18 Paul Bower 40 Michael Jamison 15 Steven Browne

29 Heath Scotland 30 Jarrad Waite 32 Bret Thornton

6 Kade Simpson 24 Nick Stevens 1 Andrew Walker

4 Bryce Gibbs 28 Cameron Cloke 33 Ryan Houlihan

19 Eddie Betts 25 Brendan Fevola 8 Matthew Kreuzer


Foll 22 Shaun Hampson 5 Chris Judd 3 Marc Murphy
Inter 44 Andrew Carrazzo 16 Shaun Grigg Chris Johnson
13 Chris Yarran

Emerg 17 Setanta O'hAilpin 21 Mark Austin

I can't see Yarran starting on the ground until his fitness improves
Would entertain the idea of swapping Johnson for Armfield

Yep this is close to my best 22 Salsiccia with 206 now injured.......however I'd like to see Hadley in there (if fit).
I think there should be better options than Johnson at this stage i.e. Russell, Armfield, Anderson etc.

_________________
There is no footy god

I see where you are heading. I would swap CJ for Haddles at this stage but he is a bit behind in his training due to a groin injury. I also like Army & Anderson but am yet to be convinced about Russell. I would like to see Russell as a ruck rover in the twos and see how he goes in the engine room. That way he could get plenty of the ball and show us what he has got.

budzy and cj69 i like your teams for tne nab cup.
this is what i would like,

armfield jamison anderson
johnson bower austin
browne gibbs robinson
russell hartlett hadley
edwards cloke yarran

hampson murphy grigg

i/c; carrazzo jacobs gartlett bentley ellard o'hailpin

would like to see gartlett, yarran and ellard all rotate with each other.
hampson and jacobs to rotate.
carrazzo and bentley to rotate through the middle.
o'hailpin to rotate with bower, austin and jamison.

After watching today I have reviewed my best 22


B: Armfield Jamo Bower
HB: Anderson Waite Grigg
C: Stevens Gibbs Simpson
HF: Yarran Cloke Walker
F: Betts Fevola Houlihan
Foll: Hampson Judd Murphy
Int: Robinson Hadley Bannister Carrots

Not easy?

No Kreuzer or Thornton cj69 (I presume Kreuzer was an oversight)?
Even though Scotland is injured at the moment he is in our best 22 when fit.
Browne should be in the side IMO....he turns 20 in a couple of weeks (is actually 3 weeks older than Austin who was drafted the previous year) and now appears to have a mature physique. In addition he played 13 matches last year so has some valuable experience.

_________________
There is no footy god

Yep Kruezer was definitely an oversight. CHF or FP for him. Browne didn't train so didn't have him in but I am a fan and otherwise would have him. Not sure about Scotland may be a fair way away.

No question about it, CJ is definetely a fan of Browne's and a fan of Walker and Waite on the wings. I reckon his best 22 was a relectiion of what unfolded rather than his preference. Interesting to see that Thornton wasn't picked at CHF,,,,christ...he wasn't picked at all....and neither was Setanta.

Any reason for that CJ?

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Can't fit them all in BB, although from what I am seeing and hearing I would have any of them!

Where's todays' team CJ?

I posted a response twice in the training thread and they ended in cyberspace.

Based on your brilliant training report I expect Houla will be playing at HB in your "Today's Best 22"

Has Thornton pushed anyone out and regained his place?

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Thornton actually looks in great shape. As Dr S stated he will probably play on the 3rd tall forward.

The problem we have and were talking about today is the modern game as shown by Geelong and Hawthorn relies on a lot of run from defence. These side do not carry to many 'key defenders' they prefer to go with the mobile 6ft 2ers. Guys like Gwilham, Young, Brown, Harley, Milburn, Mackie are massive but the size where they can play tall or small and are mobile. They are then supported by Croad or Scarlett.

We have Thornton, Setanta, Jamo, Bower, Austin, Waite who can all play as tall defenders. We can't get them all in?

In my opinion we should line up:

6 man defence with run

B: Browne Bower Jamison
Waite
HB: Houlihan Austin Johnson

8 man midfield

Mids: Hampson Judd Murphy Walker
Gibbs Hadley Carrots Simpson

4 man forward line

HF: Yarran Kruezer
Betts
F: Fevola

What I have seen this week guys like Pfieffer, Bentley, Ellard, Grigg, Gartlett are really pushing for a spot in the NAB. Will be inetresting to see who Ratts picks.

You're a champion CJ.

I really like the way you have taken the modern grouping rather than traditional player for position approach because that's reality.

And Houla as a HB...based on your report today I knew you were going to have him at HB. He's an interesting case. Whilst he's been often maligned and misunderstood for something he did 5 years ago (pulled out of the contest), he seems to be on just about everybody's radar as a forward, and a few have him on a wing.

I can understand why he's so valuable on the HB line, and imo he's been a success in the backline since Pagan desperately needed a bit of experience with polish back there.

It would be great to have Houla passing to the forwards with his dead eye dick passes. As long as he is selected wherever he plays there will be class and experience, and a bloody good engine circa 2009.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Had a break from paperwork to look at your groups...much more entertaining than transitional management and business what if scenarios.

I ackowledge your team is based on form in the preseason hence why Warnock, Scotland, (Armfield ), Bentick and Bannister are off your radar. And you've only selected 18 players.

Austin is the surprise in your selection, but I guess Waite is your preference there. You and I disagree with Browne/ Armfield (lets leave that aside....till the real stuff begins). If Waite is selected I guess Austin is next in line regardless of the fact that he's only in his 2nd year and has a bit more bulk to put on? I understand you're going with pace. Austin ahead of Setanta and Thornton??? That's a rap!

Thornton, Setanta, STEVENS , Fisher, Cloke, Edwards, Wiggins, Russell, and Anderson (named in your Monday team) aren't even considered. Too slow? Austin ahead of Setanta (who is athletic)

I'm surprised that Robinson isn't pressing for NAB selection along with others who are ahead of Stanton and O'Keefe. The training reorts today acknowledged the efforts of these guys I mention.
NAB has an 6 man interchange, so I guess there will be a few pressing for a spot; Gartlett sounds like a real goer.

I know you can't fit them all in, and some blokes like Cloke, Fisher, Bentick are on the slow side.

There must be another 4 who are pressing for midfield rotation roles. Who are they. I'll asume Austin is not one of them because Waite's ahead of him...but it's you team.

What about those who miss out. Perhaps a squad of 25 would make things easier; I'll try that.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Updated teamboard here

Changes
------------
- Assigned squad numbers for player(s) Jeff Gartlett, Luke Stanton, Greg Bentley

Future Updates
------------
- 2009 Post-season

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

---------jamo thornton-----------

------------bower---------------

grigg ------waite --------------browne

-------scotland-------stevens------

---------------Judd----------------

Yarran-----------------------Simpson

--------------Kreuzer--------------

Betts--------------------------Walker

---------------Fevola--------------

R: Warnock Gibbs Murphy

IC: Armfield Carrots Cloke O'Hailpin/Houlihan/Bannister/Wiggins

Good on you Jimmae, thanks for that!

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

Now my line up for a FULLY fit squad would be


B: Browne Jamison Thornton
HB:Scotland Bower Grigg
C: Waite Gibbs Walker
HF: KruezeCloke Houlihan
F: Betts Fevola Yarran
R; Warnock, Judd, Murphy
Int: Hampson, Stevens, Simpson, Robinson
Em: Carazzo, Hadley, Russell, Johnson



Hampson and Warnock rotate through the ruck/Bench, and float back after the bounce. Cloke and Kreuzer played as forwards, with Kreuzer taking the ruck responsabilities in the forward line.

I would like to get the back 6 settled for a change. Jamison and Bower will be stars, and the lynch pin for our backline. Grigg and Scotland add skill and dash coming out of defence, and I like Browne for playing on the small forward. I would also mainly run Robinson through defence in his first year.

Once again the forward line centers around Fev at FF. Cloke will act as a temporary CHF for the year IMO, he is a good mark, decent kick at goal and will create packs for our crumbers to work off, but hopefully Kreuzer will fill out and take over in a year or 2. Currently Kreuzer would act as the 3rd tall. Houlihan has skill, good goal sense and can crumb well and Yarren and Betts add the X factor that could carve up some teams. 3 talls and 3 smalls are pretty balanced IMO, and the midfielders will hopefully be chipping in for a fair few goals a game too.

As for our midfield, Waite and Walker will cause havoc on the wings, and having the ability to run Stevens and Simpson off the bench through the midfield would be HUGE IMO. Add to that Judd, Murphy and Gibbs and you have a real recipe for dominance IMO.

I would LOVE to be able to put Hadley and Carazzo into the side, but I just don't know who I would drop .......... Scotland is probably getting on a bit, but he still has great skills and provides run out of defence. Also kids such as Anderson, Armfield and Austin arn't even getting a mention, and old war horses such as Wiggins, Bentick and Fish (who I believe is EXTREMELY overrated, he was taken at #72 in the 2002 draft after all ...........) are running around in the Ant's for a while.

Coryne reckon you have got it pretty much spot on. I really like Waite and Walker on the wings. They can go forward or back and really cause some trouble.

My only changes would be Anderson for Scotland. Joey has had a great pre season and will step up this year. Scotto I would have on the bench as he could fill several roles even small forward. Hadley would be in my side if fit. Has the size and skill we need.

Maybe Johnson for Cloke would be the other option. Kruezer at CHF. Gives us a bit more run.

That should beat most teams, until there's a head count.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

18 Paul Bower 40 Michael Jamison 16 Shaun Grigg

29 Heath Scotland 30 Jarrad Waite 32 Bret Thornton

6 Kade Simpson 24 Nick Stevens 4 Bryce Gibbs

1 Andrew Walker 8 Matthew Kreuzer 33 Ryan Houlihan

19 Eddie Betts 25 Brendan Fevola 13 Chris Yarran


Foll 22 Shaun Hampson 5 Chris Judd 3 Marc Murphy
Inter 11 Robbie Warnock 10 Richard Hadley 12 Mitch Robinson 27 Dennis Armfield