Opinion The Evolution of Your Best 23 for 2022

[yepits2020]

**Update after trade/draft period**

Port Adelaide POWER - Round 1

F: Finlayson - Georgiades - Fantasia
HF: Duursma - Dixon - Rozee
C: Sinn - Wines (C) - Amon
HB: Bergman - Aliir - Burton
B: Skinner - Jonas - Houston

R: Hayes - Butters - Boak

INT: Drew - Gray - Lycett - Powell-Pepper
Sub : Jones

EMERG : Mayes - McKenzie - Clurey - Motlop - Marshall - Byrne-Jones - Bonner

Pretty good. But we have three rucks. Hayes comes out and DBJ to come in. Bonner seems to have improved so a spot for him needs to be found and Sinn may be the loss.

 

[Powerage]

Pretty good. But we have three rucks. Hayes comes out and DBJ to come in. Bonner seems to have improved so a spot for him needs to be found and Sinn may be the loss.

You are counting who as the third ruck?

That Jonas is in the team ahead of McKenzie is a crime.

I think SPP is more likely to be a sub.

Ken loves his speedy HBF's so one of Jones or Sinn will be on the interchange bench at least.

 

[Rendaw]

B: Burton - Jonas - McKenzie
HB: Bergman - Aliir - Jones
C: Duursma - Wines - Amon
HF: Rozee - Georgiades - Marshall
F: Finlayson - Dixon - Fantasia
R: Hayes - Butters - Boak
INT: Drew - Gray - Houston - Sinn
Sub: DBJ

 

[Jack Grange]

Saw he was getting leather poisoning in games when he bagged 40+ HOs. Kept wondering why he wasn't getting played.

Was it his endurance or tank? Or did Hinkley not rate him.

No excuse now. With Ladhams gone if Hinkley goes with Marshall or Georgiadis over playing Hayes in ruck (when Lycett needs a spell) then the kid should be asking for a trade.

Trade Hinkley!

 

[Igavemyloveachicken]

I disagree and think we absolutely need more height down back. In just about every loss we’ve had the past couple years it’s always been the key tall towards that have got the better of us.

Even a short look at our losses this year;

Rnd 3 Eagles: Kennedy 4, Darling 3 goals.

Rnd 7 Lions: Cameron killed us.

Rnd 9 Dogs: Naughton 4.

Rnd 13 Cats: Cameron 5, Hawkins 4

Rnd 17 Demons: McDonald 3

Prelim: Pretty even but again Naughton and Schache had a lot of influence and multiple shots on goal.

And again in 2020;

Rnd 8 Saints: Marshall, Ryder and Membrey all 2 goals

Rnd 12 Cats: Hawkins 6

And luckily the Semi Hawkins kicked 5 behinds and missed a couple others from memory.

I think if I continued to look back over all our loses the past couple of years then majority of the time it’s when a tall forward kicks a bag on us.

Point being, tall forwards always overpower and out mark our undersized defence. Height does matter and we need one tall defender who can match these above players without having to loose Aliirs intercepting and rebound impact by needing him to be a tight defender as he was on Schache in the Prelim and because of that he was essentially useless as an interceptor.

Obviously our poor midfield performances in these games also made it hard for our defenders but the fact remains we need another tall strong FB. I don’t see why we would line up down back the same as we have in past years when it continues to be a weakness.

The best synopsis of our backline on this forum in my opinion!
I worry about Hinkley's ability to guide Allir Allir next year. No disrespect to Schache but if he has the ability to out position and manoeuvre Allir Allir outside of his strength as a backman then what will better players do now that the 'Blue Print' has been exposed further to the AFL Community?
Under Hinkley's coaching reign we have seen multiple players that have had breakout years to be integral in the teams success only to be sub standard or ordinary in the following seasons.
One factor is the opposition's ability to identify a players strength and or expose weaknesses for which the body of evidence suggests that Hinkley has little idea in helping his players overcome this added focus.
Wingard, Wines, SPP, Pittard, Houston, DBJ, Clurey all had breakout year(s) early in their careers before losing form dramatically. Wines is the only one that has reached the level of being elite. Watch this space with Allir Allir a great intercept defender but teams will increasingly target him to defend 1 on 1 moving forward, will Hinkley be able to work with Allir tactically to make sure he doesn't get exposed?

 

[RangaInTeal]

Genuinely hope Sinn doesn’t miss a beat and we throw him straight into the midfield rotation, his speed could be the difference between us being Minor Premiers and actual Premiership contenders.

 

[Joshykins]

The best synopsis of our backline on this forum in my opinion!
I worry about Hinkley's ability to guide Allir Allir next year. No disrespect to Schache but if he has the ability to out position and manoeuvre Allir Allir outside of his strength as a backman then what will better players do now that the 'Blue Print' has been exposed further to the AFL Community?
Under Hinkley's coaching reign we have seen multiple players that have had breakout years to be integral in the teams success only to be sub standard or ordinary in the following seasons.
One factor is the opposition's ability to identify a players strength and or expose weaknesses for which the body of evidence suggests that Hinkley has little idea in helping his players overcome this added focus.
Wingard, Wines, SPP, Pittard, Houston, DBJ, Clurey all had breakout year(s) early in their careers before losing form dramatically. Wines is the only one that has reached the level of being elite. Watch this space with Allir Allir a great intercept defender but teams will increasingly target him to defend 1 on 1 moving forward, will Hinkley be able to work with Allir tactically to make sure he doesn't get exposed?

I agree. With more height down back (skinner, Marshall?) The freedom to tag aliir with a roaming tall becomes less viable/effective too.

 

[Igavemyloveachicken]

I agree. With more height down back (skinner, Marshall?) The freedom to tag aliir with a roaming tall becomes less viable/effective too.

I'd love to see Hinkley at least trial Marshall down back, he has looked good on the rare occasions that he has gone back.
Chad Cornes was tried forward early in his career for which he was a bit 'hot and cold' and eventually was switched back to be a gun backman and All Australian.
We've drafted Finlayson to assume play forward so what do we have to lose in trialling Marshall down back in the pre season.
Even Jack Watts looked good down back before his career ending injury.

 

[yepits2020]

You are counting who as the third ruck?

That Jonas is in the team ahead of McKenzie is a crime.

I think SPP is more likely to be a sub.

Ken loves his speedy HBF's so one of Jones or Sinn will be on the interchange bench at least.

Finlay’s on would be the backup ruck in your team.

 

[FightForYourRight]

Hopefully Skinner shows the goods, will give us the height we need down back.
Would love Sinn & Jones in, really gives our back-line speed.
Will be tight for spots - Lycett, Jonas, DBJ, SPP, Marshall, Farrell, Williams.....

Unsure if we need the shutdown type in Drew or Dumont; do like Drew tho'.

F: Georgiades - Dixon - Gray
HF: Fantasia - Finlayson - Rozee
C: Amon - Wines(C) - Duursma
HB: Bonner / Sinn - Skinner - Bergman
B: Aliir - McKenzie / Clurey - Houston
R: Hayes - Butters - Drew / Dumont
INT: Boak - Burton - Jones - Powell-Pepper / Marshall
SUB: Mayes

 

[Adz2332]

Itll be an interesting preseason / intra games

Marshall or Finlayson
Hayes or Lycett
Mckenzie Clurey or Skinner
Bonner or Sinn or Jones or Bergman

 

[jonasshirtfront]

I reckon Aliir solved a lot of our previous defensive problems ... biggest issue this year was the rapid decline in the previously super reliable Jonas.

I actually think the best spot for McKenzie is Jonas' third tall/medium defender role. He's not as strong as Jonas but a lot quicker and much better suited to defending the Jordan De Goeys of the league.

 

[Powerage]

Finlay’s on would be the backup ruck in your team.

Last season Finlay's on (I like it) rucked about 3/4 as much as Dixon and probably didn't do quite as well.



I suspect (and hope) we will be going with one main ruck this year in most matches with backup from Finlayson, Dixon and Marshall. I like Dixon as our primary backup ruck because of his size, aggression at the contest and his second efforts at the ball. That doesn't really suit our current forward gameplan so it will be interesting to see how it works out.

I think there is the potential for quite a few players to get an opportunity this year until Ken finds a winning combination which will be his key priority to get another extension on his contract.

 

[HHHAMMERtime]

Genuinely hope Sinn doesn’t miss a beat and we throw him straight into the midfield rotation, his speed could be the difference between us being Minor Premiers and actual Premiership contenders.

This has been what I have thought since we drafted him. Kinda hope we give him the baptism of fire and put him straight on the wing. None of this ‘half-back to learn your trade’ shiza. He seems like he has the confidence in himself to be chucked in the deep end. Take the plunge. If it doesn’t work send him back there year 2. We need a player exactly like him in that spot.

 

[RangaInTeal]

This has been what I have thought since we drafted him. Kinda hope we give him the baptism of fire and put him straight on the wing. None of this ‘half-back to learn your trade’ shiza. He seems like he has the confidence in himself to be chucked in the deep end. Take the plunge. If it doesn’t work send him back there year 2. We need a player exactly like him in that spot.

Could have the impact Nick Stevens first few years had for us. I don't want to say Judd like, but if he is able to explode from congestion... it is what we need!

 

[RangaInTeal]

Depth Chart -
Pre-Pre-Season.

Best 18 | Contending for best 23 | Injury replacements

Key Forwards	Dixon	Marshall	Georgiades	Finlayson	Lord
Gen Forwards	Fantasia	Rozee	Motlop	McEntee	Williams
Flex Forwards	Gray	Butters	SPP	Mayes	Schofield
Ruck	Lycett	Hayes	Visentini
Inside	Wines	Boak	Drew	Mead	Jackson	Dumont
Outside	Amon	Duursma	Farrell(inj)
Key Defenders	Aliir	Jonas	McKenzie	Clurey	Skinner	Pasini
Gen Defenders	Burton	Bonner	Jones	Frederick	Sinn	Burgoyne
Flex Defenders	Houston	Byrne-Jones	Bergman

On this, I think we will play 4x 'Forwards' 2x 'Rucks' 5x 'Defenders' 11x 'Midfielders'

5 Defenders I feel is pretty easy, Aliir, Burton, Byrne-Jones, McKenzie, Jonas
2 Rucks is half locked Lycett and Marshall/Finlayson/Hayes/Dixon
4 Forwards Dixon, Georgiadies, Rozee, Fantasia
the 11 Midfielders 2 will be defenders in Houston and Bonner, 4 will be outside runners Amon, Duursma, Bergman and Sinn, 5 will be inside players Wines, Drew, Boak, Butters, SPP

However Sinn, Burgman or Houston may be able to slide into the inside group, Bonner into the Outside group, Jones Inside or Defenders. I think success in 2022 will be largely due to the continued development in Drew, Burgman, Jones and SPP, with a bit of luck on the injury front to Butters, Duursma and Rozee and anything we get from Sinn to be the Cherry on top.

 

[PatientMental]

On this, I think we will play 4x 'Forwards' 2x 'Rucks' 5x 'Defenders' 11x 'Midfielders'

5 Defenders I feel is pretty easy, Aliir, Burton, Byrne-Jones, McKenzie, Jonas
2 Rucks is half locked Lycett and Marshall/Finlayson/Hayes/Dixon
4 Forwards Dixon, Georgiadies, Rozee, Fantasia
the 11 Midfielders 2 will be defenders in Houston and Bonner, 4 will be outside runners Amon, Duursma, Bergman and Sinn, 5 will be inside players Wines, Drew, Boak, Butters, SPP

However Sinn, Burgman or Houston may be able to slide into the inside group, Bonner into the Outside group, Jones Inside or Defenders. I think success in 2022 will be largely due to the continued development in Drew, Burgman, Jones and SPP, with a bit of luck on the injury front to Butters, Duursma and Rozee and anything we get from Sinn to be the Cherry on top.

We'll go with 6-7 defenders, probably all on the field at the same time.

Always have under hinkley - sometimes we have rolled out 8 of them.

 

[Igavemyloveachicken]

Could have the impact Nick Stevens first few years had for us. I don't want to say Judd like, but if he is able to explode from congestion... it is what we need!

Nick Stevens was a gun, got tagged game 3 or 4 in his AFL career from memory. I always thought he was lucky not to get killed on field when he sledged Garry McIntosh whilst playing in the SANFL...something along the lines of "Who's this old c##t, why don't you retire?"

 

[port_adelaide_1870]

So many people have DBJ not in best 22, this is the man that recently won the bnf and was AA. The same man who hasn’t missed a game since 2018. I can tell you, he will be playing round 1.

 

[AFC AFeederClub]

So many people have DBJ not in best 22, this is the man that recently won the bnf and was AA. The same man who hasn’t missed a game since 2018. I can tell you, he will be playing round 1.

he got better towards the end of the year but if he's not using his weapon (which is ground ball gets in the back 50) he's a very limited player. for some reason he was shirking the contest for a large part of the season.

 

[JimmyBC]

DBJ's best footy is best 22 but he's not a gold pass not even close.

 

[Joshykins]

DBJ hasn't improved since the end of 2020. Small players need to be quick, elite disposal and where they ought to be at all times or they are visibly lacking input.

 

[SureBuddy]

So many people have DBJ not in best 22, this is the man that recently won the bnf and was AA. The same man who hasn’t missed a game since 2018. I can tell you, he will be playing round 1.

The same man who was absolutely dogshit the majority of last year. If he wants his spot, he needs to earn it back.

 

[Powerage]

The same man who was absolutely dogshit the majority of last year. If he wants his spot, he needs to earn it back.

Hinkley loves his attacking defenders. He has so many now someone is going to miss out even if he tries to shift one or two to the wing or interchange surely.

 

[Keystone agony]

DBJ - McKenzie - Jonas
Houston - Aliir - R.Burton (Sinn)
Duursma - Wines - Amon (Bonner)
Rozee - Georgiades - R.Gray (Bergman)
T.Marshall - Dixon - Fantasia
Lycett - Boak - Butters (Drew)

I'll be very surprised to see what a few are mentioning in here for Round 1

- Sam Hayes in for Lycett
- DBJ and Lycett not in