I'd like to see:

B: Laidler, Jamo, Duigan
HB: Yarran, Hendo, Scotland
C: Lucas, Gibbs, Simmo
HF: Garlett, Waite, Robinson,
F: Betts, Rowe, Walker
R: Kreuzer, Murph, Judd
I/C: Warnock, Russell, Armfield, Carrazzo/Ellard

In and Out of the Team

Hampson, Joseph, Tuohy, Bower, Thornton, Curnow

Developing

Mitchell (FF)
McCarthy (CHB)
Buckley (Wing)
Watson (FB)
Bootsma (HB)
McInnes (HB)

Make or Break Year - Could all get delisted by end of next year if they don't show something.

McLean
Whilte
Collins
Davies
Kerr
O'Keeffe (R)
Heyne (R)
Carter (R)
Casboult (R)


Rookies Developing

Bray - Bloody light. Can't see it working.
Lodge - NSW pick - Not sure yet.
Bell - Looks tough.
Dale - See how he goes.

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dane's trolling again

Joseph Jamison Laidler (2 players that can play tall and 2 that can play small. So to speak.)
Tuohy Henderson Russell (Speed, strength and the ability to run off their opponents.)
Yarran Curnow Simpson (Curnow the missing link. The others self explanatory)
Gibbs Waite Walker
Betts Kreuzer Garlett
Warnock Judd Murphy
Robinson Scotland Thornton Lucas. (Thornton important in this set-up for balance and to cover a forward or back post)

The players highlighted in green just add to mid-field rotations and all are capable of running the ground and kicking goals.
Yes, I know Duigan misses out here but I just see Russell and Tuohy to be as hard, but that little more flexible around the ground.
Carrazzo? Just don't know who to take out, yet I know he will be there.

Can't confidently slot Rowe, Hampson or Mitchell in at full forward just yet, without throwing the team off-balance.
Leaving Ellard and Armfield out may seem a little unfair, but if we've picked up the grunt work across the board, then Lucas and Tuohy give us the added skill and run.

It's funny that as a likely premiership contender, we still have several key posts undecided.
The Centre and FF posts are the two of particular interest in this off-season.
Sadly our best ball extractor may find it tough to get a game next year. Brock is still the best we've got outside Judd.

Generally agree with this side however I'd have one of Duigan/Ellard/Carazzo ahead of Thornton as we probably already have enough talls with Kreuzer, Waite, Jamison, Henderson, Laidler and Warnock.

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There is no footy god

Same here. Keep it a running team. Particularly early in the season. In finals i would look at including an extra tall (Thornton or whoever is in form) on the bench as the game gets tighter and more contested in finals . There is a lot more slamming the ball on the boot just to get the ball moving forward and with this sort of play good contested marking players become more valuable than running player IMO.

the way i see it now,
defenders;
russell, watson, yarran[can play anywhere], laidler, bower, henderson, davies, duigan, jamison, touhy and white

mids;
murphy, gibbs, judd, simpson, lucas, robinson, mclean, scotland and curnow

rucks;
kreuzer, warnock and hampson

forwards;
walker, collins, betts, waite, thornton and gartlett

shut down players, [all types];
armfield, ellard?[maybe a mid], carrazzo and joseph

these are the players that can all play in our ''BEST 22''
iam hoping that players like,
rowe, mitchell, carter, kerr, mcInnes, hynes, bell, mccarthy[needs another 5/6kgs], casboult and o'keefe can provide some form during the year, [afl or vfl]. maybe push for a regular spot.
players like buckley, boostma, bray and lodge will all need time.

Based purely on early season training form I'll go with:

B: Collins Jamison Russell
HB: McInnes Bower OKeefe
C: Gibbs McLean Lucas
HF: Robinson Mitchell White
F: Garlett Casboult Walker
Foll: Kruezer Touhy Murphy
Int: Duigan Thornton Heyne Kerr AJ Curnow

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

I thought O'Keefe has been injured all pre-season?

Just as an exercise in "group think"I went through the various posts on the various blues websites and did a spreadsheet of the various ""best 22's". Out of a sample of 24 proposed teams, 12 players were in every team:

Walker Murphy Gibbs Judd Simpson Kreuzer Yarran Betts Scotland Waite Garlett & Jamison

another 3 were in all but 1 team

Robinson, Laidler & Henderson

another 2 were in 21 of the 24 teams

Russell & Warnock

whilst 1 player turned up each of 19 (Lucas) 17 (Duigan) 15(Joseph) and 14 (Carrazzo) times - no players were named exactly 22,21,18 or 16 times.

That gives us our starting 21. Then there is a considerable gap back to 10 times picked for the next player, which is a pretty big gap back to our group-think sub BOWER, in turn 1 spot ahead of Curnow and Tuohy.

The 2 big surprise omissions for me were Thornton who got a look in only 7 times despite his performances last year and that no-one, not one poster, put Davies in their top 22 (not that he's in mine!). As for an inclusion the 21/24 for Russell was well more than I thought he'd garner.

Anyway, for what it is worth, that's the lowdown on the consensus view as to our best 22 for 2012.

Interesting way of doing it and as good as any this early on, given nobody here has a clue.

The core group will always be in if selected.
Plus the next three.

Warnock is the coach's choice for first ruck so he's in.

Carazzo is one of the first selected each week whether punters here like him or not.

Russell is an unknown so I would put Touhy in for him based solely on last year's form and improvement.

That's your 22.

Of the rest, it's a lottery. I imagine the MC sees Rowe getting a game or it's a pointless selection. Thornton had a good year last year but is probably behind Waite at CHF if he's available. Russell, Lucas, Curnow and the others are all a chance and will feature if they train hard and show their stuff in the twos.

Once we have trouble doing this exercise, it's a good thing.

_________________
Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

Teamboard updated

Changes
------------
- Added squad numbers for player(s) Bell, Heyne, Dale, Lodge


Future Updates
------------
- 2012 Drafts

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Great stuff, jimmae.
I'm used to my Excel lay-out but yours looks like more fun.

Thanks jimmae.

* It would be huge for us if Bower can stand up at CHB because Hendo is our best option at CHF;
* If Tuohy can emerge across HB, Yarran can spend more time forward of the centre;
* JR to bounce back and re-establish himself as a versatile defender who uses the ball well and can push up the ground;
* At 32 y.o. - and with the likes of Tuohy, JR, Yarran & Lucas establishing themselves in the team - I think it's going to be hard for Scotland to repeat his form of 2011, but he'll still be a handy player for us though in 2012.
* Gibbs & Kreuzer to have big seasons.

PROBABLES-

Duigan Jamo Laidler
Tuohy Bower JR
Simmo Judd Yarran
Robbo Hendo Carrazzo
Betts Waite Walker

Kreuzer Gibbs Murphy

Inter: Warnock, Garlett, Scotland, Lucas (sub)

POSSIBLES-

ROK Watson McCarthy
AJ White Davies
Armfield Brock Bootsma
Collins T-Bird McInnes
Casboult Rowe Kerr

Hammer Curnow Ellard

Inter: Mitchell, Heyne, Bell, Carter
Emg: Buckley, Bray, Dale, Lodge

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

that was fun, thanks Jimmae,

I've gone a little taller than most, substitute whoever you want if you want to drop Hammer or Warnock:

Russell Jamison Scotland
Yarran Henderson Laidler
Robinson Murphy Simpson
Walker Kreuzer Gibbs
Betts Waite Garlett

Warnock Judd Carrazzo

Int: Lucas Hampson Tuohy Thornton
Emg: Duigan White Ellard Davies

_________________
Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Based on observations at training and re-view of some 2011 games, these are the guys best for Round 1 (fitness assumed).

Firsts
AJ, Jamo, Laidler
Yazz, Hendo, Duigs
Scotland, Gibbs, Simmo
Mitch R, Waite, Eddie
Walks, Kreuz, Jeffie
R: Warnock, Judd, Murph
Inter: Ellard, Armie, Carrazzo, Thornton

Our best 22 in Sept may include Zack, JR, Lucas, Collins and Mitchell or even Rowe. Need AJ in to handle opp small forwards. Hammer may replace Warnock.

So, thought I'd have a go at Northern Blues, assuming no Bullants involved (Iacobucci a star) as a development team and back up for 1sts. Handy outfit!

Davies, Watson, JR
Zack, White, McCarthy
Lucas, McLean, Tom Bell
Collins, Rowe, Carter
Mitchell, Levi, Kerr

R: Hammer, ROK, Curnow
Inter: McInness, Buckley, Bootsma, Heyne, Bower, Dale (+ Bray, Lodge)

Sadly, Iacobucci won't be at the Northern Blues next year - nor will McCorkill or Arrowsmith.

My wish:

B: Touhy Jamison Watson
HB: Yarran Henderson Duigan
C: Gibbs Curnow Simpson
HF: Robinson Rowe Waite
F: Garlett Mitchell Walker
Foll: Kruezer Judd Murphy
Int: Lucas Scotland Carrazzo AJ

Like the balance in defence with size, strength and kicking ability.
Huge amount of rotations through middle and skill level much better.
Flexibility with many players able to fill numerous positions. For that reason I cannot fit in Eddie. I am comfortable that guys like Judd, Murphy, Robinson, Gibbs, Scotland, Carrazzo can easily kick as many goals during the year up forward but can also add to midfield and make us harder to match up.
Im a fan of Warnock's and he will probably play most weeks but with a fully fit Kruezer he is the best in the league and could easily ruck 80% of games. Rowe and Mitchell (my wildcard) can take the ruck as well when needed.
A lot of players left out that could easily come in and that is a huge positive.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Keep Henderson at CHB ... Play either Mitchell or Rowe at CHF.

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!

It's a big ask to expect Mitchell to hold down CHF in the AFL after playing 1 VFL Reserves game last year. I haven't seen Rowe play live yet, but I get the impression he'll be more of a 'stay at home' deep marking target...

Hendo is our best CHF by quite a distance, IMO. The thing is, he's probably our best CHB as well! That's why it would be huge for us if Bower can take his footy to another level and hold down CHB, so Hendo can go forward.

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

Laider, Russell and Betts will play every game.

For mine, Carrazzo and Ellard could make way for Lucas and Curnow. Both could be an upgrade in terms of class and size. If Gibbs moves into the middle, I can see Carrazzo being pushed out. If this happens, Lucas would be more at home and damaging as a flanker/wing and rotating mid than Carrots. Carrazzo could end up as our O'Bree who struggled for games after Collingwood signed Luke Ball. Though it would be foolish to write off a player with Carrazzo's character and work ethic.

Foolish indeed and we know Ratts loves that side of him. And we also know he loves Ellard's input.

_________________
Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)