Starting 22

[Harry]

B:  Hartigan.........Gaspar........Thursfield

Hartigan to be groomed as our hard back pocket who can also create some dash.  Showed early last year that he can be quite effective with his run.
Gaspar picks himself at full back atm, but only has limited time
Thursfield to be used as third tall while at the same time being groomed to take over at FB.

HB:  Newman.........Hall..........Bowden

Newman to be used on elusive mediums or a troublesome small who is giving Hartigan a hard time.  Also to create much needed run and drive.
Hall at the moment is our best option at CHB and is improving each time he plays there.
Bowden picks himself on a back flank as this is by far his best position playing as the creative quarter back.
PS - No room for Kellaway in the defence as I think he adds very little there - cannot man a tall, too slow, adds no creative attack and the third tall option can more effectively be filled by Bowden or Thursfield.

C:  Tuck..........Coughlan............Hyde

Wings in todays game are basically midfielders rotating through the middle.  All three IMO are worthy of being first ones chosen with Coughlan and Tuck to share more of the centre clearence duties and Hyde more of the run, carry, receiving, delivery duties.

HF:   Deledio...........Richardson.......Pettifer

Deledio to play forward rotating through the middle.  Has shown he has the ability to play middle while being a great mark.  In time will create massive headaches for opposition coaches.
Richo - best position for him atm is CHF.
Pettifer is on a steep upward impovement curve and needs to be persisted in this position.  Needs 3-4 marks around 50 for 3-4 goals.  Also a very good deliverer into 50 if he gets hands on the ball 70-90 meters out.

FF:  Brown.........Schulz.........Rodan

Brown will be fit and is pound for pound the best forward in the AFL
Schulz IMO is a natural FF and hopefully will be given time there
Rodan - picked him over Krakour as he will get into more contests, and will give alot of run and carry when rotated through the midfiled.

R:  Simmonds.......Johnson.........Foley

Simmonds is much more effective as a full time ruck and our best option there.
Johnson to create the body and grunt in clearences and help Tuck and Coughlan.
Foley is possibly the only true rover on our list and his reading of play and his ability to win his own ball should see him cement the spot.  Also, along with Deledio has the best attitude and application of all the youngsters.

INT:  Knobel....Tambling....Meyer....P.Bowden

Knobel to help Simmons and release him in the forward line if needed.
Tambling and Meyer - to introduce and blood some badly needed skill, run and class into the side.  Don't think they will set the world on fire yet but the experience will do wonders for their confidence.
P.Bowden for KPP insurance purposes if one of our talls is struggling or injured, also could be used to create or negate a mis-match

Summary -

I have excluded several experienced players from my side in Tivendale, Chaffey, Kellaway, Krakouer and Stafford.  I don't beleive they add much to our team and it is vital that players and new blood are introduced (remember we have been crap lately).  Of the kids I have named I beleive Deledio, Thursfield and Foley are ready to go while Tambling and Meyer need some easing.  Raines is on the cusp also but atm had no room for him.  Haven't considered any of the 2005 crop as I haven't seen any of them play, but if pre-season form warrants say a Matthew White to be selected in a BP then so be it, and better we'll be for it. 

Good blend of youth and experiece IMO

The midfield looks pretty solid without being dangerous and potent.  Good ball winners in Coughlan, Tuck, Johnson, Foley, Hyde, but most of them really struggle to use the ball and be dangerous when going forward.  Newman and Bowden are good users but are much more valuable in defence.  Hyde and Rodan are good runners/carriers/deliverers without being outstanding.  Deledio looks the goods in this area but needs severe help.  Hopefully Tambling and Meyer along with others will develop into efficient and effective carriers and deliverers of the ball.  This is a major weakness IMO.

KPP - we are quite solid atm and I don't think it's panic stations as some do.  A fit Gaspar and Richo will do their jobs effectively, while Schulz and Hall continue to improve.  Will make their jobs ten times easier if the midfiled performs.

[Captain__Blood]

Gotta have Tuck in the guts.

[Mopsy]

I like it Harry!!

I agree with your comment on Sarge.

[mightytiges]

Like your side Harry and agree with most of it.

A bit harsh on Kellaway based on his 2005 form. He does only have a few years left and Thursfield will eventually replace him but he did give us plenty of rebound last year and was averaging 17 possessions per game. When he copped that crack cheekbone/jaw our defence was thrown awry.

I still have question marks over Thursty in terms of his height to be a regular FB. Maybe if he's grown another inch taller over summer. 

Staff has been in good form at training. He's looking fully fit and probably moving around the best he ever has since arriving at Richmond. I think Wallace will still use him in spurts up forward in combo with Browny and the quick leads of Lids or Tambo. Richo while still able will be given a license to roam the whole forward 50. 

While I would have a best 22 more like Harry's, the one below is what I think will run out round 1.

B:   Hartigan      Gaspar       Kellaway
HB: Newman      Schulz        J.Bowden
C:   Hyde          Coughlan      Rodan
HF: Deledio       Richardson    Pettifer
F:   Brown         Stafford      Tambling
R:   Simmonds   Johnson      Tuck

Int:  Knobel    Krakouer   Polo   Hall   

Emerg: Foley  P.Bowden  Thursfield

Schulz has been used as a defender in the scratch matches at training while Razor has only joined in certain drills in the last week or so. So I've put Sarge at CHB and Razor on the bench. A toss of the coin between Chubba and Thursty but I just have a feeling Kellaway will get first crack based on his 2005 form. Gas, Harts (BP role), Newman and Joel pick themselves. Newman and Hartigan to also have spurts in the middle.

Simmonds as first ruck with Knobel on the bench as the resting ruck.

Johnson, Tuck, Cogs, Hyde and Rodan pick themselves in and around the centre. Added Krakouer and Polo on the bench. Polo to take all the inside workload off Cogs, Tuck and Sugar. Foley and Meyer were hard to leave out but someone had to be and I think Tezza may still have Krakouer ahead of the other two.

Up forward, Staff near goal and the roaming Richo to be surrounded by the classy midsized types of Browny, Pettifer, Lids and Tambo. The latter two to move between midfield and forward pocket roles.

Foley, Paddy Bowden and Thursty as small, mid and tall emergenices. 

[Harry]

Gotta have Tuck in the guts.

Will be - rotating with cogs, johnson, hyde, foley and rodan.   

[letsgetiton!]

shulz will definately play chb , no dout about it

and i would have sugar on the hbf, thats where he plays his best footy and was a premiership player in that posi setting up fwd thrusts


love to see joel play at times at ff, he would be a damaging player up fwd. great mark , gr8 lead, was a potent player up fwd in his early days

he dosnt have to play ff all the time , but i think terry should use this option if it the fwd line is not functioning or getting beating, just to through the opposition off guard

[blx]

have been trying to have a ping at this for a while now but sheesh its a toughie.

you either go secure for the short term or you go with blooding the youngsters. two completely different teams.

At some point you really have to bite the bullet and demote players back to the burgs (ala kellaway) so that younger players can get the vital exposure they need in order to step up the developement.

my team for round1 will change up until then according to form so sorry guys im leaving this one out until the week leading into the game then come wednesday, i'll take a shot.

enjoy reading your teams though