Prediction Round 1, 2025: Starting 23

[Bill Birmingham]

2025 Line-Up:

Hough. Edwards. Baker.

Ginbey. McGovern. Graham.

Hunt. Yeo. Maric.

Cripps. Waterman. L.Ryan.

Owies. O.Allan. B.Williams.

Flynn. Kelly. Reid.

Interchange: Hutchinson. Duggan. Hewett. Hall.

 

[Dom sheed pocket]

2025 Line-Up:

Hough. Edwards. Baker.

Ginbey. McGovern. Graham.

Hunt. Yeo. Maric.

Cripps. Waterman. L.Ryan.

Owies. O.Allan. B.Williams.

Flynn. Kelly. Reid.

Interchange: Hutchinson. Duggan. Hewett. Hall.

This is a good list of names, but I can’t see us going with Yeo, Kelly, Reid as our 3 primary mids. The reason we got Graham was for him to be our Rowbottom/Willem Drew.

Yeo/Reid/Kelly was boom or bust. Either they won the clearance and were incredibly damaging or oppo did and came out the front putting our defense under immense pressure from a lack of defensive positioning/pressure from our midfield.

How often do you see Port go with Rozee, Butters, Horne -Francis at the same centre bounce?

I think Graham will be a midfield mainstay as defensive mid. Might see Harley and TK both rotating between mid/fwd. My gut says when we have an important centre bounce our preferred set up will be Harley, Yeo, Graham.

 

[We_The_West]

This is a good list of names, but I can’t see us going with Yeo, Kelly, Reid as our 3 primary mids. The reason we got Graham was for him to be our Rowbottom/Willem Drew.

Yeo/Reid/Kelly was boom or bust. Either they won the clearance and were incredibly damaging or oppo did and came out the front putting our defense under immense pressure from a lack of defensive positioning/pressure from our midfield.

How often do you see Port go with Rozee, Butters, Horne -Francis at the same centre bounce?

I think Graham will be a midfield mainstay as defensive mid. Might see Harley and TK both rotating between mid/fwd. My gut says when we have an important centre bounce our preferred set up will be Harley, Yeo, Graham.

Yeah I agree Graham will be a big pick up for our midfield. Steinglein level importance.

I think he and Duggan will be the rotating defensive mids, hopefully bringing Bo Allan into the mix.

 

[WCE777]

This is a good list of names, but I can’t see us going with Yeo, Kelly, Reid as our 3 primary mids. The reason we got Graham was for him to be our Rowbottom/Willem Drew.

Yeo/Reid/Kelly was boom or bust. Either they won the clearance and were incredibly damaging or oppo did and came out the front putting our defense under immense pressure from a lack of defensive positioning/pressure from our midfield.

How often do you see Port go with Rozee, Butters, Horne -Francis at the same centre bounce?

I think Graham will be a midfield mainstay as defensive mid. Might see Harley and TK both rotating between mid/fwd. My gut says when we have an important centre bounce our preferred set up will be Harley, Yeo, Graham.

Yeah I agree Graham will be a big pick up for our midfield. Steinglein level importance.

I think he and Duggan will be the rotating defensive mids, hopefully bringing Bo Allan into the mix.

B: Cole, Edwards, Hough
HB: Ginbey, Gov, Baker
C: Hunt, Duggan, Maric
HF: Kelly, Waterman, Ryan
FF: Cripps, Allen, Owies
FOL: Flynn, Yeo, Reid
Int: Graham, JW, Hewett, Hutch, Hall.
Graham and Duggan rotating defensive mids.
JW ruck support and forward rotation.
Kelly can be part of rotation in midfield with Reid, Hutch and Hall can both rotate mid/wing wherever needed.
Stiff to miss B Allan, Dewar, B Williams, whoever the next KDEF option is after Edwards whether that is Barnett, Archer or Shanahan.

 

[Astro7]

Yeah I agree Graham will be a big pick up for our midfield. Steinglein level importance.

I think he and Duggan will be the rotating defensive mids, hopefully bringing Bo Allan into the mix.

Baker could even rotate through the middle...or certainly push up for added grunt/defensive work..Baker could rotate with Graham...both get stints in the guts...musical chairs...lotta rotatin' goin' on? ((;
But no way Baker and Graham in the backs together?

 

[stallon]

I predict a 6 man midfield of Yeo, Reid, Kelly, Duggan, Graham and Hewett. At least one of Duggan or Graham in there at all times.
They all do 25-70% CBAs each.
I think our first rotation will be Reid, Yeo and Duggan, with Duggan and Yeo being exclusively mids doing close to 70% CBAs. Reid, Hewett and Kelly doing some forward time. Graham to do a bit of HFF/wing/mid as required.
Plenty of flexibility between the mid and half forwards.
Ive listed Allan as a defender.
Baker stays in D50.
Hutch named as a bit of a utility, can play wherever.

This leaves me with this best 23:
FB: Hough Edwards Maric
HB: Baker Gov Ginbey
C: Graham Duggan Hunt
HF: Kelly Waterman Cripps
FF: Owies Allen Ryan
R: Flynn Reid Yeo
Int: JWilliams Hutchinson Hewett Allan
Sub: Dewar

 

[WCE777]

I predict a 6 man midfield of Yeo, Reid, Kelly, Duggan, Graham and Hewett. At least one of Duggan or Graham in there at all times.
They all do 25-70% CBAs each.
I think our first rotation will be Reid, Yeo and Duggan, with Duggan and Yeo being exclusively mids doing close to 70% CBAs. Reid, Hewett and Kelly doing some forward time. Graham to do a bit of HFF/wing/mid as required.
Plenty of flexibility between the mid and half forwards.
Ive listed Allan as a defender.
Baker stays in D50.
Hutch named as a bit of a utility, can play wherever.

This leaves me with this best 23:
FB: Hough Edwards Maric
HB: Baker Gov Ginbey
C: Graham Duggan Hunt
HF: Kelly Waterman Cripps
FF: Owies Allen Ryan
R: Flynn Reid Yeo
Int: JWilliams Hutchinson Hewett Allan
Sub: Dewar

Like it and totally can see the midfield working like that.
Close between Allan and Hall for the final spot, may the competition for spots begin.

 

[stallon]

Like it and totally can see the midfield working like that.
Close between Allan and Hall for the final spot, may the competition for spots begin.

Hutch isnt safe there either, those 2 spots could be anyone. Id have money on Allan being in the side round 1 though

 

[Barrybran]

I predict a 6 man midfield of Yeo, Reid, Kelly, Duggan, Graham and Hewett. At least one of Duggan or Graham in there at all times.
They all do 25-70% CBAs each.
I think our first rotation will be Reid, Yeo and Duggan, with Duggan and Yeo being exclusively mids doing close to 70% CBAs. Reid, Hewett and Kelly doing some forward time. Graham to do a bit of HFF/wing/mid as required.
Plenty of flexibility between the mid and half forwards.
Ive listed Allan as a defender.
Baker stays in D50.
Hutch named as a bit of a utility, can play wherever.

This leaves me with this best 23:
FB: Hough Edwards Maric
HB: Baker Gov Ginbey
C: Graham Duggan Hunt
HF: Kelly Waterman Cripps
FF: Owies Allen Ryan
R: Flynn Reid Yeo
Int: JWilliams Hutchinson Hewett Allan
Sub: Dewar

There is approximately zero chance of Allan playing ahead of Cole. Don't mind the lineup though.

 

[stallon]

There is approximately zero chance of Allan playing ahead of Cole. Don't mind the lineup though.

I like to dream
Id move out Hutch before Allan though, it was a 50/50 Cole or Hutch when I made the post

 

[PremiershipNo4]

Back 6 is the most interesting to me, other than McGovern there are a lot of possible combinations.
I have no doubt our new coach will be intent on aggressive attack from the back half, and there’s a lot of players putting their hands up.

 

[We_The_West]

I like to dream
Id move out Hutch before Allan though, it was a 50/50 Cole or Hutch when I made the post

Cole would have to be in career best form to keep a developing youth out of the side. I'd rather see Whopper in there mixing it with the defenders

 

[stallon]

Cole would have to be in career best form to keep a developing youth out of the side. I'd rather see Whopper in there mixing it with the defenders

I wasnt trying to pick what I want, was meant to be what I think will happen. Id be happy with HJ ahead of Cole too.

I reckon Cole will be ahead in the pecking order of HJ at least to start. I have Cole and Hunt as bottom 19-23 players in the squad, they could both easily be out by round 4 or 5 imo.

I have those on-field 6 + Allan ahead of HJ for a D50 spot, but Allan could play a wing, HJ could also sit on a wing I guess

We will no doubt have a couple of injuries making space

 

[WCE777]

I wasnt trying to pick what I want, was meant to be what I think will happen. Id be happy with HJ ahead of Cole too.

I reckon Cole will be ahead in the pecking order of HJ at least to start. I have Cole and Hunt as bottom 19-23 players in the squad, they could both easily be out by round 4 or 5 imo.

I have those on-field 6 + Allan ahead of HJ for a D50 spot, but Allan could play a wing, HJ could also sit on a wing I guess

We will no doubt have a couple of injuries making space

HJ is another young player who is looking to break into the team, he looked good playing a HF/Wing type role when he played, showed plenty of speed and skill by foot.
He could be a HF/Wing type distributer into the forward line or a connector from HB.
Allan will probably start more as a HB with his size and push up onto the wing in time.
Will be interesting to see who takes Hunts spot by mid year, not saying he is out of the side but we have some excellent up and coming players in Maric, Hutch, HB, Allan who all could take that position.
Cole is still best 22 lock down defender until someone else takes the role, I think that position is more of a lock for Cole and Hough until someone goes past in time.
We never had this problem a year ago!
Well done to WC recruiting and drafting over the last couple of years.

 

[We_The_West]

I wasnt trying to pick what I want, was meant to be what I think will happen. Id be happy with HJ ahead of Cole too.

I reckon Cole will be ahead in the pecking order of HJ at least to start. I have Cole and Hunt as bottom 19-23 players in the squad, they could both easily be out by round 4 or 5 imo.

I have those on-field 6 + Allan ahead of HJ for a D50 spot, but Allan could play a wing, HJ could also sit on a wing I guess

We will no doubt have a couple of injuries making space

I see where you're coming from, and there's a good chance Cole is in the team R1 like you said.

My view is completely subjective, I just see more value of picking a young player and developing them as a back pocket/HBF vs. picking a 28 yr old small defender who won't be in our next premiership push.

If we had never selected and backed in Hough during his first and second years then he wouldn't have developed into the gun player he is now. Are we prepared to risk getting 10-20 games into the next young talent for the sake of picking Cole?

We are going to need senior players playing for the Beagles, being that on field coach and helping develop the youth and teach them the game plan. The Beagles has regularly been a bunch of raw 18-20 yr olds getting flogged each week, and we can all say that the addition of Sheed, Gaff, Flynn and Darling into the WAFL side last year saw a huge shift culturally and competitively.

We are going to need some senior players marshalling the Beagles defence - how good would it be seeing Cole mentoring young Luca Grego and helping Chesser/Allan/Johnston develop into a HBF or Barnett as a CHB.

With Baker, Maric, Ginbey, Hough, Duggan and Hunt all fit, I don't see Cole making them team unless Hough or Baker is injured.