Except for Jack missing with his bruised knee there aren't too many missing in that lineup.
Edwards is missing, I suggest this is just a rotations thing and some would say he isn't best 22 (but they'd be wrong)
Taylor is out also
Other than that, it's a pretty strong side (for us)
Shame I can't get up to the game
on edwards. im not going to say hes not top 22 but will say he sure as hell has his work cut out to get and then keep his spot.
outside, some are both inside outside onball/mid types. newman yes newman, houli, connors, grigg, conca, morton cotchin and possibly deledio.these are the players hes battling with for a running role imo. hes also up against white and nason but i think he has it over them two atm.
to be honest when you add the inside players like tuck martin jackson and foley i find it hard to give him a spot in the 22. i suppose it comes down to how you rate him and what role you think he can play.
i reckon we have just two who can play small down back thats newman and farmer. i would like to see farmer given a sustained run at the role and move newman to a wing where his experience can be spread around a bit more and his good footskills delivering into the forward line used more.
we have 5 players imo vieing for two rmedium sized running roles out of defense. they are deledio, dea, orielly, batchelor, and conca.likely deledio is one and conca the other. but think more of a negating type a possibility as well.
imo we have 6 players competing for two wing spots.newman, houli, grigg conca morton and edwards. to me newman grigg and morton have the front running. i think morton cotchin and possibly one other a chance to be part of a 2 or 3 way mid/for rotation of a flank.
the only spots left for a possible inclusion for him is sml forward interchange.
and what a problem small forward is.
the lack of talent in this area has me rotating mids with the neccesary attributes to play the role rotating thru the forward line instead of picking a below standard player. players like cotchin houli conca morton do have the attributes. im tempted to pick macdonald a natural forward at least on the bench but i would like him to show a bit first.would also like to give hicks a go but apparently hes really struggled so far this off season.
B/ Farmer - Thursfield - Moore. would really like to see gourdis given a go at fb but hes been poor thus far in pre season. Grimes at some stage as a third tall.
HB/ Deledio - Astbury - one of Dea Batchelor O'rielly.possibly conca.
C/ Newman - Martin - Grigg possibly conca.
HF/ Taylor - Post - cotchin.
F/ Morton - Riewoldt - Houli.
R/ Graham - tuck - foley.
Int/ Derickx - Conca - Connors -
Sub/ contin/edwards/rance.
