Preview 2023 Best 22

[The Kings Ransom]

I see nothing on Faulkhead, we would have made this kid a star, we wanted him but you beat us to him.

What a ridiculous comment.
What exactly were you expecting 6 months into his AFL career on the Gold Coast?

We’ve got a few other kids to write stories about sorry.

I’ve seen plenty of him this pre season. Won the 1-4 year time trial ahead of some other very good runners.

Did you watch many of the Suns VFL games last year?

I would say he showed some flashes of brilliance, definitely some AFL level traits but seriously needs to build up some strength. Very weak in a contest.
Obviously that will improve with more time in a professional environment.

Would want, and do expect him to improve this year.

Still would be surprised if he debuted until puts on another 5kg muscle minimum.

There has been a fair bit of discussion on him in our VFL thread.

 

[Drunkcat]

What a ridiculous comment.
What exactly were you expecting 6 months into his AFL career on the Gold Coast?

We’ve got a few other kids to write stories about sorry.

I’ve seen plenty of him this pre season. Won the 1-4 year time trial ahead of some other very good runners.

Did you watch many of the Suns VFL games last year?

I would say he showed some flashes of brilliance, definitely some AFL level traits but seriously needs to build up some strength. Very weak in a contest.
Obviously that will improve with more time in a professional environment.

Would want, and do expect him to improve this year.

Still would be surprised if he debuted until puts on another 5kg muscle minimum.

There has been a fair bit of discussion on him in our VFL thread.

Ok sorry i did not put my words right, as was saying what we seen of him we thought he was going to be good, and i thought he must not be doing well, but am happy he is going ok

 

[lionshine]

B Long Collins Andrew
HB Weller Ballard Powell
C Ellis Anderson Hollands
HF Jeffrey Lukosius Ainsworth
F Rosas King Chol
R Witts Miller Rowell
I Swallow Davies Humphrey Farrar
S Flanders

Insanely talented team!

 

[The Kings Ransom]

Ok sorry i did not put my words right, as was saying what we seen of him we thought he was going to be good, and i thought he must not be doing well, but am happy he is going ok

So why did you think he wasn’t doing well?

 

[Choppers]

B Long Collins Andrew
HB Weller Collins Powell
C Ellis Anderson Hollands
HF Jeffrey Lukosius Ainsworth
F Rosas King Chol
R Witts Miller Rowell
I Swallow Davies Humphrey Farrar
S Flanders

Insanely talented team!

I'd have Ballard instead of 1 of the Collins....

 

[Young_Guns]

B Long Collins Andrew

HB Weller Collins Powell
C Ellis Anderson Hollands
HF Jeffrey Lukosius Ainsworth
F Rosas King Chol
R Witts Miller Rowell
I Swallow Davies Humphrey Farrar
S Flanders

Insanely talented team!

Cloning Sammy Collins would solve all of our issues, I agree.

But seriously, I think this is close to the team we will roll out. Swap Flanders and Humphrey (I think we will rotate through a few guys as sub including Humphrey, Sharp, Sexton, probably Macpherson still).

Lemmens in for Mac the only other changes.

Big opportunity for a couple of guys to step up with Powell out and potentially Weller still out for the first few rounds. Bodhi perhaps? Sharp? Mac really screwed himself with his suspension. Would’ve had the opportunity to establish himself in the side before those guys came back.

 

[Jirik13]

Holman will be in round 1. You better find space for him.

 

[The Kings Ransom]

Holman will be in round 1. You better find space for him.

Don't think I've seen one opposition supporter projected team that has Holman in it.

I wanted a bit of feel good action this week so watched the Kayo mini of Sydney vs. Suns in 2021

Holman holding the ball tackle and goal after the quarter time
Holman another holding the ball tackle leading to an inside 50 and Ben King mark and goal.
top 6 tackles inside 50 in the entire league
Finished top 10 in the BNF

He's a guaranteed starter.

 

[sunsofanarchy]

Don't think I've seen one opposition supporter projected team that has Holman in it.

I wanted a bit of feel good action this week so watched the Kayo mini of Sydney vs. Suns in 2021

Holman holding the ball tackle and goal after the quarter time
Holman another holding the ball tackle leading to an inside 50 and Ben King mark and goal.
top 6 tackles inside 50 in the entire league
Finished top 10 in the BNF

He's a guaranteed starter.

Can't agree more.

Holman, Humphrey, Davies, I'm starting to think that 2 of those 3 will push out Lukosius or Jeffery, makes us such a faster side defensively, to give our forwards (King) more look looks by creating more turn overs. The pressure is on Lukosius and Jeffery to be impactful or they might see some time in the 2s which is below both of them

 

[Jirik13]

Somebody on Lions board posted best 22 made from players 25 years old and younger with a long-term perspective of success.

I was curious so I did our team round 1. Very impressive, IMO. I would say we are well set up. It also makes me realize how young a current best 22 still are, with a lot of players in 21-23 bracket. In bold my best 22 no age limit (15).

B Long (25) Ballard (23) Andrew (19)
HB Budarick (21) Graham (22) Powell (23)
C Sharp (21) Anderson (22) Hollands (20)
HF Humphrey (18) Luko (22) Ainsworth (25)
F Jeffrey (21) King (22) Rosas (21)
R Moyle (21) Rowell (22) Davies (21)
I Flanders (21), Fiorini (25), Macpherson (25), Ace (21), Uwland (19), Brock (20), Berry (23), Faulkhead (20), Johnston (18), McLaughlin (25), Constable (24)

Also Farrar and Chol just turned 26.

 

[TheSunGod]

Somebody on Lions board posted best 22 made from players 25 years old and younger with a long-term perspective of success.

I was curious so I did our team round 1. Very impressive, IMO. I would say we are well set up for long-term success. It also makes me realize how young a current best 22 still are, with a lot of players in 21-23 bracket.

B Long (25) Ballard (23) Andrew (19)
HB Budarick (21) Graham (22) Powell (23)
C Sharp (21) Anderson (22) Hollands (20)
HF Humphrey (18) Luko (22) Ainsworth (25)
F Jeffrey (21) King (22) Rosas (21)
R Moyle (21) Rowell (22) Davies (21)
I Flanders (21), Fiorini (25), Macpherson (25), Ace (21), Uwland (19), Brock (20), Berry (23), Faulkhead (20), Johnston (18), McLaughlin (25), Constable (24)

Also Farrar and Chol just turned 26.

Geez is DMac really only 25? Seems like he’s been the whipping boy forever!

 

[SandyToes]

Geez is DMac really only 25? Seems like he’s been the whipping boy forever!

Pleasing
2 more years of exploding head if he gets anywhere near our first 22

 

[GC2015]

Geez is DMac really only 25? Seems like he’s been the whipping boy forever!

You think that's crazy? Touk Miller is only 26!

Captain, life member, probable Brownlow Medallist in the near future - I don't think it's a stretch to say Touk will most likely be our first ever 300 game player and we all hope he'll also be our first premiership captain. He's only 37 games shy of Spitta's current games record which is ridiculous considering Swallow has been in the league for 5 extra seasons and has done a really good job of finding a way show up every week. Just think about this - Touk has played 160 of a possible 171 AFL games to date!

 

[RowellAnderson12]

Luko - Forward/Wing (via Dew SEN)

 

[Southern Sun]

Also thinks casboult, King, chol all in the team is a possibility. Looking forward to the trial games.

 

[The Kings Ransom]

Round 1: Sydney will play Franklin, Mcdonald and Reid I think

Don't think Collins Ballard and Farrar can cover that.

To me probably means Graham in, Jeffrey out.

That makes me sad.

 

[SandyToes]

Round 1: Sydney will play Franklin, Mcdonald and Reid I think

Don't think Collins Ballard and Farrar can cover that.

To me probably means Graham in, Jeffrey out.

That makes me sad.

Hopefully we've gone past locking down opposition forwards at the expense of attacking and kicking goals
I really hope Crab becomes 3rd in line this year after Andrews and Brock

 

[Jirik13]

Round 1: Sydney will play Franklin, Mcdonald and Reid I think

Don't think Collins Ballard and Farrar can cover that.

To me probably means Graham in, Jeffrey out.

That makes me sad.

It seems Reid struggled in the off-season to recover from GF injury. Not sure he will be ready.

A bit surprised that you think including Graham would exclude Jeffrey. Not sure why. IMO, Jeffrey spot would be more affected if we decide to go with 3 talls - King, Chol and Casboult and also Luko on the wing/CHF.

Graham for Farrar would be my guess.

 

[The Kings Ransom]

It seems Reid struggled in the off-season to recover from GF injury. Not sure he will be ready.

A bit surprised that you think including Graham would exclude Jeffrey. Not sure why. IMO, Jeffrey spot would be more affected if we decide to go with 3 talls - King, Chol and Casboult and also Luko on the wing/CHF.

Graham for Farrar would be my guess.

King, Chol, Jeffrey, Lukosius
Witts
Graham, Collins, Ballard

I think our game is based on run and pressure.
Not 100% sure we would go with all of those guys.
I would see Jy definitely playing.
Heeney seems a good match up for Jy.

 

[The Kings Ransom]

Hopefully we've gone past locking down opposition forwards at the expense of attacking and kicking goals
I really hope Crab becomes 3rd in line this year after Andrews and Brock

I think these Brock projections are incredibly hopeful and pretty unrealistic.
He did a few nice things in some of the latter rounds

In the same breath he had more than 10 possessions twice in the first 22 rounds (11 and 14 possessions)
Including 3 possessions in round 21, 2 possessions in round 17

For someone who seems like he could be an intercepting, rebounding defender - like a Jordan Ridley, to be having these completely absent games at VFL level shows he has a long way to go.

Graham is only ever going to be a lock down defender.
Him in allows Ballard to be a bit more attacking though.

 

[Sun Stormer]

Round 1: Sydney will play Franklin, Mcdonald and Reid I think

Don't think Collins Ballard and Farrar can cover that.

To me probably means Graham in, Jeffrey out.

That makes me sad.

Casboult to go back....keep an eye on that.

 

[Jirik13]

Casboult to go back....keep an eye on that.

Does Casboult train with defence?

 

[The Kings Ransom]

Casboult to go back....keep an eye on that.

Yes,
Would be an interesting development.

Intructions = mark or kill the ball out of bounds when you get it, give it to someone else or kick it long down the line.
I would be nervous as anything with ball on the ground.

 

[Sun Stormer]

Yes,
Would be an interesting development.

Intructions = mark or kill the ball out of bounds when you get it, give it to someone else or kick it long down the line.
I would be nervous as anything with ball on the ground.

That's the Caleb Graham mantra no doubt.

 

[Southern Sun]

Casboult seems to be training as a forward just from the short clips provided.