Best 22 for 2017: First of many I am sure

[inxs88]

We all have our own opinions on our best 22 for every season opener and with fitness assumed, here is my thoughts:

BACKS:

Maynard
Dunn: Placeholder till a Keefe or McLarty usurps him
Scharenberg

HALF BACKS:

Varcoe: we need his elite kicking from defence
Reid
J Smith: reward for results in 2016

CENTERLINE:

Wells
Treloar

Howe: If Scharenberg can do the job of Howe in defence, we my be able to access more of Howe's X factor near the forward line, plus being able to roll back on occasions

HALF FORWARDS:

Sidebottom: need him closer to goal to access his X factor in goal kicking. He can kick 35+ for year if given chance

White: 50:50 selection but we need a second Ruck to support Brodie

Mayne

FORWARDS:

Elliott
Moore
Fasolo

RUCKS/ROVERS:

Grundy
Pendlebury
Adams


INTERCHANGE:

Aish
DeGoey
Crisp
Hoskin Elliott


EMERGENCIES:

Greenwood
Broomhead
Mason C.

RESERVES or NEXT BEST:

Goldsack
Langdon
Blair
Daicos
Phillips
Keefe
Thomas
Sinclair
Ramsay: not convinced on his kicking, left foot or durability as yet
Rupert W
Kirby
Sier
McLarty
Crocker
Oxley
Schade
McCarthy
Lynch
Mackie

It's all just an opinion but welcome other teams and feedback in this vey boring time of year!!

[cityslick1]

Its tough, which is good, but today I'm leaning towards...

Smith Dunn Keefe
Howe Reid Ramsay
Sidey Pendles Crisp
Wells White Fasolo
Mayne Moore Elliott

Grundy Treloar Adams

De Goey Varcoe Aish Broomhead

V hard call with the talls, but I've gone with 3 solid tall backs, whilst Keefe can help out in the ruck. Cox, Scharanberg, WHE & Sinclair unlucky, but need to prove fitness & form, whilst Varcoe could make way, and Wills & Phillips are on the cusp.

Greenwood and Blair reliable, but too slow, as even the above 22 isnt exactly bursting with pace. Thats why Broomhead has to play... along with his slick gathering & disposal.

[Tannin]

That's a great side, Inxs88. I really like the way you have selected players to do things they are good at, not things we hope they might be good at., and I particularly like the balance you have found between risk and imagination on the one hand, and the tried and true on the other.

You've had the balls to select Maynard as a first choice defender (I agree) and 'Berg on the strength of ... well, nothing much bar raw talent, really. I want to see Howe in that spot for Round 1. How works as a back. He's consistent and effective. We haven't seen him play like that further up the ground. 'Berg is just back from a knee reco, and that on top of serious injuries prior. For mine, 'Berg starts in the twos. Time enough for him to earn his best 22 spot after a month or two getting back up to speed in the seconds.

Love your half-back line, and 100% agree with your reasons.

Centreline, yep. My only difference is that we need to cover the loss of Howe (a back pocket in my side) with a wingman, and the obvious, the Blind Freddie Obvious player for that task is Aish.

Sidebottom a half forward. Yes, yes, yes! I've been urging this for years. I really like that you've had the balls to go with an unpopular but effective CHF in White. Frankly, he's the best player we have for that role, and copes far better with the rough and tumble of second-ruck duties than anyone else we have in the selected side. (Stand aside Moore, who is too valuable to risk in the ruck at his age, other than to cover emergencies like an injury to White or Grundy). Cox might come in for White at some point, with Moore going to CHF and Cox in the square, but that's something to look at later in the season. I have no idea what to make of Mayne. Bow to your opinion there, not having one of my own.

Up forward, the only question mark is Elliott after missing a whole season. Does he play Round 1? See what he looks like in the pre-season, and pencil in Broomhead if Elliott isn't quite ready.

Your rucks? Of course. (Well, assuming we call Treloar the centreman - not that it makes any difference in the modern game.)

And the only change I'd make to your bench is a forced one: I am going with Aish as a starting wingman, so we need one more player to come in. That's Greenwood, of course. People here underestimate Greenwood. He's rather like Blair: he does a huge amount of hard, thankless stuff in the packs. Without Greenwood and two or three others of his ilk, we would be weak, too easily bodied off the ball and soon worn out by tough, physical teams such as Whorethorn. Greenwood is a big part of our club, and unlike Blair, he gets the pill a lot. Better than most here realise around goal too. Doesn't look like a goalkicking midfielder, he just has the knack of kicking a few.

Summary: love your side. Well posted sir!

[inxs88]

[HAL]

Suppose he does.

[Lazza]

[Harrysz]

All interesting stuff, but why is there no love for Ben Crocker?
His game against Hawthorn in the last game of last year was very good.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

I know people are putting a line through Sinclair's name given his concussion issues, but I still feel he is a best 22 player if fit. I also like having Ramsay alongside him in the backline because we need their run and ability to break lines.
The other one I like who should get a game is Wills. He has that big backside like Leigh Brown and is difficult to shift. If fit he has to get a game.

[Millane42]

[cityslick1]

It'll no doubt be a bit of horses for courses re big men, along with who's banging down the door with form. But our backline is a bit small with Dunn & Reid as the spine, so I think we need Keefe to take the resting ruckmen.

I'd love Cox be in our 22, and hope he & we can make it work. He just needs to dominate in the air, hit the scoreboard, and last out games.

On White being in there instead, he is v athletic & mobile for a tall - in a modern game that demands these skills - and had his best season yet in 2016. I think the spot is his to lose, and helps makes us an agile team, as long as his form holds up.

[E]

i agree with all of that. I note that Cox is the type of player who appears to play well in losing sides. You notice the three or 4 goals he kicks, but you dont blame him for the 12 goals the other side gets on the counter attack because his man is basically free to do whatever he wants and we get killed on the overlap. Instead, Nathan gets blamed for that part of it.

Still, in a shit side, 4 goals from a USA import is pretty good.

Cant believe that he is part of any premiership solution however.

Instead, I can see white becoming that 5 minute a quarter ruckman and dangerous enough to hold his spot as a high forward who can be isolated near the goals occasionally to afford him the chance to use his athletic ability. The main thing holding White back is his complete lack of ability to read the ball through the air to know where the fall of the ball is going to be. Man, imagine if he had that skill. He'd be one of the better players in the league if he could read the fall of the ball at an elite level.

[nashy17]

I think you will find Sinclair in the side come round 1. I get the sense that the coaches like him. It is perhaps because he breaks the lines and breaks the game open.

[MJ23]

Im not sure Smith can play on the elite small forwards. A fit Ramsay or Langdon probably could or even Sinclair although I think they like sinclair's run and carry so may not play a shut down role.

Interestingly, some of our best games last year were with Adams across half back. This opens a midfield "in and under" role for someone. I still think Aish is a better contested ball player than given credit for however this is what Degoey would be groomed for with Greenwood, Wills, Blair, Thomas and eventually Sier also competing for.

What I love most is the competition for forward spots. While we dont have huge depth in specialist tall forwards with games under their belt we do have plenty of depth in small and medium forward options.

Medium / smalls
Elliot, Fas, WHE, Sidey, Howe, Oxley, Mayne, Broomhead, Aish, Crocker, Smith and even Phillips with Daicos and Kirby ready to push for selection if they quickly find form in VFL

Importantly many of these players can play tall and/or rotate through the midfield.

[jackcass]

[foreigner]

An interesting article on Collingwoodfc,

http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2017-01-16/a-new-role-for-fasolo

Fas in a back role or is it just easing into training after injury?

Also, anyone know why Treloar and Mayne left early?