Strategy 2015 Geelong best 22

[Toe Poke]

B: Enright Lonergan Rivers
HB: Bews Taylor Mackie
C: Duncan Guthrie Caddy
HF: Motlop Clark Menzel
F: Stokes Hawkins Bartel
R: McIntosh Johnson Selwood
I: Blicavs Kelly Thurlow
Sub: Horlin-Smith
E: Cockatoo Lang Murdoch

Although I am giving some thought to the following two ideas:

(1) Stanley replacing McIntosh as #1 ruck
(2) Rivers to be replaced by Walker. Blicavs to play in the back pocket, and Walker/Clark to share duties as second tall forward and second ruck.

 

[Toe Poke]

Based on the first quarter of the round 4 game against North Melbourne, I've made a few subtle changes to what I think the best 22 looks like:

B: Blicavs Blicavs Blicavs
HB: Blicavs Taylor Blicavs
C: Blicavs Blicavs Blicavs
HF: Blicavs Clark Blicavs
F: Blicavs Hawkins Blicavs
R: Blicavs Blicavs Selwood
Bench: Blicavs Blicavs Blicavs
Sub: Blicavs

 

[Toe Poke]

B: Enright Lonergan Rivers
HB: Thurlow Taylor Mackie
C: Kelly Caddy Guthrie
HF: Motlop Clark Johnson
F: Stokes Hawkins Bartel
Ruck: Stanley Duncan Selwood
Bench: Blicavs Menzel Gregson
Sub: Lang
E: Bews
and then Smedts Vardy

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...till-in-geelongs-best-22-20150515-gh29st.html

With Menzel still a fair way from playing again, Bews is my first choice to come into the 22. And assuming a second player is unavailable for selection, both Bews and Lang are in the 'starting 21'.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Based on the first quarter of the round 4 game against North Melbourne, I've made a few subtle changes to what I think the best 22 looks like:

B: Blicavs Blicavs Blicavs
HB: Blicavs Taylor Blicavs
C: Blicavs Blicavs Blicavs
HF: Blicavs Clark Blicavs
F: Blicavs Hawkins Blicavs
R: Blicavs Blicavs Selwood
Bench: Blicavs Blicavs Blicavs
Sub: Blicavs

Needs more Selwood
One in the middle, I think.
And add young Gregson to the bench

 

[Toe Poke]

Needs more Selwood
One in the middle, I think.
And add young Gregson to the bench

OK slight change:

B: Selwood Blicavs Selwood
HB: Blicavs Taylor Blicavs
C: Selwood Selwood Blicavs
HF: Selwood Clark Blicavs
F: Blicavs Hawkins Selwood
R: Blicavs Blicavs Selwood
Bench: Blicavs Gregson Gregson
Sub: Blicavs

 

[Teriyakicat]

OK slight change:

B: Selwood Blicavs Selwood
HB: Blicavs Taylor Blicavs
C: Selwood Selwood Blicavs
HF: Selwood Clark Blicavs
F: Blicavs Hawkins Selwood
R: Blicavs Blicavs Selwood
Bench: Blicavs Gregson Gregson
Sub: Blicavs

Much better! Selwood's worth half a dozen goals

Gary Lyon, in an article yesterday in The Age, says "Mark Blicavs has emerged as a most unlikely, but effective successor to both and is a portent of future Geelong on-ball set-ups". I think you've got a well-balanced team there, Toe Poke.

 

[Toe Poke]

B: Enright Lonergan Rivers
HB: Thurlow Taylor Mackie
C: Kelly Caddy Guthrie
HF: Motlop Clark Johnson
F: Murdoch Hawkins Bartel
Ruck: Stanley Duncan Selwood
Bench: Blicavs Menzel Gregson
Sub: Stokes
E: Lang Bews Vardy

 

[Toe Poke]

B: Enright Lonergan Rivers
HB: Thurlow Taylor Mackie
C: Kelly Caddy Guthrie
HF: Motlop Clark Johnson
F: Menzel Hawkins Bartel
Ruck: Stanley Duncan Selwood
Bench: Blicavs Murdoch Stokes
Sub: Horlin-Smith
E: Vardy Gregson Lang

In the unlikely situation that Hawkins, Blicavs, Clark, Stanley and Vardy were all fit and available, I could be tempted to play all five of them, and leave out Horlin-Smith. In that case, Stokes would be substitute.

 

[Toe Poke]

Stokes is finished completely

I agree that his form has dropped off, however I don't think he has been as bad as many people imagine. Others have been in far worse form.

In Round 20, he had 21 disposals and 'scored' 61 AF points. In Round 19, he had 14 disposals, kicked 1 goal and scored another 61 AF points.

Whereas Gregson had 11 disposals (46 AF points), kicked 1 goal in round 19.
In round 20 had only 9 disposals (35 AF points), the lowest of the starting 21 players.

Yet for round 21, Gregson maintained his place and Stokes was dropped. I understand the idea of 'get games into the younger players', but this is something I would only do if Geelong are unable to make the finals - and not for round 21 when a spot in the top 8 is still a possibility. Also I should mention that this isn't just a Stokes vs Gregson thing - Bews and Cockatoo haven't been brilliant either.

 

[Toe Poke]

B: Enright Lonergan Kolodjashnij
HB: Thurlow Taylor Mackie
C: Kelly Caddy Guthrie
HF: Motlop Clark Johnson
F: Menzel Hawkins Bartel
Ruck: Stanley Duncan Selwood
Bench: Blicavs Murdoch Stokes
Sub: Horlin-Smith
E: Vardy Gregson Lang

In the unlikely situation that Hawkins, Blicavs, Clark, Stanley and Vardy were all fit and available, I could be tempted to play all five of them. In that scenario, Stanley and Vardy would be the two rucks, Blicavs would play as a midfielder, Stokes would be substitute, and Horlin-Smith would not be selected.

 

[Lana]

B: Enright Lonergan Kolodjashnij
HB: Thurlow Taylor Mackie
C: Kelly Caddy Guthrie
HF: Motlop Clark Johnson
F: Menzel Hawkins Bartel
Ruck: Stanley Duncan Selwood
Bench: Blicavs Murdoch Stokes
Sub: Horlin-Smith
E: Vardy Gregson Lang

In the unlikely situation that Hawkins, Blicavs, Clark, Stanley and Vardy were all fit and available, I could be tempted to play all five of them. In that scenario, Stanley and Vardy would be the two rucks, Blicavs would play as a midfielder, Stokes would be substitute, and Horlin-Smith would not be selected.

Needs less forward pressure, have you considered putting Kelly on the Bench, Motlop to the wing, Bartel to the HFF and Vardy to the FP and I guess take Murdoch out of the team.

 

[Toe Poke]

Needs less forward pressure, have you considered putting Kelly on the Bench, Motlop to the wing, Bartel to the HFF and Vardy to the FP and I guess take Murdoch out of the team.

Yes, what you've described there can be summarised as: IN: Vardy OUT: Murdoch.

Which is similar to what I wrote in the previous post, with the idea of IN: Vardy OUT: Horlin-Smith.

Also if we fast forward a week when Kelly and Stokes are retired, and you could have IN: Vardy and someone else, OUT: Stokes and Kelly, with both Murdoch and Horlin-Smith retaining their places.