Strategy 2017 || Let's construct our best 22 || Part 2: Defensive 6

[Headless]

Part 1 can be found here. As much as I wanted Stretch to get over the line, the final results (at time of writing; the poll will remain open for no particular reason) are:

1. Jack Viney - 58 (100%)
2. Nathan Jones - 55 (94.8%)
2. Max Gawn - 55 (94.8%)
4. Dom Tyson - 48 (82.8%)
5. Jordan Lewis - 47 (81.0%)
6. Clayton Oliver - 27 (46.6%)

7. Billy Stretch - 18 (31.0%) #backbilly
8. Bernie Vince - 14 (24.1%)
9. Angus Brayshaw - 11 (19.0%)
10. Christian Salem - 7 (12.1%)
11. Christian Petracca - 6 (10.3%)
12. Jake Melksham - 1 (1.7%)
12. Jayden Hunt - 1 (1.7%)

I've taken the liberty of positioning those six on the field, leaving us with:

FB || Nick Smith | Nick Smith | Nick Smith
HB || Nick Smith | Nick Smith | Nick Smith
C || Jordan Lewis | Clayton Oliver | Dom Tyson
HF || Nick Smith | Nick Smith | Nick Smith
FF || Nick Smith | Nick Smith | Nick Smith
R || Max Gawn | Nathan Jones | Jack Viney
INT || Nick Smith | Nick Smith | Nick Smith | Nick Smith

E || Nick Smith | Nick Smith | Nick Smith

In this poll, we're selecting our best unit of six defenders, so:

• 2 back pockets
• 1 full back
• 2 half back flankers
• 1 centre half back

I think this will be interesting, because even the structure is a little up in the air.

Assume all players are fully fit. Enjoy!

 

[Headless]

FWIW:

B: Jetta - McDonald - McDonald
HB: Hunt - Frost - Hibberd

I'm playing Salem forward.

 

[Proper Gander]

I like the same lot as headless and I'm also playing Salem forward.

 

[Headless]

Proper Gander, I saw your sneaky amendments.

 

[Proper Gander]

Proper Gander, I saw your sneaky amendments.

that was genuine random clicks because the phone rang then I went back and did it properly.

In no universe and in no possible way do I drop Hunt. There are really serious consequences for people who do that.

 

[LeverPuller]

Think this one may be a bit boring.

EDIT: Dat Nick Smith

 

[Headless]

Think this one may be a bit boring.

EDIT: Dat Nick Smith

It looks like it at this early stage! I wonder how Dunn would have fared in this. IMO there are lots of options for the back flanks.

 

[TheCount]

At my time of voting ... 6 voters all the same ... how many do we need to get a Quorum?

 

[Proper Gander]

Its interesting because I really hadn't given much thought to defensive depth and so forth but it looks much more cheerful then I kind of thought. Weird really. I'm finding it difficult not having some player that I have to play that gives me the wobblies. Never knew until now how much I was relying on Matt Jones to give me a sense of stability

 

[ponsdale]

I'm changing it up a bit. I voted:

B: Jetta - TMac - Hibberd
HB: Hunt - Frost - Melksham

 

[00Stinger]

Pretty common votes for the backline so far

 

[schmuttt]

Easiest one of the lot.

FB: Jetta OMac Frost
HB: Hunt TMac Hibberd

OMac should take the biggest forward this year, let him play on the gorillas. He is a bit bigger than his brother and TMac is much better when he can be freed up a bit. Frost should play most games, I think with his athleticism he can still play against a smaller forwardline.

 

[Headless]

Round 1, 2013:

FB: Lynden Dunn, Tom CatHiss, Daniel Nicholson
HB: Jack Watts, James Frawley, Colin Garland

 

[TheCount]

Round 1, 2013:

FB: Lynden Dunn, Tom CatHiss, Daniel Nicholson
HB: Jack Watts, James Frawley, Colin Garland

I did not read "CatHiss" first time around ... although what I read was no less appropriate.

 

[dylan93]

FB: Jetta O. McDonald Frost
HB: Hibberd T. McDonald Hunt

 

[Bazza97]

Good to see Frost is in everyone's back 6.

From my perspective, he doesn't get the recognition as much as he should externally as he does internally.

From what I've seen, the best 22s for 2017 that was done for our side by fox sports and the AFL website didn't have Frost in our best 22 at all.

Frost is pretty important to our side I reckon in that he can play on the talls but like Schmutt mentioned his athleticism allows him to play against the smalls as well which is where I see him as adding value to our side.

Those best 22s done by fox sports and the afl website had Hibberd in Frosts place at the BP which IMO isn't ideal. Firstly, he'd probably struggle for height against the 3rd tall or resting ruckman but also it would mean to me he wouldn't be able to play to his strengths as he wouldn't be able to rebound as freely as he could if he was higher up the field playing as the rebounding HB who can also defend accountably.

 

[PerfectFooty]

This seems ways easier than selecting a group of mids. Pretty much unanimous

 

[Bazza97]

This seems ways easier than selecting a group of mids. Pretty much unanimous

The votes for our forwards should be quite interesting though. I think there'll be a bit of a split between Weideman and Pederson and from what I've read a few would have Salem in there as well. So going by that I'm a little unsure how our preferred forward 6 will look like and there should be a much more even spread of votes for the forwards than our backs.

 

[Headless]

The votes for our forwards should be quite interesting though. I think there'll be a bit of a split between Weideman and Pederson and from what I've read a few would have Salem in there as well. So going by that I'm a little unsure how our preferred forward 6 will look like and there should be a much more even spread of votes for the forwards than our backs.

I think the bench will also be extremely interesting.

 

[Bazza97]

I think the bench will also be extremely interesting.

Oh yeah that as well. Forgot about the bench, I'd imagine that would be the most interesting part of this exercise and that's probably where we are going to have the most contrasting choices and opinions. Looking forward to it.

 

[Headless]

We'll have 10 positions available after this. All of the players below have genuine claims to being best 22 IMO.

1. Hogan
2. Salem
3. Watts
4. Petracca
5. Brayshaw
6. Stretch
7. Melksham
8. Pedersen
9. vandenBerg
10. Vince
11. Weideman
12. Bugg
13. Kennedy
14. Garlett
15. Wagner
16. Harmes

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Jetta T Mac Smith
Hibberd OMac Hunt

 

[Headless]

Jetta T Mac Smith
Hibberd OMac Hunt

That's interesting! How many games do you see Smith playing this year?

 

[Proper Gander]

Jetta T Mac Smith
Hibberd OMac Hunt

Good to see you're sticking on the bandwagon. I'd forgotten the boy TBH. What a nice surprise.

No wonder the thumbler nicked off - no way does he get a game in this team.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

That's interesting! How many games do you see Smith playing this year?

Not many, just love everything about him as a player. Kind of like Hunt but more of a longer agile type rather than the all out sprinter. Has a great leap and has some pace, just a natural with the ball or without. He has improved rapidly in reading the game and granted small sample his kicking looks good. Plus the other Casey watchers here rate him so I feel braver about predicting great things.