At this point it looks like:

FB: Joseph Jamison Laidler
HB: Armfield Bower Russell
CC: Gibbs Murphy Simpson
HF: Garlett Henderson Walker
FF: Kreuzer Waite Betts

RR: Warnock McLean Judd

Int: Scotland, Houlihan, Lucas
SUB: Yarran

Really don't like having 3 talls up forward, but that's the nature of these new rules, and if you were ever going to have a third up there, it might as well be Kreuz. The rest picks itself at this point, but I can imagine the following scenarios:

Tuohy for Joseph's position
O'Keeffe & Thornton for Laidler & Russell
Hampson for Warnock
Hadley for McLean
Collins for Houlihan
Carrazzo for Scotland
Robinson for Walker

With the exception of Tuohy, a lot of time will need to be invested in managing the expectations of those on either side of that list, and additionally Setanta, Austin, Yarran, Ellard, White & Browne (if he stays).

Defensive application is the key for that midfield; fail to be accountable and we'll be even more exposed than we were with a 4 man bench.

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

Why would anyone come in for Russell?? The guy finished 2nd in the B&F and is a crucial part of our team. Anyone that doesn't give him recognition for this must have some other agenda...

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@cecil_anderson

Maybe he thinks like a few others (included me) that Russell would make a good midfielder with his pace, strength and strong body if we could relieve him of the HBF role.

Imagine Judd Murphy Gibbs Russell Walker Lucas Simpson Yarran in the midfield group.

I agree jimmae should speak for himself.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I was accounting for injuries, form and players we could generally rely upon to step into the roles I nominated, so bondi was on the right track.

No agenda against Russell, just highlighting the more interchangeable pieces of our structure. In Russell's case that's highlighting the talent behind him, whereas in others it's highlighting their potential use-by dates.

We're talking strategy here: why is any one seeing red?

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

Russell and Gibbs into the midfield next year
AJ could struggle to keep his place with a fit Lucas and the possible addition of Laidler.
Walker as a mid and forward
Yarran to run off the HB ie like a McLeod

Concept of a best 22 is a bit silly really.

Team balance, opponents, venue, weather, niggles, player development make it variable and trying to predict it 4 months before the season starts, when there are players on the list that haven't been seen.
2 yrs ago Garlett surprised all to make rnd 1 team.
Ratts wouldn't know our best 22 yet.

T-Bird forward

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i AM CARLTON

a very good point you make 'get rid of the hacks'

I'd agree, picking a best 22 is a little naff.......a waste of time.......stuff made of fantasy and boy hood dreams!

......hang on! what am i doing spending so much valuable time in this forum for?

In an ideal world, Hampson would be a 200cm CHB, Waite would play forward and Krooz would go all day in the ruck... But they is what they is.

FWIW, the hardest spot to fill was full forward. In the end I dropped Hendo back to the square, moved Krooz to CHF and put Warnock in the ruck.

I don't really care which one of those four bench players is the sub... Eddie is usually only good for a last quarter, so he might get the gig.

_________________
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

Interesting that Malthouse stopped playing some of his "regulars" this year in particular Lockyer, O'Bree and Medhurst and giving some low profile rookies a run instead.

Not sure of our best 22 yet however I think we should follow the *gulp* Pies example. If the likes of Carazzo, Houlihan, Scotland etc are all regulars next year then it suggests to me that we probably won't be on the way up.

_________________
There is no footy god

^^^^^ viewtopic.php?f=6&t=29071

For us to improve our best 22 should be (IMO) resembling something like:

B: Armfield, Jamo, White
HB: Russell, Austin, O'Keefe
C: Lucas, Gibbs, Simmo
HF: Murphy, Henderson, Yarran
F: Garlett, Waite, Collins

RCK: Warnock, Judd, McLean

INT: Kreuzer, Ellard, Laidler

SUB: Betts (Does his best work in the last ten minutes)

Footskills out of defence is the key as well as mobility and ability to read the play to help out teammates. I've left Bower out as I have doubt to his ability to get bigger, and I believe Austin at CHB is a natural, better by foot and bigger scope for size to compete against Cloke/Brown/Franklin/Reiwoldt across half forward.

Collins is in ahead of Robbo for his footskills and smarts. As Robbo develops his mental application and phases out some of the poor decisions he'll be back.

McLean and Ellard rotating off the bench.

Betts to sub whoever is underperforming of the amigos.

Kreuzer and obvious swap with Warnock off the bench and up forward, with Waite preferred ahead of Walker as the swingman.

Armfield ahead of AJ at this stage as I'm not playing out and out taggers and AJ is just behind Army IMO in the run and carry he provides. Very close call.

not seeing red, must admit I haven't considered Russell moving into the midfield, and therefore didn't take your post to mean that. For me, Russell should stay in the back 6. He gives is class & is a smart thinker. I think he is to us what Enright is to Geelong. Understand the argument for getting the classy players around the ball, but I'd tend to think players such as Lucas, Yarran, Gibbs etc could do that and Russell could remain back.

_________________
@cecil_anderson

It is a good point, you need a best 28-30 players and although some players are critical to the structure most of the players coming in or out of the team should have little or no variation too team output.

Agree, just highlighting some of the strengths of the list, as well as its flexibility.

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

Interesting.
A lot of people seem to be leaving Carazzo out of their best 22's...

Hellas will be on here saying I'm a Yarran hater (not true, not a massive fan though) but Yarrans got to show an inclination for getting the football when it's hot and chasing for 4/4's.

I know he has silky skills but no team is going to let him run around the half backline or forwardline doing what he likes.

Others have suggested that Walker should be able to run "wild and free". It can't work, they may have a few good games when we are playing well but we need these guy's doing the hard work when we have to grind out a win.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Yarran improved significantly from his first season after a solid pre season in 2009. With another solid pre season in 2010, Chris Yarran will definitely be better again next season and a automatic selection in our starting 22

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You heard it here first!

B: White Jamison Joseph

HB: Gibbs Bower Rusell

C: Lucas McLean Simpson

HF: Walker Henderson Yarran

F: Houlihan Waite Betts

Rucks

Kruezer
Judd
Murphy

Bench

Carazzo, Garlett, Warnock

Sub - Teddy

Robinson

Emergencies

Davies, Scotland, Armfield

Possibles

Austin, Collins, Ellard, Hampson, O'hAilpon, Anderson, Browne, Laidler, Thornton

wishful thinking,
imo only,

armfield jamison white
russell watson [pick18] laidler
simpson gibbs lucas
yarran waite collins
betts henderson mitchell [pick33]

kreuzer judd murphy

anyone from,
warnock, carrazzo, mclean, gartlett, joseph, ellard, bower, walker, robinson, hampson, davies, houlihan, scotland, austin, cachia, dare, casboult, think i have everyone, sorry if i have missed one,

would love watson, ready made chb
would be rapt if mitchell fell through, key forward ready to go.
top 4 here we come

I don't know anything about them but I wouldn't expect an 18yo KP (Watson and Mitchell) would be ready to play AFL footy against seasoned players with plenty of preseasons under their belt unless they were a freak like Kreuzer, and he went as #1 selection.

There's a lot of faith in Collins and Laidler to make it.
One has played 1 game after being promoted from the rookie list and the other has 20 games under his belt with the bottom team.
I really hope they make a difference to us this year and moving forward. I've heard they're beautiful kicks, but then so was I. It's their pace I'm most concerned with.

I really hope Colins and Laidler make the grade and aren't selected like Johnson was; because he was drafted.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue