Banter 2017 - Best 22

[ChookNorris]

If that's what they're after put Murdoch there. He's quicker than Bews, can apply decent forward pressure (he's done it before), and he's a natural forward. I think a small to medium combination of Menzel, Murdoch, and McCarthy could be fairly useful.

I woke up in a cold sweat the moment someone mentioned Murdoch returning to the seniors. Sadly what you say does make sense. In a perfect world, Motlop and McCarthy would be our pressure kings.

 

[witsend]

Yes, he's clearly great overhead but he coughed it up terribly though. Let's hope that's an aberration.

I give him a free pass on disposal efficiency, considering it was JLT1 and his first AFL-ish level game. I think we often expect silky skills too early in the pre-season in general. I suspect Stewart will play at least 10-12 games this season. He needs to and will get used to AFL pace.

 

[catempire]

I give him a free pass on disposal efficiency, considering it was JLT1 and his first AFL-ish level game. I think we often expect silky skills too early in the pre-season in general. I suspect Stewart will play at least 10-12 games this season. He needs to and will get used to AFL pace.

If he turns it around in the next game, great. But even then he's got at least a couple ahead of him.

 

[ChookNorris]

I give him a free pass on disposal efficiency, considering it was JLT1 and his first AFL-ish level game. I think we often expect silky skills too early in the pre-season in general. I suspect Stewart will play at least 10-12 games this season. He needs to and will get used to AFL pace.

Stewart was still able to be one of the top scoring defenders in the round in the horrible game that is AFL fantasy because disposal efficiency doesn't mean anything in it. I hope he improves, also also SuperCoach > All

 

[Wojcinski]

We still have a way to go with possible changes during this trade period, so to keep things simple I'm going to only use players currently on our list

B: Ruggles Lonergan Kolojashnij
HB: Thurlow Henderson Taylor
C: Guthrie JSelwood Duncan
HF: Caddy Stanley Motlop
F: Bartel Hawkins Menzel
R: Smith Dangerfield Menegola
I: SSelwood Blicavs McCarthy Cockatoo
E: Gregson Lang Mackie

Bartel and Lonergan may retire and Caddy might be traded so a few changes to come. How does that look?

My updated 22:

B: Thurlow Lonergan Kolojashnij
HB: Tuohy Henderson Bews
C: C.Guthrie JSelwood Duncan
HF: Cockatoo Taylor Motlop
F: McCarthy Hawkins Menzel
R: Smith Dangerfield Menegola
I: SSelwood Mackie Ruggles Lang
E: Black Stanley Parfitt

 

[DanA]

My updated 22:

B: Thurlow Lonergan Kolojashnij
HB: Tuohy Henderson Bews
C: C.Guthrie JSelwood Duncan
HF: Cockatoo Taylor Motlop
F: McCarthy Hawkins Menzel
R: Smith Dangerfield Menegola
I: SSelwood Mackie Ruggles Lang
E: Black Stanley Parfitt

Needs a second ruck, I'd probably go with Blicavs over one of Bews, Ruggles or Mackie.

 

[goyoucatters]

Needs a second ruck, I'd probably go with Blicavs over one of Bews, Ruggles or Mackie.

As would I.

I've never seen any of that trio win a single hit-out.

 

[Wojcinski]

I don't think we need to play 2 rucks, especially when you look at the very, very limited skill sets of Blicavs and Stanley.

Smith is very mobile. Hawkins and Henderson can pinch-hit.

 

[Danger!Selwood]

FB KOLO LONERGAN RUGGLES
HB MACKIE HENDERSON TOUHY
C GUTHRIE DUNCAN MENEGOLA
CHF BLACK TAYLOR MOTLOP
FF MCCARTHY HAWKINS MENZEL
FOLL SMITH DANGER SELWOOD
INT S. SELWOOD LANG THURLOW BLICAVS

This is how I think we will start, hopefully by the end of the season 3 out of Cocky, Stewart, Cowan, Bews and Gregson will have cemented themselves into the best 22. Confident Lang will have a great season, still concerned about the backline and hope Thurlow doesn't take too long to get back into the swing of things and can push Mackie out or forward, depending on how Aaron Black is faring.

Also think Blitz will be our best second ruck option, particularly late in games.

 

[Sinner]

I haven't read this whole post... but, is there opinion that blicavs is being pushed out the 22? If so why?

EDIT: I saw that the opinion is that he only has a defensive side. I am a big fan of blicavs in the guts. But maybe it's all bias...

 

[Cezz The Catter]

Seeing a lot of 22s with Ruggles which surprises me. I like him and i reckon his back story is great but i find his defensive efforts a tad mediocre.

I think its clear he and Bews are contesting for a spot. Ruggles clearly the better disposal, Bews i rate a safer option as a shut down defender. With Thurlow and Tuohy now in the side and Guthrie having a kip down back i think we have enough distibutors. Ruggles out for me.

 

[Cezz The Catter]

I haven't read this whole post... but, is there opinion that blicavs is being pushed out the 22? If so why?

EDIT: I saw that the opinion is that he only has a defensive side. I am a big fan of blicavs in the guts. But maybe it's all bias...

I found Blicavs was a litte found out last year as most people did. Combined with that our team was way to tall. Death of the 3rd man up makes a specific advantage of Blicavs obselete.

In the hopes Scott verges away from 4 KPDs by Taylors placement up forward. We really don't need 3 rucks. We need a ruck and a part timer like Stanley or Blicavs, i feel the one who can better produce up forward gets the nod. Stabley had great games forward last year, Blitz had a good JLT there. Who wins? We'll find out

 

[Cezz The Catter]

If that's what they're after put Murdoch there. He's quicker than Bews, can apply decent forward pressure (he's done it before), and he's a natural forward. I think a small to medium combination of Menzel, Murdoch, and McCarthy could be fairly useful.

Murdoch comes undone under pressure.
We need to part ways with him asap as this club isn't going anywhere having blokes like that in the side come September.

At least Bews goes in hard and doesn't drop his bundle if beaten badly.

Agree with this. I tracked Murdoch
meticulously last season. His pressure stats are actually deplorable for his speed, TOG and the chances he was given.

We are considering a player who constantly runs himself into trouble, is consitently mediocre, shown no signs of development, a poor mark for his size and is a soft as butter.

Murdochs only strengths are his kicking and speed which are useless when he hasn't got the gifted 'footy brain'. I don't enjoy him.

 

[Partridge]

Agree with this. I tracked Murdoch
meticulously last season. His pressure stats are actually deplorable for his speed, TOG and the chances he was given.

We are considering a player who constantly runs himself into trouble, is consitently mediocre, shown no signs of development, a poor mark for his size and is a soft as butter.

Murdochs only strengths are his kicking and speed which are useless when he hasn't got the gifted 'footy brain'. I don't enjoy him.

Fair comment. I guess I probably see something there still - purely as a forward. Still think he's got good natural goal sense.

But you and Bobby are right, if there's no ability to soak up senior pressure or contribute more, there's no spot for him.

 

[Wojcinski]

I found Blicavs was a litte found out last year as most people did. Combined with that our team was way to tall. Death of the 3rd man up makes a specific advantage of Blicavs obselete.

In the hopes Scott verges away from 4 KPDs by Taylors placement up forward. We really don't need 3 rucks. We need a ruck and a part timer like Stanley or Blicavs, i feel the one who can better produce up forward gets the nod. Stabley had great games forward last year, Blitz had a good JLT there. Who wins? We'll find out

Agree re: Blicavs

Doesn't have many great abilities other than third man up contests, the occasional contested mark and his endurance.

These are actually all things Stanley excels at too. Stanley is a better (albeit still pretty bad) kick and a better contested mark. I think that unfortunately, Blicavs is not in our best 22 and is possibly done as an AFL footballer. Happy to be proven wrong.

 

[catswhiskers]

Agree re: Blicavs

Doesn't have many great abilities other than third man up contests, the occasional contested mark and his endurance.

These are actually all things Stanley excels at too. Stanley is a better (albeit still pretty bad) kick and a better contested mark. I think that unfortunately, Blicavs is not in our best 22 and is possibly done as an AFL footballer. Happy to be proven wrong.

If a fit Blitz is not selected in our AFL team we are humming along - I can cope with that.

 

[DanA]

Agree re: Blicavs

Doesn't have many great abilities other than third man up contests, the occasional contested mark and his endurance.

These are actually all things Stanley excels at too. Stanley is a better (albeit still pretty bad) kick and a better contested mark. I think that unfortunately,
Blicavs is not in our best 22 and is possibly done as an AFL footballer. Happy to be proven wrong.

This seems a bit harsh on Blicavs.

For a start I'd argue he's a great tackler, but he also find a lot more of the ball than Stanley/Smith do. I'm not necessarily saying he should be the utility ruckmen over Stanley but he definitely brings something to the table beyond 3rd man up and his endurance.

 

[Cezz The Catter]

This seems a bit harsh on Blicavs.

For a start I'd argue he's a great tackler, but he also find a lot more of the ball than Stanley/Smith do. I'm not necessarily saying he should be the utility ruckmen over Stanley but he definitely brings something to the table beyond 3rd man up and his endurance.

To be the secondary ruck though you've gotta produce in front of the sticks. I reckon Stanley has the edge there for now, although i thought Blitz' JLT up forward wasnt half bad.

 

[DanA]

To be the secondary ruck though you've gotta produce in front of the sticks. I reckon Stanley has the edge there for now, although i thought Blitz' JLT up forward wasnt half bad.

I don't see why that's the case. He has to have another role naturally but why does it have to be as a goal kicker?

 

[Partridge]

He averages 11 handballs a game to Stanley's 5 and that's the difference in possessions gathered.

I prefer Blicavs in the ruck myself as I think he's a better ruckman than Stanley who appears to be a slightly better version of Nathan Vardy.

I think Stanley's best is much, much better, but his ability to completely disappear from a game is still his biggest problem.

 

[Turbocat]

He averages 11 handballs a game to Stanley's 5 and that's the difference in possessions gathered.

I prefer Blicavs in the ruck myself as I think he's a better ruckman than Stanley who appears to be a slightly better version of Nathan Vardy.

Im not sure that having three tough bbq steaks is as good as one tender ribeye but we have what we have. The question for us to resolve is Blitz worth a spot for what he can bring without 3rd man up. If he is a pure mid does his add stack up against other mids. Id say the MC think yes but he has always been able to have the rucks as feature to his game. If we continue to play Smith and Stanley , Blitx probably has to become a fixture in attack or defence. 2 setshot goals in game 1 was a good start , as this has not been his best skill up till now.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I don't think we need to play 2 rucks, especially when you look at the very, very limited skill sets of Blicavs and Stanley.

Smith is very mobile. Hawkins and Henderson can pinch-hit.

Hawkins and henderson are in our top 6 or so best players. You dont risk that in the ruck ever.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

The thing is Murdoch just looks like he has no idea. I wanted to like him, but he just doesn't have anything in him for any contest and doesn't use his actual strengths.

I would disagree on that-Murdoch actually looked pretty good in all of 2014 and early 2015 as a defensive forward, it was after that when they started to try and use him as a wing and even half back (because we lacked pace upfield) that it all went downhill. He is actually very good defensively and a good tackler for his size and has reasonable goal sense but he really lacks football IQ so put him up the field where he has to make more complicated decisions and he struggles, but give him a simpler clearly defined role like a defensive forward and he tends to look ok.

 

[Partridge]

Hawkins and henderson are in our top 6 or so best players. You dont risk that in the ruck ever.

Yep. It's filed in the section called "How to kill a career".

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Yep. It's filled in the section called "How to kill a career".

Agreed. Ruck is for guys to do donkey work not rolls royces.