What does our best team actually look like?

[Sir Alan of Didak]

Hard to know what our best team looks like in 2019.

Is this it?

B. Maynard Moore Sharanberg
HB. Crisp Howe Langdon
C. Sidebottom Treloar Mayne
HF. Beams Mihocek Wells
F. De Goey Cox Elliot

Rucks: Grundy, Pendlebury, Adams

Inter: Phillips, Varcoe, Sier, WHE

In from last night's game: WHE, Varcoe (as the 7th defender), Sier, Sharanberg, Wells
Out from last night's game: Thomas, Aish, Greenwood, Roughead, Stevenson

Summary:

All of Thomas, Aish, Greenwood and Roughead could consider themselves unlucky. Stevenson doubly so.

Quaynor and Appleby are two further players who could adequately take Maynard and Crisp's roles in defence...if the decision was made to push the latter two further up the field. This would then put pressure on guys like Phillips and Stevenson, who shouldn't be considered locks in this side.

Could Ben Reid still play a role, particularly at the business end of the season? Assuming he gets his body right, I feel it's a yes. We know he has the talent. Whether he's Best 22 (or a better option than Mihocek) is another question. C'mon Ben...keep Brody honest.

Should Buckley swing Moore forward more often during games where momentum is shifting away from us? West Coast did it brilliantly with a similiar type player (Adam Hunter) in the mid noughties.

Should Roughead be tried at Full Forward? If yes and if it works...then Mason Cox no longer becomes the dangerous "automatic selection" he seems to have become. Keep the Yank on edge, I say.

Hopefully, last night's loss forces us to explore further options and combinations to unlock the "Weagles Web" come September...

[Sir Alan of Didak]

With Sharanberg and Wells currently unavailable for selection, I would play Roughead (as a key defender) on a horses-for-courses basis. When an oppositions forward line is a bit shorter, give Appleby a go. Josh Daicos ain't no Daniel Wells, but Josh Thomas needs a spell in the twos.

[Pies4shaw]

If we’re picking retired players, I’d have Buckley ahead of Wells.

On a serious note, our problem remains that we still have only about 14 good AFL standard players to select. Last year, a couple of great seasons by some Collingwood future Hall of Famers papered over cracks most weeks. With those guys pacing themselves for a better end to the season, we’re struggling.