Thanks for this, if everyone is fit it does seem to be difficult to fit everyone in! Bring on 2009!

For what it's worth here is my attempt:

FB: Browne Jamison Thornton
HB: Scotland Bower Grigg
C: Simpson Gibbs Stevens
HF: Walker Waite Houlihan
FF: Kruezer Fevola Betts
R: Warnock Judd Murphy
INT: Carrazzo Fisher Hampson Russell

EMG: Armfield, Austin, Bannister, Cloke.

_________________
when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth

Feelgood Hit of the Winter - GHRP-2, GHRP-6, CJC-1295, AOD-9604, Humanofort and Hexarelin

Here's mine:

FB: Carrazzo Jamison Thornton
HB: Bower Waite Walker
C: Gibbs Murphy Scotland
HF: Simpson Kreuzer Houlihan
FF: Betts Fevola Fisher
R: Warnock Judd Stevens
Int: Cloke Armfield Hadley Grigg

Emg: Bannister Browne Wiggins

Went for Armfield over Browne because I think it's a safer choice should we want to swing Carrazzo into the midfield.

Can easily see Fisher falling out of the team, Browne coming in and Walker going forward.

Something will have to be seriously wrong for Bentick to appear at all next year; he is officially dead last in my take on the list.

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

I'll take the team, not the running commentary,

I always take note of your opinions jimmae...and value them. The Bentick comments are laxy imo. We all know he's an in and under player, so whose that in your team? What happems if they're injured. There's a place for Bentick when the opportunity arises. When is that is the question?

Cloke vs Hampson? I guess you've gone for Cloke in the ruck.

So I guess you can see Cloke as one of our ruckmen in our next flag side? Hampson isn't even on your radar. My bet is that Hampson will surpass Cloke as a ruckman during 2009. But as a safer bet, I think Hampson will feature in our ruck combo come the tilt for a flag.

Given the GC and W.Syd teams are coming on with all the concessions in the world, if Cole isn't the 2nd ruckman for our GF team, then someone else will be, or will it be Cloke for you? If not, do you believe we will snag a 2nd ruckman from under the nose of 16 other teams over the next 3-4 years. If not when does Hammer come into the picture?

Wiggins? Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I guess I'll have to see what you do with Wiggins with your team after picks 6, 40, 69, 88 and a couple of PSD/ nominated rookies are selected. Me? I'll develop Ando, Russell and Bentick ahead of Wiggo...unless you're thinking of Bettsy'd spot.

Good to see you have a go. It's not easy to pick a team without the full compliment presented. Nevertheless, it's a good team, with what it seems as a preference to leave the real development committee to look after the Setantas, Hammers, Ando types....because in 2008, they nay be a tad behind Cloke and Wiggo.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Okay, I'll bite.

Why thank you, and I you


Just because I have him dead last on my ranking of the playing list (as it currently stands), doesn't mean he won't play a game. He could well, by virtue of the fact that he's a midfielder; there's only one other true midfielder sitting out of the team with that 22: Browne.

My in and under options are Judd (preferably not), Gibbs, Murphy, Carrazzo, Hadley and Walker. All of them demonstrate varying degrees of vision, ability to dispose by hand, physicality and ability to shed tackles, the sum of which outshines Adam each time. I would rather mix the role amongst those names than have a trier come in and prove detrimental to the mix, like Bentick did far more often than not last year.


Cloke is 3rd ruck in that team, if a ruckman at all. I see him as a genuine candidate for the CHF position due to his mobility, leap and foot skills. He has the size on him to play now.


If Hammer can come into the team and present as a genuine forward option, I would definitely make room for him, but otherwise the idea is making use of the versatility of Cloke & Kreuzer because they appear to understand forward line play.


Mature body, currently the next best forward option on the list. End of story.

Bentick is no more the future than Wiggo or Bannister, but both of them can come in and do a job every week. They are disciplined and athletic.

Ando will take Bannister's emergency spot by year end, might even push Armfield as part of the defensive rotation.

Russell is definitely behind Wiggo, I do hope he can become more damaging with the ball in hand.


All I can do is produce the best team I can muster on paper; half the list hasn't even hit the ground running for 2009. I certainly agree there are names I haven't mentioned that should warrant consideration through the year, but most of them are stuck behind players of superior talent who are no further along their development curve.

Wouldn't look good for the chances of the team if there aren't some unlucky blokes in the stands.

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

jimmae wrote



That makes sense, Hadley's ability to stand up will surely help a lot in the in and unders. It's a good mix. I don't have Bentick ahead of any of those you mention above either.



I thought as much. I am hoping the preseason will further develop Hammer's skills and strength. Ratts and the development coaches have a duty to help Hammer understand the needs to play forward, but more importantly, be able to muster and drill a game plan so he (and others) understand the requirements to execute.

I believe time on the ground is where Hammer will hone in and practise those skills/ drills. 2009 is not a premiership year (although stranger things have happened). If that's the case, then there's room for development on the ground at senior level. Experience and repetition being the mother of learning.



Agree. The 3 of them are peripheral, although before injury, Banno looked like he had stepped up. Pity he wasn't able to show us if it was a purple patch or he had come of age.



Don't know about that. They both have their individual strengths over each other. Russell has more upside, and for the modern game, greater pace. I don't really want to compare them as the dufferences are obvious. I guess they're on par atm imo.



And that my friend is the sign of good things at Princes Park. Something we haven't seen for a long time. With the addition of 5 seniors and 5 rookies to the list over the next few weeks, the fabric of the team will be further strenghthened with additional class and depth.

Generally, we will all have different teams, and for our own reasons. Thanks for yours. It's always good to see what others see, or what I may be missing.

Cheers jimmae.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Can't agree with Carrazzo in defence! Everytime we put him back there he gets shown out above his head and speed to get goal side of his opponent. WE have better options for BP. For me Carrots is a ball winner (Like R.Harvey) or nothing.

I also would like to see Waite get away from a key position. We have enough potential players to fill CHB that they should be given a go. For us to improve Waite needs to play loose as a Mid or as a forward. He is an X factor we need to throw opposition matchups off balance. Same goes for Walker!!!

Also we need good users of the ball in defence and Waite and Walker are average at this.

For me our key backs are Bower, Jamison, Thornton, Setanta & Austin.

Small defenders: Browne, Anderson, Scotland, Grigg, Armfield, Bannister or Russell (not a fwds a-hole)

Our forwards are:

Talls: Fev, Cloke, Kruezer, Hartlett or Edwards. Have Walker and Waite floating around and we look more dangerous.

Have Houlihan, Betts, Murphy, Gibbs, Stevens, Judd floating up there and the opposition will not know who to pick up.

FB: Browne Jamison Thornton
HB: Scotland Waite Bower
C: Simpson Stevens Gibbs
HF: Walker Cloke Houlihan
FF: Kreuzer Fevola Betts
R: Warnock Judd Murphy

I: Grigg Fisher Carrazzo Hadley

EMG: Armfield Wiggins Bannister

Though if we get Johnson I can see him coming off a half back flank - definitely help having someone with those skills by foot setting up play. Browne or Armfield depending on match-ups.

Reviewing this thread, I am still pretty happy with my line up from a couple of weeks ago


B.........Hurley.............Jamison.................Thornton

HB.......Scotland..........Bower....................Grigg

C.........Stevens.............Gibbs...................Hadley

HF.......Walker.............Waite.....................Houlihan

F.........Betts...............Fevola....................Kreuzer

R.........Warnock..........Murphy..................Judd

Int Cloke Simpson Browne Carrazzo

EM Hampson Wiggins Armfield Russell


If Hurley doesn't come with pick #6 (or if we dont want to play him this early in his career), then Browne would probably go back and Hartlett/Ziebell/#6 would come on off the bench. Alternatively O'hAilpin could be played down back ...........

Try this!!

FB: Browne Bower Jamison
HB: Anderson Austin Grigg
C: Simpson Murphy Walker
HF: Waite Kruezer Gibbs
FF: Houlihan Fevola Betts
R: Warnock Judd Carrazzo

I: Hadley Bannister Stevens Setanta

Emerg: Armfield Russell H.Hartlett/Ziebell

All these teams highlight the fact that we need another avenue to goal. Either picking up a player or getting midfield/wing players to score more.

_________________
when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth

Feelgood Hit of the Winter - GHRP-2, GHRP-6, CJC-1295, AOD-9604, Humanofort and Hexarelin

I wouldn't have both Stevens and Hadley on the bench and Simpson starting ............. I know the starting 18 doesn;t mean too much any more, esp through the midfield due to the rate of rotations, but I see Simpson as more of a relief pitcher than a starter .............

And I wouldn't want to "waste" Gibbs in the forward line .......... Ild prefer Walker up there and Gibbs in the centres ...........

And is Austin REALLY ready to be slotted into the team yet ??? Maybe towards the end of the year, depending on his development over the pre-season and during his time in the Ants, but not from the start of the season ..........

I would be loathe to move Waite forward... the back experiment has worked and we need to persevere so he can really nail the CHB spot down pat. He can be inconsistent but that's why we need to keep him there, he needs continuity.

Can't agree with your comment; Carrots spent plenty of time in defence last year and 99% of the time did an outstanding job. He will most certainly rotate into the midfield and probably play entire games there, but as far as best 22 goes, he goes into the back pocket.

Being a small defender is not the football equivalent of the sin bin these days... he was getting 25+ possies playing out of there last year. Like Wirrpanda but with less skill.

As for your replacements, Grigg & Scotland are not defenders, the rest would all play the role as pure stoppers. In time, Browne and Armfield would likely show an ability to take the ball and make use of it on the rebound, but at the moment Carrots has the ability to stop a small forward and make them look unaccountable by being involved in attacking play.

Can't say the same for the rest, currently.

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

like to see,

browne jamison bower
anderson waite austin or [hurley]
simpson gibbs stevens
walker hartlett [sidebottom/vickery/zibell]
betts fevola kreuzer

warnock judd murphy

int, hadley hampson armfield c.johnson

emg, cloke russell scotland

its all good for a change because we have some good options
look forward to 09 and beyond

sorry grigg comes in for c.johnson or armfield cheers

MY TEAM IS STRANGE..................


FB:- 27. Dennis Armfield 17. Setanta O'hAlphin 32. Bret Thornton

HB:- 16. Shaun Grigg 1. Andrew Walker 18. Paul Bower



C:- 4. Bryce Gibbs 24. Nick Stevens 29. Heath Scotland

R:- 28. Cameron Cloke 5. Chris Judd 3. Marc Murphy



HF:- 33. Ryan Houilhan 30. Jarrad Waite 6. Kade Simpson

FF:- 8. Matthew Kreuzer 25. Brendon Fevola 19. Eddie Betts.



Interchange
Robert Warnock / Simon Wiggins / Jordan Bannister / Brad Fisher



Notes:-
- Andrew Walker as a CHB excites me. Similar position to Kouta in the late 90's.

- Warnock is on the bench because HE HAS PROVEN NOTHING......... NOTHING........ potential means SFA when it comes to playing in the big leauge.
Show something, and i'll start you in the ruck! Until then.................

- Houlihan and Simpson to sit on the flanks and add some speed and Grigg and Bower to show their class on as their mirror.

- Waite was instrumental as CHB at some stages in 08' season, but i still think he'd be better served up forward.

- We didn't see much of Bannister this year (08') but, i still think he'd make a better tagger than Russell. So would Jackson for that matter. Just my opinion!

- Setanta at full back........ YES........ Why? Cause you need a 199cm backman who can man up on the strong tall forwards. Austin is more of CHB back needs some more bulk on him, Jammo is an awesome fullback but Setanta, for all his faults, has proven himself as a decent full-back. Despite whatever favour he is in with the MC or the coach.

_________________
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

Yes.


And Carrazzo would be a better tagger still?


So why is Jamison not in the team at all?


Yes.

I like the moves and the thinking, but you've forgotten a few names.

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

I agree with your selections and the way you're playing them to their strengths; everyone of them. The whole 25 man squad, which means barring injury, we'd have to drop 5 to make way for the rucks.

So I take it by default that the 206cm Warnock and the 202 cm Hampson to take your #1 and #2 ruck spots? Me too!

And we are coming...forward options galore, and height and pace, and Fev. Scary forwardline.

Dropping 5 from that squad, implies that our bottom 6 players (player 16 to 22) is a damn good player; in fact above average.

We are building towards a team made up of A and B players (well at least when we consider potential).

Licking Lips.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Just got to this.

No Hammer?

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I'd probably swap Cloke for Setanta?

I am mindful of being to tall and having run and carry.

Hammer has a lot of potential and I am confident he will develop but with Warnock now here he will spend a lot of time in the two's trying to improve next season.