FB: Thornton Jamison Armfield

HB: Robinson/O'Keefe Bower Grigg

C: Waite Gibbs Stevens

HF: Yarran Kruezer Walker

FF: Betts Fevola Houlihan

R: Warnock Judd Murphy

I: Cloke Scotland O'hAilpin Simpson

Emerg: Hadley Browne Hampson Austin

Rationale:

Backs
Thornton for experience, Jamo as the best stopper, Armifield for tanacity and run

Halfbacks
One of the new recruits for precision kicking and run, Bower and Grigg for their great spoil, 'sticktoitness' and propensity to rebound.

Centre
Waite the mismatch, mid ground focal point and marking ability. Can run forward to score or chop things off around halfback. Gibbs as a distributor and Stevens for a bit of run and carry and delivery into the forward line.

Half Forward
This I really like. Yarran represents unpredictability. Apparently great at creating chances and also looks good above the head. Kruezer will be brillant at the contest and will work backman overtime with his endurance and competitiveness on the ground. The same will apply for Walker with the added bonus of speed. Issues of disposal wont be as big of an issue as well.

Full Foward
Betts should be called Nugget from now on with the amount of time he will be spending at Fevola's boots and Houlihan will add that final touch of class whether it is a pass or goal from the pocket.

Int.
Cloke for a little relief in the ruck and forward, Scotland an alternative across hb or wing - experience and posession his strong points. Irish is the wildcard which adds some weight to the squad and a coupe more mismatches. Imagine Waite and him on the wings? Simpson for some fresh legs.

Emergencies
Hampson still serving his apprenticeship. Nevertheless, I would might seeing him tried at CHB. He has the stamina, speed, agility and height to match the Riewolts and the like. Might just be a simple enough brief for him just to stick to a man. Austin will be knocking along with Browne and pending health I see Hadley as the potential tough nut being thrown into the mix for a bit of rough and tumble.

Notable exceptions from this year - Carazzo (can't kick), Russel (i can't stand him, someone should let him know he's not protected species anymore) Fisher (Walker, Houlihan, Kruzer, Yarran all offer more)

FB: Browne, Jamo, T-Bird
HB: Scotland, Bower, Grigg
C: Stevens, Gibbs, Simpson
HF: Yarran, Waite, Walker
F: Betts, Fevola, Kreuzer

Rck: Warnock, Judd, Murphy

Int: Hadley, Carrazzo, Houlihan, Russell

- Robinson will be starting 22 by end of the year.
- Carlos will get games against big bodied forwards only.
- O'Keefe may peform a role like Burchall's first season as the year goes along.
- Hammer and Cloke will fight with Warnock for the second ruck.
- Hartlett and Edwards will need to perform at Bullants to get a sniff.
- IMO a few senior players namely Wiggins, Carrots, Fisher, Houlihan are about to start finding the pressure to perform will become greater as the year progresses. Not a good year to have a LTI.

_________________
Mjonc signing off at 8888

Why has everybody got Warnock as the first ruckman ?

He has only played 21 games and spent a fair amount of 2008 in the WAFL because he couldn't get a game with Freo ahead of Kepler Bradley . ( not a very good recommendation ) .

Ratts has already warned not to expect much from him next season .
It's wishful thinking to think he will solve the ruck problems in 2009 .

Cloke will have to bear the brunt of the ruckwork next season . The rest of the team is looking good , but the rucks are again going to be our biggest worry !!!!!

_________________
Get the facts first.
Then you can distort them at your leisure.

My ONLY change from this team would be Cloke in for Russel ........... Your ruck options are Warnock and Kreuzer .............. But if Kreuzer is in the forward line then who goes forward when he goes into the ruck (which I would hope would be at a MINIMUM considering that I hope he is sheltered from ruck duries until he develops some more size ........) Ild have Cloke and Warnock doing the majority of the ruck work, with Cloke moving forward when Kreuzer is rucking. Hopefully Hammer will be able to push Cloke out of his ruck work towards the end of 2009, and Robinson pushing for a spot in the midfield too.


It should be an interesting year next year !!!!!!!!!!!

I would like Cloke as a CHF

He looks super fit and has probably increased his mobility

He can take a mark
He has aggression

And he can kick

I reckon he may turn out to be more than handy as a second option to the Fev

And with both Yarran and betts down forward there will be a lot more pressure for opposition backman

Why Warnock as the first ruck?

Apart from his 206cm height advantage and ability to run, we have Cordy!

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I'm starting to see it that way too.

I think it all depends on whether the talls we have for the backline are good enough to release Waite and Walker either forward or even better in the midfield.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

With the addition of Yarran, the further development of Kreuzer, the improved fitness of Cloke and the return of Walker and Houlihan, our forward line could potentially be very dangerous and cause many a headache. The pressure's on Fish and Betts to stay fit and performing.

And of course if we can get more goals from our midfield that'll be a huge bonus.

_________________
WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

b: thorton jamison carrazzo
hb: scotland waite bower
c: stevens murphy simpson
hf: walker cloke holihan
f: yarran fevola kruezer
r: warnock judd gibbs
int: grigg hadley betts russell

emg: wiggins hampson fisher o'hailpin

just my thoughts only,

thornton jamison browne
austin bower johnson
waite gibbs stevens
walker cloke yarran
betts fevola kreuzer

warnock judd murphy

hampson hadley grigg scotland

robinson will play at stage next year he is a gun!!!

sorry hadley out for simpson very bad mistake

CHF..............

Clokes our bloke.........!


kindest regards tommi

_________________
that'siti'mnotchangingthistagain......!

Whoops, two Waites would be good?

Try this!

FB: Johnson Bower Jamison
HB: Gibbs Austin Grigg
C: Stevens Murphy Walker
HF: Waite Kruezer Yarran
FF: Houlihan Fevola Betts
R: Warnock Judd Carrazzo

I: Hadley Browne Simpson Anderson

Emerg: Robinson Bannister Armfield

I don't like Waite at CHB. Its a waste and we have people more than capable of filling the role.

He is a matchwinner. With Walker he should be rotating around the wing and HF. WE need better users of the ball running from defence which is why I would have Gibbs, Grigg & Johnson back there with Scotland and Browne also possibility's.

We should also be mobile in defence with Setanta to come in for the Gorilla's.

More potent attack with Waite, Walker, Kruezer, Fev, Yarran, Houlihan & Betts all goalkickers. Add some midfield goalkickers and we look dangerous.

We have a winner

I'll give it another burl before the PSD:

B: Grigg Jamison Setanta
HB: Thornton Bower Scotland

C: Waite Gibbs Walker

HF: Yarran Kruezer Houlihan
F: Hadley Fevola Betts

R: Warnock Judd Murphy

IC: Hampson Carrazzo Stevens Simpson

E: Cloke Armfield Russell Browne

EE: Fisher Anderson Robinson Bannister


The kids are growing together and that's a good thing.
Backline is young, tall, attacking and one year older.
Midfield strength is obvious....and deep.
Tall attacking wingmen can work both sides of centre (ala Kouta)
Ability to mix the ruckwork with genuine height Warnock, Hammer and Kreuzer. Should keep 'em fresh and at it 100% for 100% of the time on field.
Forwardline could be deadly with Waite and Walker in the mix.
Hadley is a proven goalkicker. Hadley Yarran and Betts will apply forwardline pressure to keep the ball in our 50.

Depth and versatility everywhere. Cloke is building up for a shot at CHF; expect him to play there a bit, with Kreuzer playing deeper in a FP.

It's our turn to have a relatively injury free year in 2009. So competition for spots will bring out the best efforts for those who really want a spot in the 22.

Expect finals...nothing less.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

CFC recruitung in 2008 has been based around basic skills like kicking the ball to position, hard running and flair.

The inclusion of players with these qualitites puts immediate pressure on those who have played with effort and unreliable skills (kicking and hand balling).

The new skills training coaches need to able to improve the consistency of those players who have demonstrated poor execution of their skills in the past else we will see changes to the "Best 22" in 2009 compared to 2008.

The key change would be to see in 2009 is for O'Hailpan to play like Richo on the wing running into the forward line and into the backline as required. If he goes to play a big bodied fofrward, then Waite can fill this role. This gives a tall marking option on the wing so a ruckman does not need to fill this gap. There are not too many teams that could match up on this use of very mobile tall players.

I see a 22 that looks like this:

Anderson for the backline together with Jamieson and Thornton.
Grigg, Bower and Waite on the HB line. Newly drafted players O'Keefe and Robinson can work their way into the team.
Gibbs, Stevens and O'Hailpan in the Centre with many rotations.
Half forward Cloke, Simpson and Yarran with many rotations.
Forward line Fevola, Kreuzer and Betts with many rotations.
Rucks: Hampson, Judd, Murphy
Bench: Warnock, Hadlee, Wiggens, Fisher.

Interesting to see a lot of people have Betts at FP and Yarran at HF.

Given Betts' good lead up work in 2008 and his bigger tank than Yarran (at this stage, anyway), I would be expecting Eddie to be up the ground with Yarran playing closer to the sticks.


Cloke, in my book is a definite first choice CHF. His height will command respect, and he'll provide more of a physical contest than what Kreuzer would (or that we would WANT Kreuzer to at this stage of his career).


B: Thornton Jamo Grigg
HB: Bower Waite Scotland
C: Walker Stevens Gibbs
HF: Betts Cloke Houlihan
F: Yarran Fevola Kreuzer

R: Warnock Judd Murphy

I/C: Grigg Hadlee Simpson Fisher

E: Hampson Carrazzo Armfield Robinson

All I know is I am going to have to start buying a Footy Record again.


On second thoughts nup - I wouldn't want to be subsidizing the "Fat Bastards" salary.

_________________
"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

For mine:

Carrazzo Jamison Thornton
Bower Waite Grigg
Simpson Hadley Stevens
Gibbs Fisher Walker
Cloke Fevola Houlihan
Warnock Judd Murphy
Kruezer Scotland Betts Yarran

Hadley is a beauty...he can play anywhere a 180-190cm player can play; forward, back, midfield.

Really important for the team that he stands up and does his thing.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue