What's our best 22 now?

[torch]

IMO Round 1 v Carlton

B:     Morris     Rance     Vlastuin

HB:   Houli      Chaplin    Ellis

C:     Conca     Deledio    Grigg

HF:  Newman   Vickery   Martin

F:     S.Edwards  Riewoldt     King

R:     Maric         Cotchin      Tuck

Int: Griffiths, Jackson, Nahas (White)

[mightytiges]

My update after NAB 3:

B:    Morris         Rance       Batchelor
HB:  Houli         Chaplin       Petterd
C:  Newman      Martin         Ellis
HF:  Vlastuin     Riewoldt    Deledio
F:  S.Edwards   Vickery      Knights
R:  Maric    Tuck    Cotchin
Int: Grigg, Conca, Griffiths
Sub: King

nb. Grimes would replace one of Griffiths/Batchelor and Foley would replace one of King/Knights if they were fit to play in round 1.

For round 1 though I've got a feeling Dimma will have Jacko as a tagger in instead of Knights.

Strong squad there MT. Based purely on form, reckon you could almost argue White as an inclusion over Jackson or Knights. They all play slightly different games, but horses for courses, if we weren't required to hard tag anyone rather than just give a particular player a hard time at certain times, White's speed and carry would be really handy. Both White and Houli streaming through the guts and capitalising from midfield turnovers would really give some opposition teams headaches.

Is a poo ruck, but could even take a look at McGuane for Vickery. On form has earned it, and what I've liked about McGuane since the end of last season and this NAB Cup is his awareness of his limitations and not trying to fool anyone. At least he has a contest, clunks a few, kicks a few, and has even taken a few blokes on carrying the footy. Probably one of our more reliable set shots at the moment too  Vickery has had plenty of time to recover from his injuries and has had heaps of minutes in the pre-season, so there isn't really any excuse for being soft and a plodder by Round 3.

With the three rounds over my major observations have been,

Pros:
VLASTUIN!
Petterd.
For the first time in yonks we have a really solid back line. Can lose a bloke or two and have viable backups. I really like Batchelor and always have, but like last year the same key areas may hold him back from being a lock. Still comfortable with him in the side though.
Midfield is elite. Today aside, inside and outside IMO we're match up for match up right there with the best sides.
Depth. Lonergan and A. Edwards and co. may not have been recruited as starting replacements, but at least we don't have blokes like Webberly to come in anymore.


Cons:
Forward line.
Forward 50 entry.
Still getting skittish when opposition teams come string and ramp up the pressure.
Vickery.


There are more, but these are just the most important ones I could pick out at the moment.

I personally think we need to move on from the likes of Whitey, Jacko and McGuane so that's why I didn't have them in my best 22. A friend of mine has a theory that the most frustrating players are what he calls "75%ers". They do things right a lot of the time so coaches can be seduced and persist with them year after year but their stuffs up on-field are too frequent to make them reliable players to take us up the ladder. I would have those three in that category.

Having said that I can see Jacko being in the side round 22 as Dimma loves Jacko and sees him as our lock-down tagger. I could also see Whitey being a surprised selection simply as a match-up to lock-down as a defensive half-forward on Yarran to curb his run off Carlton's half-back. Whitey did that job once before with some success.   

[mightytiges]

My update after NAB 4:

B:    Morris         Rance       Batchelor
HB:  Houli         Chaplin       Petterd
C:  Newman      Martin         Ellis
HF:  Vlastuin     Riewoldt    Deledio
F:  S.Edwards   Vickery      King
R:  Maric    Tuck    Cotchin
Int: Grigg, Conca, Griffiths
Sub: Arnot

nb. Grimes, Knights, Astbury & Foley not considered due to being on the injury list or underdone.

I know there's a push by some for McGuane to play ahead of Vickery after the game in the wet on the weekend but I still went with TV as it's forecast to be a warm dry night on Thursday and  Vickery can rotate with Ivan between ruck and the forward line.

[Stripes]

Wonder if Carlton's tradition tall forwardline against us may change that team MT. Griffiths may get the gig over Batch for that reason. McGuane and Vickery may also play forward. Other than that I like the look of the team. Really interested to see what difference Chaplin and Petterd make to our backline  I hope Knights earns a gig as a high HF or wing soon too.

[Ruanaidh]

IMHO (for the Carlton game):

Morris Chaplin Griffiths

Houli Rance Pettard

Grigg Cotchin Newman

Martin Vickery Edwards

McGuane Reiwoldt King

Foll: Maric Deledio Tuck

Int: Conca Ellis Vlaustin sub: Nahas

If it rains remove McGuane and replace with Nahas.

[Judge Roughneck]

Morris Chaplin Griffiths

Houli Rance Pettard

Grigg Cotchin Newman

Martin Vickery Edwards

McGuane Reiwoldt King

Foll: Maric Deledio Tuck

Int: Conca Ellis Vlaustin sub: Nahas

#2 Grimes
#11 Bachelor
#41 Foley

[Ruanaidh]

Morris Chaplin Griffiths

Houli Rance Pettard

Grigg Cotchin Newman

Martin Vickery Edwards

McGuane Reiwoldt King

Foll: Maric Deledio Tuck

Int: Conca Ellis Vlaustin sub: Nahas

#2 Grimes
#11 Bachelor
#41 Foley

I agree with Foley and Grimes down the track but right now I am considering fit players only.  ....form wise I think batch is struggling 
atm

[eliminator]

B:    Morris         Rance       Batchelor
HB:  Houli         Chaplin       Grimes
C:  Newman      Deledio         Grigg
HF:  Nahas     Riewoldt         Martin
F:  S.Edwards   Vickery         King
R:  Maric    Tuck    Cotchin
Int: Ellis, Conca, Griffiths
Sub: Vlastuin

[eliminator]

Sorry that is my guess for the team for Round One

[Judge Roughneck]

Foley is now training with senior team. Assuming he returns to his best form, what is our best 21 +1 for the middle / latter parts of the season. [Lonergan / Astbury too]

[Judge Roughneck]

b/  morris - chaplin - grimes.
hb/ batchelor - rance - vlastuin.

c/  grigg - tuck - conca.
r/  maric - deledio  - cotchin.

hf/  s edwards - riewoldt - martin.
f/  vickery - griffiths - a edwards.

int/ ellis - knights - foley - helbig/newman/nahas/houli/king/jackson.

the one deficiency is leg speed though all the talls bar jack  and ivan are quick for their size.
would be tempted to play someone like helbig back and release morris to a midfield run with role.

2nds
b/ newman -  darrou - mcintosh
hb/ dea  -  astbury  -  verrier

c/  nahas - arnot - houli.
r/ derickx - jackson - king

hf/ ohanlon - elton - white
f/  mcdough - mcguane - ??????

int/ mcbean /?????/?????/?????.

the lack of genuine mids is plain to see along with tall kpfs.
one has to question the rucks as well.

How many more KPFs do you want on the list?

[Eat_em_Alive]

Bump
What is our best 22 right now for this week exc injured players?

[Hellenic Tiger]

What I expect the team to look like for Saturday night when released on Thursday.

B  Morris   Chaplin   Rance

HB Houli     Grimes    Ellis

C   Grigg      Deledio    Martin

HF Knights   Vickery   McGuane

F  King       Riewoldt   S Edwards

Foll Maric    Cotchin    Tuck

Int Stephenson Vlaustin Jackson sub Newman

Emerg A Edwards Batchelor Dea

[tony_montana]

close tb, only difference is personally I wouldnt go a 3rd ruckman

B.   Morris  Rance Grimes
HB Houli  Chaplin Batchelor
C. Ellis Cotchin Martin
HF Jackson Vickery Edwards
F McGuane Reiwoldt King
R. Maric Tuck Deledio
Int:Vlastuin, Grigg, Knights, Newman
Emerg: A.Edwards, White, Nahas

Cannot wait until Foley and Conca are part of that.

[Hellenic Tiger]

close tb, only difference is personally I wouldnt go a 3rd ruckman

B.   Morris  Rance Grimes
HB Houli  Chaplin Batchelor
C. Ellis Cotchin Martin
HF Jackson Vickery Edwards
F McGuane Reiwoldt King
R. Maric Tuck Deledio
Int:Vlastuin, Grigg, Knights, Newman
Emerg: A.Edwards, White, Nahas

Cannot wait until Foley and Conca are part of that.

Likewise Tony I just put O in as I think he has been okay for Coburg, Maric needs a chop out and we are playing his old side and he may know a few things about their centre square, stoppage set ups and we can use that to our advantage.
Furthermore with Orren in the side Vickery can concentrate on playing fwd and given Rivers may miss we can stretch them at the back with Vickery Jack and Luke. I was even tempted to include Aaron Edwards given his form to stretch them further in the backline but......... we may be far too top heavy and it may come out the other way easier when it hits the ground and with their precision we may fall away once initial effort and commitment starts to wear off.
At least 5 rounds in I am having trouble picking a 22 for a team against a premiership fancy so at least I am consoled by the fact that we have depth there. However as you put it Tony boy it would've been good to have Axel and Conca out there in the 22 also.