Unofficial Preview 2015 Best 22 - Your opinion

[Dewnior]

Unfortunately, that doesn't happen too often. The answer therefore, is when he marks inside 50, he should play on straight away!!

He just needs to develop a routine. Gunners or Breust should be able to help him. Failing that I agree with you.

 

[Lethal44]

B- Duryea Lake Gibson
HB- Birchall Frawley Suckling
C- Smith Hodge Burgoyne
HF- Bruest Roughead Rioli
F- Gunston Hale Puopolo
R- McEvoy Lewis Mitchell
Int- Sheils Hill Langford Whitecross
Emerg- Ceglar Schoenmakers Anderson

 

[Hawkas1988]

B- Duryea Lake Gibson
HB- Birchall Frawley Suckling
C- Smith Hodge Burgoyne
HF- Bruest Roughead Rioli
F- Gunston Hale Puopolo
R- McEvoy Lewis Mitchell
Int- Sheils Hill Langford Whitecross
Emerg- Ceglar Schoenmakers Anderson

Stratts?

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Is 2015 the year TOB goes past Schoey?

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

It's not a slight on Poppy, more reflection on the depth of talent pushing up. Fwiw I think he'll do well to keep his spot with the likes of Hartung in the mix.

Cant see it. Pops is getting better and his forward pressure is unbelievable. He's still best 18 for mine.

 

[Gunstall555]

I'll give this a shot and stick to Agent Smith's rules:

Back 6
Stratton, Lake, Gibson
Hodge, Frawley, Birchall

Centres
I Smith, Mitchell, B Hill

Foward 6
Breust, Roughead, Puopolo
Rioli, Hale, Gunston

Followers
McEvoy, Burgoyne, Lewis

Interchange
Langford, Suckling, Duryea, Shiels

Emergencies
Anderson, Ceglar, Hartung

Depth Talls Ready to go
Schoenmakers, Spangher, O'Brien, Grimley, Litherland

Depth Mids Ready to go
Woodward, O'Rourke, Whitecross, Simpkin

Developing, most likely won't player senior football in 2015
Tatupu, Heatherly, Brand, Sicily, Willsmore, Webster

Pretty impressive list. Even the guys that most likely won't be playing senior footy this year, a big chunk of them would actually be depth players close to senior gigs at most other clubs. Malthouse almost rates this list up there with a club who has champions on their list like X Richards, Allir & Derixxxx.

 

[Agent Smith]

I have rules? I'm more likely to break 'em than to make 'em...

Edit: Unless, we're talking about the Hodge thing, in which case that's more of a Bible commandment than anything else.

 

[MrFujiMoto]

Best 22 probably wont change as much as we think in the first few rounds, but with Anderson and Whitecross becoming available it could change more from rd3 onwards.

By the end of the season there might be 4 changes from the 22 that killed the $wan$ in the GF, might be 5 or 6. That is barring major injuries of course.

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

Emer: Puopolo - Spangher - Duryea

Very, Very Unlucky: Spangher - Duryea - Puopolo
Very Unlucky: Simpkin - Ceglar - Whitecross
Unlucky: Litherland - O'Rourke - Hartung - Woodward - Schoenmakers

That is 33 guys that can play senior football and would fill the roll very well. It is about 28 guys that could easily be premiership players and about 25 guys that, if left out of a premiership team, should be mighty upset. All that equals amazing depth again. The other side of that is that is a VERY flexible side. those 2 things have me feeling confident about another very good year. We are as much a chance of the flag this year as we were last year. We have a better fixture and, as long as we bank early wins, we should be able to manage Lake, Hodge, Burgers, Mitchell, Gibbo and Hale at times through the year with almost no impact on the ability of the team. If we get a half decent run with injuries this year - LOOK OUT!

 

[killerspud]

Kidding yourselves if you don't think (right now) that Suckling isn't best 22. The club brought him back as soon as they could after he recovered from his knee injury and brought him back from his minor knee injury into a cut-throat preliminary final (sacrificing a club warrior in the process).

You don't play Suckling, then the opponent can tag Birchall and not worry so much about the rebounds out of defensive 50. Play Suckling, and then the opponent's coach has to worry about the rebound offered by Birchall, Suckling and Gibson (plus Hodge and Burgoyne working back into defence).

It was hard to do a best 22 and I left out some really good players who all have a right to be in this team.

Best 22

B Angus Litherland Brian Lake Josh Gibson
HB Grant Birchall James Frawley Ben Stratton
C Brad Hill Sam Mitchell Isaac Smith
HF Paul Puopolo Jack Gunston Luke Breust
F Cyril Rioli Jarryd Roughead David Hale
R Ben McEvoy Luke Hodge Jordan Lewis
I/C Liam Shiels Shaun Burgoyne Matthew Suckling Will Langford

Predicted Future Best 22

B Angus Litherland Kaiden Brand Ben Stratton
HB Grant Birchall James Frawley Matthew Suckling
C Brad Hill Alex Woodward Isaac Smith
HF Jed Anderson Tim O'Brien Jack Gunston
F Luke Breust Jarryd Roughead Cyril Rioli
R Ben McEvoy Jordan Lewis Brendan Whitecross
I/C Jonathan Ceglar Jonathan O'Rourke Liam Shiels Will Langford

I really wanted to put Jed Anderson and Taylor Duryea in but I couldn't. We don't really have a best 22, it's more like a best 25. Also don't take too much notice of the fact that Burgoyne and Langford are on the Bench. Our Predicted Future Best 22 looks pretty good I have to say.

This best 22 is the best 22 no ifs buts or maybes - I couldn't see that side losing to anyone this year if they played

amazing to think we have guys like Whitecross and Simpkin and Ceglar who would walk into most teams best 18 but just can't crack this best 22

 

[dcutter]

An attempt at doing this team has left me with one one glaring question?

Is this potentially the best squad and 22 assembled in the clarkson era?

Can't help but think a strong argument can me made on both accounts.

FB: Stratton, Lake, Gibson
HB: Birchall, Frawley, Hodge
Depth: Litherland, Spangher, Dureya, Schoenmakers

A footballing great wall of china that will frustrate even the most competent attacking forces. The addition of frawley making this the premier defensive unit and best seen since the Spartan armies at the height of their powers of the 6-8th century.

MID: Hill, Mitchell, Smith
Depth: Hartung, O'Rourke

Similar to the Mongol Hordes of the great Ghengis Khan, the hawk outfit now breaks down opponents with astonishing running speed and capacity with sweeping runs up the middle and down the wings complemented by an exquisite skill set that rarely turns the ball over.

HF: Puopolo, Roughead, Rioli
FF: Bruest, Gunston, Hale
Depth: Whitecross, O'Brien, Sicily

Footballings version of Thommo and Lillee. If Roughy doesn’t get you Gunston will. Or Hale. Or Rioli or Bruest.
In many ways the ultimate forward line. A blend of talls and smalls, strength, skill and speed. Best of all? Devastatingly brutal forward pressure. Buddy who?

R: Mcevoy, Lewis, Burgoyne
Depth: Simpkin, Woodward, Ceglar.

Strength, grunt and skill. Like having a tractor, a 4-wheel drive and an aston martin roaming the middle.
Synergy is defined as the combined effort of 2 or more agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their parts. The Hawk midfield also.

Inter: Sheils, Suckling, Langford, Anderson

Akin to baskeballs American Dream Team with Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley on the bench. You simply can’t get them all on the field.

Despite the rise of the Alberton Army north of the border, the Glenferrie army that goes to battle in the autumn of 15’ still boasts superior numbers, skill, strength and experience.

Footballing immortality the prize.

 

[Brant]

FB:.......... Lake.......Gibbo
HB:.........Frawley............
Ce: Hill..................Smith
Ru: McEvoy..Lewis...........
HF:...............................
FF:...........Roughy...........
I/C:...............................

It's futile trying to predict the rest of it. As soon as I get it right Clarko will rotate them all & I go back to looking ridiculous!

Thanks Clarko, for ruining 'Best 22' Threads...

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

I was thinking about the changes between the two gfs the other day, pretty interesting and like for like in most cases.
Simpkin = Duryea.
Guerra = Suckling.
Sewell < Langford.
Bailey < McEvoy.

I think we break even or come our ahead in each of these, the interesting one is Buddy > Spangher. Forward for defender, which probably is down to the strengths of the two oppositions.

In an ideal world what would be the changes for a 2015 premiership team?

Frawley for Spangher is the only obvious one for me. Anderson and hopefully o'rourke will come in, but who for?!

Hale would be the one most at risk for me but who can play his role?

Really tough.

 

[Always Hawks]

Three (potentially) related facts:
1. Clarko is the best coach in the league, and in particular is the best at identifying new strategies and tactics that will give the team a leg up on the competition.
2. The club has recently drafted Isaac Smith, Brad Hill and Billy Hartung - three of the best runners in the entire competition.
3. The league has recently introduced a cap on the number of interchanges teams can make each game.

People here think of Hartung as a back-up for Hill, but I would not be surprised if Clarko has identified some way of unleashing all three in the same team at the same time. When you team those three with Suckling and Birchall (plus the endless faces rotating through the midfield), I could see the team completely blitzing opposition sides with devastating run and carry and use of the footy.

If the above comes to fruition, here is the possible team:

B: Stratton Lake Gibson
HB: Birchall Frawley Burgoyne

C: Smith Mitchell Hill
R: McEvoy Lewis Shiels

HF: Hartung Gunston Hodge
FF: Rioli Roughead Breust

Int: Hale Langford Suckling
Sub: Anderson

Can't believe I can't fit them in the team: Puopolo, Duryea, Whitecross
Excellent further depth: Litherland, Spangher, Schoenmakers, O'Rourke, Simpkin, Woodward, Ceglar, Sicily, O'Brien

 

[tige19]

Kidding yourselves if you don't think (right now) that Suckling isn't best 22. The club brought him back as soon as they could after he recovered from his knee injury and brought him back from his minor knee injury into a cut-throat preliminary final (sacrificing a club warrior in the process).

You don't play Suckling, then the opponent can tag Birchall and not worry so much about the rebounds out of defensive 50. Play Suckling, and then the opponent's coach has to worry about the rebound offered by Birchall, Suckling and Gibson (plus Hodge and Burgoyne working back into defence).

I'm not a fan of Suckling personally, hence the reason the OP state "In your opinion"

 

[tige19]

B: Stratton - Lake - Gibson
HB: Burgoyne - Frawley - Birchall
MID: Smith - Lewis - Hill
HF: Rioli - Gunston - Hodge
FF: Breust - Roughead - Hale
R: McEvoy - Langford - Shiels
Int: Mitchell - Anderson - Puopolo
Sub: O'Rourke/Litherland/Hartung/Suckling

So hard to choose and there will certainly be some bolters but that's the side I like. I was tossing up whether to go Hale or Pop starting and in the end ill go with the guy who can grab the footy. Going to be tough to get games in our side.

 

[Luke_Hodgey_15]

Clarko loves looking to other codes to improve the team/game/club.
If you think about it in terms of soccer, all of the big teams (Chelsea, Man City, Real Madrid, Barcelona etc) basically have an "A team" and a "B team" with players filling specific roles that are easily interchangable between teams. I feel this is the kind of squad we're putting together.

Gunston's "b version" is Sicily
Mitchell's is Woodward
Hodge's is Anderson
Smith's is Hartung
Lake's is Frawley
etc, etc....

I'd be very surprised if we saw Lake and Frawley in the team together more than a handful of times. Neither have elite foot skills and we know how important that is to how we play. Obviously, given the amount of players on the list, and the actually players fielded, players are able to fill a number of roles (Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell, Burgoyne, Shiels, Anderson, Langford, Whitecross and O'Rouke can all play fwd/mid/def)

 

[Taskmaster]

There is no best 22 with Clarko. Its a best 28-32..

But all I know is that Clarko will rotate the side, give guys an opportunity and also there will be an up and comer.
Clarko will spring a surprise, thats for sure, eg:

2008 GF - Cyril Rioli
2013 GF - Jonathon Simpkin
2014 GF - Matt Spangher and Will Langford.
2015 GF (Yes I know Im going early, but whatever...) Angus Litherland, Jon O'Rourke, Billy Hartung, Alex Woodward, Jed Anderson, T O'Brien, Jonathon Ceglar, James Sicily..??????

And I thought we couldnt get any better....Pffft! Seriously, 2015 looks just as good, if not better than 2014.

 

[sven_inc]

I'd love to see the following next year:

Litherland - Lake - Gibson
Birchall - Frawley - Stratton
Smith - Mitchell - Hill
Rioli - Roughead - Langford
Breust - Gunston - Puopolo

McEvoy - Hodge - Lewis

Burgoyne - Anderson - Shiels - Ceglar

The thing I find best/frustrating about this team is I don't have someone who should be the sub. Anderson will be during the year unfortunately but I just want to watch him play!

Woodward, Duryea, Suckling as emergencies.

Hale, Simpkin and Spangher should not realistically get a game next year for me even though they are clearly more than capable. I'd love Ceglar, Langford and Litherland and Anderson get a chance to thrive (form permitting).

Shoey, Whitecross and JOR to find some touch again in the twos.

Hartung, TOB, Siciliy, Webster, Willsmore, Brand and Howe - I'd love to see them play a game or two which they all could apparently.

Happy to have Miles, Pittonet and the rookies develop with a view to seeing them debut next year.

Can't see a lot of dead weight this year which is an amazingly rare position to be in I feel.

It seems every year there are 2-3 newbies who get a few games with a view of building that up the next year. So I'd expext Anderson, Langford, Litherland Ceglar, Duryea and Woodward to become more seasoned with maybe a Sicily or Brand to be that next guy.

 

[Snibs]

Grand Final team minus Spangher and Puopolo. Frawley and Anderson to come in.

 

[sven_inc]

Just on a side note, I count 34 AFL ready players on the list. And another 6 who could debut. In reality only 6 on the list who you wouldn't want to count on to play a role at this stage of the year - Miles, Pittonet, Langford, Hardisty, JML and Shemlingtonshire the 3rd.

But with the majority of the PS ahead of them, who knows how much more ready half of those 6 will be. Wright said the national draftees could play if needed which is amazing depth. Wowee.

 

[WWSD]

Forwards
Jack Gunston 23 (79 games)
Ryan Schoenmakers 24 (79 games)
Tim O'Brien 20 (4 games)
Sam Grimley 23 (3 games)
Dallas Willsmore 19
Shem Tatupu 19

Small-medium forwards
Luke Breust 24 (91 games)
Cyril Rioli 25 (133 games)
Paul Puopolo 27 (88 games)
James Sicily 19
Zac Webster 19
Jermaine Miller-Lewis 18

Rucks
Ben McEvoy 25 (104 games)
David Hale 30 (219 games)
Jonathon Ceglar 23 (17 games)
Marc Pittonet 18

Midfielders
Sam Mitchell 32 (261 games)
Jordan Lewis 28 (217 games)
Liam Shiels 23 (102 games)
Will Langford 22 (20 games)
Jed Anderson 20 (6 games)
Alex Woodward 21 (2 games)
Jared Hardisty 18
Lachlan Langford 18

Outside midfielders
Bradley Hill 21 (51 games)
Isaac Smith 26 (86 games)
Billy Hartung 19 (7 games)
Jonathan O'Rourke 20 (9 games)
Jonathan Simpkin 27 (36 games)

Small-medium defenders
Matt Suckling 26 (77 games)
Josh Gibson 30 (165 games)
Taylor Duryea 23 (41 games)
Grant Birchall 26 (194 games)
Ben Stratton 25 (92 games)
Angus Litherland 22 (13 games)
Daniel Howe 19
Teia Miles 18

Key defenders
Brian Lake 32 (229 games)
James Frawley 26 (139 games)
Matthew Spangher 27 (51 games)
Kaiden Brand 20
Kurt Heatherley 19

Utilities
Jarryd Roughead 27 (207 games)
Shaun Burgoyne 32 (269 games)
Luke Hodge 30 (250 games)
Brendan Whitecross 24 (84 games)


No major weaknesses in any area on our list. We've got a very solid/experienced back six heading into the 2015 season. A three-peat is looking pretty good right about now.

 

[JD1992]

My Take is as follows: -

Litherland - Lake - Gibson
Birchall - Frawley - Stratton
Smith - Mitchell - Hill
Rioli - Roughead - Langford
Breust - Gunston - Puopolo

McEvoy - Hodge - Lewis

Burgoyne - Anderson - Shiels - Ceglar

Ceglar I think will go ahead of Hale, and putting Liquor in means Suckling goes out. I was umming or arring on Anderson vs Hartung for a spot on the bench (with maybe ORourke and Woodward pushing them)

Reason Suckling went is that I think more younger bodies will rotate through the midfield which means Burgoyne/Hodge/Mitchel will spend more time back or fwd unless games in the balance. I expect the most midfield time will be Lewis, Shiels, Langford - Breust will also increase time on the ball and Rioli will start at most first bounce of quarters with limited cameos in. Basically - the whole fwd line will rotate through the middle.

This means genuine ratable depth that have a chance of game time are as follows: -
Rucks: Hale (possible Grimley as a Fwd/Ruck?)
KPP: Shoemakers (B & F), Spangher (B), OBrien (F), Grimley (F), Brand (This one is a bit of a sleeper here)
Mids: Woodward, ORourke, Hartung, Whitecross (SMF), Simpkin
Backs: Dureya (May get a bit of a midfield look in), Suckling
Fwds: Sicily, Webster (both may get some chance - but a long list in front)

SMF - Small medium forward

That means (Excluding (Webster, Siciliy, Brand) we have genuine depth/players pushing - 35 players - great depth, with most basis covered. I cant see any of our new pickups (both National and Rookie draft - except Grimley) will have a chance for any game time next year.

I am willing to say I think we have the best depth in the competition.

 

[Agent Smith]

Forwards
Jack Gunston 23 (79 games)
Ryan Schoenmakers 24 (79 games)
Tim O'Brien 20 (4 games)
Sam Grimley 23 (3 games)
Dallas Willsmore 19
Shem Tatupu 19

Small-medium forwards
Luke Breust 24 (91 games)
Cyril Rioli 25 (133 games)
Paul Puopolo 27 (88 games)
James Sicily 19
Zac Webster 19
Jermaine Miller-Lewis 18

Rucks
Ben McEvoy 25 (104 games)
David Hale 30 (219 games)
Jonathon Ceglar 23 (17 games)
Marc Pittonet 18

Midfielders
Sam Mitchell 32 (261 games)
Jordan Lewis 28 (217 games)
Liam Shiels 23 (102 games)
Will Langford 22 (20 games)
Jed Anderson 20 (6 games)
Alex Woodward 21 (2 games)
Jared Hardisty 18
Lachlan Langford 18

Outside midfielders
Bradley Hill 21 (51 games)
Isaac Smith 26 (86 games)
Billy Hartung 19 (7 games)
Jonathan O'Rourke 20 (9 games)
Jonathan Simpkin 27 (36 games)

Small-medium defenders
Matt Suckling 26 (77 games)
Josh Gibson 30 (165 games)
Taylor Duryea 23 (41 games)
Grant Birchall 26 (194 games)
Ben Stratton 25 (92 games)
Angus Litherland 22 (13 games)
Daniel Howe 19
Teia Miles 18

Key defenders
Brian Lake 32 (229 games)
James Frawley 26 (139 games)
Matthew Spangher 27 (51 games)
Kaiden Brand 20
Kurt Heatherley 19

Utilities
Jarryd Roughead 27 (207 games)
Shaun Burgoyne 32 (269 games)
Luke Hodge 30 (250 games)
Brendan Whitecross 24 (84 games)


No major weaknesses in any area on our list. We've got a very solid/experienced back six heading into the 2015 season. A three-peat is looking pretty good right about now.

Jarryd Roughead a 'utility' and not a forward? Hmm... I'd get rid of the 'utilities' list altogether and place the other three as midfielders. With our game plan, everyone is a 'utility'.

 

[WWSD]

Jarryd Roughead a 'utility' and not a forward? Hmm... I'd get rid of the 'utilities' list altogether and place the other three as midfielders. With our game plan, everyone is a 'utility'.

True to an extent, but Roughy doesn't necessarily play as a 'stay at home' type forward. He spends as much time nowadays in the midfield and he's even seen across half back on occasions.

 

[sven_inc]

My Take is as follows: -

Litherland - Lake - Gibson
Birchall - Frawley - Stratton
Smith - Mitchell - Hill
Rioli - Roughead - Langford
Breust - Gunston - Puopolo

McEvoy - Hodge - Lewis

Burgoyne - Anderson - Shiels - Ceglar

Ceglar I think will go ahead of Hale, and putting Liquor in means Suckling goes out. I was umming or arring on Anderson vs Hartung for a spot on the bench (with maybe ORourke and Woodward pushing them)

Reason Suckling went is that I think more younger bodies will rotate through the midfield which means Burgoyne/Hodge/Mitchel will spend more time back or fwd unless games in the balance. I expect the most midfield time will be Lewis, Shiels, Langford - Breust will also increase time on the ball and Rioli will start at most first bounce of quarters with limited cameos in. Basically - the whole fwd line will rotate through the middle.

This means genuine ratable depth that have a chance of game time are as follows: -
Rucks: Hale (possible Grimley as a Fwd/Ruck?)
KPP: Shoemakers (B & F), Spangher (B), OBrien (F), Grimley (F), Brand (This one is a bit of a sleeper here)
Mids: Woodward, ORourke, Hartung, Whitecross (SMF), Simpkin
Backs: Dureya (May get a bit of a midfield look in), Suckling
Fwds: Sicily, Webster (both may get some chance - but a long list in front)

SMF - Small medium forward

That means (Excluding (Webster, Siciliy, Brand) we have genuine depth/players pushing - 35 players - great depth, with most basis covered. I cant see any of our new pickups (both National and Rookie draft - except Grimley) will have a chance for any game time next year.

I am willing to say I think we have the best depth in the competition.

Best team I've seen