2016 - Best 22

[Eaglespur]

Thats right yeh. Tom's been able to put on a few kg's since the start of 2015 which is great.

For the record Birchall is a KP size (193cm, 94kg in 2015 IIRC) but generally doesn't need to play that role because of most recently Lake, Frawley and Gibson filling taller defensive roles. Allows Birchall to take a more nimble medium to small forard, something Barrass could do as well maybe?

I'd say Schoey would be more likely to take the "Birchall" role with Emac back - from what i've seen Barrass is more of a Gov type crash packs and take contested marks and spring a quick counter with good foot skills - who knows how he'll develop. Good situation to be in .

 

[Suma Magic]

I think Barrass is around 196. Think ideally he would be our CHB, with someone else at FB taking the massive forward.

 

[RookiePick]

Didn't even break his arm

Hill > Lecras

 

[Dark Sharks]

Stop talking s**t about the reigning Ross Glendinning medalist. Only Eastern Rangers is allowed to do that.

 

[Max zero]

Hill is in my B22 btw. (So is Masten for the moment ). Definitely don't see it as an either/or personally. I've been arguing in Hill's favour a lot on here in previous months. But I do agree with people perceiving his work rate as under average and that he comes and goes in games. My question was more about how we could leverage even more from him. We got 45 goals out of LeCras but he also assists in a heap more. Cripps kicked 34 but his pressure inside forward 50 was the best in the league and contributed a lot of our scoring. Therefore can't we expect more of Hill? If Hill delivered even a fraction of what LeCras and Cripps give us on top of goal kicking then he'd be a clear lock for B22.

Mate I would love it if Hill gained the defensive edge of Cripps or the midfield ability of Lecras while also keeping his offensive edge.

But then he would probably be one of the better players in the league.

My point is we high some pretty high expectations of Hill.

Masten on the other hand gives several seasons of mediocrity and people are all to willing to give him another year just on the off chance he can be more then mediocre.

Every other main midfielder (Priddis, Shuey, Gaff, Yeo, etc) we had started behind Masten, matched his level then surpassed it.

Yet I wouldn't be surprised (although disappointed) if he starts next year at thr expense of a Duggan.

 

[avishka5]

barrass is harry taylor Mk2. will be around 196cm's 102-98kgs and best suited to playing on second or third talls and peeling off to intercept and help out his fellow defenders. His also very athletic and much more than GOV. He is the key to release GOv into the foward line.

 

[getgaff]

Masten on the other hand gives several seasons of mediocrity and people are all to willing to give him another year just on the off chance he can be more then mediocre.

Yet I wouldn't be surprised (although disappointed) if he starts next year at thr expense of a Duggan.

Mast needs to life his output, no doubt about that. Taken his spot for granted for far to long now, which he shouldn't be doing.

Thats why I hope he looks at the example of Wellingham who in 2014 may have taken his spot for granted, got the rocket he needed than in 2015 reinvented himself as a defender rather than say Scott Selwood who even when not injured struggled to be best 22.

Masten needs to play to his full potential others he will lose his spot, needs to realise that. Looking specifically at Round 1 but there is less genuine midfield experience pushing up in Masten's role. Partington is the most likely maybe and Rosa would have been if not been traded. Hutchings is a different style of midfielder who may get early chances with Redden being on a modified program. The players looking to force Masten out are relatively new to the AFL system so in R1 they won't be selected ahead of him. I'd be pleased for them to surpass him in the pecking order early in the season but.

As for the second point the only good reasoning behind Masten being selected and Duggan an emergency or outside the 25 is if Duggan was to have a setback or wasn't deemed ready to return to AFL yet. Need to remember Duggan hasn't played in a competitive match since mid July and the club will be cautious with his return, no need to rush it.

 

[avishka5]

Mast needs to life his output, no doubt about that. Taken his spot for granted for far to long now, which he shouldn't be doing.

Thats why I hope he looks at the example of Wellingham who in 2014 may have taken his spot for granted, got the rocket he needed than in 2015 reinvented himself as a defender rather than say Scott Selwood who even when not injured struggled to be best 22.

Masten needs to play to his full potential others he will lose his spot, needs to realise that. Looking specifically at Round 1 but there is less genuine midfield experience pushing up in Masten's role. Partington is the most likely maybe and Rosa would have been if not been traded. Hutchings is a different style of midfielder who may get early chances with Redden being on a modified program. The players looking to force Masten out are relatively new to the AFL system so in R1 they won't be selected ahead of him. I'd be pleased for them to surpass him in the pecking order early in the season but.

As for the second point the only good reasoning behind Masten being selected and Duggan an emergency or outside the 25 is if Duggan was to have a setback or wasn't deemed ready to return to AFL yet. Need to remember Duggan hasn't played in a competitive match since mid July and the club will be cautious with his return, no need to rush it.

Scott selwood was average toward sthe end as he had close to no preseason in 2 years and played while still sore/injured.

 

[iLikeIt]

So who's your preference as backup to NN -> Lycett, Giles or McInnes?

 

[ChampRevesby]

So who's your preference as backup to NN -> Lycett, Giles or McInnes?

Lycett has a pretty high ceiling so the more games he gets the better off we will be.

 

[getgaff]

So who's your preference as backup to NN -> Lycett, Giles or McInnes?

Lycett my preference, Giles putting pressure on from behind, than McInnes

 

[Dark Sharks]

Lycett my preference, Giles putting pressure on from behind, than McInnes

 

[BS_82]

Mast needs to life his output, no doubt about that. Taken his spot for granted for far to long now, which he shouldn't be doing.

Thats why I hope he looks at the example of Wellingham who in 2014 may have taken his spot for granted, got the rocket he needed than in 2015 reinvented himself as a defender rather than say Scott Selwood who even when not injured struggled to be best 22.

Masten needs to play to his full potential others he will lose his spot, needs to realise that. Looking specifically at Round 1 but there is less genuine midfield experience pushing up in Masten's role. Partington is the most likely maybe and Rosa would have been if not been traded. Hutchings is a different style of midfielder who may get early chances with Redden being on a modified program. The players looking to force Masten out are relatively new to the AFL system so in R1 they won't be selected ahead of him. I'd be pleased for them to surpass him in the pecking order early in the season but.

As for the second point the only good reasoning behind Masten being selected and Duggan an emergency or outside the 25 is if Duggan was to have a setback or wasn't deemed ready to return to AFL yet. Need to remember Duggan hasn't played in a competitive match since mid July and the club will be cautious with his return, no need to rush it.

The only effective rocket thus far has been shown to be that which is present in one year contracts, Hill and Wellingham are abject proof of this.

Maybe time for Masten to be placed on one year contracts...

 

[iLikeIt]

I got inspired by getgaff's detailed team write-up a while back, so I decided to have a bash myself. With our depth it's pretty hard to select a B22 but here's my speculative analysis of what I think might work best.

Full Back Line Will Schofield ~ Eric MacKenzie ~ Shannon Hurn

Schofield found his calling when EMac and Brown were injured, increasing his size, and with the help of the ‘web’ he did great negating key forwards last year. Getting to work alongside MacKenzie this year should make our defence very solid against teams with taller forward lines.

MacKenzie is still our best one-on-one key defender and should slot nicely back in to full back. Can see him being used to negate the primary key forward each week whilst also having the flexibility to leave his man and assist our other defenders with spoils or extra man up in contested marking contests.

Hurn won’t have to play as tall in 2016, giving him more opportunity to run down field through the middle, kicking long bullets inside 50 and slotting some 50-70m goals. His main responsibility from the back pocket will be kicking out of our defensive 50 in general play and his almost exclusive role with kick-ins should continue.

Half Back Line Sharrod Wellingham ~ Jeremy McGovern ~ Brad Sheppard

Wellingham certainly found his ideal role in 2015. His ability to zone, negate small defenders and provide quality transition with ball in hand out of defence will be important again for us in 2016.

The Gov is simply too valuable for us as an intercept marker, and I am predicting he will develop even further and dominate the league in this area in 2016. Nobody in our team reads the ball better and therefore he is clearly our best option at CHB. Can see them swinging him forward in games when we are down and need a spark but expect he will still spend the vast majority of his time down back.

Sheppard should secure his spot as arguably our most versatile defender. Last year he proved he can play on both smalls or talls as required. In 2016 I can see him providing more intercept and contested marking across the half back line whilst also growing his confidence to use his speed to run the ball out of defence.

Center Line Lewis Jetta ~ Matt Priddis ~ Andrew Gaff

Jetta is a potential game winner. Not expecting him to rack up the same disposal numbers as Gaff but anticipating half a dozen explosive plays each game where he provides the key ingredient and spark to transition the ball from half back to half forward quickly and effectively. His silky inside 50 entries and ability to kick goals from outside 50 will add to our already potent forward line. I can also see him lining up behind the ball at centre bounces on occasion (as a 7th defender effectively) providing an extra outlet at pace on the outside that’s almost impossible to stop. This would allow a high half forward shifting up to replace his position on the wing (eg LeCras, Cripps).

Priddis is the centrepiece of our engine room. There is a clear correlation between first possession and clearances to being scored against. He not only gives our runners first use and the best chance of moving the ball forward from centre bounces and stoppages but his best in the league inside defensive work also helps ensure the opposition doesn’t get easy clearances, stopping them from moving the ball forward to score quickly.

Gaff was clearly our breakout player last season and can see him improving even further this year. Think he’ll stay on the outside primarily as his work rate and class receiving and delivering inside 50 is superb. He spent 90% time on the ground last season – pretty impressive for a midfielder!

Followers Nic Natanui ~ Jack Redden ~ Luke Shuey

I think Natanui’s improvement is perhaps the main ingredient we need in the next final series to go one step further. His ruck work and particularly hit outs to advantage are already league leading but I still get the sense he’s got at least another gear to go to. He often sets the intensity for the entire team from that first bounce so we need him to maintain his centre clearance aggressiveness throughout this season. And to become more imposing and damaging when he rests forward.

Redden, once fit, should take our midfield to another level. His capabilities are a fair way beyond the options we had playing ruck rover last season, and having his extra height in amongst it all should help also. It may take him a season to settle in fully but I’m still expecting pretty big things from him in 2016.

Shuey also has another gear to go to. At his best he is brilliant but we need similar consistency that the rovers from the other top teams deliver irrespective of tags. With more options rotating through the middle, Shuey will hopefully get more room to move and be able to take greater advantage of his explosiveness in clearances.

Half Forward Line Tom Lamb ~ Jack Darling ~ Mark LeCras

Although easily the most inexperienced in my B22, In my opinion Lamb provides exactly what we need to add to our forward line. Another tall mobile target that has the tank to run their defender ragged, the defensive aggressiveness to provide pressure in the forward 50, and an ability to make strong leads and take a contested grab as required. He’s had both Priddis and Darling calling him out as the next big thing at our club, he’s a potential big reward for minimal risk, and he’ll develop a lot quicker playing alongside our best forwards in AFL games than he will in the WAFL. Expecting him to back up my high expectations in the NAB games and catch the eye of selectors once again. He may not get here this year but you've got to have one speculative pick in every B22 surely!

Predicting Darling will get back to his best this year. Having Lamb (or other KPF) drawing a tall defender deep should mean Darling can play out of CHF without always being swamped by defenders. Having JK, LeCras, Darling and Lamb synchronising their leading patterns should provide our midfielders with plenty of options when kicking in to our forward half.

LeCras is our most precise forward and am expecting him to remain just as consistent throughout 2016. He may pinch hit in the middle (and possibly off half back) but think he’ll be more effective staying put most of the time in the forward line, partnering almost telepathically with JK to maximise our scoring efficiency.

Full Forward Line Josh Hill ~ Josh Kennedy ~ Jamie Cripps

With 40 goals last year you have to at least tentatively make room in the forward pocket for our goal sneak Hill. Expecting him to considerably up his forward pressure in 2016 in order to retain his spot. If he were to drop out I can see us slotting another midfielder into our forward line. I wouldn’t be adverse to him rotating through on the wing either as it may help bring him into games earlier.

Kennedy is in his prime and likely will be for a few more years yet. He will remain being our number one target inside 50 playing from full forward. Having both Darling and Lamb playing alongside should make it even more difficult for the opposition to man up. He is almost unstoppable at his best and I expect his goal haul to be similar in 2016 with our further improved delivery inside 50.

Cripps is the number one pressure forward in the league. His work rate is unbelievable and in 2016 I can see him pinch hitting regularly in the midfield. Expecting they will also encourage him to be less selfless and take a few more shots for goal himself this year.

Interchange Scott Lycett ~ Elliott Yeo ~ Dom Sheed/Chris Masten ~ Liam Duggan/Sam Butler

Lycett should be feeling the pressure to perform in 2016. He will need to prove himself both as a reliable backup ruckman and as a capable tall forward. If he doesn’t, I can see Giles or McInnes being given his spot without much fuss.

I have Yeo on the bench primarily because I am not certain where he’ll play. He is easily our most versatile player. He could play inside or outside or in the half forward line or in the half back line. I am hoping he gets to play on the ball in 2016 because I think that will result in him taking his game to another level. Assuming he doesn’t remain a perpetual ‘Mr Fixit’ I am predicting Yeo will be our breakout player for 2016.

Despite Masten’s lack of popularity on BF, his output from his link up role out of defence last year, plus his elite endurance should see him with a spot in our B22 at the start of the season. With Jetta in and Yeo able to slot in on the wing, his position is far from secure though.

Sheed deserves a spot in the B22 after playing almost every game last season and being relative consistent throughout. I think he flourishes when used on the inside rather than the outside, so am hoping he rotates between the centre and HFF but no doubt he'll play on the wing at times as well.

Butler is one of our most experienced and composed defenders and I think he will play his role and slot in as required in the back line to negate small forwards and provide reliable rebound out of defence. With EMac back and plenty of upcoming young mid talent I can see him potentially getting pushed out of our line-up though.

There is no denying Duggan is our future superstar and am very much hoping we get to see him play almost every game in 2016. Given his success playing as a negating defender at times last season I could see him being versatile enough to play anywhere from HBF through to HFF and therefore pushing Butler out of the 22.

Quality Depth

Mark Hutchings – he’s not going to dazzle you but he is an incredibly solid inside midfielder to have available on our list. He could even surprise many a BF fan by securing a spot in the B22, especially if he recaptures some of his form from 2013.

Fraser McInnes – thought he was pretty good when he slotted in last year and seems to have been consistently good in the WAFL. With his versatility as a ruck, a forward and a defender I could see us experimenting with him in the line up if Lycett doesn’t step up or we get an injury to a key forward.

Jonathan Giles – a better player than people give credit for, particularly as a tall forward. With he and McInnes available, I wouldn’t be so sure to lock in Lycett as our best backup ruck option just yet.

Mitch Brown – the game plan and style has changed a lot since 2014 with a much more mobile defensive unit. Brown will have to adapt to get selected in 2016. Can potentially see him slotting in at full back, allowing EMac to roam a bit more. Have been rumours he has also been tried out forward but I can’t see that happening.

Xavier Ellis – another experienced defender who can slot in at half back, man up on a small forward and provide reliable disposal from defence.

Less Likely Depth

Malcolm Karpany – best opportunity will be as a small forward but not sure he’ll get given a chance. Possible delist at end of season.

Jamie Bennell – offers some pace out of defence, can negate small defenders but inconsistency and questionable disposal and decision making at times. Possible delist at end of season.

Patrick McGinnity – seems to be on our list purely as defensive forward depth. Not a great deal of upside to him other than his intensity. Possible delist at end of season.

Developing Nicely

Tom Barrass - got some great AFL exposure in 2015. Still has a fair bit of development before he is ahead of Schoey and Brown, so can see him spending this year in the WAFL barring any injuries. No doubt they will be working on his one-on-one contested work this year. Although I can already see a role given his similar vision and intercept marking to slot in at CHB and allowing Gov to swing forward more in future years.

Jackson Nelson – an up-and-comer who no doubt got more exposure last year than he would have expected. Might find selection harder this year but should still line up in a few games. Predicting he’ll become a really solid and regular defender for us once some of the older guys start hanging up the boots.

Luke Partington – excited to hear he is working closely with Shuey. Can see him developing into a second rover for us. Already with clean hands and good pace, if they can add some explosiveness to his arsenal this year he could debut late in the year or almost certainly will in 2017 and rotate both through the inside and outside.

Tom Cole – can see them focussing Cole’s development as a half-back initially. His composure whilst under pressure is a good starting point.

Kyle Mutimer – know very little about him but looking forward to seeing him on the wing and at HBF in WAFL once he gets out of rehab.

Matthew Allen – our quality unexpected 4th draft who seems has a great contested mark. Lots to like about him from his highlights packages and will interesting to track his development and progress through WAFL this year.

Jordan Snadden – bullish about our only 1st year rookie. Thought his potential was underrated during the draft and the training reports so far have only solidified that point of view. Not sure he will be ready to debut this year, so not sure we’ll upgrade him yet but hopeful he’ll develop in to our next versatile utility midfielder.

Paddy Brophy – performance at WAFL last year as a medium defender seemed solid and consistent. A good in between height range for a defender that none of our other defenders fit into. Could see him being a versatile that could play against small or tall. Developing nicely but not sure he’ll debut this year.

Corey Adamson – did well in his first season returning to football at WAFL level. Think he may need another year developing before he debuts personally. Liking that he is being prepared to play as both a defender and a midfielder.

Miscellaneous

Alec Waterman – will likely be out for the whole season but expect him to remain on the rookie list in 2017.

Kane Lucas, Brant Colledge, Simon Tunbridge – not super excited by any of these other rookies but they'll be solid players again for East Perth this year. Suspect all three might be delists at the end of season.

 

[WCEswift]

I got inspired by getgaff's detailed team write-up a while back, so I decided to have a bash myself. With our depth it's pretty hard to select a B22 but here's my speculative analysis of what I think might work best.

Full Back Line Will Schofield ~ Eric MacKenzie ~ Shannon Hurn

Schofield found his calling when EMac and Brown were injured, increasing his size, and with the help of the ‘web’ he did great negating key forwards last year. Getting to work alongside MacKenzie this year should make our defence very solid against teams with taller forward lines.

MacKenzie is still our best one-on-one key defender and should slot nicely back in to full back. Can see him being used to negate the primary key forward each week whilst also having the flexibility to leave his man and assist our other defenders with spoils or extra man up in contested marking contests.

Hurn won’t have to play as tall in 2016, giving him more opportunity to run down field through the middle, kicking long bullets inside 50 and slotting some 50-70m goals. His main responsibility from the back pocket will be kicking out of our defensive 50 in general play and his almost exclusive role with kick-ins should continue.

Half Back Line Sharrod Wellingham ~ Jeremy McGovern ~ Brad Sheppard

Wellingham certainly found his ideal role in 2015. His ability to zone, negate small defenders and provide quality transition with ball in hand out of defence will be important again for us in 2016.

The Gov is simply too valuable for us as an intercept marker, and I am predicting he will develop even further and dominate the league in this area in 2016. Nobody in our team reads the ball better and therefore he is clearly our best option at CHB. Can see them swinging him forward in games when we are down and need a spark but expect he will still spend the vast majority of his time down back.

Sheppard should secure his spot as arguably our most versatile defender. Last year he proved he can play on both smalls or talls as required. In 2016 I can see him providing more intercept and contested marking across the half back line whilst also growing his confidence to use his speed to run the ball out of defence.

Center Line Lewis Jetta ~ Matt Priddis ~ Andrew Gaff

Jetta is a potential game winner. Not expecting him to rack up the same disposal numbers as Gaff but anticipating half a dozen explosive plays each game where he provides the key ingredient and spark to transition the ball from half back to half forward quickly and effectively. His silky inside 50 entries and ability to kick goals from outside 50 will add to our already potent forward line. I can also see him lining up behind the ball at centre bounces on occasion (as a 7th defender effectively) providing an extra outlet at pace on the outside that’s almost impossible to stop. This would allow a high half forward shifting up to replace his position on the wing (eg LeCras, Cripps).

Priddis is the centrepiece of our engine room. There is a clear correlation between first possession and clearances to being scored against. He not only gives our runners first use and the best chance of moving the ball forward from centre bounces and stoppages but his best in the league inside defensive work also helps ensure the opposition doesn’t get easy clearances, stopping them from moving the ball forward to score quickly.

Gaff was clearly our breakout player last season and can see him improving even further this year. Think he’ll stay on the outside primarily as his work rate and class receiving and delivering inside 50 is superb. He spent 90% time on the ground last season – pretty impressive for a midfielder!

Followers Nic Natanui ~ Jack Redden ~ Luke Shuey

I think Natanui’s improvement is perhaps the main ingredient we need in the next final series to go one step further. His ruck work and particularly hit outs to advantage are already league leading but I still get the sense he’s got at least another gear to go to. He often sets the intensity for the entire team from that first bounce so we need him to maintain his centre clearance aggressiveness throughout this season. And to become more imposing and damaging when he rests forward.

Redden, once fit, should take our midfield to another level. His capabilities are a fair way beyond the options we had playing ruck rover last season, and having his extra height in amongst it all should help also. It may take him a season to settle in fully but I’m still expecting pretty big things from him in 2016.

Shuey also has another gear to go to. At his best he is brilliant but we need similar consistency that the rovers from the other top teams deliver irrespective of tags. With more options rotating through the middle, Shuey will hopefully get more room to move and be able to take greater advantage of his explosiveness in clearances.

Half Forward Line Tom Lamb ~ Jack Darling ~ Mark LeCras

Although easily the most inexperienced in my B22, In my opinion Lamb provides exactly what we need to add to our forward line. Another tall mobile target that has the tank to run their defender ragged, the defensive aggressiveness to provide pressure in the forward 50, and an ability to make strong leads and take a contested grab as required. He’s had both Priddis and Darling calling him out as the next big thing at our club, he’s a potential big reward for minimal risk, and he’ll develop a lot quicker playing alongside our best forwards in AFL games than he will in the WAFL. Expecting him to back up my high expectations in the NAB games and catch the eye of selectors once again. He may not get here this year but you've got to have one speculative pick in every B22 surely!

Predicting Darling will get back to his best this year. Having Lamb (or other KPF) drawing a tall defender deep should mean Darling can play out of CHF without always being swamped by defenders. Having JK, LeCras, Darling and Lamb synchronising their leading patterns should provide our midfielders with plenty of options when kicking in to our forward half.

LeCras is our most precise forward and am expecting him to remain just as consistent throughout 2016. He may pinch hit in the middle (and possibly off half back) but think he’ll be more effective staying put most of the time in the forward line, partnering almost telepathically with JK to maximise our scoring efficiency.

Full Forward Line Josh Hill ~ Josh Kennedy ~ Jamie Cripps

With 40 goals last year you have to at least tentatively make room in the forward pocket for our goal sneak Hill. Expecting him to considerably up his forward pressure in 2016 in order to retain his spot. If he were to drop out I can see us slotting another midfielder into our forward line. I wouldn’t be adverse to him rotating through on the wing either as it may help bring him into games earlier.

Kennedy is in his prime and likely will be for a few more years yet. He will remain being our number one target inside 50 playing from full forward. Having both Darling and Lamb playing alongside should make it even more difficult for the opposition to man up. He is almost unstoppable at his best and I expect his goal haul to be similar in 2016 with our further improved delivery inside 50.

Cripps is the number one pressure forward in the league. His work rate is unbelievable and in 2016 I can see him pinch hitting regularly in the midfield. Expecting they will also encourage him to be less selfless and take a few more shots for goal himself this year.

Interchange Scott Lycett ~ Elliott Yeo ~ Dom Sheed/Chris Masten ~ Liam Duggan/Sam Butler

Lycett should be feeling the pressure to perform in 2016. He will need to prove himself both as a reliable backup ruckman and as a capable tall forward. If he doesn’t, I can see Giles or McInnes being given his spot without much fuss.

I have Yeo on the bench primarily because I am not certain where he’ll play. He is easily our most versatile player. He could play inside or outside or in the half forward line or in the half back line. I am hoping he gets to play on the ball in 2016 because I think that will result in him taking his game to another level. Assuming he doesn’t remain a perpetual ‘Mr Fixit’ I am predicting Yeo will be our breakout player for 2016.

Despite Masten’s lack of popularity on BF, his output from his link up role out of defence last year, plus his elite endurance should see him with a spot in our B22 at the start of the season. With Jetta in and Yeo able to slot in on the wing, his position is far from secure though.

Sheed deserves a spot in the B22 after playing almost every game last season and being relative consistent throughout. I think he flourishes when used on the inside rather than the outside, so am hoping he rotates between the centre and HFF but no doubt he'll play on the wing at times as well.

Butler is one of our most experienced and composed defenders and I think he will play his role and slot in as required in the back line to negate small forwards and provide reliable rebound out of defence. With EMac back and plenty of upcoming young mid talent I can see him potentially getting pushed out of our line-up though.

There is no denying Duggan is our future superstar and am very much hoping we get to see him play almost every game in 2016. Given his success playing as a negating defender at times last season I could see him being versatile enough to play anywhere from HBF through to HFF and therefore pushing Butler out of the 22.

Quality Depth

Mark Hutchings – he’s not going to dazzle you but he is an incredibly solid inside midfielder to have available on our list. He could even surprise many a BF fan by securing a spot in the B22, especially if he recaptures some of his form from 2013.

Fraser McInnes – thought he was pretty good when he slotted in last year and seems to have been consistently good in the WAFL. With his versatility as a ruck, a forward and a defender I could see us experimenting with him in the line up if Lycett doesn’t step up or we get an injury to a key forward.

Jonathan Giles – a better player than people give credit for, particularly as a tall forward. With he and McInnes available, I wouldn’t be so sure to lock in Lycett as our best backup ruck option just yet.

Mitch Brown – the game plan and style has changed a lot since 2014 with a much more mobile defensive unit. Brown will have to adapt to get selected in 2016. Can potentially see him slotting in at full back, allowing EMac to roam a bit more. Have been rumours he has also been tried out forward but I can’t see that happening.

Xavier Ellis – another experienced defender who can slot in at half back, man up on a small forward and provide reliable disposal from defence.

Less Likely Depth

Malcolm Karpany – best opportunity will be as a small forward but not sure he’ll get given a chance. Possible delist at end of season.

Jamie Bennell – offers some pace out of defence, can negate small defenders but inconsistency and questionable disposal and decision making at times. Possible delist at end of season.

Patrick McGinnity – seems to be on our list purely as defensive forward depth. Not a great deal of upside to him other than his intensity. Possible delist at end of season.

Developing Nicely

Tom Barrass - got some great AFL exposure in 2015. Still has a fair bit of development before he is ahead of Schoey and Brown, so can see him spending this year in the WAFL barring any injuries. No doubt they will be working on his one-on-one contested work this year. Although I can already see a role given his similar vision and intercept marking to slot in at CHB and allowing Gov to swing forward more in future years.

Jackson Nelson – an up-and-comer who no doubt got more exposure last year than he would have expected. Might find selection harder this year but should still line up in a few games. Predicting he’ll become a really solid and regular defender for us once some of the older guys start hanging up the boots.

Luke Partington – excited to hear he is working closely with Shuey. Can see him developing into a second rover for us. Already with clean hands and good pace, if they can add some explosiveness to his arsenal this year he could debut late in the year or almost certainly will in 2017 and rotate both through the inside and outside.

Tom Cole – can see them focussing Cole’s development as a half-back initially. His composure whilst under pressure is a good starting point.

Kyle Mutimer – know very little about him but looking forward to seeing him on the wing and at HBF in WAFL once he gets out of rehab.

Matthew Allen – our quality unexpected 4th draft who seems has a great contested mark. Lots to like about him from his highlights packages and will interesting to track his development and progress through WAFL this year.

Jordan Snadden – bullish about our only 1st year rookie. Thought his potential was underrated during the draft and the training reports so far have only solidified that point of view. Not sure he will be ready to debut this year, so not sure we’ll upgrade him yet but hopeful he’ll develop in to our next versatile utility midfielder.

Paddy Brophy – performance at WAFL last year as a medium defender seemed solid and consistent. A good in between height range for a defender that none of our other defenders fit into. Could see him being a versatile that could play against small or tall. Developing nicely but not sure he’ll debut this year.

Corey Adamson – did well in his first season returning to football at WAFL level. Think he may need another year developing before he debuts personally. Liking that he is being prepared to play as both a defender and a midfielder.

Miscellaneous

Alec Waterman – will likely be out for the whole season but expect him to remain on the rookie list in 2017.

Kane Lucas, Brant Colledge, Simon Tunbridge – not super excited by any of these other rookies but they'll be solid players again for East Perth this year. Suspect all three might be delists at the end of season.

Not bad, Lamb suprised me if not him at hff Duggan that silk coming inside 50 would be lush

 

[avishka5]

I got inspired by getgaff's detailed team write-up a while back, so I decided to have a bash myself. With our depth it's pretty hard to select a B22 but here's my speculative analysis of what I think might work best.

Full Back Line Will Schofield ~ Eric MacKenzie ~ Shannon Hurn

Schofield found his calling when EMac and Brown were injured, increasing his size, and with the help of the ‘web’ he did great negating key forwards last year. Getting to work alongside MacKenzie this year should make our defence very solid against teams with taller forward lines.

MacKenzie is still our best one-on-one key defender and should slot nicely back in to full back. Can see him being used to negate the primary key forward each week whilst also having the flexibility to leave his man and assist our other defenders with spoils or extra man up in contested marking contests.

Hurn won’t have to play as tall in 2016, giving him more opportunity to run down field through the middle, kicking long bullets inside 50 and slotting some 50-70m goals. His main responsibility from the back pocket will be kicking out of our defensive 50 in general play and his almost exclusive role with kick-ins should continue.

Half Back Line Sharrod Wellingham ~ Jeremy McGovern ~ Brad Sheppard

Wellingham certainly found his ideal role in 2015. His ability to zone, negate small defenders and provide quality transition with ball in hand out of defence will be important again for us in 2016.

The Gov is simply too valuable for us as an intercept marker, and I am predicting he will develop even further and dominate the league in this area in 2016. Nobody in our team reads the ball better and therefore he is clearly our best option at CHB. Can see them swinging him forward in games when we are down and need a spark but expect he will still spend the vast majority of his time down back.

Sheppard should secure his spot as arguably our most versatile defender. Last year he proved he can play on both smalls or talls as required. In 2016 I can see him providing more intercept and contested marking across the half back line whilst also growing his confidence to use his speed to run the ball out of defence.

Center Line Lewis Jetta ~ Matt Priddis ~ Andrew Gaff

Jetta is a potential game winner. Not expecting him to rack up the same disposal numbers as Gaff but anticipating half a dozen explosive plays each game where he provides the key ingredient and spark to transition the ball from half back to half forward quickly and effectively. His silky inside 50 entries and ability to kick goals from outside 50 will add to our already potent forward line. I can also see him lining up behind the ball at centre bounces on occasion (as a 7th defender effectively) providing an extra outlet at pace on the outside that’s almost impossible to stop. This would allow a high half forward shifting up to replace his position on the wing (eg LeCras, Cripps).

Priddis is the centrepiece of our engine room. There is a clear correlation between first possession and clearances to being scored against. He not only gives our runners first use and the best chance of moving the ball forward from centre bounces and stoppages but his best in the league inside defensive work also helps ensure the opposition doesn’t get easy clearances, stopping them from moving the ball forward to score quickly.

Gaff was clearly our breakout player last season and can see him improving even further this year. Think he’ll stay on the outside primarily as his work rate and class receiving and delivering inside 50 is superb. He spent 90% time on the ground last season – pretty impressive for a midfielder!

Followers Nic Natanui ~ Jack Redden ~ Luke Shuey

I think Natanui’s improvement is perhaps the main ingredient we need in the next final series to go one step further. His ruck work and particularly hit outs to advantage are already league leading but I still get the sense he’s got at least another gear to go to. He often sets the intensity for the entire team from that first bounce so we need him to maintain his centre clearance aggressiveness throughout this season. And to become more imposing and damaging when he rests forward.

Redden, once fit, should take our midfield to another level. His capabilities are a fair way beyond the options we had playing ruck rover last season, and having his extra height in amongst it all should help also. It may take him a season to settle in fully but I’m still expecting pretty big things from him in 2016.

Shuey also has another gear to go to. At his best he is brilliant but we need similar consistency that the rovers from the other top teams deliver irrespective of tags. With more options rotating through the middle, Shuey will hopefully get more room to move and be able to take greater advantage of his explosiveness in clearances.

Half Forward Line Tom Lamb ~ Jack Darling ~ Mark LeCras

Although easily the most inexperienced in my B22, In my opinion Lamb provides exactly what we need to add to our forward line. Another tall mobile target that has the tank to run their defender ragged, the defensive aggressiveness to provide pressure in the forward 50, and an ability to make strong leads and take a contested grab as required. He’s had both Priddis and Darling calling him out as the next big thing at our club, he’s a potential big reward for minimal risk, and he’ll develop a lot quicker playing alongside our best forwards in AFL games than he will in the WAFL. Expecting him to back up my high expectations in the NAB games and catch the eye of selectors once again. He may not get here this year but you've got to have one speculative pick in every B22 surely!

Predicting Darling will get back to his best this year. Having Lamb (or other KPF) drawing a tall defender deep should mean Darling can play out of CHF without always being swamped by defenders. Having JK, LeCras, Darling and Lamb synchronising their leading patterns should provide our midfielders with plenty of options when kicking in to our forward half.

LeCras is our most precise forward and am expecting him to remain just as consistent throughout 2016. He may pinch hit in the middle (and possibly off half back) but think he’ll be more effective staying put most of the time in the forward line, partnering almost telepathically with JK to maximise our scoring efficiency.

Full Forward Line Josh Hill ~ Josh Kennedy ~ Jamie Cripps

With 40 goals last year you have to at least tentatively make room in the forward pocket for our goal sneak Hill. Expecting him to considerably up his forward pressure in 2016 in order to retain his spot. If he were to drop out I can see us slotting another midfielder into our forward line. I wouldn’t be adverse to him rotating through on the wing either as it may help bring him into games earlier.

Kennedy is in his prime and likely will be for a few more years yet. He will remain being our number one target inside 50 playing from full forward. Having both Darling and Lamb playing alongside should make it even more difficult for the opposition to man up. He is almost unstoppable at his best and I expect his goal haul to be similar in 2016 with our further improved delivery inside 50.

Cripps is the number one pressure forward in the league. His work rate is unbelievable and in 2016 I can see him pinch hitting regularly in the midfield. Expecting they will also encourage him to be less selfless and take a few more shots for goal himself this year.

Interchange Scott Lycett ~ Elliott Yeo ~ Dom Sheed/Chris Masten ~ Liam Duggan/Sam Butler

Lycett should be feeling the pressure to perform in 2016. He will need to prove himself both as a reliable backup ruckman and as a capable tall forward. If he doesn’t, I can see Giles or McInnes being given his spot without much fuss.

I have Yeo on the bench primarily because I am not certain where he’ll play. He is easily our most versatile player. He could play inside or outside or in the half forward line or in the half back line. I am hoping he gets to play on the ball in 2016 because I think that will result in him taking his game to another level. Assuming he doesn’t remain a perpetual ‘Mr Fixit’ I am predicting Yeo will be our breakout player for 2016.

Despite Masten’s lack of popularity on BF, his output from his link up role out of defence last year, plus his elite endurance should see him with a spot in our B22 at the start of the season. With Jetta in and Yeo able to slot in on the wing, his position is far from secure though.

Sheed deserves a spot in the B22 after playing almost every game last season and being relative consistent throughout. I think he flourishes when used on the inside rather than the outside, so am hoping he rotates between the centre and HFF but no doubt he'll play on the wing at times as well.

Butler is one of our most experienced and composed defenders and I think he will play his role and slot in as required in the back line to negate small forwards and provide reliable rebound out of defence. With EMac back and plenty of upcoming young mid talent I can see him potentially getting pushed out of our line-up though.

There is no denying Duggan is our future superstar and am very much hoping we get to see him play almost every game in 2016. Given his success playing as a negating defender at times last season I could see him being versatile enough to play anywhere from HBF through to HFF and therefore pushing Butler out of the 22.

Quality Depth

Mark Hutchings – he’s not going to dazzle you but he is an incredibly solid inside midfielder to have available on our list. He could even surprise many a BF fan by securing a spot in the B22, especially if he recaptures some of his form from 2013.

Fraser McInnes – thought he was pretty good when he slotted in last year and seems to have been consistently good in the WAFL. With his versatility as a ruck, a forward and a defender I could see us experimenting with him in the line up if Lycett doesn’t step up or we get an injury to a key forward.

Jonathan Giles – a better player than people give credit for, particularly as a tall forward. With he and McInnes available, I wouldn’t be so sure to lock in Lycett as our best backup ruck option just yet.

Mitch Brown – the game plan and style has changed a lot since 2014 with a much more mobile defensive unit. Brown will have to adapt to get selected in 2016. Can potentially see him slotting in at full back, allowing EMac to roam a bit more. Have been rumours he has also been tried out forward but I can’t see that happening.

Xavier Ellis – another experienced defender who can slot in at half back, man up on a small forward and provide reliable disposal from defence.

Less Likely Depth

Malcolm Karpany – best opportunity will be as a small forward but not sure he’ll get given a chance. Possible delist at end of season.

Jamie Bennell – offers some pace out of defence, can negate small defenders but inconsistency and questionable disposal and decision making at times. Possible delist at end of season.

Patrick McGinnity – seems to be on our list purely as defensive forward depth. Not a great deal of upside to him other than his intensity. Possible delist at end of season.

Developing Nicely

Tom Barrass - got some great AFL exposure in 2015. Still has a fair bit of development before he is ahead of Schoey and Brown, so can see him spending this year in the WAFL barring any injuries. No doubt they will be working on his one-on-one contested work this year. Although I can already see a role given his similar vision and intercept marking to slot in at CHB and allowing Gov to swing forward more in future years.

Jackson Nelson – an up-and-comer who no doubt got more exposure last year than he would have expected. Might find selection harder this year but should still line up in a few games. Predicting he’ll become a really solid and regular defender for us once some of the older guys start hanging up the boots.

Luke Partington – excited to hear he is working closely with Shuey. Can see him developing into a second rover for us. Already with clean hands and good pace, if they can add some explosiveness to his arsenal this year he could debut late in the year or almost certainly will in 2017 and rotate both through the inside and outside.

Tom Cole – can see them focussing Cole’s development as a half-back initially. His composure whilst under pressure is a good starting point.

Kyle Mutimer – know very little about him but looking forward to seeing him on the wing and at HBF in WAFL once he gets out of rehab.

Matthew Allen – our quality unexpected 4th draft who seems has a great contested mark. Lots to like about him from his highlights packages and will interesting to track his development and progress through WAFL this year.

Jordan Snadden – bullish about our only 1st year rookie. Thought his potential was underrated during the draft and the training reports so far have only solidified that point of view. Not sure he will be ready to debut this year, so not sure we’ll upgrade him yet but hopeful he’ll develop in to our next versatile utility midfielder.

Paddy Brophy – performance at WAFL last year as a medium defender seemed solid and consistent. A good in between height range for a defender that none of our other defenders fit into. Could see him being a versatile that could play against small or tall. Developing nicely but not sure he’ll debut this year.

Corey Adamson – did well in his first season returning to football at WAFL level. Think he may need another year developing before he debuts personally. Liking that he is being prepared to play as both a defender and a midfielder.

Miscellaneous

Alec Waterman – will likely be out for the whole season but expect him to remain on the rookie list in 2017.

Kane Lucas, Brant Colledge, Simon Tunbridge – not super excited by any of these other rookies but they'll be solid players again for East Perth this year. Suspect all three might be delists at the end of season.

yeo instead of at High half forward role.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Lamb will not be Best 22 next year.

 

[iLikeIt]

Not bad, Lamb suprised me if not him at hff Duggan that silk coming inside 50 would be lush

Yeah I know. Although with Cripps and LeCras rotating through the midfield it should mean Duggan can slot in to HFF plenty of times. Yeo could slot in as well although having Duggan and Yeo being able to play in the centre or on a wing (or even off HBF) as well gives us so many options. Think there will be lots of flexibility and rotating some players through multiple positions (at least early in the year).

I knew people were going to attack Lamb in my line up but really think three tall forwards takes our forward line to another level, especially when both Darling and Lamb are mobile enough to cover a massive area (the one thing that puts Lamb ahead of McInnes for me).

 

[ChampRevesby]

Lamb will not be Best 22 next year.

At least give him this season to prove himself

 

[Biggie]

Please just quote one or two lines moving forward.

None of us want to scroll through the same lengthy post time and time again.

Cheers

 

[Fatty rules]

Didn't even break his arm

Hill > Lecras

That was one of the more important moments of the season for me. He didn't hesitate for a microsecond, took a hard hit for the team, and we went on to score a goal and establish complete dominance. Hill is a lock for a small/medium forward, unless someone even better comes along.

 

[mick06]

Giles putting pressure on from behind, than McInnes

Please.

 

[eagles rule]

That was one of the more important moments of the season for me. He didn't hesitate for a microsecond, took a hard hit for the team, and we went on to score a goal and establish complete dominance. Hill is a lock for a small/medium forward, unless someone even better comes along.

Hill is safe whilst he is contributing and was a instrumental component in the Semifinal victory against Hawks .

 

[getgaff]

Like the setup iLikeIt.

Lamb is a bit of a player of difference in your 22. Watched an open session a couple of weeks back and he looked really fit and ready to gave the NAB Cup a good shake. Wants that HFF role in the best 22 and is the kind of forward that can play "hybrid forward" a bit like Gunston at Hawthorn and what the Magpies are hoping for in Howe, a taller and athletic forward who can push high up the wings than work his opponent back hard deeper inside 50.

Not sure where Hill's at. Obviously he isn't in my best 22 because there's deficiencies in his game that do get shown up against a quality opposition. Behind Cripps at selection for that smaller forward role but if LeCras spends more time down back more as has been suggested over pre season it will give Hill an opportunity at selection maybe at a midfielder's expense.

As for Yeo's role in the team, when fully fit I see him as a wing / HF. Showed he can hit the scoreboard when thrown forward last year and hopefully will settle away from those tall defensive duties that he had to compete with in 2015.

Agree with your thoughts on Masten, especially with the inclusion of Jetta, Yeo spending more time in the midfield and to a lesser extent adding Redden into the team (different style of midfielder) his spot is up for grabs more and could be where Tom Lamb or Josh Hill squeeze into the 22.

Duggan V Butler is an interesting equation. Sam was reliable again for us in 2015 and his worth in the team is consistently underrated but with Wellingham settling into a role down back and Sheppard finally being able to settle into a role, not a spare parts man anymore that could mean the end of Butler in the strongest 22. His experience and guidance for the younger defenders like Nelson, Cole and Mutimer for example will be invaluable but.

 

[getgaff]

Hill is safe whilst he is contributing and was a instrumental component in the Semifinal victory against Hawks .

That was great team play from Hill but I want to see even more of it. As for the qualifying final win against Hawthorn he was a key factor to us winning that game, but than stunk it up in on Grand Final day. Had a lot of mates in the same boat but.

Maybe I'm expecting to much from him I don't know but things like defensive pressure need a huge shift. As an attacking player he is exciting to watch but needs to add more of that defensive element and keep the ball inside 50 when it gets there.

Hope he makes 2016 his year as that small / medium sized forward because it will allow us to use the foot skills of LeCras further up the ground but I'm doubtful right now.