You can always judge a good side and its depth by its bench, and bias aside, that bench looks very impressive. I rate all four of those, and as you said, McLean/Daniel aren't listed.
Find a quality key defender and we'll be up to our eyeballs in premiership contention.
I played golf with Michael Hafey, brother of and dead ringer for Tom Hafey. He said "My brother always said that it's your 6 worst players that win you the premiership".
This is where I'd see our best team being, right now. Have defaulted to Roughead in the ruck, in the hope that his pre-season is 'ruck-focused' and that he begins to emerge as a 1st ruck (something I'm unconvinced about).
I'm really looking forward to Lukas Webb's 2016. His start to the year was superb, until the general fatigue of a first year player seemed to set in.
If he can improve his fitness and strength again, I can see him having a fantastic season and certainly finishing in our best 22 form...however I find it hard to pick someone out of that side that he will replace!
This is where I'd see our best team being, right now. Have defaulted to Roughead in the ruck, in the hope that his pre-season is 'ruck-focused' and that he begins to emerge as a 1st ruck (something I'm unconvinced about).
Thats a bloody good football team. Your right about Mclean, I only got to see his 5 minute highlight package as a junior before the draft and he looked like a standout for mine. So further emegencies Jong(loved his finals game!) Redpath, Dale, Campbell, Hrovat, Cordy along with Mclean, Webb and Daniel. All a chance to be best 22 IMO, good luck getting a game next year!
This is where I'd see our best team being, right now. Have defaulted to Roughead in the ruck, in the hope that his pre-season is 'ruck-focused' and that he begins to emerge as a 1st ruck (something I'm unconvinced about).
B: Wood, Roberts, Morris
HB: M.Boyd, Hamling, Murphy
C: Picken, Wallis, Macrae
HF: Stevens, Crameri, Dahlhaus
F: Stringer, T.Boyd, Dickson
R: Roughead, Bontempelli, Liberatore
I/C: Suckling, Hunter, Johannisen, Biggs
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A fair bit of rotation with HB/wing now. I see Suckling in a more advance role, continuation/progression of role he played for the Hawks this year. Biggs and JJ can also spend a bit of time up the ground. It gives us greater flexibility with match ups/back line structure.
Daniel and McLean out of the 22 but with injuries/rotations they will have no problems getting a game.
Suckling will be a very good pick up with two Hawthorn premierships on his CV. We still lack a quality key forward with a question mark still hovering over Tom Boyd. Roughead still needs to prove that he can go the distance as a ruckman. Liberatore, Stevens and Suckling will certainly strengthen the side. I thought McLean was looking good until injured last year and could become a regular senior player.
Suckling will be a very good pick up with two Hawthorn premierships on his CV. We still lack a quality key forward with a question mark still hovering over Tom Boyd. Roughead still needs to prove that he can go the distance as a ruckman. Liberatore, Stevens and Suckling will certainly strengthen the side. I thought McLean was looking good until injured last year and could become a regular senior player.
The other issue is Hamling trying to hold down the CHB role. He looks like to me a third tall rather than a Key Defender.
Rucks do look like an issue with Roughead and Boyd? I would rather see a Campbell also in the side sitting on the bench.
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.
G'day woofers, here is a spreadsheet from the club's website listing the player's games, etc for 2015. It is interesting to observe that of the 40 players who played at least 1 game, the average was 12.65 games played. If you were to use only 33 players, the average goes up to 15.3 games per player. We only had 14 players who played 16 or more games in 2015. Gives one an idea of how deep the list needs to go if you are to have a 'winning' season.
I think we will have Roberts there not Roughead
The club has said Roughead will be training as a ruck in the pre-season
Is it just me or does anyone else feel that Roughead will get injured in the ruck? When I imagine him being our primary ruck, I think his shoulders will give way. Hope I'm wrong.