Morris, Roughy, Picken
Biggs, Talia, Murphy
Bonts, Wallis, Macrae
Grant, Crameri, Hunter
Dahl, Boyd, Stringer
Minson, Libba, Hrovat
Stevens, JJ, Wood, Jong
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Morris, Roughy, Picken
Biggs, Talia, Murphy
Bonts, Wallis, Macrae
Grant, Crameri, Hunter
Dahl, Boyd, Stringer
Minson, Libba, Hrovat
Stevens, JJ, Wood, Jong
Big ask of Crameri, I thought last year his turns at CHF completely blunted the best aspects of his game - I think he was reduced to contesting pack marks and then scrambling for it on the inside, usually with a view to just holding the play up until a bounce was called for. Grant is going to have to shine in the NAB cup to start in Round 1. Not saying it can't happen.
I wouldn't play him in the traditional CHF role. I'm still a Grant believer still and I think 3 guys around 193cm who have the ability to run plus contest or crumb is a very difficult defensive task with two good smalls and Boyd. I would love Roughy as the second marking target, but that's not looking like happening. I like Koby forward in a defensive role who is also good overhead rotating through.
Hawthorn had two genuine talls last year and heavily rotated mids, utilities and small forwards. That's where the magic was. I'd love a second genuine tall, but I'm not sold on Redpath, Roughy isn't being moved forward, Ayce isn't a forward and Campbell is next on my list.
Bob Murphy was All Australian CHF before Rocca blew his knee out. But we need him in defence.
But Murphy, Johno, Gia etc were a handful as you point out. I think that's what Bevo is thinking about when he talks about quicker ball movement with better ball users. When we get to the pointy end we need A big brute KPF who we have in training now, and hopefully another coming soon. Multi dimensional forward lines seem to be the thing and Bevo seems to singing from this hymn book.
Why is Biggs starting on a HBF in front of Wood? Because his hair is neatly done on the training track? Seriously Wood was beaten at times on one one last year but he still played on players not suited to him. The biggest improvement was that he never went to ground and was never really pushed off the ball. I thought he had an ok season and credits in the bank to start before Biggs.
It's not a slap, Wood is still in the team and with 120 rotations a game it's not like he's warming the bench for any long time. We need to invest in Biggs for the long term and Wood might be a handy swing man or go back if Biggs is getting beaten, who knows. He's in the 22, not sure why Biggs hair is more relevant than his good preseason feedback though.
Wood was literally the worst one on one defender in the comp last year. Like literally the worst. I agree he has value to the team but not as a one on one defender. Hopefully the inclusion of Hamling (as in, hopefully he is included) pushes everyone down a place in the height queue, but if things remain the same as last year I'm not too bullish on Wood's standing.
Agree with the above.
I don't agree with this. My perception is that Wood was really good last year - although there was a strange incident where - is this correct? - Macca dropped him even though he was played all right the preceding game in most punters' eyes. Or was it a hand injury or some such?