

B:McMahon, Grima, Thompson
HB: Wells, Hansen, Uruquart
C: Anthony, Swallow, Greenwood
HF: Wright, Petrie, Warren
F:Campbell, Tarrant, Thomas
FOLL:McIntosh, Ziebell, Harvey

BENCH:Adams, Harding, Goldstein,

EMG: Lower, Ross, Pratt.

No room for Firrito, Gibson, Hale, Rawlings, Harris, Jones, Edwards

Would love to have jesse smith in there aswell but i can't see that happening. I'm a little more optimistic with Tarrant though. If we want to re-build we have to do it properly. No more plodders like Gibbo and Firrito. We need to try and develop a younger team and develop it immediately. With a bit of luck we'll have 1-2 new recruits knocking on the door of the best 22 aswell

 

[Chadwiko]

Wouldn't waste time putting Smith in - either of them.

Have just gotten a PM from Chad saying he wanted:

Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow
Swallow Swallow Swallow Swallow

Em: Swallow Swallow Swallow

Playing/Coach : Andrew Swallow's dad.

 

[CarnaKangas]

B:McMahon Thompson Firrito
HB:JWS Grima Pratt
C:Anthony Swallow Wells
HF:Thomas Petrie Ross
F:Campbell Hale Warren
FOLL:McIntosh Harvey Ziebell
INT: Goldstein Gibson Rawlings Greenwood

My big omission has been urquhart, just havent been overly impressed by him this season, although that may be harsh considering that nearly everyone has had an ordinary year.