Our best rolling 22

[Macca43]

Back on topic anyway...

FB: Docherty, Jones, Plowman
HB: Saad, Weitering, SPS
C: Walsh, Williams, Williamson*
R: TDK, Cripps, Setterfield
HF: Martin, Casboult, Fisher
FF: Betts, McKay, McGovern
I/C: Curnow, Murphy, XXXXXX, XXXXXX

I've got two spots up for grabs, and an asterisk on Willo on the wing as I'm unsure if they'll actually look to play him there or keep him predominantly off half back.

If he plays back, then I could see him starting on the bench and Murph being a preferred option on the wing instead.

Those last two bench spots are tough though.

Reliability and consistency should have Newnes, Gibbons, JSOS and Newman in the frame, or Pittonet if we want a ruck duo...
If he's fit, then Marchbank might deserve a spot.
Potential upside and point-of-difference considerations might elevate Cunners or Fogarty.
Then there's a block of relative youngsters who could be rotated through on form - Dow, Stocker, O'Brien, Kemp, Honey, Owies, Durdin and Cottrell.

I think we'll start the year a bit conservatively with something like JSOS and Newnes/Gibbons in those final spots. Kids then get introduced either through injury to starters or because we're losing and need to bring in some "enthusiasm". If we get some good wins on the board we'll probably try to ride the momentum with minimal changes.

Only ones I can't really see being in the discussion this far out are Kennedy (looking purely like depth these days), Curnow (injured), Philp (development required), Ramsay (development required), Carroll (development required) and Parks (development required).

Only difference to mine is I have JSOS in for McGovern and I have filled the XXXX's with Fogarty & Marchbank.

It seems most people are on roughly the same page with those last 2 spots being the real points of contention - lots of quality players fighting for them, hopefully we see someone emerge over the pre-season and nail them.

 

[Blue__Balls]

Only difference to mine is I have JSOS in for McGovern and I have filled the XXXX's with Fogarty & Marchbank.

It seems most people are on roughly the same page with those last 2 spots being the real points of contention - lots of quality players fighting for them, hopefully we see someone emerge over the pre-season and nail them.

A tall and a small makes some sense, but I think we're more likely to go with run-all-day types, especially coming back into full length games.

Marchy needs to get a block of games under his belt, for mine. I don't think we can afford to be playing one down in important early season games because he's hurt himself in an innocuous contest, so until he's shown his body can back it up 3, 4, 5 weeks in a row, I'd leave him out. Probably. Depends how he holds up in the preseason, I suppose.

Fogarty is a nice smokey for this season, has a good mix of skills and endeavour and I reckon he'll give his all for four quarters. Just not sure on the role...is he a mid, is he a forward, is he a bit of both, do we have enough of those and have more need for an outside runner?

JSOS for Gov also makes sense looking at Gov's performance to date, but I'm not sure Teague does it and I'm not quite ready to write Gov off. If he gets his timing back he's a much more dangerous forward than JSOS, whose defensive pressure should be on offer from Betts, Fisher and Martin.

I find it hard to leave out guys like Newnes and Gibbons on what we've seen so far, but equally, I want there to be opportunity for guys like Cunners, Stocker, Kemp, Fogarty, Dow, Philp, Durdin etc. if their form warrants it. Especially Stocker, gut instinct tells me he's primed for a big season.

 

[Macca43]

A tall and a small makes some sense, but I think we're more likely to go with run-all-day types, especially coming back into full length games.

Marchy needs to get a block of games under his belt, for mine. I don't think we can afford to be playing one down in important early season games because he's hurt himself in an innocuous contest, so until he's shown his body can back it up 3, 4, 5 weeks in a row, I'd leave him out. Probably. Depends how he holds up in the preseason, I suppose.

Fogarty is a nice smokey for this season, has a good mix of skills and endeavour and I reckon he'll give his all for four quarters. Just not sure on the role...is he a mid, is he a forward, is he a bit of both, do we have enough of those and have more need for an outside runner?

I find it hard to leave out guys like Newnes and Gibbons on what we've seen so far, but equally, I want there to be opportunity for guys like Stocker, Kemp, Fogarty, Dow, Philp, Durdin etc. if their form warrants it. Especially Stocker, gut instinct tells me he's primed for a big season.

Thats the thing, we have half a dozen or more young blokes in the prime window for a breakout season if even a couple of them manage that then loyal foot soldiers are going to be forced out simply becasue you can only have 22 blokes at a time.

If Marchbank plays good minutes in the pre-season games then I have no issue, but if not happy to have Newman in that spot (if fit).

As for Fogarty I see a similar role to Cuningham last year or Martin, plenty of pressure in forward 50, pushing up for a turn through the middle and being a danger around the front half stoppages. If he doesn't get the spot hopefully Cuningham finally takes that next step.

 

[Eiffel 65]

Interesting that not many have Dow in their best 25- any longer
think he could still show something and break into the top 22 by the end of the year

People on here have forgotten what he can do because he's been playing the role of a small forward for the past year and a half.

Really hoping Ed, Murphy and Newnes play lesser roles in the preseason matches so we can assess the development of our younger midfielders.

 

[therubbernub]

Boy do we have some depth. I have Marchbank and Williamson on the wing because they have the run, disposal and marking ability to control between the arcs. Plus trying to fit them into the HB region will put further pressure on an already crowded (talent wise) part of the ground.
Walsh moves straight into the midfield full time. Murph gets the boot, but will make a fairly handy backup for injuries.

When i look at those that didnt make the cut, I am no longer filled with dread , should we have a lot of injuries.
Thanks as always to jimmae for his board

 

[Ash24]

Boy do we have some depth. I have Marchbank and Williamson on the wing because they have the run, disposal and marking ability to control between the arcs. Plus trying to fit them into the HB region will put further pressure on an already crowded (talent wise) part of the ground.
Walsh moves straight into the midfield full time. Murph gets the boot, but will make a fairly handy backup for injuries.

When i look at those that didnt make the cut, I am no longer filled with dread , should we have a lot of injuries.
Thanks as always to jimmae for his board


View attachment 1043566

Great team, one of the best I've seen.

 

[RAPPA]

Boy do we have some depth. I have Marchbank and Williamson on the wing because they have the run, disposal and marking ability to control between the arcs. Plus trying to fit them into the HB region will put further pressure on an already crowded (talent wise) part of the ground.
Walsh moves straight into the midfield full time. Murph gets the boot, but will make a fairly handy backup for injuries.

When i look at those that didnt make the cut, I am no longer filled with dread , should we have a lot of injuries.
Thanks as always to jimmae for his board


View attachment 1043566

i’ll have jut as much interest watching our twos play given the suite of players plying to track their development and Progress

 

[HaydossJ]

Newnes is best 22 and will play every game this year

 

[CJMB]

Newnes is best 22 and will play every game this year

Quite possibly, and the odds are probably in his favour. However like almost every player there's always the possibility of injury, suspension, a form slump, or someone 'below' him or outside the 22 pushing him out.

If he's playing 'just ok' or is pulling up sore while Walsh/Setters/Martin/Willo/Gibbo/etc are all killing it and someone like Dow/Fogarty/Stocker/Cuningham/etc are really carving it in the reserves it's pretty feasible (and expected from my perspective) that he might make way, even just for a game or two.

We should be in a really interesting position with some players who might step up a level this year. Younger guys getting fitter and able to genuinely compete for 4 quarters (Dow, Stocker, Honey, etc), those coming off extended breaks due to injury (Curnow, Marchbank, Newman, Kemp, Silvagni), fairly recent players to the club adjusting better to our system and improving (Pitto, Gibbo, etc... Newnes also fits in here himself) or someone like Cottrell (who's clearly fit as all hell) learning how to find the ball an extra couple of times a quarter.

We should be able to have a pretty decent team in the reserves, round 1 midfield could have the likes of Pitto, Dow, Stocker, Kennedy, Kemp, Philp, Cuningham, Fogarty, O'Brien, Cottrell, Carroll, etc, plus some of the reserves players like Parsons, Hirst, Wooller, Stoddart, Crocker, etc who've been through AFL systems. Should be poles apart from last year from a development standpoint which will be great for the seniors.

I guess after all that, I'll agree than Newnes probably plays most if not all games, but I'm pretty comfortable if he loses his spot as odds are one or more of the younger crop have stepped up. It's a good time to be a bagger.

 

[HereComesJuddy]

Fogerty before Gibbons seems very optimistic at this stage.

Both will be best 22

 

[HereComesJuddy]

I don't think it is criminal to have Murphy ahead of him

Marc Murphy and Michael Gibbons AFL Stats Comparison

Marc Murphy and Michael Gibbons AFL Stats Comparison.

www.footywire.com

Stats don't really tell the story now do they? Gibbons is easily best 22

 

[Macca43]

Stats don't really tell the story now do they? Gibbons is easily best 22

Not wanting to open this up again but really what is the part of the story that has Gibbons being a better player than Murphy?

You can have Gibbons in your best 22, I don't, but given the calibre of players that are pushing for those final 2 or 3 spots to say that Gibbons is "easily best 22" is a big call and if true would have me seriously worrying about our recruiting.

 

[HereComesJuddy]

Not wanting to open this up again but really what is the part of the story that has Gibbons being a better player than Murphy?

You can have Gibbons in your best 22, I don't, but given the calibre of players that are pushing for those final 2 or 3 spots to say that Gibbons is "easily best 22" is a big call and if true would have me seriously worrying about our recruiting.

Worry all you like.
He is easily best 22

 

[CJMB]

Worry all you like.
He is easily best 22

Out of curiosity, what's your interpretation of "easily'? Top 10? Top 15? Starts on the ground?

 

[Macca43]

Quite possibly, and the odds are probably in his favour. However like almost every player there's always the possibility of injury, suspension, a form slump, or someone 'below' him or outside the 22 pushing him out.

If he's playing 'just ok' or is pulling up sore while Walsh/Setters/Martin/Willo/Gibbo/etc are all killing it and someone like Dow/Fogarty/Stocker/Cuningham/etc are really carving it in the reserves it's pretty feasible (and expected from my perspective) that he might make way, even just for a game or two.

We should be in a really interesting position with some players who might step up a level this year. Younger guys getting fitter and able to genuinely compete for 4 quarters (Dow, Stocker, Honey, etc), those coming off extended breaks due to injury (Curnow, Marchbank, Newman, Kemp, Silvagni), fairly recent players to the club adjusting better to our system and improving (Pitto, Gibbo, etc... Newnes also fits in here himself) or someone like Cottrell (who's clearly fit as all hell) learning how to find the ball an extra couple of times a quarter.

We should be able to have a pretty decent team in the reserves, round 1 midfield could have the likes of Pitto, Dow, Stocker, Kennedy, Kemp, Philp, Cuningham, Fogarty, O'Brien, Cottrell, Carroll, etc, plus some of the reserves players like Parsons, Hirst, Wooller, Stoddart, Crocker, etc who've been through AFL systems. Should be poles apart from last year from a development standpoint which will be great for the seniors.

I guess after all that, I'll agree than Newnes probably plays most if not all games, but I'm pretty comfortable if he loses his spot as odds are one or more of the younger crop have stepped up. It's a good time to be a bagger.

This is the thig for me, if just a couple of the young blokes we have drafted recently perform as expected then Newnes will either have to up his game or sit out.

 

[Macca43]

Worry all you like.
He is easily best 22

Out of interest what is your best 22?

 

[CJMB]

This is the thig for me, if just a couple of the young blokes we have drafted recently perform as expected then Newnes will either have to up his game or sit out.

They've got to step up and pass him though.

 

[Macca43]

They've got to step up and pass him though.

Agreed but if they don't I think we will have a disappointing season.

 

[Metalcrusher]

Agreed but if they don't I think we will have a disappointing season.

Define disappointing?

 

[CJMB]

Define disappointing?

Somewhere between losing the GF by a late goal and 2018 redux.

 

[Metalcrusher]

Somewhere between losing the GF by a late goal and 2018 redux.

Wide scope.

 

[CJMB]

Wide scope.

not wrong though.

Really, who the **** knows what will happen, maybe all the kids step up but Newnes finds another couple of levels, holding someone promising out of the side, but then finds himself kicking the sealer from the boundary at around 4:25pm 25/09...

 

[Macca43]

Define disappointing?

Not making finals.

Of the 10 sides above us only a couple haven't improved - we need to make a serious step forward and to do so we need at least a couple the high ceiling young players to have break out years.

People can point to our good performances against the like of Geelong or Port but we also got belted by the likes of the Crows and Hawks - we really need to make a quantum leap.

 

[Macca43]

not wrong though.

Really, who the **** knows what will happen, maybe all the kids step up but Newnes finds another couple of levels, holding someone promising out of the side, but then finds himself kicking the sealer from the boundary at around 4:25pm 25/09...

If all the kids step up but Newnes still keeps them out because he has gone up a couple of levels would be fine by me, but I think the kids have a significantly bigger gap between exposed form and their ceiling.

 

[Metalcrusher]

Not making finals.

Of the 10 sides above us only a couple haven't improved - we need to make a serious step forward and to do so we need at least a couple the high ceiling young players to have break out years.

People can point to our good performances against the like of Geelong or Port but we also got belted by the likes of the Crows and Hawks - we really need to make a quantum leap.

Hmmm not a quantum one, and for a few of those losses it had less to do with the talent, and more to do with coaching. That Hawthorn game was a perfect example, whereby the game plan did not change until it was 2 quarters too late