2018 Best 22

[threesixpio]

It's a key date on the bride and mine's honeymoon coming up!

I’d like to say that it’s wonderful you’re so well matched



But that’s kinda sad

 

[KermitJagger]

Terry Wallet thinks Sicily should play through the midfield this year.

Now taking away the fact he wouldn't have the tank as yet what are people's thoughts on this?

He would make an incredibly hard match up with his aerial skills.

Interesting suggestion I thought.

Has a decent tank, would make a solid wing considering his kick but you're wasting the fact that he's got a beautiful ability to read the ball and incredibly sticky hands. Robbing Peter to pay Paul IMO.

 

[Brant]

Terry Wallet thinks Sicily should play through the midfield this year.

Now taking away the fact he wouldn't have the tank as yet what are people's thoughts on this?

He would make an incredibly hard match up with his aerial skills.

Interesting suggestion I thought.

In what role & why? I've never seen a mid take an intercept pack mark at a Centre Bounce.

And then who fills his role across Half Back? I've not seen Mirra play, but I don't believe that he'll emulate what Sicily does - perhaps more what Gibbo did?

I see no obvious advantage & a couple of negatives to making this move.

 

[Jables]

Gibson could already do a good job in the midfield when he came here but we never really chose to play him there, you don't turn every tallish player with a nice kick into a midfielder for the sake of it. With time Sicily could do nice things particularly on the wing where he can already do a job I reckon, but there's just no need for it.

 

[Fetnarr]

Stratts Frawley Hardwick
Birch Brand Sicily
Smith Mitch Morrison
Breust Gunston Rioli
Puopolo Roughie O'Brien

McEvoy Jaeger Burto

Burgoyne Sheils Impey Howe

Knocking on the door:
Langers, Ceglar, Hendo, Worpal, O'Rourke, Lovell, Glass, Cousins, Ollie, Doc, Pitto, WhiteX, Shoey, Miles and according to reports possibly Ross!

What a difficult task. That's 15 players missing out that have either had AFL level experience and done ok or have big wraps on them from respected posters. That's a lot of healthy competition for spots. The boys will push themselves this year if that is anything to go by.

 

[ClarkoCommandos]

Stratton Brand Hardwick
Burgoyne Frawley Sicily
Impey Burton Smith
Cyril O Brien Gunston
Poppy Rough Bruest
Ruck-Big Boy T Mitch Jaeger
Interchange- Sheils Howe Birchall O rourke
Really tempted to have Ceglar resting at full foward switching with big boy, Duryea stiff to miss out same with Langers
Put O' Rourke in for added midfield speed, hopefully can get his body right and live up to being pick 2

 

[Roughies Boys]

Stratton Brand Hardwick
Burgoyne Frawley Sicily
Impey Burton Smith
Cyril O Brien Gunston
Poppy Rough Bruest
Ruck-Big Boy T Mitch Jaeger
Interchange- Sheils Howe Birchall O rourke
Really tempted to have Ceglar resting at full foward switching with big boy, Duryea stiff to miss out same with Langers
Put O' Rourke in for added midfield speed, hopefully can get his body right and live up to being pick 2

O'Rourke isn't that fast

 

[Hodginator]

SEN have had a shot at it here: https://www.sen.com.au/news/2018/01/10/2018-afl-preview-or-hawthorns-best-22/

Best 22:

B: Grant Birchall, Kaiden Brand, Ben Stratton

HB: Shaun Burgoyne, James Frawley, Ryan Burton

C: Isaac Smith, Tom Mitchell, Jack Gunston

HF: Jarman Impey, Tim O'Brien, Luke Breust

F: Cyril Rioli, Jarryd Roughead, Paul Puopolo

FOLL: Ben McEvoy, Jaeger O’Meara, Liam Shiels

INT: Daniel Howe, Taylor Duryea, James Sicily, Blake Hardwick

 

[cryptor]

SEN have had a shot at it here: https://www.sen.com.au/news/2018/01/10/2018-afl-preview-or-hawthorns-best-22/

Best 22:

B: Grant Birchall, Kaiden Brand, Ben Stratton

HB: Shaun Burgoyne, James Frawley, Ryan Burton

C: Isaac Smith, Tom Mitchell, Jack Gunston

HF: Jarman Impey, Tim O'Brien, Luke Breust

F: Cyril Rioli, Jarryd Roughead, Paul Puopolo

FOLL: Ben McEvoy, Jaeger O’Meara, Liam Shiels

INT: Daniel Howe, Taylor Duryea, James Sicily, Blake Hardwick

I'd move Sicily to half back for Burton.
Burton to HF for Impey.
Impey to wing for Gunston.
Gunston to forward pocket for Puopolo.
Puopolo to bench spot vacated by Sicily.

 

[butchy]

The reason my McEvoy was as good as he was last year was that he rucked alone and had the chance to impact.
He is in the top 2-3 fittest players at the club, he would be one of the fitter ruckmen in the league.
Id be letting him go one out and T.O or Roughy coming in for the chop out here and there.
With our lack of speed, adding Ceglar into the 22 just slows us down more.
Personally, i reckon Ceglar is fighting O'Brien for a spot in the side.

My best 22

B- Hardwick Brand Stratts
HB- Sicily Frawley Birchall
C- Smith Mitchell Impey
HF- Burgoyne Rough Burton
F- Rioli Gunston Breust
R- McEvoy O'Meara Shiels

I/C- Howe O'Brien Poppy Henderson

Players with AFL exp missing: Duryea, Whitecross, O'Rourke, Ceglar, Willsmore, Lovell, Schoenmakers, Langford, Morrison, Glass, Cousins

You really get an idea of our depth (when all fit) when you look at the players not names.
6-7 of them all played in the final rounds last year in the same team!! Take into account that Hodge and Hartung have come out also, as long as everyone is fit, from Rnd 23 2017 to Rnd 1 2018, there will be 8-9 different faces, whether it be new or returning players.

Just start the season FFS!

 

[Flag08]

B- Hardwick Frawley Stratts
HB- Glass Sicily Birchall
C- Smith Mitchell Burton
HF- Rioli Rough Limpey
F- Breust Gunston Poppy
R- McEvoy O'Meara Shiels

I/C- Burgoyne Hendo Langford O'Brien

- Hardwick battling Duryea for a spot
- Not sure we need a second tall down back the way the game is going, well not one like Brand anyway. I'd like to see Nash come on though.
- Frawley, Stratts and Birch haven't played and/or played well for a long time so pressure on them to step up
- Siss to play Gibbo's third man up role
- Glass is a star. He's in.
- Langers to get first crack at back up inside mid, followed by Lovell, Howe, Worpell.
- Hendo to get first crack at midfield runner role followed by Morrison, Cousins and JOR.
- TOB just ahead of Cegs. Be nice if one of them could clunk a few.
- Rioli in pending availability. Back up small forwards include Ollie, Miles, Moore.
- Can't see a place for Shoey but Clarko probably will.
- To be revised after praccy games.

 

[ML4Hodgy]

SEN have had a shot at it here: https://www.sen.com.au/news/2018/01/10/2018-afl-preview-or-hawthorns-best-22/

Best 22:

B: Grant Birchall, Kaiden Brand, Ben Stratton

HB: Shaun Burgoyne, James Frawley, Ryan Burton

C: Isaac Smith, Tom Mitchell, Jack Gunston

HF: Jarman Impey, Tim O'Brien, Luke Breust

F: Cyril Rioli, Jarryd Roughead, Paul Puopolo

FOLL: Ben McEvoy, Jaeger O’Meara, Liam Shiels

INT: Daniel Howe, Taylor Duryea, James Sicily, Blake Hardwick

Not enough midfielders in that team. They've got 3 fwds/def on the bench unless Poppy, Breust, Cyril, Impey, Burton and Sicily are putting a lot of midfield time in.
I think one of Duryea and Poppy make way for a midfielder. Mayb even 2 of Poppy Duryea, Impey, Hardwick and Stratts.

 

[threesixpio]

I'd move Sicily to half back for Burton.
Burton to HF for Impey.
Impey to wing for Gunston.
Gunston to forward pocket for Puopolo.
Puopolo to bench spot vacated by Sicily.

Yeah they must have been on drugs when they did that B22

 

[Howe Amazing]

Does anyone think that Nash with his speed and I believe endurance could be used at some point as back up ruckman and down the track first ruck

 

[LRobbo]

My best 22-

Hardwick - Frawley - Stratton
Sicily - Brand - Birchall
Impey - Mitchell - Smith
Puopolo - Gunston -Rioli
Burton - Roughead - Bruest
Foll- McEvoy -O’Meara - Shiels
Int- Burgoyne, Howe, O’brien, Glass

Think we really need 2 of Lovell, Worpel, Cousins or Morrison to push to be a regular this year for the evolution of our midfield, but can’t get them into my side just yet.
Glass to be used as a running half back/wingman and will alternate with Impey.
Howe to go to the oppositions best inside mid and play lockdown role.
O’brien third tall/back up ruckman.
Burton swing man, will hopefully kick 30 goals as a forward with bursts through the middle.
Think if we are to push for a finals spot and top 4, we need a 50 goal kicker. Bruest, Gunston or Roughead hopefully to do that.
Still a very strong list on paper IMO

 

[threesixpio]

Hardwick Frawley Stratton
Burgoyne Brand Sicily

Birch

Smith Mitchell Impey
McEvoy Jaegar Shiels

Rioli Gunner
Burton Rough Bruest

Howe Glass Timmy Lovell

 

[threesixpio]

That team could get a flag

 

[TylerDurden]

That team could get a flag

No room for JOR?!!

 

[KermitJagger]

I had Impey on the wing in one of my previous 22 incarnations but with his poor endurance showings so far I think he'll be HBF. I know there's no love for Howe here, I wanted him in but team balance and I believe O'Rourke and Lovell have higher ceilings; Howe will probably start round 1 ahead of them but may not be in our best 22 after a while.

FB: Hardwick, Frawley, Stratton
HB: Birch, Brand, Sicily
C: Smith, Mitchell, Morrison
HF: Breust, Gunston, Burton
FF: Puopolo, Roughead, Cyril
R: McEvoy, Jaeger, Burgoyne
B: O'Rourke, O'Brien, Lovell, Glass

I know that Harry is a bit of a left field pick for the wing, but just watch it happen. I think Clarko is a fan, he's spoken about him being the stand out trainer of the pre-season and posters here have posted about his precision kicking and midfield time in the training sessions.

That's my crystal ball prediction for the year.

 

[threesixpio]

No room for JOR?!!

Too early for me to make a call on this although I chucked Lovell in!

 

[MrPremiership]

Incredibly difficult task to do.

Firstly, I have assumed that we are going with a 7 man defence and only 1 full time ruck.

Hardwick - Brand - Stratton
Birchall - Frawley - Burgoyne - Sicily

Smith - Mitchell - Burton
McEvoy - O'Meara - Shiels

Breust - Gunston - Impey
Roughead - Rioli

Howe - Lovell - O'Brien - Puopolo

No room for Langford, Duryea, Schoenmakers, Ceglar, Whitecross
I've got Lovell in as the youngster, slightly ahead of Cousins, Glass, JOR, Morrison.

 

[threesixpio]

Incredibly difficult task to do.

Firstly, I have assumed that we are going with a 7 man defence and only 1 full time ruck.

Hardwick - Brand - Stratton
Birchall - Frawley - Burgoyne - Sicily

Smith - Mitchell - Burton
McEvoy - O'Meara - Shiels

Breust - Gunston - Impey
Roughead - Rioli

Howe - Lovell - O'Brien - Puopolo

No room for Langford, Duryea, Schoenmakers, Ceglar, Whitecross
I've got Lovell in as the youngster, slightly ahead of Cousins, Glass, JOR, Morrison.

Similar to my team with Pops above Glass.

 

[threesixpio]

The one ruck - will it happen?

 

[Brant]

The one ruck - will it happen?

TO’B @ FF, rotating through the Ruck for 15% of the game.

 

[Wizzmania]

My concern is the lack of pace, esp in the backline.
Who are our linebreakers? Tag Isaac Smiff and we become like Punt Road on a Fridee arvo..