WOOF Selectors Table - R1 2024

[GVGjr]

For those who used to attend the famous Selectors Table that used to be hosted at the club I thought it might be interesting to get some solid discussions on who might come under consideration for the round one side.

The candidates to come in from my perspective would be

Bailey Dale - An AA caliber defender and a walk up start if fit
James O'Donnell - A tall mobile defender who could be a terrific partner for Liam Jones
Sam Darcy - Tall, mobile and in form. Can we squeeze him into our R1 side and how would we best utilise his talents?
Jack Macrae - Has to at least be considered for R1

Then if needed:

Caleb Poulter - Tall winger, has performed well but has slipped back a bit in the picking order
Oskar Baker - High energy winger, might be close to a best 23 spot
Anthony Scott - The Mr Consistent spare parts player
Ryan Gardner - Key defender


Who's in the firing line?

Harvey Gallagher - Didn't quite grasp his chance
Lachlan Bramble - Has a lot of doubters
Laitham Vandermeer - Has some elite traits but struggles with consistency
Taylor Duryea - Has some competition for a spot in the back line now

So lets hear your thoughts and please add reasons for your selections?

[Go_Dogs]

Would be a great discussion and an evolving one over the next 12 days or so I imagine. A fortnight left to make sure we have picked our most prepared round one side of the last 10 years.

I've got no idea how we'll land the side. A lot of players have picked themselves, in fact too many, so there are probably 5 or 6 spots that could go a range of ways. A couple of thoughts:

1. Sounds like we'll value players who completed most of the pre-season without material interruption. To me that puts Macrae out of frame for Round one. I suspect he'll need a couple of weeks at VFL level.

2. On the same note, JOD has by all accounts has had a consistent pre-season and he'll be in the mix firmly. I have Coffield and Khamis in the 23 based on yesterday too. Hmmm. It's a tough one - there's probably 2 spots for the three of them.

3. Gags didn't quite do enough to lock down a wing role for mine. Baker/Poulter must be strong considerations. Again, tough call. Sounds like all three have done the work and are deserving. Just depends who we think gives us the most. Maybe Baker v his old mob.

4. Darcy v Lobb. Hmmm. Lobb has probably got the spot to lose. Although he was quiet on the stats sheet, he did some good things with his body work (it appeared) and the other keys got the spoils today.

5. Daniel surely plays? His versatility has become a challenge as he?s now not first choice in any one position, but if we can get the ball in his hands it helps us greatly. Could he be squeezed out by Dale coming back in? Maybe it's Daniel v Bramble v Gags. Hmmm.

[ledge]

I would be surprised if McNeill gets in ahead of Scott.

[GVGjr]

Would be a great discussion and an evolving one over the next 12 days or so I imagine. A fortnight left to make sure we have picked our most prepared round one side of the last 10 years.

I've got no idea how we'll land the side. A lot of players have picked themselves, in fact too many, so there are probably 5 or 6 spots that could go a range of ways. A couple of thoughts:

1. Sounds like we'll value players who completed most of the pre-season without material interruption. To me that puts Macrae out of frame for Round one. I suspect he'll need a couple of weeks at VFL level.

2. On the same note, JOD has by all accounts has had a consistent pre-season and he'll be in the mix firmly. I have Coffield and Khamis in the 23 based on yesterday too. Hmmm. It's a tough one - there's probably 2 spots for the three of them.

3. Gags didn't quite do enough to lock down a wing role for mine. Baker/Poulter must be strong considerations. Again, tough call. Sounds like all three have done the work and are deserving. Just depends who we think gives us the most. Maybe Baker v his old mob.

4. Darcy v Lobb. Hmmm. Lobb has probably got the spot to lose. Although he was quiet on the stats sheet, he did some good things with his body work (it appeared) and the other keys got the spoils today.

5. Daniel surely plays? His versatility has become a challenge as he?s now not first choice in any one position, but if we can get the ball in his hands it helps us greatly. Could he be squeezed out by Dale coming back in? Maybe it's Daniel v Bramble v Gags. Hmmm.

1 - Macrae was a solid performer yesterday and got plenty of the football but when you compare him to how Sanders performed it's difficult to find a spot for him.

2 - Outside of the injury the previous week's injury I think O'Donnell was as good as a lock for R1 but credit to Khamis for putting in two solid, almost bordering on impressive, performances to now at the very least challenge JOD for a spot.

3 - I agree that Gallagher didn't grasp his chance but we've often been prepared to ride out a quiet period with an emerging player.
It's hard to see how he gets picked but it really wouldn't surprise. Poulter and/or Baker are probably more likely selections.

4 - Despite a couple of very impressive performances by Darcy I don't think he's ahead of Lobb and particularly for a R1 spot and potentially being pitted against Max Gawn in some ruck contests. The only caveat might be if we decide to use as a back-up for the defenders and play him off the bench.

5 - I can't imagine that Daniel won't make the best 23 and he's still a quality player.

[AshMac]

Really positive signs last night for some emerging players. Agree Khamis has done everything possible to get a spot and Gallagher has some elite traits but just doesn?t put them on display enough.

My thoughts on selection for R1 are:

- Sanders, Harmes, Coffield are all a lock from the off season acquisitions
- nothing has changed w Lobb - I'd prefer we invest in a developing Darcy than reward a player who will not compete physically
- Bramble, Baker and Gallagher all have similar strengths and weaknesses, can't see the 3 of them in the one side. I think I'd most like to see some time out into Gallagher as I think he has the highest ceiling
- didn't watch any VFL but surely JOD, Macrae and Dale are walk up starts if fit
- backline will pose some very interesting selection challenges for reasons outlined above

[jazzadogs]

1 - Macrae was a solid performer yesterday and got plenty of the football but when you compare him to how Sanders performed it's difficult to find a spot for him.

2 - Outside of the injury the previous week's injury I think O'Donnell was as good as a lock for R1 but credit to Khamis for putting in two solid, almost bordering on impressive, performances to now at the very least challenge JOD for a spot.

3 - I agree that Gallagher didn't grasp his chance but we've often been prepared to ride out a quiet period with an emerging player.
It's hard to see how he gets picked but it really wouldn't surprise. Poulter and/or Baker are probably more likely selections.

4 - Despite a couple of very impressive performances by Darcy I don't think he's ahead of Lobb and particularly for a R1 spot and potentially being pitted against Max Gawn in some ruck contests. The only caveat might be if we decide to use as a back-up for the defenders and play him off the bench.

5 - I can't imagine that Daniel won't make the best 23 and he's still a quality player.

He was subbed on for VDM yesterday, and I can very much see him being used as the sub again in round one. I don't agree with it - but I think it will happen.

[jazzadogs]

- didn?t watch any VFL but surely JOD, Macrae and Dale are walk up starts if fit

Define 'fit' in the context of our most prepared side in Bevo's time at the club.

I think Macrae is no chance. JOD and Dale depend on how much their absence today was caution, vs them being unable to play.

Buku was excellent. Jones on van Rooyen, Buku on Schache. Do they have other key forwards?

I'd obviously prefer Dale to Bramble, given his quality, but it depends on whether it was hamstring tightness or hamstring injury.

[ledge]

Define 'fit' in the context of our most prepared side in Bevo's time at the club.

I think Macrae is no chance. JOD and Dale depend on how much their absence today was caution, vs them being unable to play.

Buku was excellent. Jones on van Rooyen, Buku on Schache. Do they have other key forwards?

I'd obviously prefer Dale to Bramble, given his quality, but it depends on whether it was hamstring tightness or hamstring injury.

Fritch kills us and you forgot ?

[jazzadogs]

Fritch kills us and you forgot ?

I don't see him as a key forward (certainly not an option for JOD), but I do see him as a major problem.

[meenies]

I want Bevo to be true to his word that the starting team to be the fittest team we have played. So those in the recent rehab group need to show on VFL that they are ready. So no Macrae, JOD, Dale, Gardner, Keith yet.
It also appeared that we want more speed rather than utility. Therefore the selection between VDM and Daniel. Based on yesterday almost a nil all draw.
I am still not sure of Williams starting. For such a senior player he seemed to go missing a lot yesterday. My sub choice.
For round 1 Lobb before Darcy but if quite Darcy for round. 2.
Duryea did well.

[Grantysghost]

Ok

Here i go

B : Bramble, Jones, Coffield
HB : JJ, JOD, Richards
W : Baker, Treloar, Williams
HF: Sanders, Lobb, McNeil
F: Marra, Naughton, Weightman
Foll : English, Bont, Libba
Bench : Harmes, Daniel, West, LVDM
Sub : Gallagher.

[Bulldog4life]

Ok

Here i go

B : Bramble, Jones, Coffield
HB : JJ, JOD, Richards
W : Baker, Treloar, Williams
HF: Sanders, Lobb, McNeil
F: Marra, Naughton, Weightman
Foll : English, Bont, Libba
Bench : Harmes, Daniel, West, LVDM
Sub : Gallagher.

If Dale is declared fit GG would you still leave him out?

[Grantysghost]

If Dale is declared fit GG would you still leave him out?

I wouldnt be playing him until hes really been tested.
Do we have a vfl practise match in rd 0?

[Bulldog4life]

I wouldnt be playing him until hes really been tested.
Do we have a vfl practise match in rd 0?

Not sure.

[Scorlibo]

I think there are some genuinely tough selections calls here as well as some relatively easy ones.

In the tough category is the tall defender mix. To my mind, we got away with playing on the smaller side against the Hawks but it won't work against opposition sides with genuinely tall and threatening forwards. Khamis and Coffield probably can't play in the same side for that reason. Coffield I find unconvincing with his decision making and kicking under pressure, yet his one on one aerial work has been really good. Khamis has form and is probably better able to play tall given his leap, so he gets my vote, but would depend on matchups week to week. As for who comes in as the genuine second tall, O'Donnell seems to be the guy, but I'm depending a lot on the pre season talk. Last year he wasn't close to being a genuine second tall, and at the end of the season we all had him pegged as a third tall.

Another tough one is Darcy vs Lobb. I admit continued irritation over the Lobb deal, we knew that we had a very talented player coming through to play the same role. Now all we get with Lobb is maybe some marginal gain over Darcy's output in his early years. Nevertheless, if Lobb can replicate some of his output against Geelong last year, he plays. No idea what we do if Darcy kicks bag after bag in the VFL. I really don't want to see them playing in the same side.

In the easy category: Bramble and Gallagher come out. I like Gags but he's not performed well in either of the last two outings. Bramble has shown some quality dash, but ultimately he's not been busy enough to earn his spot. Dale (presuming fit) and Macrae come in. Play Macrae at half forward, a wing, wherever, he'll be a great contributor, as he always has been. I don't understand the fitness concerns when he played VFL and there's a two week break to Round 1.

I think McNeil has done enough to lock away that small forward position from Charlie Clarke and Arty Jones. West definitely plays, dynamic little brute he's becoming.

Williams, Duryea are in the category of 'I guess they play because who else is there?' I didn't mind Duryea's game against Hawthorn. He really doesn't have any competition in the defensively-minded small defender role. I'd like to see Cleary get a shot at some point but that's not really what he does. Williams' skills and nous are more dependable than Baker's.

Vandermeer despite being frustrating with his decision making becomes hard to remove because he's a terrier who'll uphold the team defence mentality to the final siren. So Bevo probably plays him but I'd prefer on balance he make way to play as the sub.

Lastly Daniel finished fourth in the best and fairest last season seemingly because of his supreme flexibility to take on any role, so I don't get the angst about him not having a well defined position in the lead up to the season. I'd be playing him between half forward and the wing, or at half back. He's surplus to needs in the guts this season.

B	Khamis	Jones	Duryea
HB	Dale	O'Donnell	Richards
C	Daniel	Liberatore	Macrae
HF	McNeil	Naughton	West
F	Lobb	Ugle-Hagan	Weightman
Foll	English	Bontempelli	Sanders
I	Johannisen	Treloar	Harmes	Williams
Sub	Vandermeer