Some might find this quite interesting. The way our team is improving and with the inexperience and young age of most of our players this is really going to change over the year. The changes already since Round 1 have been huge.

I thought I might put down what I think is our best 22 as of today and then see how it changes over the season. We might see some suprises come years end.

As of Round 9 2008.

B: Carrazzo Setanta Jamison
HB: Scotland Bower Grigg
C: Simpson Murphy Stevens
HF: Fisher Waite Gibbs
F: Kruezer Fevola Betts
Foll: Hampson Judd Bentick
Int: Cloke Browne Hadley Edwards

Missing who have played this year: Thornton, Ackland, Anderson, Armfield, Bannister, Ellard, Hartlett, Houlihan, Jackson, Pfieffer, Russell, Saddington & Wiggins

Yet to play this year: Walker, Joseph, Benjamin, Blackwell, Hill, Jacobs, Shields, Aisake & Austin.

Not enough run in there for my liking.

Id swap take Edwards out. Put Kreuzer on the bench and bring in either Russell or Anderson or Pfieffer.

Well it's looking bloody good cos I wouldn't want to take anyone out of that 22 and NOT EDWARDS. to me he looks like the next key forward we so desperately need.

But from the players not in there I'd like to see playing...
Thornton
Anderson
Bannister
Houlihan
Pfieffer
Russell
Wiggins (been in good form, taking strong marks which we've been lacking)
Walker (walk up start obviously, pun not intended)

And would love to see how Austin, Joseph, Benjamin, Ellard, Armfield would go.

Starting to get some depth and competition for spots, if we are injury free that is

Guys like Wiggo, Bannister and AB are making picking our best 22 very hard at the moment. Will be a few selection headaches once Walker, Bannister, Thornton, Jamison and Houlihan are ready to return.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Yesterday's 22:

B: Scotland, Waite, Simpson
HB: Grigg, Bower, Wiggins
C: Stevens, Judd, Murphy
HF: Pfeiffer, Fisher, Edwards
F: Betts, Fevola, O'hAilpin
FOLL: Kreuzer, Carrazzo, Gibbs
I/C: Bentick, Browne, Hampson, Russell

Ins and out for next week if injury free :

In: Cloke, Walker, Bannister, Thornton, Houlihan, Hadley
Out: Kruezer, Browne, Edwards, Wiggins, Pfeiffer, Russell

It would be a selection headache if everyone was fit, but I doubt we'll be that lucky this season. I think Houlihan may have played his last game for CFC - needs to be traded whilst he has currency. We're gonna have salary cap issues before too long with the young list and the $200k a year that Hoops probably takes home could be better spent IMO - don't think he adds much value TBH.

Agree Elroy.


I love the additions of Browne and Pfeiffer to the list and Grigg's looking the goods as well so far. The likes of Ando and Army I'd love to see in there as well so it's a great problem we've got now with all this young depth.

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There's so much I could say...

b: carrots draft pick jamison
hb: browne thornton waite
c: stevens murphy simpson
hf: fisher draft pick walker
f: setanta fevola betts
r: hampson judd gibbs
ic: bower grigg scotland kreuzer

I'd support that if he actually had currency. But do we really think a club would give us a pick in the top 35 for him? I'd hang on to him unless we can get at least that.

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

6 changes isn't enough. I thought you would have gone with 10+

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dane's trolling again

Fair point. I think we should package him with a low pick (50-60) for a pick in the mid to high 30's.

This is how i would like to see us line up for Round 1 2009. (it won't happen)

FB: Brown Setanta Jamison

HB: Scottland Thornton Bower

C: Walker Stevens Simpson

HF: Waite Hurley Gibbs

FF: Betts Fevola Edwards

R: Hampson Judd Murphy

IC: Kruezer Hadley Bentick Russell

Backline: It might seem like a tall backline, but i think it is still extremely versitile. Bower, Jamison, Setanta and Thornton are all capable of playing on talls (192+) but i think Bower is still quick enough to line up on a more medium sized forward while the job Jamo did on Medhurst this year proves he can play the smaller role also. I see Brown pushing Carrots out of the team with his cleaner disposal and tighter accountability. Scottland to play his sweeping role.

Midfield: It gets tough to squeeze everyone in here. I think Walker should spend more time in the middle while Stevens, Judd, Murphy and Simpson all speak for themselves. As good as Cloke has been i think that Hampson must be developed as our number 1 ruckman.

Forward line: IMO Waite forward and Setanta back >>> Setanta forward and Waite back so I would move Waite up to a HFF. I think he would be better suited to a flank then CHF. At CHF i am hoping we have Michael Hurley from this years draft, from all reports he is just what we need. I doubt he would play CHF right away but this is all just fun so I put him in there. I would prefer to see Gibbs play forward more where he has a chance to be creative while I think Edwards is a better option for the 3rd tall then Fisher (didnt count waite ad he would play more on a wing).

IC: Obviously Kruezer to rotate through the ruck with Hampson. I would definately have Bentick and Hadley in our best 22, realistically one of them will always start in the middle but it doesnt seam right having Stevens or Simpson etc on the bench. Im a fan of JR and i think by next year he will have cemented his spot in the best 22.

The Omissions.

Carrots: I love his work ethic and endeavour but i just can't help but see Browne as a cleaner younger tougher package. He won't be delisted but if everyone is fit i wouldn't have him in our best 22.

Fisher: He is crucial to our structure at the moment, but with Waite moving forward, Hurley (im allowed to dream ok), Fevola there is only room for one more tall option. I think Edwards has more upside to his game and think that he would be a better fit to the forward line (given he keeps improving of course)

Cloke, Bannister, Pfieffer: All stiff. Will be immediate inclusions when injuries hit.

Wiggens, Houlihan: Personally I don't see them in our best 22.

It's probably harder now than anytime in the last 10 years to pick the best CFC 22!

With so many out and in turn so many youngsters starting to put their hands up, there will have to be some heatbreaking list management decisions made at the end of the year andblokes who will be destined to play long stints at Bullants, especially if we continue to significantly improve.

But our depth, which has been so bad for so long, looks as if it's starting to emerge.

Glen Manton

Agree.
We must also be prudent with player payments. Pay for performance, not longevity.

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There's so much I could say...

Gary Lyon doesn't seem to think houla is in our best 22

http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/afl/ ... nd_dagger/

CARLTON
Cain Ackland
Ryan Houlihan
Jason Saddington

I agree with Gary, he should be traded at the end of the year. Just don't see any opportunities for him in the future. He played a handful of good games in the 9 years he's been here, but he's mostly coasted through his career without ever looking like he gave a shit IMO.

We must play guys like Anderson, Pfeiffer, Armfield etc instead of Houlihan.

No idea.

Agree...Lyon is a goose but he is right on this one and I'd prefer seeing younger players get games ahead of Houlihan players like Armfield, Browne, Pfieffer and Anderson are the future....

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"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen

Well all i can say is, FINALLY we have got some depth and some pretty handy footballers will be missing out on a game.

And the nest thing about it all will be the pressure this adds for spots, there will be some real competition for spots.

The way i see our best 22 with everyone fully fit is.


Thornton Jamison Bower

Scotland Ohailpin Waite

Gibbs Murphy Simpson

Russell Kruezer Carrazzo

Fisher Fevola Betts

Followers: Cloke Judd Stevens

Int: Hammer, Hadley, Grigg, Wiggins



Missing out: Walker (will struggle coming back from injury this year)

Pfieffer, Bannister, Bentick (very stiff cos im a fan), Brown (almost there), Houlihan (could be gone), Edwards


Any thoughts?

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Blue boy thru and thru