Discussion Round 1 Best 22

[FlyingSledghamer]

Wowee, Newnes at CHB and no Fisher, Ray, Gilbert or Schneider. Priority pick, here we come!

Thats not tanking. Thats me thinking that were not going to accomplish anything with ray gilbert fisher or schnider.. and yes Newnes is tall skilled and strong enough to play CHB. IMO those guys mentioned above arnt going to make one little bit of difference where we finish on the ladder.. gilbert fisher and schnider cant really get through a full season any way and their old.. their just going to take valuable games away from an already congested line for senior spots.. Newnes is a beast you could play him any where across HB

 

[FlyingSledghamer]

I'm pumped about Shents this year he's my man -originally because he was a cult figure, now he has form as well. He said he's super fit this year and he was pretty good natured when I pointed out he seemed to blow up and cramp early on. He said he thinks he should up his running game. He was one of our better performed players for a month or so last year and with increased fitness he could be very good. A mate who follows Hawthorn watched the GCS game live with me and he said Shents was the only guy on the field that could get a game with the Hawks. He's a harsh marker and ex ammos footballer so not some off the cuff comment.

I see it too.. Hes got some really attributes and improved very quickly last year.. He really hasnt played much seniors and got moved around positions early on so seems to be settling into that running back type roll really well. Defence is good. Disposal isnt too bad. But will improve with more senior op.. he earned his promotion.. Im really excited to see what hes going to do this year.. He'll get opportunity thats for sure.

 

[Sunshine Saint]

I do wonder if, now that he's a genuinely middle-tier-aged player, Gears should be put into the midfield. That makes the most of his long distance running prowess, and he's always tantalised that he could go there, rather than taking that spot in the backline. Sunshine Saint , you're his advocate, what do you think?

Percy have been wondering about Gears for a number of reasons this pre-season. We haven't seen him in highlights, winning distance time trials etc this year. He normally is dominating all aspects of athletic endeavour in pre-seasons over the last few years. I have been wondering whether this is about the club managing the work load of a mid age player, who has many outstanding preseasons under his belt. I would hope that the club is managing his body and work load allowing him to get through the year ahead.

As to the year ahead, it has been a desire of many for him to move to the mid field as he has the physical stamina to run all day there. No doubt he would be a 'hard man' addition to the mid field with Lenny retiring, but is that robbing our back line to make that happen.

Obviously I think that he could handle all area, but it may be decided by factors outside what is best position and be based on player availability and where he is needed the most. I suspect if we have a better run with injuries this year, he will be used in the mid field.

 

[joop]

Thats not tanking. Thats me thinking that were not going to accomplish anything with ray gilbert fisher or schnider.. and yes Newnes is tall skilled and strong enough to play CHB. IMO those guys mentioned above arnt going to make one little bit of difference where we finish on the ladder.. gilbert fisher and schnider cant really get through a full season any way and their old.. their just going to take valuable games away from an already congested line for senior spots.. Newnes is a beast you could play him any where across HB

Surely you're having a laugh? Not a chance in this or any other world Newnes would ever play CHB. The club has already stated he's being moved into the midfield.
Definitely one of the more bizarre things I've read on this forum.

 

[FlyingSledghamer]

Newnesy been playing hbf since he started? Now hes a midfielder?

U know thats one of my pet hates. As soon as a utility or a back / fwd get any good and their not talls everyone automatically thinks they have to go into the midfield. I like it when coaches play to players strengths. If a player is a really good defender then why put him in the midfield. Why not just get more midfielders if thats where u need players.
Who was our CHB last year btw Joop? Or the year before? Is there someone on our list that really owned that position? Cause i cant see him. Does that position even really exhist anymore. Isnt it more like a roving defence exept for maybe the full back?

 

[Periphery]

Newnesy been playing hbf since he started? Now hes a midfielder?

U know thats one of my pet hates. As soon as a utility or a back / fwd get any good and their not talls everyone automatically thinks they have to go into the midfield. I like it when coaches play to players strengths. If a player is a really good defender then why put him in the midfield. Why not just get more midfielders if thats where u need players.

Newnes played 43% of his time in the mid last year and has publicly said he wants to develop his inside game so that he can play more in the middle. He might not be a fulltime mid in the future, but he'll play a role similar to Hodge who spent 50% in the midfield and 38% in defence last year.

 

[Saintsydney]

Newnes played 43% of his time in the mid last year and has publicly said he wants to develop his inside game so that he can play more in the middle. He might not be a fulltime mid in the future, but he'll play a role similar to Hodge who spent 50% in the midfield and 38% in defence last year.

Good stats - makes for a good argument

 

[joop]

Newnesy been playing hbf since he started? Now hes a midfielder?

U know thats one of my pet hates. As soon as a utility or a back / fwd get any good and their not talls everyone automatically thinks they have to go into the midfield. I like it when coaches play to players strengths. If a player is a really good defender then why put him in the midfield. Why not just get more midfielders if thats where u need players.
Who was our CHB last year btw Joop? Or the year before? Is there someone on our list that really owned that position? Cause i cant see him. Does that position even really exhist anymore. Isnt it more like a roving defence exept for maybe the full back?

Nah you're right mate. Newnes will line up on buddy, Pavlich, Roughead and Cloke next year. Makes sense.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Newnes at CHB would make Gwilt seem tall!

Thats not tanking. Thats me thinking that were not going to accomplish anything with ray gilbert fisher or schnider.. and yes Newnes is tall skilled and strong enough to play CHB. IMO those guys mentioned above arnt going to make one little bit of difference where we finish on the ladder.. gilbert fisher and schnider cant really get through a full season any way and their old.. their just going to take valuable games away from an already congested line for senior spots..

Disagree with the bolded part. We've already lost the experience and hardened and fit bodies of Hayes, Jones, Gwilt and Stanley this offseason, to go with Dal Santo, McEvoy, Kosi, Milne and Blake the year before and now you want to also take out the likes of Fisher, Ray, Gilbert and Schneider, who when fit and in form are all arguably best 22, and you don't think it would affect where we finish on the ladder? Good luck to us winning games this year if we were to do that. I'm sure when the games are going down to the wire our young and inexperienced team wouldn't miss their experience, cool heads, and extra fitness, not to mention their football ability!

 

[Barrels]

Thats not tanking. Thats me thinking that were not going to accomplish anything with ray gilbert fisher or schnider.. and yes Newnes is tall skilled and strong enough to play CHB. IMO those guys mentioned above arnt going to make one little bit of difference where we finish on the ladder.. gilbert fisher and schnider cant really get through a full season any way and their old.. their just going to take valuable games away from an already congested line for senior spots.. Newnes is a beast you could play him any where across HB

Uhh... He's 184cm. That's not even tall for a midfielder.

Fisher, Bruce, my main man Goddard, even Dempster, Roberton or Gilbert (when fit) would all play ahead of him at CHB.

 

[aussierulesrules]

As would Simpkin, Shenton, probably Lee and perhaps Murdoch!

 

[Defacto]

IMO Newnes isn't a half back. Sure he's played there but personally I felt it was out of position. I felt he lacked rebound/potency to hurt the opposition and direct play. As others have said better than I could have, he lacks height to be a KPD or even take a third tall.

I've posted this before but I'm not entirely sure what his role is, I think in part because he hasn't settled into one yet and because I think he was played off half back as a free man to get games into him. Seemed like he was pushed up higher last year and had a bit of a licence to free wheel

Anyways I hope my confusion is settled this year and he settles into a role in the midfield and starts to emerge as a leader

 

[SK_MD_#7]

Jack Newnes a CHB. lol

I reckon Ahmed Saad would make a good CHF if that is the case.

 

[CursingFijian]

Goddard2.0 is the anointed successor to Fisher for CHB for the Saints. No doubt about it, so lets just stop bickering about Newnes! What we should be debating is the best way to ease him into that spot. Do we get him playing alongside Fisher in the VFL or AFL? Or when he is good enough do we just do a direct swap? Or do we just throw him in the deep end and allocate games against teams with similar aged players (GWS/Doggies/Brisbane)?

 

[CALL ME SNAKE]

Hodge who spent 50% in the midfield and 38% in defence last year.

and spent the other 12% kissing men



Not thats theres anything wrong with that

 

[hayes]

Goddard2.0 is the anointed successor to Fisher for CHB for the Saints. No doubt about it, so lets just stop bickering about Newnes! What we should be debating is the best way to ease him into that spot. Do we get him playing alongside Fisher in the VFL or AFL? Or when he is good enough do we just do a direct swap? Or do we just throw him in the deep end and allocate games against teams with similar aged players (GWS/Doggies/Brisbane)?

I'd say ease him into key position by playing him on third talls alongside Fisher and Gilbert to make sure we don't destroy his confidence early. They'll know when to peel off and help the young bloke out.

 

[Barrels]

Future 300-gamer, 8-time B&F winner and 3-time premiership hero Goddard is the anointed successor to Fisher for CHB for the Saints. No doubt about it, so lets just stop bickering about Newnes! What we should be debating is the best way to ease him into that spot. Do we get him playing alongside Fisher in the VFL or AFL? Or when he is good enough do we just do a direct swap? Or do we just throw him in the deep end and allocate games against teams with similar aged players (GWS/Doggies/Brisbane)?

EFA.

 

[Paddy Wagon]

Goddard2.0 is the anointed successor to Fisher for CHB for the Saints. No doubt about it, so lets just stop bickering about Newnes! What we should be debating is the best way to ease him into that spot. Do we get him playing alongside Fisher in the VFL or AFL? Or when he is good enough do we just do a direct swap? Or do we just throw him in the deep end and allocate games against teams with similar aged players (GWS/Doggies/Brisbane)?

We could do worse than adopting a similar strategy as Brisbane have done with young tall defenders the last 2 years ie Clarke in 2013 and Gardiner in 2014. Both got a lot of game time in the second half of their respective seasons as third talls, seemed to be protected a little bit but both are looking great for their age/size combo. Although Gardiner is only ever going to be a 3rd tall, we know our boy can definitely be FB or CHB once he's done his apprentership.

 

[FlyingSledghamer]

Newnes played 43% of his time in the mid last year and has publicly said he wants to develop his inside game so that he can play more in the middle. He might not be a fulltime mid in the future, but he'll play a role similar to Hodge who spent 50% in the midfield and 38% in defence last year.

Where do u get stats like this?

 

[Defacto]

I'd say ease him into key position by playing him on third talls alongside Fisher and Gilbert to make sure we don't destroy his confidence early. They'll know when to peel off and help the young bloke out.

Id love to see him get a chance at the 7 million dollar man...Boyd!!! Reckon he could take him

 

[RobbieMuir]

Percy have been wondering about Gears for a number of reasons this pre-season. We haven't seen him in highlights, winning distance time trials etc this year. He normally is dominating all aspects of athletic endeavour in pre-seasons over the last few years. I have been wondering whether this is about the club managing the work load of a mid age player, who has many outstanding preseasons under his belt. I would hope that the club is managing his body and work load allowing him to get through the year ahead.

As to the year ahead, it has been a desire of many for him to move to the mid field as he has the physical stamina to run all day there. No doubt he would be a 'hard man' addition to the mid field with Lenny retiring, but is that robbing our back line to make that happen.

Obviously I think that he could handle all area, but it may be decided by factors outside what is best position and be based on player availability and where he is needed the most. I suspect if we have a better run with injuries this year, he will be used in the mid field.

Like most of us, I love the way Geary plays. He is as tough and hard as any player in the AFL. He certainly has the endurance to be effective as an on-baller and he has done it successfully on occasions in the past, so I would like to see him added to the rotations this season.

Whilst he has played some good games in the back pocket over the past few years, he gets found out against very quick opponents, and most teams now have at least one of these lightning-quick types in the forward pocket. As has been mentioned, his short passing out of defence isn't always pinpoint either, so he has a couple of areas of his game that probably aren't ideal for a small defender. So I see him more suited to either a tagging or "ruck-rover" type role this year.

That then leaves us with the question: Who plays on the speedy Rioli and Betts types? We appear to have a large number of up and coming on-ballers, however we can't squeeze them all into the midfield rotations, so I suspect one of the following group may have to bide their time in defence until a spot opens up: Wright, McKenzie, Webster or Shenton. Possibly even Saunders or Sinclair (if upgraded) could play down back in the short term (although less likely than the others).

I always found back pocket and HBF to be the easiest positions to play (and HFF and FP the two hardest spots!) so it would be a good way for one of these younger guys to gain some valuable experience and much needed confidence by playing them as a small defender to start with.

 

[Barrels]

Maybe try this for the NAB Cup...

FB: Cam SHENTON / Tom SIMPKIN / Dylan ROBERTON
HB: Dan McKENZIE / Hugh GODDARD / Sam FISHER
CR: Blake ACRES / Luke DUNSTAN / Eli TEMPLETON
HF: Jack SINCLAIR / Spencer WHITE / Dan MARKWORTH
FF: Ahmed SAAD / Paddy McCARTIN / Josh BRUCE
RK: Billy LONGER / Seb ROSS / Jack NEWNES
IC: Darren MINCHINGTON / Jimmy WEBSTER / Nathan WRIGHT / Jack BILLINGS

A nice mix of the young and 2nds, with some senior blokes thrown in.

 

[Defacto]

Maybe try this for the NAB Cup...

FB: Cam SHENTON / Tom SIMPKIN / Dylan ROBERTON
HB: Dan McKENZIE / Hugh GODDARD / Sam FISHER
CR: Blake ACRES / Luke DUNSTAN / Eli TEMPLETON
HF: Jack SINCLAIR / Spencer WHITE / Dan MARKWORTH
FF: Ahmed SAAD / Paddy McCARTIN / Josh BRUCE
RK: Billy LONGER / Seb ROSS / Jack NEWNES
IC: Darren MINCHINGTON / Jimmy WEBSTER / Nathan WRIGHT / Jack BILLINGS

A nice mix of the young and 2nds, with some senior blokes thrown in.

Surely given fishers age we rest him

 

[gringo2011]

Newnes played 43% of his time in the mid last year and has publicly said he wants to develop his inside game so that he can play more in the middle. He might not be a fulltime mid in the future, but he'll play a role similar to Hodge who spent 50% in the midfield and 38% in defence last year.

He said he expects more time on a wing this season and said he's 3 kegs lighter than what his ideal 2015 weight should be. He expected to get the weight to hang on a bit easier as the running tapers off and he gets match simulation time. Possibly never going to be a coal face centre man but more an outside runner as he transitions from defence. Probably more Joey than Lenny long term. Midfield seems to be a very inclusive term these days, anyone not KP sized is expected to have the ability to double back and follow the play around the ground.

 

[Nutsngum]

Maybe try this for the NAB Cup...

FB: Cam SHENTON / Tom SIMPKIN / Dylan ROBERTON
HB: Dan McKENZIE / Hugh GODDARD / Sam FISHER
CR: Blake ACRES / Luke DUNSTAN / Eli TEMPLETON
HF: Jack SINCLAIR / Spencer WHITE / Dan MARKWORTH
FF: Ahmed SAAD / Paddy McCARTIN / Josh BRUCE
RK: Billy LONGER / Seb ROSS / Jack NEWNES
IC: Darren MINCHINGTON / Jimmy WEBSTER / Nathan WRIGHT / Jack BILLINGS

A nice mix of the young and 2nds, with some senior blokes thrown in.

You get a bigger interchange bench in the NAB cup so dont forget Lee and Membrey.