Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

[PR0408]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

Which players outside of your best 23 or are there some players on the fringes of selection that you think might surprise by the end of Feb? This one is a long shot but if a few things goes his way then Riley Garcia could be in the mix for the round one selection.

Agree!! I’m a big fan of Garcia. Great agility and speed, with some real toughness. He is my front runner to replace Baz!!

[GVGjr]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

Agree!! I’m a big fan of Garcia. Great agility and speed, with some real toughness. He is my front runner to replace Baz!!

It's a competitive list for the spots Garcia might be able to fill but from what I've seen so far in the preseason training that his best might get him very close.

[GVGjr]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

Largely based on what I've seen at training I'll do another best 23.

Backs:
Johannisen - L.Jones - Coffield
Richards - O'Donnell - Dale

Centres:
English - Bontempelli - Liberatore
Williams - Treloar - Sanders

Forwards:
West - Lobb - Harmes
Ugle-Hagan - Naughton - Weightman

Interchange:
Macrae - Darcy - Daniel - Vandermeer - Gallagher

[mjp]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

Centres:
English - Bontempelli - Liberatore
Williams - Treloar - Sanders

Sanders outside??

Do we need a an actual defender in the back 6 to go with Jones? Obviously I haven't seen Coffield at training...

[GVGjr]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

Sanders outside??

Do we need a an actual defender in the back 6 to go with Jones? Obviously I haven't seen Coffield at training...

He hasn't played there in anything I've seen but I suspect he would adapt to it quickly. With so many wingers it's probably unlikely.

Re Coffield, he looks like he could play on a variety of opponents. He probably offers us a good blend of attack and defence.
Perhaps if we play teams with smaller forward set-ups we might look at someone else but he appears to be ahead of Keath, Cleary, Gardner and Khamis. Given we play Melbourne in round one it might come down to either Coffield, Duryea or Bramble.

[doggies ftw]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

With what I’ve read from training I have my best 22 currently as:

Coffield Jones Richards
Dale JOD JJ

Williams Libba Treloar
English Bont Macrae

Daniel Lobb Harmes
Marra Naughty Cody

West Darcy Sanders Gallagher

——————-

Very happy with the backline, it’s balanced - there’s height and intercept marking in spades, run & elite ball users, versatility too.

Darcy off the bench is a touch tall for my liking in a perfect world but it’s clear he just has to play and we have to make it work, can play across all 3 lines and basically the plan should be every time there’s no injury to sub the least effective one of English, Lobb or Darcy to bring on some run in the last qtr.

Short a genuine winger but should just rotate any combination of Treloar, Macrae, Gags, Sanders, Harmes, Daniel even Bont through the opposite wing to Williams. I like specialist wings but even without Baz we’re still stocked for midfield rotations that we have to fit in the side and I just don’t really see Poulter or Baker as good enough on a wing to take a spot from any of the mids.

Short a genuine small forward but similar to the wings I don’t see any of our options as good enough yet to take a spot so make do with the likes of West, Harmes, Daniel, Gags & Sanders.

It’s a bloody strong side, and there’s genuine options hopefully knocking on the door too. It’s probably not a perfectly balanced side but let’s be honest it’s never going to be. As mentioned it’s maybe one tall too tall and lacking a genuine wing & small forward but the good thing is there’s a few young guys knocking on the door that play those positions, we can’t afford to gift them games but if Clarke, AJ, Poulter, Freijah, Bedendo etc can actually seriously demand a spot on form at some stage this year and force their way into the side they all fill those needs.

Plenty of competition for spots too which is the main thing.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

He hasn't played there in anything I've seen but I suspect he would adapt to it quickly. With so many wingers it's probably unlikely.

Re Coffield, he looks like he could play on a variety of opponents. He probably offers us a good blend of attack and defence.
Perhaps if we play teams with smaller forward set-ups we might look at someone else but he appears to be ahead of Keath, Cleary, Gardner and Khamis. Given we play Melbourne in round one it might come down to either Coffield, Duryea or Bramble.

I liked what I saw of Bramble last year in the VFL. Wouldn't be surprised if he takes over from Dureya. More pace too.

[Critter]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

We are having debate on Woof as to who is our best option at CHB. Most teams will most likely go in with two key forwards and I think it?s fair to say that Liam Jones will pick up the oppo?s biggest, strongest forward. Our challenge then is to figure out which Bulldog KPDs is best suited to handle the other forward.

These are my best guesses as to who will be the key-position forwards for each team:

Adelaide Carlton Essendon Geelong GWS Melbourne PA St Kilda WCE

Fogarty/Walker Curnow/McKay Wright/Langford Cameron/Hawkins Riccardi/Hogan Petty/Van Rooyen Marshall/Dixon King/Membrey Darling/Allen

Brisbane Collingwood Freo GCS Hawthorn NM Richmond Sydney

Hipwood/Daniher Mihocek/Cox Treacy/Amiss King/Lukosius Lewis/ Nash Larkey/Zurhaar Lynch/Koschitzke Armartey/McDonald

The players with bolded names are the forwards I guess who Liam Jones would pick up (bigger bodies). One of JOD, Alex Keath or Ryan Gardner would need to be able to handle the other forwards. Namely:

Fogarty Curnow Langford Cameron Riccardi Van Rooyen Marshall Membrey
Allen Hipwood Mihocek Amiss Lukosius Nash Zurhaar Koschitzke McDonald

I believe that both Keath or Gardner would struggle against all of the above in one-on-one contests, excepting perhaps Nash, & Koschitzke. I think JOD would be a good chance of at least breaking square against half of them.

Accordingly, I see the argument coming down to whether you want Keath or Gardner as a third tall or would you prefer Coffield or Darcy, or both, in your 23.

[Bornadog]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

We are having debate on Woof as to who is our best option at CHB. Most teams will most likely go in with two key forwards and I think it?s fair to say that Liam Jones will pick up the oppo?s biggest, strongest forward. Our challenge then is to figure out which Bulldog KPDs is best suited to handle the other forward.

These are my best guesses as to who will be the key-position forwards for each team:

Adelaide Carlton Essendon Geelong GWS Melbourne PA St Kilda WCE

Fogarty/Walker Curnow/McKay Wright/Langford Cameron/Hawkins Riccardi/Hogan Petty/Van Rooyen Marshall/Dixon King/Membrey Darling/Allen

Brisbane Collingwood Freo GCS Hawthorn NM Richmond Sydney

Hipwood/Daniher Mihocek/Cox Treacy/Amiss King/Lukosius Lewis/ Nash Larkey/Zurhaar Lynch/Koschitzke Armartey/McDonald

The players with bolded names are the forwards I guess who Liam Jones would pick up (bigger bodies). One of JOD, Alex Keath or Ryan Gardner would need to be able to handle the other forwards. Namely:

Fogarty Curnow Langford Cameron Riccardi Van Rooyen Marshall Membrey
Allen Hipwood Mihocek Amiss Lukosius Nash Zurhaar Koschitzke McDonald

I believe that both Keath or Gardner would struggle against all of the above in one-on-one contests, excepting perhaps Nash, & Koschitzke. I think JOD would be a good chance of at least breaking square against half of them.

Accordingly, I see the argument coming down to whether you want Keath or Gardner as a third tall or would you prefer Coffield or Darcy, or both, in your 23.

Great analysis Critter.

Just goes to show it will be tough if we lose Jones at any stage. In 2022, Gardner was top 5 for spoils in the AFL. This year he had more injuries than he should have and never gained any form, so if he can capture some form, I still think he can hold down CHB. I hope JOD proves me wrong, but hate to rely on such an inexperienced player

[mjp]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

Most teams will most likely go in with two key forwards and I think it?s fair to say that Liam Jones will pick up the oppo?s biggest, strongest forward.\.

Wont Jones just take the deepest tall?

I know what you're saying about biggest/strongest but Jones doesn't really play that way...he plays the deepest...

So - as the players from the oppo roll-up and back and reset their starting positions, Jones will hand over to 'the player to be named later'...

[Stevo]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

Im mainly going off the reports from G, Smads, Doc and Critter (great name)

B Richards Jones Coffield
HB Dale O'Donnell Johannisen
C Williams Bontempelli Poulter
HF Sanders Lobb West
F Marra Naughton Weightman
R English Liberatore Treloar
I Daniel, Harmes, Macrae, Darcy, Gallagher

[mjp]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

Backs:
Talls - Jones, Keath
Medium - Richards, Dale, Coffield
Small - JJ

Rotation: LDM

Rucks: English.
Inside Mids: Bont, Treloar, Liber
Rotators: Sanders, Macrae

Outside Mids: Williams, Baker (Rotation will come from the inside group + forwards).

Tall Forwards: Naughton, Jamarra, Lobb (Ruck support)
Medium Forwards: Daniel (highest as the 5th), Harmes
Small Forwards: Weightman
Rotator: Scott

Sub: West

Lucky:
LDM - I know he's been training as a forward but just can't find a spot if Harmes is to play. And Bevo tends to play him if he is fit.

Unlucky:
O'Donnell - I think there's two spots between him, Keath and Coffield...tend to think we start with Keath.
Darcy - Think back is his best chance.
Gallagher - Think back is his best chance...not sure what it is with all the mid time.
Duryea - Still think he probably plays most weeks. I selected JJ in his spot but we'll see.

[hujsh]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

Backs:
Talls - Jones, Keath
Medium - Richards, Dale, Coffield
Small - JJ

Rotation: LDM

Rucks: English.
Inside Mids: Bont, Treloar, Liber
Rotators: Sanders, Macrae

Outside Mids: Williams, Baker (Rotation will come from the inside group + forwards).

Tall Forwards: Naughton, Jamarra, Lobb (Ruck support)
Medium Forwards: Daniel (highest as the 5th), Harmes
Small Forwards: Weightman
Rotator: Scott

Sub: West

Lucky:
LDM - I know he's been training as a forward but just can't find a spot if Harmes is to play. And Bevo tends to play him if he is fit.

Unlucky:
O'Donnell - I think there's two spots between him, Keath and Coffield...tend to think we start with Keath.
Darcy - Think back is his best chance.
Gallagher - Think back is his best chance...not sure what it is with all the mid time.
Duryea - Still think he probably plays most weeks. I selected JJ in his spot but we'll see.

Baker is an interesting one. Most people tend to have Poulter, a regular mid or a bolter ahead of him. In fact I think this is the first team I've seen him in.

Aside from Scott who do you see rotating on the wing in this team?
Do you see Harmes and Daniel getting time in the middle?

[Bornadog]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

B: JJ Jones Coffield
HB: Dale Keath Richards
C: Williams Bontempelli Poulter
HF: Sanders JUH VDM
F: Lobb Naughton Weightman
R: English Liberatore Treloar
I: Daniel, Harmes, Macrae, JOD

sub: West

Keath in for round one only because track watches (doc) has impressed more than Gardner

[lemmon]

Re: Best/Starting 23, Round 1 2024

My first crack at it is:

FB: Dale - Jones - Coffield
HB: JOD - Gardner - Richards
Centres: Williams - Libba - Poulter
HF: Daniels - Lobb - Harmes
FF: Weightman - Naughton - Marra
Rucks: English - Bont - Treloar
Interchange: Sanders - Macrae - JJ - Gallagher - Scott (sub)

There are some key selection battles this year:
-I've gone for Harmes over West in that pressure forward spot but Laith is in that discussion as well
-I'd play Darcy over Lobb as the third tall forward and ruck, but Lobb deserves first crack after his end to 2023 and strong pre-season. I just don't see how you can play Darcy in the same side as our three big forwards
-I'd give Gallagher first crack ahead of Scott in that outside utility role, purely because I think he brings some of the leg-speed we lack and I really like what I saw at Footscray. Think he has gun potential, so get him in there
-Sanders playing the Smith role of 2023, I want him putting the footy inside 50
-Gardner over Keath whose lack of leg speed out the back is a big concern, JOD in there as the supporting third-tall

I think there are some obvious holes in the list when you start to put it together - namely the lack of a shutdown small back and the pressure small forward, but it's still a strong 22. I think there should be some natural progression in our kids that'll push things on from 2023.