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Well Vardy has never said it but I think I recall Scotty saying Menzel was just ahead of Vardy in his progress so I just assumed Vardy wasn't playing NAB Challenge but I don't know for sure.
Strategy 2015 best side
- Thread starter Catsmaninamerica
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Well Vardy has never said it but I think I recall Scotty saying Menzel was just ahead of Vardy in his progress so I just assumed Vardy wasn't playing NAB Challenge but I don't know for sure.
- Aug 2, 2012
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Well, with the new knee clean-up, he's going to be lucky to make it.
- Aug 15, 2011
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So your best player aint playing finals?
- Aug 15, 2011
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I think your best side is more like this to start with.
Rivers - Lonergan - Bews
Kelly - Taylor - Enright
Duncan - J.Selwood - Mackie
Motlop - Hawkins - Stokes
Stanley - M.Clark - Bartel
HMac/Simpson - SJ - Guthrie
Caddy,
GHS, Thurlow, Smedts, Lang, Cockatoo and other smalls to fight for the last 3 spots.
People on BF continue to put in these young kids but the fact is they are never right and it never happens. Dont worry i see it on my board every year aswell, lets see how they go in NAB before we get carried away.
Rivers - Lonergan - Bews
Kelly - Taylor - Enright
Duncan - J.Selwood - Mackie
Motlop - Hawkins - Stokes
Stanley - M.Clark - Bartel
HMac/Simpson - SJ - Guthrie
Caddy,
GHS, Thurlow, Smedts, Lang, Cockatoo and other smalls to fight for the last 3 spots.
People on BF continue to put in these young kids but the fact is they are never right and it never happens. Dont worry i see it on my board every year aswell, lets see how they go in NAB before we get carried away.
- Aug 2, 2012
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Add Murdoch to the mix, and that's pretty well it for Rd 1, everyone being fit.
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Forgot him, id put him guaranteed best 22 next to Caddy actually.
- Aug 2, 2012
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He's not in our best 22, but he's likely to be in our starting 22. Ditto Blicavs.
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So whos ahead of him from my team then
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I'd have Walker ahead of him but I'm probably only one of the few on here that thinks he's any good. Also Hartman though he's not a tall. Maybe even Jansen but that's hard to say cause he hasn't actually played a game. Also Kersten.
I think if they put Blitz in the VFL and spent some time experimenting with him he could be anything. He could be awesome.
- Jan 30, 2007
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You're not alone on Walker Spazz Cat. While I'm very happy the club recruited Clark I am simultaneously disappointed for Josh, as I always felt he had something to offer and showed in the finals last year that he might be ready to surprise a few people. Perhaps they can both play in the forwardline, though I personally can't see it happening...
Best team in 2018 (assuming no injuries, including menzel):
FB. Bews - Kolodjashnij - Taylor
HB. Guthrie - Blicavs - Thurlow
C. Motlop - Selwood - Duncan
HF. Cockatoo - Vardy - Kersten
FF. Menzel - Hawkins - Lang
Fol. Clark - Caddy - Dangerfield
Int. Stanley - Hartman - Jansen - McCarthy
Backline
- Kolo as the ted richards style FB stopper, Taylor as the rebounding damaging third tall (lesser defensive role, more attacking) and Blicavs as the second tall defender. Blicavs athleticism and height hold him in good stride at CHB.
- Bews to play the lock down defensive role in the nick smith mould (goes underrated but extreme importance to the team).
- Guthrie and Thurlow the Enright and Mackie. Rebounding, safe assured half back flankers.
Midfield
Inside: Selwood, Caddy, Hartman, Dangerfield (fingers crossed).
Inside/outside: Cockatoo, Lang
Outside: Motlop, Duncan
Tagger: Jansen
- I think Hartman will take over from HS in 2016. Has everything HS has but increased athleticism and that smoothness/spark that HS lacks. I think he will be like a bigger version of Stokes and I see HS as quite limited.
- I think Smedts is 50/50 to make it at this stage. If he is to make it, it needs to be in that inside/outside tallish mid role. He needs to improve his contested work in close to go with his agility. At this stage, he is good at weaving in and out, but needs to work out how to get to the ball. I.e. step 1 needs to be learnt before he evades.
- Jansen has all the tools to be an elite tagger imo. Big, contested, strong, defensively minded.
- I think after Clark plays a couple seasons at CHF next to Hawkins, he will be required more in the ruck. We will have options at CHF with Vardy, Stanley and even walker but none in the first ruck when Hmac (and possibly Simpson) retire.
- Stanley is the perfect no.2 ruckman.
- Gore will be the next option to come in and provide a role.
Forward
- Hawkins + Vardy combo with Kersten in his natural third tall position will be a perfect combination.
- Kersten to play the gunstan role and can roost goals from 60m.
- Menzel and McCarthy provide for excellent forward pockets that command respect from defenders. McCarthy to provide extreme tackling pressure.
- Lang to play the chappy role (70 forward / 30 mid time). I think he has the skills to play this role for us. Damaging and classy and would want the ball in his hands going forward of centre.
- Cockatoo 70 mid / 30 forward. Can even run off the hbf in a borgoyne role.
- Don't think Murdoch will quite make it, will always seem to be a 'bit player' and will be overtaken when better options are available.
- Clark and Stanley can rest forward to stretch defences.
- Gregson would be the next option in the forward pocket position.
FB. Bews - Kolodjashnij - Taylor
HB. Guthrie - Blicavs - Thurlow
C. Motlop - Selwood - Duncan
HF. Cockatoo - Vardy - Kersten
FF. Menzel - Hawkins - Lang
Fol. Clark - Caddy - Dangerfield
Int. Stanley - Hartman - Jansen - McCarthy
Backline
- Kolo as the ted richards style FB stopper, Taylor as the rebounding damaging third tall (lesser defensive role, more attacking) and Blicavs as the second tall defender. Blicavs athleticism and height hold him in good stride at CHB.
- Bews to play the lock down defensive role in the nick smith mould (goes underrated but extreme importance to the team).
- Guthrie and Thurlow the Enright and Mackie. Rebounding, safe assured half back flankers.
Midfield
Inside: Selwood, Caddy, Hartman, Dangerfield (fingers crossed).
Inside/outside: Cockatoo, Lang
Outside: Motlop, Duncan
Tagger: Jansen
- I think Hartman will take over from HS in 2016. Has everything HS has but increased athleticism and that smoothness/spark that HS lacks. I think he will be like a bigger version of Stokes and I see HS as quite limited.
- I think Smedts is 50/50 to make it at this stage. If he is to make it, it needs to be in that inside/outside tallish mid role. He needs to improve his contested work in close to go with his agility. At this stage, he is good at weaving in and out, but needs to work out how to get to the ball. I.e. step 1 needs to be learnt before he evades.
- Jansen has all the tools to be an elite tagger imo. Big, contested, strong, defensively minded.
- I think after Clark plays a couple seasons at CHF next to Hawkins, he will be required more in the ruck. We will have options at CHF with Vardy, Stanley and even walker but none in the first ruck when Hmac (and possibly Simpson) retire.
- Stanley is the perfect no.2 ruckman.
- Gore will be the next option to come in and provide a role.
Forward
- Hawkins + Vardy combo with Kersten in his natural third tall position will be a perfect combination.
- Kersten to play the gunstan role and can roost goals from 60m.
- Menzel and McCarthy provide for excellent forward pockets that command respect from defenders. McCarthy to provide extreme tackling pressure.
- Lang to play the chappy role (70 forward / 30 mid time). I think he has the skills to play this role for us. Damaging and classy and would want the ball in his hands going forward of centre.
- Cockatoo 70 mid / 30 forward. Can even run off the hbf in a borgoyne role.
- Don't think Murdoch will quite make it, will always seem to be a 'bit player' and will be overtaken when better options are available.
- Clark and Stanley can rest forward to stretch defences.
- Gregson would be the next option in the forward pocket position.
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Hed be taking Clarks spot though, not Murdochs.
Only so many big or slow talls you can play with already having HMac/Simpson + M.Clark + Hawkins + R.Stanley (i know not slow) plus 3 pretty slow big talls down back aswell.
I know Scott showed he doesnt mind playing a few but last year you didnt have Clark or Stanley. I can only see him going with 4 in the front half of the field. Maybe Blitz gets a run aswell but that would be it.
Again Jansen - yet to even debut.
Kersten yet to prove himself, club has shown that maybe they dont think hes as good as what some think he is with the recruiting of Clark and Stanley. Again maybe a powerful athlete as Q.Lynch is but not able to apply anywhere near enough pressure especially again with the likes of Hawkins, Simpson/Hmac, Clark and Stanley.
Murdochs potential position isnt impacted by any of these. Smedts, GHS, Thurlow would be the ones however i like Murdochs speed without Varcoe and Christensen.
- Jan 30, 2007
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While you've made some massive assumptions (Menzel, Vardy and Clark all playing - the latter being 31 in 2018), I like the general idea, and am optimistic about our prospects. Having a crack myself (changes from your team in bold):
FB. Bews - Kolodjashnij - Taylor
HB. Guthrie - Blicavs - Thurlow
C. Motlop - Selwood - Duncan
HF. Cockatoo - Walker - Kersten
FF. Gregson - Hawkins - Lang
Fol. Clark - Caddy - Dangerfield
Int. Stanley - Hartman - GHS - Gore
Out from your team: Menzel, Vardy, McCarthy, Jansen
No doubt there'll be blokes we haven't even heard of yet, but I think the above shows that we now have on the list a good number of young players to develop who hopefully will get lots of opportunities from 2016 onwards.
Stan The Caddy
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I reckon Murdoch is going to prove a few people wrong next year. I've got him down for 30+ goals. 
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Next year or this year, Stan?I reckon Murdoch is going to prove a few people wrong next year. I've got him down for 30+ goals.
I reckon he's capable of it in 2015...
Is that "everyone being fit" as in "everyone on the playing list being fit, including Vardy and Menzel and anyone else who is currently unfit", or "everyone being fit, except Vardy and Menzel" ?
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Fair nuff. I was talking bout Blitz though not Murdoch.
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No, it's everyone being fit as at Rd 1, because Vardy and Menzel would start in the 2nds.
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Yes, noted, I was only saying the 2 of them won't be playing 1sts Rd 1 because even if they're injury recovered, they won't be match fit.
- Aug 2, 2012
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I don't know what's going to happen with either of them.
Pure_Ownage
TheBrownDog
I watched the final round game of Adelaide vs St Kilda and Stanley rucked most of it and did fairly well against a very good ruckman. While I think we overpaid in the trade the new ruck rules preventing rucks wrestling at throw ins suit a ruck like Stanley who relies on leap over strength, and he can use his running power to push forward around the ground.
I think we all agree McIntosh is our best ruckman but we realise this is his last year before retirement and he has chronic leg issues, which means he needs to be managed (support within games and weeks off) or else he will be missing in finals as happened for the North game. And putting Stanley in the ruck is a better idea than putting Clark or Walker or Vardy there (I also think Stanley is a much better actual tap ruckman than Blitz although Blitz gives a lot of other benefits around the ground)
The other way to look at it is this, if Geelong gave up pick #21 to play Stanley as a permanent forward and therefore play one or both of Walker and Kersten exclusively in the vfl for the next 2 years, that's fairly silly given Walker's two good finals this year, and not a smart use of resources. If however we gave up #21 because we don't think Simpson will medically make it back from these operations, and we know McIntosh needs support and to be managed and we don't want to risk Clark's foot in the ruck, then the trade makes some sense. We still overpaid on the trade, but at least there's a reason for it. So I think Stanley is going to play a lot of ruck for Geelong this year.
David the Cat
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- #1,349
Agree and understand your post, and particularly the bolded above.. I can go with Stanley as a relief ruck man, but on my observations at least, thats about all we should expect from him as a ruck option.
I still think he could play the "roaming CHF" leaving an open forward line for Hawkins and Clark to prosper in…with pacy crumbers around to feed off them…
That would make it hard for Walker and Kersten though, so I may be a mile off the mark. Wouldn't be the first time.
Stan The Caddy
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