Preview R1: Changes for 2025

[Kane McGoodwin]

Id have nank ahead of laird in defense...

He's part of the group of players i have as next in & hope we rotate around 30 players.

 

[The Shapeshifter]

I’m tipping Curtin doesn’t play round 1. With the depth we have now, it’s going to be touch and go given he’s still a work in progress.

Looking for wins, likelihood of Curtin or Draper featuring without injuries is very slim.

 

[The Shapeshifter]

Crouch is still part of our best midfield, particularly with quicker players around him.

Laird isn't, so I have named him as a defender.

Playing Crouch is a road to nowhere. Ignoring wings, we have Dawson, Soligo, Peatling, Rankine as full timers. We then need to find minutes for high end talents like Curtin & Draper. And then there's players like Dowling, Taylor, Berry, Pedlar, Rachele or Edwards thst need minutes in there. Unless Crouch is a bona fide part of our next flag midfield, he should be consigned to the SANFL. He won't be, but he should be.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Playing Crouch is a road to nowhere. Ignoring wings, we have Dawson, Soligo, Peatling, Rankine as full timers. We then need to find minutes for high end talents like Curtin & Darcy. And then there's players like Dowling, Taylor, Berry, Pedlar, Rachele or Edwards thst need minutes in there. Unless Crouch is a bona fide part of our next flag midfield, he should be consigned to the SANFL. He won't be, but he should be.

Crouch is currently one of our best midfield extractors & deserving to be in the team.

Well ahead of the likes of Berry.

The problem has been the balance of the midfield, particularly playing with Laird.

 

[The Shapeshifter]

Milera only just turned 27. It all boils down to whether he can get back to his best. Because his best is worthy of being in the first dozen selected.

At his best he's in the last 2 selected. Sadly has become a nothing footballer. Doesn't run, doesn't carry, kicks short, can't lock down an opponent, totally ruined by injury.

 

[hippyhippy]

Crouch is currently one of our best midfield extractors & deserving to be in the team.

Well ahead of the likes of Berry.

The problem has been the balance of the misfield, particularly playing with Laird.

Out of Crouch berry and laird... Crouch is well ahead... His inside game is elite status, and has been his whole career from day 1. He is best 22 imho simply that he can get the ball inside and dish it off to the other mids who i rate as speedy. We have decent balance of speed and ball winning in the midfield. Only thing is how does Nicks play. Does he revert back to constantly moving the ball to the boundary to a contest? Or quickly play on. It's obvious to this board what that answer is. Our fwd line should be rated as S tier imho. We have excellent bigs and smalls who can all win their contests. The gameplan should be pretty ****in obvious.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Out of Crouch berry and laird... Crouch is well ahead... His inside game is elite status, and has been his whole career from day 1. He is best 22 imho simply that he can get the ball inside and dish it off to the other mids who i rate as speedy. We have decent balance of speed and ball winning in the midfield. Only thing is how does Nicks play. Does he revert back to constantly moving the ball to the boundary to a contest? Or quickly play on. It's obvious to this board what that answer is.

Davis will be determining our game plan.

 

[50BC]

He generally stays fit for 3-5 games before being injured for another 6 months.

Given how much footy he has missed a little preseason form shouldn't be enough, I'd think he would need to put together a good run of games in the Sanfl to come into selection consideration

 

[ams4crows]

One has been an All Australian & it's not Milera.

One can hit targets by foot and break lines and the other collects cheap stats, kicks the ball to the moon and gets frustrated when he's not involved with the play.

We no longer need Laird in the side. He's a senior player who's never been in the leadership group in his career.

We have better talent available now.

 

[Cromulant]

One can hit targets by foot and break lines and the other collects cheap stats, kicks the ball to the moon and gets frustrated when he's not involved with the play.

We no longer need Laird in the side. He's a senior player who's never been in the leadership group in his career.

We have better talent available now.

Milera isn't part of that better talent.

Honestly, it's embarrassing the carry on you're going with here.

 

[Scorpus]

Milera gets better the longer he's out injured.

People forget his games are mostly Mackay-esque.

Milera is a much better user off half back than current day Laird

 

[Bay62]

Sadly I think the game might have passed Milera by. Been superseded by new talent. Has some special skills but we are finally building a team where players have high end, solid, reliable skills, rather than the best thing about them being “he dances with the ball” (Atkins) or “he knows the running patterns” (McKay)

Very happy if he proves me wrong and makes it back and contributes those special skills

 

[Cromulant]

Milera is a much better user off half back than current day Laird

Debatable

Neither should be playing R1 in any case

 

[Floating Doughnut]

One can hit targets by foot and break lines and the other collects cheap stats, kicks the ball to the moon and gets frustrated when he's not involved with the play.

We no longer need Laird in the side. He's a senior player who's never been in the leadership group in his career.

We have better talent available now.

I was very critical of Laird this year and would have traded him if we had a suitor.
Pre season he trained, played and interviewed on SEN every week sounding angry and really pissed.
Had his first interview Wednesday and sounds totally different, maybe a few home truths about his attitude
have been served up.

 

[SydCrow]

Milera isn't part of that better talent.

Honestly, it's embarrassing the carry on you're going with here.

If he's fit, Milera is best 22. Honestly don't understand why this is even debatable. People have short memories.

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Big Dub]

If he isn't playing every game when fit this year.. might as well trade him... A top 10 pick should be playing every game 2nd year or its a massive failure by the recruiting team.

I'd like Curtin played for the majority of the year, but it's not panic stations if he doesn't.

Thilthorpe and Sam Darcy both played a number of SANFL/VFL games in their second year and both look just fine.

 

[hippyhippy]

Milera is a much better user off half back than current day Laird

Laird should be nowhere near the backline anymore... And he shouldnt be in the midfield anymore because we have better options.

But no doubt nicks will play him there...

 

[Cromulant]

If he's fit, Milera is best 22. Honestly don't understand why this is even debatable. People have short memories.

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile app

He's just not.

And it's not debatable.

He's never really been anything but a flash in the pan.

 

[ams4crows]

He's just not.

And it's not debatable.

He's never really been anything but a flash in the pan.

It is debatable because multiple people have a differing opinion on him and the team.

This is what this thread is about, people's opinion on what they think is the best 22 for round 1. "Not debatable" is when there is a unanimous opinion ie "Dawson is Best 22"

 

[Big Dub]

Laird should be nowhere near the backline anymore... And he shouldnt be in the midfield anymore because we have better options.

But no doubt nicks will play him there...

Laird was 6th in our best and fairest and averaged about 28 disposals off half back at 74% disposal efficiency. He likely starts the season good enough to deserve a spot at half back.

I have my doubts that he'll stay good enough to continue to deserve that spot. But I think he'll start in the side.

And if we want to play finals, we should be playing our best players (until they aren't).

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

If he's fit, Milera is best 22. Honestly don't understand why this is even debatable. People have short memories.

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile app

So who out of Michaelanny, Hinge, Cumming & Laird is he ahead of?

Then there in Nankervis & Jones.

Suspect Ryan will be ahead of Milera by the end of next season.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Milera is a much better user off half back than current day Laird

Yet only 1 has been All Australian... though granted hard to become All Australian if you are injured most of the time.

 

[rabidcrow]

Mainly running backman, with a couple of runs on ball. Impressive in close.

Essentially loose behind the ball


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Scorpus]

Yet only 1 has been All Australian... though granted hard to become All Australian if you are injured most of the time.

Laird was last an All Australian when he was 24

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Laird was last an All Australian when he was 24

About the last time Milera played a near full season.

A player is of no use if they are rarely on the park.

You have the B&F details, so feel free to compare the 2 players.

I'm preferring the player who is on the park.