So, I'm really going out on a limb here, but I'm changing my 2016 Best 22 given the Sunshine situation. And not having heard anything positive on Tim Mohr, I'm forced to accept that he's not likely to be ready for round 1 and therefore he drops out of my best 22.
Still some questions to be answered, but my revised (pragmatic) 22 is:
B: Joel Patfull, Aidan Corr, Phil Davis
HB: Zac Williams, Nick Haynes, Heath Shaw
C: Tom Scully, Dylan Shiel, Lachie Whitfield
HF: Devon Smith, Jeremy Cameron, Josh Kelly
F: Steve Johnson, Jonathon Patton, Rhys Palmer
Foll: Shane Mumford, Callan Ward, Stephen Coniglio
IC: Adam Tomlinson, Ryan Griffen, Toby Greene, Jack Steele
Emerg: Lobb/Downie/Simpson, Marchbank, Ahern/WHE/Hopper/Matt Kennedy
Will be interesting to see now how Tommo slots in - does he take the roving forward role previously taken by Sunshine? Certainly his marking, running & fitness are up to it. Or - & because I still think we're light on for tall defender options should any of these get injured - does he perform a more utility role? For example, does he mark Riewoldt like he did last game vs St Kilda so successfully? And still possible that Hopper gets an early shot (probably in place of Steele), but need to see how the practice games go.
Mohr is an interesting one. When he was a regular starter, his two main attributes were his talk in the backline, and his size. With Heater on board, and Phil having a few more years of growing his leadership capabilities, I think the talk aspect and leadership down back is covered. Similarly with size, the skinny kids have all bulked up (and from what i saw of Mohr in preseason, i think he has slimmed down a bit). For mine, in the absence of injuries, I expect Mohr will be a NEAFL mainstay this year.
On Tommo, definitely needs to be a regular in the side this year. He is so versatile, the problem then becomes where do you play him. I think, as you suggest, he might get special assignments each week (as he did with Riewoldt) rather than locked down a permanant position. It would be interesting to hear from him what his preferred role/position would be.
