Our Best 22

[GVGjr]

SEN have put forward their best teams of 22 for each club
The have listed the side below as our best, what are your thoughts?

FB: Easton Wood, Alex Keath, Hayden Crozier
HB: Caleb Daniel, Zaine Cordy, Bailey Williams
C: Jason Johannisen, Marcus Bontempelli, Lachie Hunter
HF: Rhylee West, Josh Bruce, Laitham Vandermeer
FF: Mitch Wallis, Aaron Naughton, Mitch Hannan
FOL: Stefan Martin, Bailey Smith, Josh Dunkley
INT: Adam Treloar, Jack Macrae, Tom Liberatore, Tim English

*On the brink: Taylor Duryea, Cody Weightman, Ed Richards, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Patrick Lipinski, Lachie McNeil, Bailey Dale, Ryan Gardner

The depth in the midfield at Whitten Oval is near-unprecedented, and Adam Treloar will add more of the combustion Bailey Smith introduced two years ago. Injuries will test that depth and Luke Beveridge has never shied from positional rotations, so balance is unlikely to be an issue. Ruck recruit Stefan Martin and incumbent Tim English appeared to have already built some chemistry in Wednesday's practice match against Hawthorn.

The forward line looks more like a forward line; Mitch Wallis’ goalkicking chops are now firmly established, the Aaron Naughton experiment appears set to extend into a third season, and Mitch Hannan fulfils the need for an experienced pest despite his 190cm stature. The players who make up the balance will indicate how Beveridge intends the line to function.

Queries around the height of the backline remain, but Alex Keath and Zaine Cordy can skewer opposition thrusts if the Dogs’ midfield can deliver territory dominance and minimise corridor turnovers. Jason Johannisen will drop back as the seventh defender after centre-bounces, while making the best of the stand rule to launch his team forward.

The coach loves to throw a newbie into the fury early, so watch out for Lachie McNeil.

Nathan John

[Bornadog]

Re: Our Best 22

Aaron Naughton experiment? It is no experiment that is for sure.

I still think Duryea is best 22. He really controls the backline when he is there. who comes out? West for me.

[jeemak]

Re: Our Best 22

Aaron Naughton experiment? It is no experiment that is for sure.

I still think Duryea is best 22. He really controls the backline when he is there. who comes out? West for me.

It's still an experiment. We know he'd likely be a top few in his class type defender right now, and it's an area of the ground we'd benefit from parity at least or dominance in. He's still an inconsistent forward who could be anything, but his development will take time meaning we could get better bang for buck now with him holding up the defence.

And I guess it's unknown whether we'd be better off, hence it being an experiment.

[Bornadog]

Re: Our Best 22

It's still an experiment. We know he'd likely be a top few in his class type defender right now, and it's an area of the ground we'd benefit from parity at least or dominance in. He's still an inconsistent forward who could be anything, but his development will take time meaning we could get better bang for buck now with him holding up the defence.

And I guess it's unknown whether we'd be better off, hence it being an experiment.

He played as a defender when he was 18, is that also an experiment?

I just think the word experiment for a young player is not the right description, as all 18/19 year olds should be called an experiment.

[GVGjr]

Re: Our Best 22

It's still an experiment. We know he'd likely be a top few in his class type defender right now, and it's an area of the ground we'd benefit from parity at least or dominance in. He's still an inconsistent forward who could be anything, but his development will take time meaning we could get better bang for buck now with him holding up the defence.

And I guess it's unknown whether we'd be better off, hence it being an experiment.

He was drafted as a key defender and performed well in that role in his first season and I can recall it was preseason game at Ballarat where Bevo reached out to him to fill the key forward role for us and he filled that role admirably for the season

The real swingman for us and I suspect no matter where we play him there will be a high number of people who think he should be at the other end of the ground.

From my perspective, it should be easier to cover him as a defender than to find someone who can take the marks up forward and contribute to the scoreboard that he is very capable of.

[Mantis]

Re: Our Best 22

He was drafted as a key defender and performed well in that role in his first season and I can recall it was preseason game at Ballarat where Bevo reached out to him to fill the key forward role for us and he filled that role admirably for the season

The real swingman for us and I suspect no matter where we play him there will be a high number of people who think he should be at the other end of the ground.

From my perspective, it should be easier to cover him as a defender than to find someone who can take the marks up forward and contribute to the scoreboard that he is very capable of.

It should be, but Naughton could well be in the best 5 defenders in the comp and the players replacing him are only just (or not quite) competent AFL players.

He could well be in a similar boat up front, but I think we have a little more depth in that zone to at least make the area effective.

[GVGjr]

Re: Our Best 22

It should be, but Naughton could well be in the best 5 defenders in the comp and the players replacing him are only just (or not quite) competent AFL players.

He could well be in a similar boat up front, but I think we have a little more depth in that zone to at least make the area effective.

I think you're correct given Schache looks surplus to how we might set-up this year but I don't envy the position Bevo is in because whatever decision he makes will be questioned by so many

[1eyedog]

Re: Our Best 22

Aaron Naughton experiment? It is no experiment that is for sure.

I still think Duryea is best 22. He really controls the backline when he is there. who comes out? West for me.

I don't think he is required anymore given the rise of Daniel. Everything goes through Caleb and with Wood playing our structure should be solid. For me, West provides that hardness and desperation that only a few players possess. He also has skill and can hit the scoreboard. I'd play him based on his form in the practice game and if he continues his upward trend he'll be a massive bonus for us.

[soupman]

Re: Our Best 22

I don't think he is required anymore given the rise of Daniel.

They aren't competing for the same role though are they? Daniel is a chief distributor out of defence and possibly also our major playmaker on the field.

Duryea is more of the general defender type (i guess Bailey Williams role). He is one of the few defenders we have who we can trust to not lose the contest (Wood is ok at this, Daniel is despite his height, Keath is ok, the rest I feel would lose more than they win) and is decent with ball in hand. Our defence also seems to run better with him in it, unsure if that is due to his leadership or the better balance he brings.

[Happy Days]

Re: Our Best 22

I reckon we can move on from Duryea. I don’t really think he’s that great a defender and goes to ground far too easily. If last season is any indication he should be competing with Wood for a medium defender spot and I’d far prefer Wood in that role.

[Bornadog]

Re: Our Best 22

For me, West provides that hardness and desperation that only a few players possess. He also has skill and can hit the scoreboard. I'd play him based on his form in the practice game and if he continues his upward trend he'll be a massive bonus for us.

Don't get me wrong, I think West is all of those attributes, but he is yet to show any consistency with his game. I am sure he can fight his way in, but for me he needs to show more.

[GVGjr]

Re: Our Best 22

I reckon we can move on from Duryea. I don’t really think he’s that great a defender and goes to ground far too easily. If last season is any indication he should be competing with Wood for a medium defender spot and I’d far prefer Wood in that role.

I think many underrate what he actually brings our back line. Both he and Crozier are very good at relaying the messages from the coaches when they come off the interchange bench and the other defenders look to them for guidance on where they should be positioned

I think Wood really isn't a best 22 player but knowing that he will be picked there perhaps Duryea then becomes surplus to our set-up

[Rocket Science]

Re: Our Best 22

I reckon we can move on from Duryea. I don’t really think he’s that great a defender and goes to ground far too easily. If last season is any indication he should be competing with Wood for a medium defender spot and I’d far prefer Wood in that role.

Ideally yes, but move on to whom though?

Maybe we eke out one more campaign with Duryea / Wood as gaffer tape for the back six but who's remotely ready to nudge them aside?

Richards?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Happy Days]

Re: Our Best 22

Ideally yes, but move on to whom though?

Maybe we eke out one more campaign with Duryea / Wood as gaffer tape for the back six but who's remotely ready to nudge them aside?

Richards?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

We played with one small defender too many last year anyway. We can move on to no one and stop shoehorning Crozier and JJ (who is still good btw) into the forward line.

[Jeanette54]

Re: Our Best 22

Depending on practice match and training form I would be tempted to swap Josh Schache for Rhylee West. Give Schache room to move, and an area to lead into. Bruce's opponent is then left an unenviable choice. It would certainly assist both players to play one out and avoid being two teamed. However Rhylee West is much to good a prospect to leave out. I would drop Mitch Hannan (for now) for Rhylee in the forward pocket, rotating through the midfield. Our new Clay Smith if you like.