Our best team - Round 1

Old Skool

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R: Hille - Howlett - Hocking
R: Goldstein - Anthony - Greenwood


We have the edge with Goldy in the centre square, Greenwood will probably try to get on Watson and shut him down, and I think we can get a win with Anthony on Howlett. Liam has probably been our most consistent in form player in the pre season.
 

Old Skool

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Int/Sub: Myers - Colyer - Hardingham - Winderlich - McVeigh - Bellchambers
Int/Sub: McIntosh - Harvey - Atley - Cunnington - Campbell


I see Campbell missing the cut, Boomer playing the rotation role at half forward, Hamish supporting Todd and Cunners rotating with Levi on Watson in a pure contest/shut down role.

Hardingham and Colyer should make the cut for Essendon, and I'm not too worried about the others. Bellchambers will miss out.
 

Old Skool

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Major objectives:

1) Nullify Watson. He is easily their most important player.

2) Quell Essendons marking power. In the games Essendon has won over the past two seasons where Watson has had sub 30 disposal matches, there is one glaring statistic, Esendon took a truck load of marks, with Hille and Ryder both being prominent. Of course, this goal is much more achievable if we deny them the ball, and I think the edge in the midfield will work to that advantage.

3) Get the Ryder/Hurley defensive structure right.

4) Isolate Petrie and look for second options.

If we can do this, then I think we are 99% of the way home to a win. Depth wise, we have a better midfield than Essendon.

Swallow, Wells, Bastinac, Harvey, Greenwood, Cunnington, Anthony, MacMillan and Atley should give us the edge over Watson, Hocking, Zaharakis, Stanton, Melksham and Howlett. In fact, it should give us a very significant advantage depth wise. If we get a run on, I can't see them stopping us.
 

Old Skool

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I can't see us playing three ruckmen and I have a feeling that Carlisle won't play because Ryder seems to be playing a lot of full forward.

I see the defensive match ups as
Petrie - Hooker
Pears- Tarrant
Fletcher- Resting ruck
Hardingham- Edwards
Hibberd/Dempsey - Thomas

If you go with one less tall, then I can agree with this.

However, I also think it suits North better and gives Essendon less flexibility.

Hansen can go to Ryder if he plays permanent forward and Scott Thompson can match up on Hurley. We can also draw Fletcher away from Petrie much easier.
 
With all practice games out of the way and less than a week to round 1 I'm going to post how I think both teams will/should line up.

B: Thompson L Delaney McMahon
F: Crameri Ryder Jetta

HB: Wright Hansen Macmillan
HF: Monfries Hurley Zaharakis

C: Bastinac Anthony Wells
C: Stanton Howlett Melksham

HF: Harvey Tarrant Adams
HB: Dempsey Pears Heppell

F: Thomas Petrie Edwards
B: Hardingham Hooker Fletcher

R: Goldstein Swallow Greenwood
R: Hille Watson Hocking

I:McIntosh Harper Firrito
I: Winderlich Myers McVeigh

S: Cunnington/Mullett
S: Colyer
 

TheKanga

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I like your breakdown of the line up Old Skool. I think if we field a strong side like that we should be on our way to winning.

Will the team be announced on Wednesday?
 
Mullet will be in the team or else they wouldn't have elevated him to the senior list and his form justifies too.

I think Mullet will pick up Jetta and Anthony will get Watson as that is the role he has been playing in the pre season.

I think it will line up like this:

Mullet. Delaney. Thompson

MacMahon. Hansen. Firitto

Macmillan. Swallow. Wells

Adams. Petrie. Edwards

Thomas. Tarrant. Harvey

Goldstein. Anthony. Bastinac

Atley. Cunnington Harper. HMac
 

Artichoke

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just think boys, this time next week we'll be sitting top of the ladder...
Talk about giving a head to yourself. The last time I checked, we went into an opening round match up with Essendon as favorites, they had our cracks carressed to the tune of 60 odd points. I'm still walking gingerly from that day thank you very much. And to think we led that game by some 20 odd points early makes me boil my eyes out. I hate Essendon.:thumbsdown:
 

TheKanga

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Talk about giving a head to yourself. The last time I checked, we went into an opening round match up with Essendon as favorites, they had our cracks carressed to the tune of 60 odd points. I'm still walking gingerly from that day thank you very much. And to think we led that game by some 20 odd points early makes me boil my eyes out. I hate Essendon.:thumbsdown:

That game was a disaster :(
I'm confident we can win but you just never know what could happen...
This time next week i'll either be depressed or very happy. :p
 

tenderwarrior

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Do you think Sammy Gibson is any chance of being promoted and named for round one? It is a pretty tough team to get in to, From the outside it sems the Kangaroos are starting to build some depth - a vital cog in being a successful team.
 
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Do you think Sammy Gibson is any chance of being promoted and named for round one? It is a pretty tough team to get in to, From the outside it sems the Kangaroos are starting to build some depth - a vital cog in being a successful team.


Love to see him get in love seeing Box hill boys kicking on for the roos:D but who would we leave out maybe sub :confused:
 

Husk

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Do you think Sammy Gibson is any chance of being promoted and named for round one? It is a pretty tough team to get in to, From the outside it sems the Kangaroos are starting to build some depth - a vital cog in being a successful team.
Unlikely at this stage.

Ziebell will return in round 3, so its a log jam.

He will probably have to wait for a long term injury to a mid (hopefully that doesnt happen).
 
The Key to North’s defence?
NMFC Media - Ricky Mangidis 12:53 PM Mon 26 Mar, 2012

Luke Delaney has put his hand up for a senior position with a dominant performance for North Ballarat.

260312_vfl_ia.jpg


With key defender Nathan Grima questionable for Round 1 against Essendon after missing out on Werribee's season opener, Luke Delaney has put his hand up for a senior position with a dominant performance for North Ballarat.

(Continued below)

http://www.kangaroos.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4912/newsid/131438/default.aspx

It could be an interesting thursday night. Congrats to our very own Rick18 for the article too. :thumbsu:
 
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Handsome.B.Wonderful

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FB: Mullett Thompson Firrito

HB: McMahon Delaney Wright

C: MacMillan Wells Harvey

HF: Adams Petrie Edwards

FF: Thomas Tarrant Harper

R: Goldstein Swallow Bastinac

Int: Cunnington Atley McIntosh Campbell

Emg: Greenwood Anthony McKenzie
 

Deep We11s 1

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Assuming Hansen & Grima are no good, we'll have to roll the dice with a smaller backline. Also, don't think we can have 2 ruckmen, Petrie, Edwards & Tarrant in together because it's top heavy, so Taz misses out.

Firrito L Delaney McMahon
Wright Thompson Macmillan
Wells Swallow Anthony
Harvey Petrie Thomas
Harper Edwards McIntosh
Cunnington Atley Speight Gibson
 
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Surely Campbell can't be in the side round one? His pre-season form has been very mediocre. Can't believe the lack of love for Pedo in this thread! It's unbelievable.

Anthony is a lock for round one. Been one of our best performers in the pre-season
 
Would I be right in saying you wouldn't elevate Mullett unless he was a very, very strong chance?

He is the nominated rookie he had to be named before the deadline, slightly different to the injury replacement ones

I think he will play though
 
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