Hopefully Fergus. There’s just something exciting about what he could become.
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I’m with you I would love to see Sweet come in and throw his weight around.
It is unbelievably hard when (as MJP pointed out) we don't have a huge amount of players who select themselves.
Some comments on some of the themes from within this thread:
- I don't think either Lloyd or Duryea are locks for round one even though it seems they were recruited for specific reasons. Simply they add depth to a list that struggled to keep the pace when numbers thinned out at times last year, if they don't perform well in the JLT and others vying for their positions do, they won't play
- Morris, Wood, Naughton and Cordy can all play in the same team. Don't be surprised to see the latter play some time in the ruck to help out if we use one of English or Trengove as the sole ruckman, or if one is injured throughout the year. Wood and Morris the medium sized defenders playing tall and short as match ups dictate, we will need to get numbers back quickly to help out with rebounding run as we are a bit light on for pace. I want to see JJ behind the ball unless he's having a stinker and needs a move, and I think I like Crozier back as well with the likes of Suckling and Daniel pushing back to help us clear defence when they play
- I'm taking for granted that Boyd will have an inconsistent year, it's just too hard for big blokes to get going without a preseason. English and Trengove are the rucks rotating through a forward pocket, Schache should play high to give these guys actual rest when off the ball and to spread opposition defenders with his aerobic capacity. I think we will go mobile across half forward generally, any of 18 players could fill four small to medium forward roles, to me that's insane
Given the last point I don't see how I can think of a distinctly more credible team than the variations already tabled in this discussion - maybe until we have a few JLT and intra-club matches under our belts. If we have had a good preseason and everyone is going as well as they say they are, and the coaching team stays focused I don't think Champion Data will be ranking our list as the 14th strongest in the competition come year's end.
On coaching department focus, it was interesting to note that in the Bevo surfing video mention was made of the leadership team being really firm with the coaches in stating what they believed would lead to success, and this played a part in the late season turnaround. I've been happy to not hear of anything outlandish from the coaching team to this point, there's still time I suppose, but something tells me we'll be playing players to their more obvious strengths from round one.
Hopefully with fresh faces, developing younger players hungry for success, and a change in culture due to recent departures we can start the season well with some competitive football.
On this, I suspect some of the 'experimentation' of earlier 2018 is over. We now some of the midfield combos that work well (i.e. pairing Dunks and Bonti) and those that don't (i.e. Wally against any opponent that spreads well).
I suspect we'll see a more settled line up in some respects - Dunks pure mid, Wally forward, JJ either behind the ball or on the wing, Schache permanent forward, Wood behind the ball.
This is tricky, but not that hard.
Backline: Moz, Cordy, Naughton, Wood and Crozier pick themselves. JJ would be there but injured, so either Williams or Dureya is the 6th.
Up forward, Schache, one of English or Trengove, Gowers and Wallis pick themselves. I agree with some here that Loyd was traded in to play. That's 5. The sixth is from Dickson, Greene, Lynch, West and Cavarra.
In the guts, one of English or Trengove is ruck and say the starting 5 mids are Hunter, McCrae, Bont, Dunks and Libba.
With the bench, McLean and Suckling are locks and I'd like to think Richards is too. So the last spot is from Smith, Lipinski, Daniel or Dureya.
Basis 1 JLT game I'm leaning towards:
B: Wood, Morris, Daniel
HB: Crozier, Naughton, Williams
C: Macrae, Dunkley, Hunter
HF: McLean, Schache, Lloyd
F: Wallis, English, Gowers
R: Trengove, Bontempelli, Liberatore
Int: Richards, Suckling, Lipinski, Cordy
Emergencies: Duryea, Smith, Dickson
B: Morris, Naughton, Daniel
HB: Crozier, Cordy, Wood
C: Macrae, Dunkley, Hunter
HF: McLean, English, Lloyd
F: Wallis, Schache, Dickson
R: Trengove, Bontempelli, Liberatore
Int: Richards, Suckling, Williams, Gowers
B: Morris, Naughton, Wood
HB: Crozier, Cordy, Daniel
C: Macrae, Dunkley, Hunter
HF: McLean, Schache, Lloyd
F: Wallis, Trengove, Gowers
R: English, Bontempelli, Liberatore
I/C: Suckling, Williams, Duryea, Richards
Emerg: Smith, Hayes, Lipsinki, Roberts
Had Duryea earned a spot ?