Prediction Who will crack the best 22 in 2016.

[DannyTheDoorman]

Thank you both for your comments on the state of training and if Griff is not fit then Clarke will play without question.

But I guess this point really reinforces my dilema. For years people have been saying that Clarke's superior fitness means that he is the best pick.
Watching the AFL and WAFL last year Clarke never seemed to fit in the forward line. This year more than any you have to be able to rotate forward as a ruck (no bench time) . On paper Clarke's accuracy in front of the big sticks is not bad but that is only because it is almost impossible to track down the number of shanks that miss everything. Last year he was bodied out of contests, could kick through the middle at 60m but regularly missed everything 30m out on a 45 degree angle. I am sure that he spent so much time in the forward line in the WAFL so that he would perform better as a forward at AFL level but he never did. He, as the second ruck last year was about 1 possession (average) better than Griff but only registered a score of any kind in 50% of his matches and he played more in the forward line than in the ruck. It is really frustrating.
I have to say that I have reached the point where his stamina/mobility gets a big "who cares" from me. Yes he will reach the forward line when needed, only to not mark and not convert. Give me Griff who might only get there 80% as often but I am confident that he will mark and score.

Griff doesn't unfortunately have Clarke's running power and there is some X factor about Clarke that Griff doesnt have. The NAB Challenge will probably be the decider and the Ex Hawthorn guys will have a say in selection and it may well come down to their thoughts and they aren't aware of all that history you refer to.

 

[manpurple]

Griff doesn't unfortunately have Clarke's running power and there is some X factor about Clarke that Griff doesnt have. The NAB Challenge will probably be the decider and the Ex Hawthorn guys will have a say in selection and it may well come down to their thoughts and they aren't aware of all that history you refer to.

I understand your comments about "running power" but I guess I am looking at the stats and i don't see that running power translate into anything of use. Stats wise last year Clarke's "running power" translated into. 1 more mark, 1 more disposal per match, and about the same number of hitouts & tackles. But the most telling stats are that Griff kicked as many goals in 8 games as Clarke hard shots on goal in 14 games. For me the extra run doesn't translate into much.
I guess to me it is not aerobic ability but football performance that counts. Would I take 1.25 shots on goal each week at 90% or 1 extra mark, 1 extra disposal and only .64 shots on goal a week at 78%. I'm with the first option.
I'm quite happy to admit that Clarke can get to more ball. But the number of dropped marks, kicks that don't go the distance or miss everything are accurately reflected in his less than stellar stats. Show me, in a game, that those clangers are a thing of the past and I'll support him.

 

[beetz]

Clarkes best far outweighs Griffin. Problem is, Clarkes best is about as regular as Christmas. If he can show the same form as he did in 2014 and on a consistent basis he will be an amazing ruck/forward asset this season. Big IF though.

 

[DannyTheDoorman]

I understand your comments about "running power" but I guess I am looking at the stats and i don't see that running power translate into anything of use. Stats wise last year Clarke's "running power" translated into. 1 more mark, 1 more disposal per match, and about the same number of hitouts & tackles. But the most telling stats are that Griff kicked as many goals in 8 games as Clarke hard shots on goal in 14 games. For me the extra run doesn't translate into much.
I guess to me it is not aerobic ability but football performance that counts. Would I take 1.25 shots on goal each week at 90% or 1 extra mark, 1 extra disposal and only .64 shots on goal a week at 78%. I'm with the first option.
I'm quite happy to admit that Clarke can get to more ball. But the number of dropped marks, kicks that don't go the distance or miss everything are accurately reflected in his less than stellar stats. Show me, in a game, that those clangers are a thing of the past and I'll support him.

I dont care who you support of the 2 players. I put my opinion on the thread and now you are tyring with stats to prove me wrong.

 

[DudleyDocker]

I dont care who you support of the 2 players. I put my opinion on the thread and now you are tyring with stats to prove me wrong.

Statistics are meaningless 71.8% of the time.

 

[scon]

If he gets out of the rehab gp soon Jon will start well and grow into it.He insists on getting the very best out of himself every minute of every outing.
If Zaarke does something similar we'll have the best ruck division in the league;if he doesn't and neither Griff or Sandi are hurt we'll have one of the best ruck divisions in the league.

 

[E Shed]

If Ross is true to his word of rewarding players with good pre-seasons then surely Mora is a certainty to play NAB as is Connor Blakely.
Weller, Langdon, Hughes likely to get a start.

Tucker may even be a chance, we could really use someone of his type running off half back with a cool head a delivering although that gig looks to be going to Hilly. Uber and Collins might even get trialed in the forwards.

I imagine Fyfe and the old guys like MJ, Pav and Sandi will be used lightly giving Clarke, Griff and Hannath a chance to press for round one selection.

I think Silvagni (as maligned as he is here) should get a start too.

 

[salim malik]

If Ross is true to his word of rewarding players with good pre-seasons then surely Mora is a certainty to play NAB as is Connor Blakely.
Weller, Langdon, Hughes likely to get a start.

Tucker may even be a chance, we could really use someone of his type running off half back with a cool head a delivering although that gig looks to be going to Hilly. Uber and Collins might even get trialed in the forwards.

I imagine Fyfe and the old guys like MJ, Pav and Sandi will be used lightly giving Clarke, Griff and Hannath a chance to press for round one selection.

I think Silvagni (as maligned as he is here) should get a start too.

Silvagni was very good today playing on Pav. Alex had the better of Pav in tough conditions.

 

[more_of_bito]

http://www.sen.com.au/news/02-16/best-22-and-player-rankings

This list gives me some quiet confidence going into 2016.

IMO very underrated Hill, but having Blakely, Mora,Langdon, Gray and Apeness in the bottom 6 players on the list is very promising.

 

[wayToGo_]

This list gives me some quiet confidence going into 2016.

IMO very underrated Hill, but having Blakely, Mora,Langdon, Gray and Apeness in the bottom 6 players on the list is very promising.

Yeah I agree. I think Griff is the one that is most underrated on the list (#29 seems ridiculous) but Clarke is probably over-rated at #16. Not paying much attention to their order though - probably done by people who aren't following Freo closely. Their B22 isn't terrible though - would make a couple of changes but nothing major.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

If he gets out of the rehab gp soon Jon will start well and grow into it.He insists on getting the very best out of himself every minute of every outing.
If Zaarke does something similar we'll have the best ruck division in the league;if he doesn't and neither Griff or Sandi are hurt we'll have one of the best ruck divisions in the league.

Going on the S & C session this morning I reckon Grif will join the main group on Monday.
Also, I think Harley Bennell will rejoin main group next week, possibly Monday session.

 

[scon]

Initialisms explode little bits of my head Fred;what's S&C??

 

[Clems Knee]

Initialisms explode little bits of my head Fred;what's S&C??

Strength and Conditioning?

 

[Unique Name]

Initialisms explode little bits of my head Fred;what's S&C??

Strength and conditioning.

 

[scon]

Thankyou gentlemen.
Knowledge is power.
I'm stronger and better conditioned with the knowledge

 

[scon]

Yeah I agree. I think Griff is the one that is most underrated on the list (#29 seems ridiculous) but Clarke is probably over-rated at #16. Not paying much attention to their order though - probably done by people who aren't following Freo closely. Their B22 isn't terrible though - would make a couple of changes but nothing major.

When I looked first I thought swap Griff and Clarke and it's roughly OK.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Thankyou gentlemen.
Knowledge is power.
I'm stronger and better conditioned with the knowledge

Yes, it is all running, exercises and weights.
No ball work.

Jon Griffin ran miles and then lengthy stints in agility tests under the eye of a trainer.
Michael Walters stepped out of the gym onto the verandah and yelled out to players carrying kettle bells
and Grif doing agility work around cones, team meeting in twenty. Which I think is a first. I haven't heard of them having meetings on Saturday mornings.

Jon Griffin then proceeded to run another four laps.
They all disappeared at ten am.

 

[yakamoto]

Meeting to inform the players that the intra scratching is on Friday morning at Subi.

 

[DannyTheDoorman]

Meeting to inform the players that the intra scratching is on Friday morning at Subi.

You had better be right. And 9.00 start ?

 

[salim malik]

You had better be right. And 9.00 start ?

If there is one it will maybe be a closed session. WC had a closed session Saturday.

 

[DannyTheDoorman]

If there is one it will maybe be a closed session. WC had a closed session Saturday.

Thanks for that Mr Malik I was going to verify that at training tomorrow in case Yakamotos reliable source got it wrong.. I'll get Phill to ask Suma as he seems to know him quite well or I will ask one of the staff.

 

[freoextra]

When we all do our best 22 I don't think the name Hayden Crozier is going to come up to often.

That is really disappointing to me. I see glimpses of a top flight footballer, he is one of the very best shots for goal, tackles with venom and has a beautiful kick on him.

I heard that he was going to try to play more midfield this preseason, this sounds great because I am sure that our forwards would rather see Crozier ball in hand streaming out of the centreline and trying to hit the leading forward than some of the regular midfielders.

So after some hype, it seems to have all gone quiet on his progress again.

Can any of our preseason reporters say is he in the midfield group more often this preseason and is he making a decent fist of it?

Hope so, he promises so much but we just don't seem to be able to get the best out of him yet.

 

[ydraw]

It just seems difficult to see where Crozier would slot into the side except at the expense of Chris Mayne. At this stage he's a depth player IMO.

 

[theGav56]

I think Crozier will play more games than Yarran. The comparison purely because they are looking for similar roles.

 

[freoextra]

I think Crozier will play more games than Yarran. The comparison purely because they are looking for similar roles.

For sure, I would imagine he would be way ahead in the minds of the selectors over Yarran. Yarran is a nice little bonus If he comes on.

His major issue has been consistency and drifting out of games (too much).

Think everyone agrees that our skill level in comparison to the Hawthorn type teams can be down, so this is why it is frustrating that a highly skilled player can't find a role in our team.