Your best 22 in 2015

[Suma Magic]

Now that the trade period is over, be interesting to see new best 22s. Feel free to include any players you think you will get via DFA/PSD/ND who will be there.

For the Eagles (IMO):

Bennell McGovern Brown
Hurn Mackenzie Waters
Rosa Selwood Gaff
Masten Darling LeCras
Lycett Kennedy Cripps

R: Naitanui Yeo Shuey

I: Ellis Priddis Wellingham
S: Sheppard

 

[Ahern2Boof]

North Melbourne

FB: Lachie Hansen, Scott Thompson, Luke McDonald
HB: Jamie Macmillan, Nathan Grima, Shaun Atley
C: Daniel Wells, Ben Cunnington, Sam Gibson
HF: Shaun Higgins, Jarrad Waite, Brent Harvey
FF: Lindsay Thomas, Drew Petrie, Aaron Black
R: Todd Goldstein, Andrew Swallow, Nick Dal Santo
I/C: Kayne Turner, Jack Ziebell, Ryan Bastinac
SUB: Aaron Mullett

EMG: Ben Jacobs, Brad McKenzie, Ben Brown

 

[master bate]

FB: Jetta Frost Dunn
HB Garland McDonald Grimes
C: Lumumba Jones Vince
HF: Kent Dawes Howe
FF: Garlett Hogan Pedersen/Gawn
Foll: Jamar Tyson Cross
Int: Viney, Brayshaw, Watts, Salem

Probably the least skilled (although decent at stopping opponents) backline in the league. Whether we go with Howe, Vince, the Prince or Salem off half back to boost the run and skill will be interesting. There is much greater potential for run and skill in the midfield and forward line though. Still an unfashionable side but probably one that has the ability to physically compete and has a strange x factor mix of players for a bottom 4 or hopefully 6 team.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

B Josh Gibson, Brian Lake, Grant Birchall
HB Ben Stratton, James Frawley, Luke Hodge
C Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Isaac Smith
HF Luke Breust, Jack Gunston, Cyril Rioli
F Ben McEvoy, Jarryd Roughead, Paul Puopolo

FOL David Hale, Liam Shiels, Shaun Burgoyne

I/C Matt Suckling, Bradley Hill, Will Langford
SUB Taylor Duryea

Out: Spangher
In: Frawley

 

[Ahern2Boof]

Might have a go at a couple of other teams...

Brisbane Lions

FB: Ryan Harwood, Daniel Merrett, Darcy Gardiner
HB: Jed Adcock, Justin Clarke, Pearce Hanley
C: Allen Christensen, Jack Redden, Daniel Rich
HF: Dayne Zorko, Daniel McStay, Sam Mayes
FF: Josh Green, Michael Close, Lewis Taylor
R: Stefan Martin, Tom Rockliff, Dayne Beams
I/C: James Aish, Ryan Lester, Marco Paparone, Zac O'Brien

No idea how the ruck situation will work with Leuenberger and Martin when fully-fit. Also the key forwards could change between McStay, Close, Paine and Freeman.

 

[master bate]

North Melbourne

FB: Lachie Hansen, Scott Thompson, Luke McDonald
HB: Jamie Macmillan, Nathan Grima, Shaun Atley
C: Daniel Wells, Ben Cunnington, Sam Gibson
HF: Shaun Higgins, Jarrad Waite, Brent Harvey
FF: Lindsay Thomas, Drew Petrie, Aaron Black
R: Todd Goldstein, Andrew Swallow, Nick Dal Santo
I/C: Kayne Turner, Jack Ziebell, Ryan Bastinac
SUB: Aaron Mullett

EMG: Ben Jacobs, Brad McKenzie, Ben Brown

Surely not! Sideshow Ben must play!

Also it will be a real waste if McDonald plays as the lock down small again. Got to coach someone else for that. He needs to be a half back distributor or a wingman who gets the ball forward quickly and to advantage. Also it's time to put Grima out to pasture and try Joel Tippett. You won't win big finals with Scott Thompson tied up on the best forward and Grima on the second forward.

 

[TheHoneyBadger]

It's not necessarily our Best 22, but it's what I'd probably prefer to see, if form/injury permit.

FB: Dale Morris - Jordan Roughead - Easton Wood
HB: Jason Johannisen - Fletcher Roberts - Robert Murphy
C: Jack Macrae - Mitch Wallis - Marcus Bontempelli
HF: Luke Dahlhaus - Stewart Crameri - Lachie Hunter
FF: Jake Stringer - Tom Boyd - Mitch Honeychurch
R: Will Minson - Tom Liberatore - Matthew Boyd

I/C: Nathan Hrovat - Liam Picken - Clay Smith
SUB: Koby Stevens

EMG: Michael Talia - Lin Jong - Shane Biggs

Sydney supporters I know have assured me that (Newly coined Notorious) Biggs could slot straight in, but I'll wait and see before putting him in there, JJ's earned his spot at this point (probably prefer to have him play up the ground but we need dash off half back).

It's a toss up between Talia and Roberts as to who partners Roughie, but Fletch has shown a bit more form at AFL level so he gets the gig. It's a pretty flimsy backline, but that won't be addressed until the two young guys come on/we recruit in that area next year.

You could also make a case for Tom Campbell to get a game, he was well on his way to the JJ Liston before getting the call-up and performed pretty well at AFL level too. Tory Dickson's a strong mark and a good set shot, but I like the versatility and forward pressure that Honeychurch and Hunter bring.

It's a slow side, but that's what we're dealing with for now.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Now that the trade period is over, be interesting to see new best 22s. Feel free to include any players you think you will get via DFA/PSD/ND who will be there.

For the Eagles (IMO):

Bennell McGovern Brown
Hurn Mackenzie Waters
Rosa Selwood Gaff
Masten Darling LeCras
Lycett Kennedy Cripps

R: Naitanui Yeo Shuey

I: Ellis Priddis Wellingham
S: Sheppard

Brownlow medallist on the bench!??!!

 

[Ahern2Boof]

Essendon

FB: Mark Baguley, Cale Hooker, Michael Hibberd
HB: Courtenay Dempsey, Michael Hurley, Alex Browne (???)
C: David Zaharakis, David Myers, Dyson Heppell
HF: Patrick Ambrose, Jake Carlisle, Zac Merrett
FF: Jason Winderlich, Joe Daniher, Paul Chapman
R: Tom Bellchambers, Jobe Watson, Brendon Goddard
I/C: Ben Howlett, Heath Hocking, Adam Cooney, Brent Stanton

 

[Ahern2Boof]

Surely not! Sideshow Ben must play!

Also it will be a real waste if McDonald plays as the lock down small again. Got to coach someone else for that. He needs to be a half back distributor or a wingman who gets the ball forward quickly and to advantage. Also it's time to put Grima out to pasture and try Joel Tippett. You won't win big finals with Scott Thompson tied up on the best forward and Grima on the second forward.

I treated it as Round 1. Round 1 and Round 22 teams are vastly different. I expect Tippett to come in and take over that main full back role, but probably not from the very start, or at least not without the pre-season happening yet.

And while it hurt me not putting Brown in the team, I think all North fans are excited what an injury-free Black can do in 2015.

 

[Baird]

B: Marley Williams, Nathan Brown, Alan Toovey
HB: Tom Langdon, Jack Frost, Paul Seedsman

C: Steele Sidebottom, Levi Greenwood, Tim Broomhead
R: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan

HF: Ben Kennedy, Travis Cloke, Tyson Goldsack
FF: Jarrod Witts, Ben Reid, Jamie Elliott

I: Alex Fasolo, Nathan Freeman, Taylor Adams, Travis Varcoe

 

[calaisking]

FB : Lee Spur, Luke McPharlin, Zac Dawson
HB: Cameron Sutcliffe, Michael Johnson, Garrick Ibbotson
C: Michael Barlow, Stephen Hill, Lachie Neale
HF: Chris Mayne, Matthew Pavlich, Hayden Crozier
FF: Michael Walters, Matt Taberner, Hayden Ballantyne
R: Aaron Sandilands, Nathan Fyfe, David Mundy
I/C: Tendai Mzungu, Zac Clarke, Danyle Pearce

Sub; Tom Sheridan

Matt Deboer, Nick Suban, Max Duffy, Anthony Morabito, Colin Sylvia, Paul Duffield, Clancee Pearce and Ryan Crowley all pushing for spots

Damn that was hard.

 

[master bate]

FB : Lee Spur, Luke McPharlin, Zac Dawson
HB: Cameron Sutcliffe, Michael Johnson, Garrick Ibbotson
C: Michael Barlow, Stephen Hill, Lachie Neale
HF: Chris Mayne, Matthew Pavlich, Hayden Crozier
FF: Michael Walters, Matt Taberner, Hayden Ballantyne
R: Aaron Sandilands, Nathan Fyfe, David Mundy
I/C: Tendai Mzungu, Zac Clarke, Danyle Pearce

Sub; Tom Sheridan

Matt Deboer, Nick Suban, Max Duffy, Anthony Morabito, Colin Sylvia, Paul Duffield, Clancee Pearce and Ryan Crowley all pushing for spots

Damn that was hard.

What's hard about that? The first 18 pretty much pick themselves. Then it's whether Crowley keeps his spot or declines further. Then it's whether it's guys like Crozier (who probably did enough late in the year), Pearce and Sheridan or Suban, Morabito.

By the way I'm sure he's a required player but if the plan is for Suban to fall right out of favour then please send him to Melbourne next year. He'd get a spot at half back or wing for us for sure and be really handy.

 

[calaisking]

What's hard about that? The first 18 pretty much pick themselves. Then it's whether Crowley keeps his spot or declines further. Then it's whether it's guys like Crozier (who probably did enough late in the year), Pearce and Sheridan or Suban, Morabito.

By the way I'm sure he's a required player but if the plan is for Suban to fall right out of favour then please send him to Melbourne next year. He'd get a spot at half back or wing for us for sure and be really handy.

You just answered your own question. Guys like Suban, Sheridan, Morabito, Deboer & Duffield could easily fit into the best 22 depending on how there pre season goes. Crowley making the 22 is another tough decision depending on if we go with a tagger each week. Throw Sylvia into the mix also.

In regards to Suban, if he doesn't get much game time this year I'll expect him to request a trade. He would slot into the Melbourne squad quite well tbh

 

[Scotland]

Our best 22 screams mid table.

 

[_Irk]

Essendon

B - Fletcher Hooker Baguely
HB - Gwilt Hurley Hibberd
C - Goddard Heppell Zaharakis
HF - Colyer Daniher Cooney
F - Z.Merret Carlisle Chapman
R - Bellchambers Watson Hocking
INT - Stanton Myers Dempsey Gleeson

Although I'm not even sure it's our best 22, our bottom 2 players are a bit tricky to pick.

 

[Power Raid]

the best 22 after a few players take an ASADA rest

FB: Jackson Trengove, Alipate Carlile, Jarman Impey

HB: Matthew Broadbent, Jack Hombsch, Jasper Pittard

C: Kane Cornes, Oliver Wines, Hamish Hartlett

HF: Robbie Gray, Justin Westhoff, Chad Wingard

FF: Paddy Ryder, Jay Schulz, Angus Monfries


Foll: Matthew Lobbe, Travis Boak, Brad Ebert


Interchange: Cameron O'Shea, Matt White, Jared Polec, Jake Neade


Emergencies: Andrew Moore, Mason Shaw, Tom Jonas

 

[Cyril the Squirrel]

B: Gibson Lake Stratton
HB: Burgoyne Frawley Birchall
C: Hill Mitchell Smith
HF: Breust Gunston Rioli
F: Puopolo Roughead Hodge
Foll: Hale Lewis Langford
Bench: Shiels Suckling McEvoy
Sub: Anderson

EMG: Duryea, Spangher, Simpkin, Schoenmakers, Whitecross, Ceglar, O'rourke, Litherland... Et al.

 

[Biggy_Boy]

FB: Jed Bews, Tom Lonergan, Jared Rivers
HB: Jackson Thurlow, Harry Taylor, Corey Enright
C: Cameron Guthrie, Josh Caddy, Mitch Duncan
HF: Steven Motlop, Mitch Clark, Jimmy Bartel
FF: Matthew Stokes, Tom Hawkins, Shane Kersten
R: Hamish McIntosh, Joel Selwood, Steve Johnson
I/C: Jordan Murdoch, George Horlin-Smith, Mark Blicavs
SUB: Darcy Lang
EMG: Lincoln McCarthy, Rhys Stanley, James Kelly

 

[BM123]

FB: Dylan Buckley, Sam Rowe, Kristian Jaksch
HB: Chris Yarran, Micheal Jamison, Ciaran Sheehan
C: Dale Thomas, Chris Judd, Kade Simpson
HF: Troy Menzel, Levi Casboult, Andrew Walker
FF: Liam Jones, Lachie Henderson, Jason Tutt ???
R: Matthew Kreuzer, Bryce Gibbs, Marc Murphy
I/C: Sam Docherty, Patrick Cripps, Mark Whiley
SUB: Nick Graham

Quite a few spots up for debate though and I deliberately omitted taggers.

edit: Yarran, Buckley, Menzel and Docherty improving their midfield capabilities will make or break this team.

 

[Suma Magic]

Brownlow medallist on the bench!??!!

Yep.

Deepest midfield in the league...

 

[yeewww]

the best 22 after a few players take an ASADA rest

FB: Jackson Trengove, Alipate Carlile, Jarman Impey

HB: Matthew Broadbent, Jack Hombsch, Jasper Pittard

C: Kane Cornes, Oliver Wines, Hamish Hartlett

HF: Robbie Gray, Justin Westhoff, Chad Wingard

FF: Paddy Ryder, Jay Schulz, Angus Monfries


Foll: Matthew Lobbe, Travis Boak, Brad Ebert


Interchange: Cameron O'Shea, Matt White, Jared Polec, Jake Neade


Emergencies: Andrew Moore, Mason Shaw, Tom Jonas

no way is jonas an emergency and neade, impey or oshea ahead of him, be a tough call for spots next year though and some interesting team sheets, can see paddy taking chf and westy playing more wing to release him. there is to many variables.

 

[Silvagnis]

FB: Buckley, Jamison, White
HB: Yarran, Rowe, Tuohy
C: Gibbs, Cripps, Everitt
HF: Menzel, Henderson, Thomas
FF: Casboult, Jones, Walker
R: Kreuzer, Judd, Murphy

I/C: Docherty, Simpson, Curnow S: Bell

 

[Heaps of fun]

North Melbourne

FB: Lachie Hansen, Scott Thompson, Luke McDonald
HB: Jamie Macmillan, Nathan Grima, Shaun Atley
C: Daniel Wells, Ben Cunnington, Sam Gibson
HF: Shaun Higgins, Jarrad Waite, Brent Harvey
FF: Lindsay Thomas, Drew Petrie, Aaron Black
R: Todd Goldstein, Andrew Swallow, Nick Dal Santo
I/C: Kayne Turner, Jack Ziebell, Ryan Bastinac
SUB: Aaron Mullett

EMG: Ben Jacobs, Brad McKenzie, Ben Brown

Hard on Sam Wright after his finals series.

 

[Senor Ed]

Essendon

B - Fletcher Hooker Baguely
HB - Gwilt Hurley Hibberd
C - Goddard Heppell Zaharakis
HF - Colyer Daniher Cooney
F - Z.Merret Carlisle Chapman
R - Bellchambers Watson Hocking
INT - Stanton Myers Dempsey Gleeson

Although I'm not even sure it's our best 22, our bottom 2 players are a bit tricky to pick.

Damn, that's a pretty good spine. If Carlisle turns it on like he did against us more consistently, you should be pushing top 6.

And Cooney is going to be good for you guys.