and here's my best 22:

B Jamison O'hAilpin Browne
HB Johnson Bower Grigg
C Walker Stevens Simpson
HF Gibbs Waite Yarran
F Fisher Fevola Betts
R Kreuzer Judd Murphy
I Warnock Hadley Scotland Cloke

E Wiggins Thornton Robinson

Some points:
- Thornton plays if they don't have a big full-forward for Setanta. In which case, the Irishman's out. But frankly, I don't think Thornton's in our best 22, and with Austin, Anderson, O'Keeffe (and even Bannister) in the wings, he's trade bait.
- They chased Johnson for his kicking out of defence, and Hughes made that quip about kicking at the draft, which says to me Johnson's a walk-up start for the HBF and Carrazzo's all but gone. And Grigg on the other HBF is a fine running foil.
- Bower's job on Bradshaw would have told the MC that he can be a star at CHB, allowing Waitey to be a star at CHF.
- Mitch Robinson is breathing down Walker's neck. Walker might be a freak athlete, but it's not the Olympics. Robinson can run hard, and he can kick.
- Let's not kid ourselves, Yarran's a walk-up start for the HFF. With Gibbs and Waite sharing the line, we look God-damn dangerous.
- Fisher's probably not in our premiership 22. Will be interesting, but I tip Tiller to have nabbed him by 2011.
- You can't leave Cloke out. He's our everywhere man. And three rucks, when two of them can be genuine key forwards, makes us hard to handle.
- I'd love to see Wiggo keep proving us wrong. And O'Keeffe will be a senior player.

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Dut, de dut, de daaa!

B O'hAilpin Jamison Browne
HB Thornton Bower Grigg
C Stevens Gibbs Simpson
HF Walker Waite Yarran
F Betts Fevola Kreuzer
R Warnock Judd Murphy
I Russell, Carrazzo Scotland Cloke
Emerg , Fisher, Houlihan, Anderson, Hadley, Wiggins,


it's getting much harder to do this.

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The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

Ronald Reagan

Backs – Andrew Carrazzo, Michael Jamison, Bret Thornton

Half backs – Heath Scotland, Jarrad Waite, Paul Bower

Centreline – Jordan Russell, Nick Stevens, Andrew Walker

Half forwards – Ryan Houlihan, Cameron Cloke, Bryce Gibbs

Forwards – Brad Fisher, Brendan Fevola, Eddie Betts

Followers – Warnock, Chris Judd, Marc Murphy

Interchange: Chris Yarran, Richard Hadley, Kruezer, Armfield

No Kade Simpson or Shaun Grigg?

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There is no footy god

B: Browne Jamison Thornton
HB: Scotland Waite Bower
C: Simpson Stevens Grigg
HF: Walker Cloke Gibbs
F: Kreuzer Fevola Betts
followers: Warnock, Judd, Murphy
I/C: Yarran, Hadley, Russell, Houlihan

just miss out: Hampson, Armfield, Austin, Anderson, Wiggins, Bannister
might press for selection: Robinson, Johnson

- Some will be surprised to see Carazzo & Fisher left out however I don't see them as part of our next tilt at the flag.
- Cloke at CHF until Kreuzer is physically developed enough for the position
- Houlihan & Russell only just ahead of those listed as missing out

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There is no footy god

..definately getting harder..

B: Thornton Jamieson Browne
HB: Scotland Bower Grigg
C: Stevens Hadley Gibbs
HF: Houlihan Waite Walker
F: Kreuzer Fevola Betts
R: Warnock Judd Murphy

Int: Cloke Carrazzo Simpson Russell
Emg: Hampson Armfield Fisher Bannister

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

B: Waite Jamieson Browne
HB: Bower Austin Hadley
C: Simpson Gibbs Grigg
HF: Murphy Cloke Betts
F: Kreuzer Fevola Yarran
R: Warnock Judd Walker

Int: Stevens Carrazo Thornton Russell
Emg: Hampson Armfield Fisher Bannister

[quote="singindablues"]
- Mitch Robinson is breathing down Walker's neck. Walker might be a freak athlete, but it's not the Olympics. Robinson can run hard, and he can kick.

Walker is an excellent footballer - excellent pace, strength, power, aggression, can win a contest, can evade well, good ball handling, good height, good mark on a lead, good goal sense, a bit of freak with the footy in his hands. His glaring weakness is kicking to advantage. If he can improve his kicking efficiency 10% he will be elite.

B O'halpin Jamison Thornton
HB Bower Scotland Johnson
C Walker Stevens Simpson
HF Kreuzer Waite Gibbs
F Yarran Fevola Betts
R Warnock Judd Murphy

Int Cloke Fisher Carrazo Grigg
EMG Bentick Hadley Houlihan Wiggens

Why are so many naming Waite at CHF? He'll only pinch hit there when needed. CHB is his spot now.

Now that confidence, ONLY playing 15 players on the field .............. Pitty Juddy, Murphy or Warnock couldn't even make the EMG list ............

..just individual opinion, like how some ppl have untried kids in the best 22 already..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

Thought I would have a crack as I have nothing better to do today.

B: Bower - Jamison - Scotland
HB: Grigg - Waite - Johnson
C: Stevens - Walker - Simpson
HF: Yarran - Kreuzer - Gibbs
FF: Betts - Fev - Edwards
R - Cloke - Judd - Murphy

Interchange - Austin - Russell - Houlihan - Browne
Emergency - Harts - Thornton - Warnock

As a lot of people have said it is tough to do these days.

Some notes
- Thornton will be picked ahead of Austin I know but I really rate Austin and think he is in out best 22.
- I have Edwards ahead of Harts and Fish as our 3rd tall. I think he provides a good target (if we look for others apart from Fev). More reliable kick than Fish and a better mark than Harts IMO.
- Haven't seen enough of Warnock to put him in the team.
- The new fellas can slog it out in the VFL for a while.

I think the backline is solid, will should be able to hold most teams good fowards with the talls we have down there. Browne is there for the bastard small forwards that always kill us and we have some great kicks to bring the ball out of defence. Jamo will be a star BTW.

The centre line is classy, Walks in the guts is exciting with simmo and stevo on the wings we should see some nice kicks to leading targets. Judd and Murph don't need explanation. Cloke got the number 1 ruck honour because Krueze looks good at CHF and I haven't seen enough of Warnock to justify putting him there. Cloke and Kreuze can swap quite easily though.

The forward line looks dangerous, Fev is a star, Betts at his feet is going to trouble teams. Gibbs and Yarren on the HF line has me very excited, Gibbs is my favourite player and I think this year we will see some amazing things done by the kid.

Some will like it, some won't. Either way, the 22 boys that run out in round 1 will do us proud.

Dont need them, Gibbs can dominate the field by himself




fixed

browne jamison bower
johnson waite scotland
simpson gibbs stevens
walker kreuzer grigg
betts fevola yarran

warnock judd murphy

hadley hampson austin cloke

sorry anderson, armfield, robinson and houla

like to see hampson and warnock rotate.
austin is flying so i do hope he gets a run and can play on the second or third tall.[jamison,bower and austin great combo]
kreuzer and cloke to rotate through chf.
browne to shut down the small forwards.[grigg or hadley can drop back if needed]
quick and very skilful team imo.
robinson will be playing before round 10 imo.[going to be a star]
my views only, but cant see the mc leaving out thornton, fisher, carrazzo and russell.

..... and Scotto at CHB

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^^^

Don't worry Essendon* ....... We still hate your guts

^^^

FWIW ........ and just coz everyone else has had a go ........ and cos it's pretty boring now until about mid-Feb


B: Carrazzo Jammo Thornton

HB: Scotland Bower Waite

C: Grigg Stevens Gibbs

HF: Walker Cloke Houlahan

F: Kruezer Fev Eddie

Foll: Warnock Judd Murph


IC: Johnson Fisher Hadley Yarran


Notes:
1. Simmo has been a more than serviceable player and like him a lot, but can't see him in the top 22 on 2008 form (and I'm looking forward to our future)
2. I think we still need to breed Big K as a developing ruckman so don't really want to see him at CHF permanently in 2009. Think he will do most damage as 2nd ruck to 206 at this stage and can take a mark deep in the fwd line and can kick goals
3. Inter-changed Grigg with Waite in he end but I would love to see Waitey away from CHB and could see him smashing teams if he played through the middle off a wing
4. Yarran will be a star IMO but can't realistically put him on the field as at Rd 1 but should overtake Eddie / Houla by mid-year
5. Not sure how I left Austin, Army, AB, Browne-Dog and Russell out of the side but a nice situation to be in to leave them out at this stage
6. Cloke .... IMO he has busted his arse to prove to the CFC faithful he can really play and I think he would be a real asset at CHF (ala Matthew Robran at Crows 98/99 type) and our crumbers (Houla / Yarran / Eddie) would clean-up
7. I think many forget Houla was out for most of last year with the hip injury. His game in Rd 21 against Brizzy showed he is best played off HFF and can be an extremely damaging attacking player. Think he is wasted in the back half.
8. THIS IS FRIGGIN' HARD ........ which I'm loving


Finally, without adding any new players to the list, I am thinking about what the 2010 & 2011 best 22 will be

My opinion:

B: Browne Jammo Austin

HB: Waite Bower Robinson

C: Grigg Gibbs Anderson

HF: Walker Kruezer Yarran

F: Garlett Fevola Betts

Foll: Warnock Judd Murphy

IC: Armfield Johnson O'Keefe Hampson


SEVENTEEN HERE WE COME !!!

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^^^

Don't worry Essendon* ....... We still hate your guts

^^^

Armfield might need to learn to kick before he replaces Simpson in our best 22.

Kade Simpson is easily in our best 22. Easily. Would be in the best 22 in nearly every AFL club.

Yep, have to agree with that (he's attacking and constantly taking on the opposition, you'd expect he'd get a spot) ... like you say, maybe not in any 22 but in most.

I'll have a crack for the R1 against the hypothetical Richmond team below:

B: Chris Newman, Will Thursfield, Kelvin Moore
HB: Jordan McMahon, Luke McGuane, Joel Bowden
C: Matthew Richardson, Shane Tuck, Brett Deledio
HF: Trent Cotchin, Jay Schulz, Richard Tambling
F: Nathan Brown, Jack Riewoldt, Mitch Morton
Foll: Troy Simmonds, Ben Cousins, Nathan Foley
I/C: Shane Edwards, Kane Johnson, Matt White, Tristan Cartledge/Tyrone Vickery

B: Bower (Morton), Jamison (Riewoldt), Thornton (Brown)
HB: Grigg (Cotchin), Waite (Schulz), Browne (Tambling)
C: Walker (Richardson), Stevens (Tuck), Simmo (Deledio)
HF: Gibbs (Bowden), Kreuzer (McGuane), Houla (McMahon)
F: Betts (Newman), Fevola (Thursfield), Yarran (Moore)
Foll: Cloke (Simmonds), Judd (Cousins), Murphy (Foley)
I/C: Johnson (Edwards), Hadley (Johnson), Scotland (White), Warnock/Hammer (Cartledge/Vickery)

See some headaches for us but far more for them.

Love to see Judd and Cousins go head to head at the stoppages. Fev would reap damage on Thursfield or Moore or anyone, Gibbs would make Bowden accountable, Betts and Yarran would make the ground ball ours and put the young Tiger defence under a ton of pressure going the other way. Waite will hurt the Tiges and will show up Schulz. Grigg should get a first crack at Cotchin and I like the Browne vs. Tambling match-up. Jammo and Bower should beat their men. If Richo drifts forward we may have a problem, like to see Walker come down to take Brown and Thornton take Richo. Ruck should swing our way, Cloke (195/98) vs. Simmonds (196/100) looks a good match on paper and whilst Simmonds may get the better of Cloke, Clokey will be better supported by Kreuz and Warnock/Hammer.

Enough rambling ... all speculation but good fun in the absence of any real footy news!!

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"It was like calling your ex girlfriend after a night on the booze, just a really bad decision".