Starting line-up for 2018

[RudeBoy]

OK, I'm bored already, so thought I'd start thinking about how our team might line-up at the beginning of 2018. I'm ignoring any possible trades or recruits, so am basing this team solely on the cattle we already have.

B: Sinclair Dunn Howe

HB: Langdon Reid Varcoe

C: WHE Maynard Wells

HF: Fasolo Moore Pendles

FF: Sidey Cox Elliott


FOLL: Grundy, De Goey, Adams

IC: Treloar, Goldsack, Wills, Daicos

EM: Crisp, Kirby, Brown


Assuming he's still a listed player, having Sinclair alongside Varcoe gives us much more speed and run out of defence. While it would be great to recruit someone like Lever as a tall defender, between Dunn, Langdon, Reid, Goldsack and Howe we have shown we can be very effective in that area. Obviously during the year, with an eye on the future, we'll be hoping to see McLarty possibly get a few games.

Up forward, obviously the last game of this season provided a glimpse of the possibilities of having a great ruck/forward combo in Grundy and Cox. However, playing both Pendles and Sidey predominantly as forwards would give us a massive boost.

I'd like us to go into next season with a new look midfield built around our bulls of Maynard, De Goey, Adams and also Wills. It looks so much more physically imposing.

[Pies2016]

RB, having already seen the first week of finals, ( and the Dogs premiership ) I think we are at the point where our biggest issue is the lack of defensive pressure that we are able to provide in our own forward fifty.
Unless we can come up with 2 or more ( small ) defensive forwards who are capable of ELITE repeat pressure, we will struggle to compete with the best.

We either need to recruit / trade in these players or change or forward line to the point where this issue is addressed. ( on Friday night the small permanent Richmond forwards only kicked one goal between them ! )
Pressure is everything.

Might be that Varcoe goes forward now and possibly DeGoey splits his time between mid and forward roles . Maybe a " beefed up " Callum Brown in a year or two to play the Blair role. They tried it with Greenwood but he can't kick. I would love us to trade in Devon Smith for the above but all that needs to play out.
This finals series is really only going to enforce how far off the mark we are until we add more defensive pressure in our own forward line.

[qldmagpie67]

Rude with all due respect mate our best 22 looks nothing like that currently.
Any best 22 not including Scharenberg or Reid in defence is doomed to failure.
I know you have doubts on Reid and Scharenberg agility but the truth is they aren't any slower than Langdon or Goldie in fact I would suggest there ability to read play more than makes up for any leg speed issue.
Could you imagine lining up with that back 6 against the talls of GWS Adelaide Swans Suns they would be raffling off chances in kicking 30 goals.
Langdon and Goldie are in direct competition with Scharenberg for a spot and Sinclair is likely not going to be around. Reid is a must at CHB. Of the back 6 you named only Howe is any chance of being nominated for AA again. Scharenberg in 2 years will be spoken about in the same vein. Mate don't forget Scharenberg has only played 14 games he's still getting up to speed.
Like wise like pies2016 said we need massive forward pressure so stop or slow down ball movement.
Kirby is a mile off senior footy. I would think Brown or Daicos are more suited to that small forward pressure role along with Sidey. Elliott can do it as well but Faz just doesn't apply any sort of pressure.
I do agree with playing Pendles forward with permission to roam as he sees fit. Wouldn't mind seeing Wells spend some time forward either maybe interchanging with Sidey
Mayanrd will fill a role in tn infield for sure he looks the goods. But I can't see us playing JDG Maynard Adams and Wills all in the same side 3 would be ample (2 starting 1 from the bench to keep them fresh)
Rude our best 22 should be slightly variable as well to suit who we play and where we play.

For arguments sake this is my best 22 we have on our list currently

B Crisp. Dunn. Howe
HB. Varcoe. Reid. Scharenberg
C. Wells. Treloar. Phillips
HF. Elliott. Moore. WHE
F. Pendles. Cox. Sidey
R. Grundy Adams. Maynard
Int. Goldie. Daicos. Thomas. JDG

[RudeBoy]

To be honest qm67 I forgot about Reid (I've now put him in). He'd probably squeeze out Langdon or Goldy. While I expect Scharenberg to get a game, he would not be in my best side. The way he was unable to apply any physicality in one on one contests in the last game against the Dees was both embarrassing and horrifying to watch. In desperation, Bucks moved him to full forward in the last quarter where he could do the least damage. As skillful as he is and with as good a footy brain as he undoubtedly possesses, he nevertheless looks like a broken down player to me - the consequence of 2 feet and 2 knee surgeries. It's a tragedy, but he would not be in my best team. This is not a criticism of the kid at all, as he has showed enormous courage and commitment to come back from so many physical setbacks, but I just can't see him being physically strong enough to make it in the modern game.

As for Kirby, I was mightily impressed by his physicality and tackling in his one game for us. The only thing holding him back is fitness. If he trains the house down over summer, he'll be close to a senior berth early in the season.

[qldmagpie67]

Fair points rude. I think Scharenberg was cooked by seasons end hence whey he didn't play finals in the VFL. I think he will be better with a preseason his first at the club where he hasn't come off surgery and isn't working in the rehab group.
I still see enough in the kid that I believe he will get back to what he looked like s a junior (OK I hoping and praying)

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

Any side in 2018 that doesn't include Brown isn't our best side.

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

Not sure about that defence rudey, I reckon it would get monstered by some of the taller forward lines. Definitely need an A grade, tall defender. Dunn goes alright but he's more B- imo. The rest looks pretty good

[Dr Pie]

Looking at Rudey's best 22 makes it clear how badly we need to recruit a couple of big defenders (or maybe only one if McLarty develops quicker than we would normally expect). Dunn and Goldsack played really well this season but they are actually 192cm (Dunn) and 193 cm (Goldie) tall. They cannot be expected to regularly beat behemoths like Dixon or Franklin. Reid is taller, and when fit is an automatic selection. But he often isn't fit and has been played far too often in the forward line.

[Damien]

I think Sinclair is a big chance to be delisted or traded. I'd be disappointed if Kirby doesn't demand a starting spot after a big preseason. Also be disappointed if there isn't a new name from elsewhere after the draft and trade period.

[E]

poor old Crisp. automatice selection for the last 66 games, and suddenly not worth a spot in our best 22 even though he ended the season playing the best footy of his career.

I'll agree with others in suggesting that Langdon and Scharenberg will be two of the first picked for our team next year.

I can see Daicos, Brown and Kirby leapfrogging a few players next year, but not the above three guys.

i'd also be STUNNED if our round 1 team doesnt contain a player not currently on our list, particularly up forward!

[Tannin]

B: Crisp, Dunn, Howe
HB: Scharenberg, Schade, Hoskin-Elliott
C: Wells, Adams, Aish
HF: Goldsack, Moore, Pendlebury
F: Sidebottom, Grundy, Elliott
R: Cox, Treloar, Greenwood
Int: Maynard, De Goey, Phillips, Langdon,
Emer: Brown, Thomas, Broomhead
Inj: Reid, Varcoe (Like to watch Varcoe more than any other player, but let's face it, he's going to spend most of the year injured. Ditto Reid. I probably shouldn't have included Wells either.

Big punt on Henry coming good here (or on us recruiting a tall defender, or possibly even Reid being fit for ten minutes in a row). Big blokes take time, remember; Schade is 197cm and only 24.

What I want here is the ability to free up Goldsack for defensive forward duties. We will be playing a big bloke (Cox or Grundy) forward, so we want all the other 5 to be gung-ho tacklers: Moore does OK, Sidey and Elliott do their share, while Pendles and Goldie are tackling machines. If we have to play Goldie down back, then Mayne is worth trying out for 4 weeks in Goldsack's place up forward: give him a good chance, but his last chance.

Do we need Goldie's experience down back? I don't think so, not with Dunn and Howe there, plus an extra year's worth of games into Crisp and WHE. Berg and Langdon are both smart. I reckon they can handle the pressure. And the pay-off is that we can stack the forward line - by far our weakest link - with pure A-grade class: Pendles, Elliott, and Sidey would terrify any defence, plus two big blokes who can play a bit (Moore and Grundy/Cox) and Goldsack, the mobile steamhammer.

In the middle, Adams and Greenwood provide grunt, Treloar the pace and class. Maynard and De Goey will both play big roles in the guts. Tom Phillips isn't just the best all-day runner in the squad, he is maturing fast as an all-round footballer. He will be physically bigger in '18, just as quick, and doesn't get flustered. (Don't laugh: do you know who Phillips reminds me of in the way he moves? Mick McGuanne. There is just something hauntingly familiar about that loping run.)

Daicos, Brown, Wills, and Kirby ... wait and see. They will get their chances as the year rolls on. Don't write off Ramsay either. Fresh of an ACL this year, he'll be better next year and keep the likes of Langdon and Crisp honest.

(If fit, Varcoe replaces Aish, Reid replaces Schade.)

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

Tom Phillips is the best all day runner on the list, but he's not fast off the mark and his disposal at times is not up to AFL standard. He's never going to run 2.9 sec over 20m. However once he can fix up his kicking we could have a player as valuable as Sidebottom in the side.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

I guarantee you by round one next year the following players will either be injured or not fit: Goldsack, Varcoe, Crisp, Kirby, Wells, Reid, Aish, Broomhead, Oxley (if he's still on the list), Sier (if he's still on the list), Sinclair (if he's still on the list), Wills, De Goey (another fight with a bouncer).

So selection will be relatively easy as it always is, come round one each year.

Howe Dunn Ramsay
Scharenberg Schade Langdon
WHE Adams Sidebottom
Elliot Moore Daicos
Brown Cox Fasolo
Grundy Pendlebury Treloar
Greenwood Thomas Maynard Phillips

Emergencies: Mayne Keeffe Blair (one of the starting 22 will break down in the warm up and Blair will play in the side. If another breaks down Buckley will go into the game with 21 rather than play Mayne).

[Pies2016]

^^^

Don't forget we start next pre season with a new sport science guru on board.

Hmm, any chance the injuries could be worse ?

[The Average Tourist]

Well here is team

Crisp Dunn Howe
Sharenberg Reid Varcoe
Treloar Maynard Wells
Sidebottom Moore WHE
Daicos Grundy Elliot
Cox Pendlebury Adams
JDG Greenwood Langdon Goldsack Brown

I have 5 interchange due to Varcoe / Wells only playing 50% of the games

Then it is up to Fas, Broomhead, Wills, Phillips Thomas to push into the side

McLarty, Pick 6 & Kirby will push in during the year all for at least 4 games

Goldie & Reid should play as swing both forward and back

Daics has to forward crumb but will need time in the mid field to develop

Keefe, Mayne Blair, Sinkers, Crocker Sier (if these last 4 are retained) are the Boys with the Barrow just to stay on the list