Your best team for early stages of 2011 season

[Stripes]

I'll have a crack -


FB: connors mcguane moore
HB: deledio astbury newman
C: edwards foley martin
HF: houli post morton
FF: farmer reiwoldt griffiths
FOLL graham cotchin jackson
INT: conca grigg webberley      sub: tuck

I would have a more experienced side going into the clash against the Bluebaggers and Gourdis is still a protect players so I would have Morre as one of our leaders in the side at his expense.

Foley would go into the middle in his first game back and Marin and Edwards flanking him leaving Cotch our damaging follower. Jackson's importance in terms of our structure and defence is very under rated and I would have him shadowing Judd all day.
Farmer I would have in the forwardline as he is being trained in that role to utilize his penetrating kicking.
I have moved Conca to the bench as it will be his first game and I may even have left him out of the side completely in preference to an older campaigner at the moment until he earns his stripes.
Browne out as we have Post to act as our 2nd ruck and tuck as our sub as he can play anywhere.

Just my take

Stripes

[the claw]

not many having a crack. any way here goes

fb  farmer - gourdis - moore.
hb  deledio - astbury - dea/orielly/batchelor.
c   newman - martin - grigg.
hf  morton - post - conca.
ff  griffiths - riewoldt - houli.
r   browne - cotchin - foley
int contin - connors - tuck - jackson/edwards/king

[Go Richo 12]

not many having a crack. any way here goes

fb  farmer - gourdis - moore.
hb  deledio - astbury - dea/orielly/batchelor.
c   newman - martin - grigg.
hf  morton - post - conca.
ff  griffiths - riewoldt - houli.
r   browne - cotchin - foley
int contin - connors - tuck - jackson/edwards/king

Obviously looking at my gob drops i would have the last three alternatives on your bench easily filling the postions over dea, gourdis, batchelor and contin. Not saying they won't be good players but the others improved greatly greatly in 2010 and deserve their place in our best 22! Thats my opinion, it is not neccasarily correct

[the claw]

okay lets see none of king jackson or edwards are backmen. and none are kpps either. so to me they are not in competition with dea orielly  batchelor or gourdis.

i would have thought thursfield and mcguane in competition with gourdis.

 king - for me  is vieing with houli for a sml forward spot. the advantage of houli much better skills and can go into the midfield. downside  is defense. you could make a case to play king in front of houli as a forward only.
jackson - have long advocated we can play only one of tuck or jackson i prefer tuck for his inside work. if jackson were to get a game it would be instead of tuck.

edwards - yep a bit stiff. likely in the 22.  i have long wanted the club to play newman across the middle.and i believe grigg will get first dibs on a wing. i like bigger bodies.
titch is in competition with contin but they perform different roles. i reckon pat will tear the house down this yr.

connors - on the bench and out of the backline. i think its time for farmer to be given a proper go there hes a much better defensive type and does not squander the ball the way connors does. i think its also time connors in yr 5 found a motor.

finally none deserve a spot none. its a new season we are coming from 15th and you earn a place. i really hope more kids can put their hands up after all we are in rebuild and we need to find players who can take us above 15th.