Banter 2017 - Best 22

[catempire]

Which one was he sub standard in? I thought he was very good against hawthorn save for a couple of brain farts with his possession. Very composed in the air. Was less involved against the crows but kept Walker quiet when on him.

He was poor in the Hawthorn one. Better against Adelaide.

 

[cynical]

Yep. There's only space for six players, maybe seven.

Lonergan, Henderson, and Tuohy are absolute certainties. That's three.

Thurlow is pretty likely as well. That's four.

That leaves three spots for Mackie, Ruggles, Kolodjashnij, Bews, Cowan, and Stewart. Plus Guthrie is he's played back, or Taylor if it doesn't work as a forward. From what I've seen I'd say Mackie's form was pretty solid against Hawthorn, and the club seem to love Kolodjashnij and want to give him games. That's six. I'm not sure Stewart's pre-season form sees him ahead of Ruggles or Bews in that defensive spot. Could be wrong.

Given Kolo hasnt played a game yet I think Stewart will get that spot.

Since Bews played forward one week and missed the last I doubt they'd be considering him (im not sure why).

Not sure about Ruggles.

Stewart played 84% and 91% game time in both games, they are either giving him a break in the 3rd game or probably going to play him in round 1.

 

[Turbocat]

The results were irrelevant.

To me it's about individuals building fitness and structure. I liked that Touhey has made immediately impact breaking the lines, he's a player we sorely needed last season who I think his going to be a really important. I was worried about a post-Enright backline but he's alleviated some of that worry. Big structural improvement with his running capacity. I'm also pleased Thurlow, Menzel and the like have come through unscathed. A couple of minor injuries to Scooter, McCarthy and the Guthries but nothing (touch wood) as yet looks like it's more than a couple of weeks.

A few individuals have stepped up their game.GHS with 23 disposals, 6 clearances and 11 contested possessions from 56% game time impressed, he's a candidate to add to midfield support. Cockatoo looks ready to be a big impact player though I'd like to see him find more of it. It also looks like Menegola has made a step up which is nice.

I'm not as down on Harry as a forward as most either. he's applied a lot of forward pressure which has won us goals even if he hasn't kicked as many as I'd like. Him and Hawkins need to improve their space, leading and take more marks but I wouldn't be pulling a pin in the forward experiment yet. Menzel flashed talent so I'm a bit more bullish on the forward line than perhaps I was a month ago.

All in all there's some positive signs. I don't think Lang is the player people want him to be and I'm a bit worried about the quality of our rucks and small forwards but all in all I think we've progressed.

I think I have been fairly consistent that JLT have been practice games..so the results in themselves have limited value. It was not that we have lost that I was referencing. To me we look inconsistent and while its practice , I struggle to see a definitive top 4 from the systems we have played with so far.

 

[Catsmaninamerica]

I didn't think he would, but watching now, I reckon Parfitt is just about a lock in round 1. And Murdoch is close too. Selections gonna be very interesting...

 

[pussygalore]

Err noo on just about everything in this post.

Are you watching todays JLT game?

 

[Cronin]

My revised Best 22 for Round 1, assuming Kolo & Scooter are unavailable.

FB: Bews - Lonergan - Henderson
HB: Thurlow - Taylor - Tuohy
C: C. Guthrie - Menegola - Duncan
HF: Menzel - Stanley - Cockatoo
FF: Motlop - Hawkins - McCarthy
R: Smith - Dangerfield - J. Selwood
INT: Parfitt, GHS, Lang, Z. Guthrie.
EMG: Black, Mackie, Blicavs, Murdoch.

- Stewart not super impressive in JLT so starts season in VFL, move Taylor back to defence (where he should be anyway) which makes up the 3 tall defenders for us with Kolo out.

- GHS over Blicavs so far. For his height Blitz doesn't take many overhead marks, GHS wins more ball + better goal sense than Blitz.

- Ruggles gives away too many frees & doesn't use ball well anyway, at least Bews will do a good defensive lockdown job + provide more run for us.

- Prefer Tuohy & Thurlow over Mackie now so don't have Mackie in Best 22.

- Smith not great so far in JLT but he stays in simply because I have Stanley mostly at CHF, if Smith starts season quietly then drop him, move Stanley to Ruck, and bring in Black/Buzza/House and focus on pressure inside forward 50.

Apparently Bews isn't good enough to get a game ahead of any of our other small defenders, even though Essendon's small forwards have so far teared us a new arse****!

 

[Biggy_Boy]

FB: Thurlow - Lonergan - Henderson
HB: Mackie - Taylor - Tuohy
C: Guthrie - Duncan - Lang
HF: Cockatoo - Hawkins - Murdoch
F: Motlop - Menzel - McCarthy
R: Stanley - Dangerfield - Selwood
I/C: Smith, Menegola, Horlin-Smith, Parfitt

I would love to be able to exclude Mackie and to have a smaller backline, but Stewart and Ruggles are VFL-tier.
Playing Taylor forward won't work and only weakens the backline. The Cats simply don't have a good enough second key forwards, so it's time to adapt. Play a smaller forward line with Hawkins pushing up the ground more. Make use of Motlop and Menzel playing closer to goal. Smith and Stanley can rotate forward, with Stanley as the preferred number one ruckman.
Blicavs will never be good enough as a midfielder so needs to go back to the VFL and develop into a specialist role, if he can. S. Selwood is done as a player so shouldn't be persisted with. His spot should go to younger players who at least have some long-term upside.
Kolodjashnij to earn back his spot playing through the VFL, but it will have to come at the expense of one of the talls down back.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I didn't think he would, but watching now, I reckon Parfitt is just about a lock in round 1. And Murdoch is close too. Selections gonna be very interesting...

They are both close i agree.

 

[bigfarter]

I didn't think he would, but watching now, I reckon Parfitt is just about a lock in round 1. And Murdoch is close too. Selections gonna be very interesting...

Yep, I've been a critic of Murdoch (see him as Tenace 2.0 most of the time) but if he can string games together like the one he played today he offers something not many others in our team do. We desperately need someone like him who can stream down the wing/forward flank and roost the ball into the forwards/at the goals.

 

[HellasOle]

Round 1 Side for me

B: Stewart - Lonergan - Henderson
HB: Thuoy - Taylor - Guthrie
C: Menengola - Duncan - S.Selwood
HF: Cockatoo - Hawkins - Lang
F: McCarthy - Menzel - Motlop
R: Smith - Dangerfield - J.Selwood
I: Mackie - McCarthy - GHS - Stanley

* Fast and fluid forward line a must
* Guthrie rotated through positions
* Kolodjashnij earns a spot at an expense of the talls
* Murdoch, Blicavs, Ruggles, Bews close

 

[Baudolino]

Round 1 Side for me

B: Stewart - Lonergan - Henderson
HB: Thuoy - Taylor - Guthrie
C: Menengola - Duncan - S.Selwood
HF: Cockatoo - Hawkins - Lang
F: McCarthy - Menzel - Motlop
R: Smith - Dangerfield - J.Selwood
I: Mackie - McCarthy - GHS - Stanley

* Fast and fluid forward line a must
* Guthrie rotated through positions
* Kolodjashnij earns a spot at an expense of the talls
* Murdoch, Blicavs, Ruggles, Bews close

Thurlow over Stewart, surely?

 

[Keystone agony]

Best 22 based on today

Stewart - Lonergan - Ruggles

Mackie - Henderson - Tuohy

Duncan - Guthrie - Blicavs

Motlop - H.Taylor - Menzel

R.Stanley - Hawkins - McCarthy

Z.Smith - Dangerfield - J.Selwood

INT: Menagolo, GHS, Lang, Cockatoo, Thurlow, Cowan, Parfitt, Murdoch

24+Motlop+Guthrie today

Think its Mackie vs Thurlow, Stewart vs Kolo, Ruggles vs Bews

Surprised Motlop didnt play today could the coach make an early season stand thinking it will benefit in the long run for him ie: Dees did with Watts

 

[hokee]

Play Taylor down back and bring Tomahawk up the ground. Cocky or Mendel to play FF and rest Stanley in the pocket when he's not playing ruck. Blicavs to be second ruck rather than Smith

 

[dazbroncos]

Best 22 based on today

Stewart - Lonergan - Ruggles

Mackie - Henderson - Tuohy

Duncan - Guthrie - Blicavs

Motlop - H.Taylor - Menzel

R.Stanley - Hawkins - McCarthy

Z.Smith - Dangerfield - J.Selwood

INT: Menagolo, GHS, Lang, Cockatoo, Thurlow, Cowan, Parfitt, Murdoch

24+Motlop+Guthrie today

Think its Mackie vs Thurlow, Stewart vs Kolo, Ruggles vs Bews

Surprised Motlop didnt play today could the coach make an early season stand thinking it will benefit in the long run for him ie: Dees did with Watts

Mots was listed with an "illness" by KROCK pre game

GO Catters

 

[Vdubs]

Best 22 I'm working on, but can safely put down my opinion of our most important 10.
Danger A+
Selwood A
Stanley B
Menzel A
Cockatoo B
Hawkins B
Taylor B
Henderson B
Duncan B
Smith.C+
Although Smith has not hit form, his teaming up with Stanley will be pivotal IF we are to go anywhere.
Same with Taylor- not in form, but a vital cog.
The others are self-explanatory

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Thurlow over Stewart, surely?

I cant remember the last time we willingly went in with only two kpds though. The structure has always been scarlett-egan-harley then scarlett-taylor-harley then scarlett-lonergan-taylor then lonergan-taylor-rivers then lonergan-taylor-henderson-kolo now it will likely be lonergan-henderson-stewart until kolo is fit. I cant see them going in shorter than that.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Play Taylor down back and bring Tomahawk up the ground. Cocky or Mendel to play FF and rest Stanley in the pocket when he's not playing ruck. Blicavs to be second ruck rather than Smith

Menzel at FF is not going to work with our gameplan (not that i agree with our gameplan but anyway). If taylor doesnt play 2nd KPF stanley has to (which he cant if we drop smith).

 

[you pick one]

Menzel at FF is not going to work with our gameplan (not that i agree with our gameplan but anyway). If taylor doesnt play 2nd KPF stanley has to (which he cant if we drop smith).

I still think our forwards push to far up the ground and when we do win the ball at half back on a quick break we have no one to go to,so it's back wards and side ways until some one can run forward, unfortunately dragging the opposition defense in numbers with them.

 

[you pick one]

Best 22 I'm working on, but can safely put down my opinion of our most important 10.
Danger A+
Selwood A
Stanley B
Menzel A
Cockatoo B
Hawkins BJ
Taylor B
Henderson B
Duncan B
Smith.C+
Although Smith has not hit form, his teaming up with Stanley will be pivotal IF we are to go anywhere.
Same with Taylor- not in form, but a vital cog.
The others are self-explanatory

Stanley can be anything from A+ to D how I would love for him to be a consistent B.

 

[Frappe]

I still think our forwards push to far up the ground and when we do win the ball at half back on a quick break we have no one to go to,so it's back wards and side ways until some one can run forward, unfortunately dragging the opposition defense in numbers with them.

We looked better with one player staying back, providing an option, as it meant we didn't go sideways as you mentioned.In the second half I can't recall too many times where we didn't move the ball quickly up the ground as opposed to chipping the ball back and forth in our backline.

 

[DanA]

Post JLT I would say:

HB: Stewart Lonergan Ruggles
FB: Thurlow Henderson Touhey
C: Duncan Menegola Murdoch
HF: Cockatoo Taylor Motlop
FF: Parfitt Hawkins Menzel
C: Stanley Dangerfield J.Selwood
I/C: Blicavs, Guthrie, GHS, Mackie

Still have S.Selwood once match fit and ready to come in and if it were me I would have McCarthey instead of Mackie but don't think selection committee will do that.

 

[catempire]

Post JLT I would say:

HB: Stewart Lonergan Ruggles
FB: Thurlow Henderson Touhey
C: Duncan Menegola Murdoch
HF: Cockatoo Taylor Motlop
FF: Parfitt Hawkins Menzel
C: Stanley Dangerfield J.Selwood
I/C: Blicavs, Guthrie, GHS, Mackie

Still have S.Selwood once match fit and ready to come in and if it were me I would have McCarthey instead of Mackie but don't think selection committee will do that.

Geez you're a hard marker on Mackie. He will and should be in the starting 18 based on form.

 

[Partridge]

Geez you're a hard marker on Mackie. He will and should be in the starting 18 based on form.

Nothing against him, but I can't believe people have Stewart ahead of Mackie right now.

 

[Lana]

Round 1 Team

FB Stewart Lonergan Ruggles
HB Tuohy Henderson Mackie
C Duncan Selwood Guthrie
HF Cockatoo Taylor Motlop
FF Menzel Hawkins McCarthy
Fol Stanley Dangerfield Horlin-Smith
Int Blicavs Thurlow Menegola Lang

GHS had a really good JLT, he took full advantage of being in the main midfield rotation seems to have his confidence up.

On the flip side both Smith and Stanley were both really ordinary, if they're both going to be bad we might as well just play one of them and have the benefit of an extra small. I don't agree with the wisdom of playing Smith over Stanley just because he is bigger and would be a closer match to Sandilands. I didn't like it when we picked Simpson to play cameos again him, it took away his competitive advantage that he had over most ruckmen.

Cowan will have to do better in order to break into the 22. On the plus side he is well ahead of where he was the sametime last year.

Murdoch is such a tease, I really wanted to fit him in but there can be only 22 players.

I want Parfitt to have to play at VFL level before getting a game at AFL level, if he is ready for the step up it will become apparent really quickly

Thurlow and Lang just make the cut. Lang just need to do a little extra to stand out. i think that Thurlow just need a few games to settle not unlike Henderson last year. I don't think playing at VFL level would be adequate preparation, playing a month at VFL level won't make he return be any smoother so we might as well bite that bullet early.

Theortical Best 22 - If everyone was fit and half decent form.
FB Henderson Lonergan Ruggles
HB Tuohy Taylor Mackie
C Duncan Selwood Guthrie
HF Cockatoo Stanley Motlop
FF Menzel Hawkins McCarthy
Fol Smith Dangerfield Menegola
Int Blicavs Thurlow S.Selwood Lang

 

[DanA]

Geez you're a hard marker on Mackie. He will and should be in the starting 18 based on form.

He found a bit of it but butchered the ball way too much. For me it's close enough that I'd go with the young guy that has potential to improve rather than the old guy that is on the decline.