Your team for Round 1

[JohnF]

Don't remember if this thread has been done lately (my memory is farrked of late) but just wondering how everyone would have our team line up for round 1. Here's my take:


FB:       Newman          Gaspar            Jackson     

HB:       Bowden           Hall                Hartigan

C:         Hyde               Coughlan         Deledio

HF:       Campbell         Richardson        Brown

FF:        Krakouer          Simmonds       Tambling

Foll:       Stafford           Johnson          Tuck

Int:       Moore,   Tivendale,   Kellaway,   Chaffey

Emerg: Roach, Raines, Pettifer


A few points:

Toss up between Hall and Graham for CHB and although Graham has better disposal and a better footy brain that Hall, Hall has youth on his side and would be quicker, more mobile and a bit more versatile. We desperately need a CHB and maybe even a FB as well and our defense will continue to break down until we find them.

We have a lot of players at the moment with not much distinguishing them, they seem ok, but really not good enough. We really need some blokes to step outside the mediocre range they are all dwelling in and take the next step.

I've gone for some old heads in Campbell, Kellaway and Chaffey not that they are really that good but simply for the fact that young guys like Roach, Raines, Pettifer etc. haven't done much to suggest that they are better at this stage. Should they do so, then the oldies will be relegated.

I haven't included Knobel because he is a dud, but obviously if Stafford or Simmonds should break down, which they probably will at some stage then he'd have to come into the side.  I haven't seen pattison play but hopefully he can really come on and maybe even take the spot of someone like Knobel as 3rd ruck option.

I have Tuck on the ball, and though i'm a critic of his footy smarts, I think he is capable of finding the ball regularly, probably more so than Hyde and so i have Hyde on the wing. Hyde has apparently incresed his pace so I'd like to see him showcase it on the wing.

It may be a bit early to be playing Deledio and Tambling, after all we haven't seen that much of them and they are both fairly skinny lads. Will probably be dropped back to the seconds at some stage of the year but it will be good for them to get a taste of it and they have been playing well acordig to all reports so they should be given an opportunity to start in the seniors.     

[mightytiges]

I'd reckon you're pretty much spot on with the squad there JF. I would probably squeeze Raines into the 22 on the bench maybe ahead of Moore. From a team balance p.o.v. Gas, Hall, Jackson and Kellaway are already 4 tallish defenders and Moore isn't ahead of them as yet IMO.

I don't see Graham playing KP. He's a utility type like AK but AK can pinch hit at CHB so I'd still have chubba ahead of him. With Schulz gone the CHB possie is IMO out of Hall, Morrison, AK or Bowden. Playing Joel at CHB is robbing peter to pay paul so yeah I'd reluctantly also give Razor first crack at CHB. We seem to have been able to rejig other positions to look at competitive on paper but our backline down the spine looks dodgy at best. Might swap Hartigan and Lids around as a HB flanker needs very precise foot skills these days to feed the footy.

Our midfield rotation with have to be out of Johnson, Cogs, Browny, Tuck, Hyde, Krakouer, Chaffey, Newman, Hartigan and Deledio. Lids is still too young to expect miracles no matter how talented he is but the last 6-7 of that list are going to have to go to a much higher and consistent level for us to have any impact this year. Shame to lose Rodan for the season just as Cogs, Tuck and Hyde appear to be "new" additions to our ballwinning brigade. 

If we can will our fair share out of the midfield then our forward line is half decent to cause problems if we use the ball smartly going inside 50. I would swap Cambo and Tambling around as Cambo won't have to run as far lol. Cambo's a better set shot kick atm as well. 

We have a lot of players at the moment with not much distinguishing them, they seem ok, but really not good enough. We really need some blokes to step outside the mediocre range they are all dwelling in and take the next step.

Sadly spot on and the reason why we still have a long way to go. It'll be up to our cubs from the past 2 drafts and our 3-4 year players to take us to a higher level over the next 2-3 years.

[JohnF]

I'd reckon you're pretty much spot on with the squad there JF. I would probably squeeze Raines into the 22 on the bench maybe ahead of Moore. From a team balance p.o.v. Gas, Hall, Jackson and Kellaway are already 4 tallish defenders and Moore isn't ahead of them as yet IMO.

That's a good point. Replace Moore with Raines.

I don't see Graham playing KP. He's a utility type like AK but AK can pinch hit at CHB so I'd still have chubba ahead of him. With Schulz gone the CHB possie is IMO out of Hall, Morrison, AK or Bowden. Playing Joel at CHB is robbing peter to pay paul so yeah I'd reluctantly also give Razor first crack at CHB. We seem to have been able to rejig other positions to look at competitive on paper but our backline down the spine looks dodgy at best. Might swap Hartigan and Lids around as a HB flanker needs very precise foot skills these days to feed the footy.

Two unco's in our key defensive posts  let's hope Bowden, Newman, etc have enough class to compensate.

About Hartigan, he might not have the best disposal but I think he has great defensive instincts for the game and i'd probably be inclined to leave him in the backline for a while to see if his disposal can come good. Deledio might still be a bit loose for a defensive spot.

Our midfield rotation with have to be out of Johnson, Cogs, Browny, Tuck, Hyde, Krakouer, Chaffey, Newman, Hartigan and Deledio. Lids is still too young to expect miracles no matter how talented he is but the last 6-7 of that list are going to have to go to a much higher and consistent level for us to have any impact this year. Shame to lose Rodan for the season just as Cogs, Tuck and Hyde appear to be "new" additions to our ballwinning brigade.

Yeah would be great if we get some improvement out of Tuck and Hyde in particular. I think Newman, Hartigan and Krakouer will always be a little too small for midfield roles. Hopefully someone like Raines or a Jackson can spend some time in the midfield as well.

If we can will our fair share out of the midfield then our forward line is half decent to cause problems if we use the ball smartly going inside 50. I would swap Cambo and Tambling around as Cambo won't have to run as far lol. Cambo's a better set shot kick atm as well. 

Good suggestion. Campbell is a pill magnet and I'm tempted to have him up the ground, but really he's in no physical shape do it.

[mightytiges]

Two unco's in our key defensive posts 

lol. Yep looks like there'll still be a number of Benny Hill moments in our backline  .

About Hartigan, he might not have the best disposal but I think he has great defensive instincts for the game and i'd probably be inclined to leave him in the backline for a while to see if his disposal can come good. Deledio might still be a bit loose for a defensive spot.

That's a good point John. Hartigan is an honest footballer. Appears to be one of those players a coach can rely on to do his job.