2018 Best 22

I'm going to use contested marks as a yard-stick for O'Brien instead of goals. Naturally the two will have some tie in but I'd love to see him clunking the marks that we all know he can.

O’Brien will benefit greatly this year with Gunston likely to play as a permanent forward again.
 

mainehawk

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I think we are blessed with a strong/exciting list of players this coming season. No doubt Clarko will push different players & line ups through, until we reach the serious end of the season. What works, what doesn't ... who knows then? as long is Glass features through out. For mine! :thumbsu::footy::fire:
 
Ok. Here's my attempt.

Hardwick Brand Stratton
Sicily Frawley Birchall
Shiels Howe Smith
Gunston Burton Breust
Rioli Roughead Puopolo
McEvoy O'Meara Mitchell
Int: Burgoyne Impey O'Brien Glass

Howe starts in the middle. He's the big bodied mid we need.
I couldn't think of another place to put Burton. He doesn't have the tank to play in the middle full time and there are too many others in the backline. So put him forward, use Gunston as a high half forward.
Burgoyne goes wherever we need him.
Impey isn't a winger (yet). Shiels has the endurance to do the job.
Glass will have a break out season.
 

Wizzmania

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O’Brien should kick close to 30 goals this year if he keeps on improving.
O'Brien is set for a breakout season me thinks. His game last season against Melbourne at the G teased us by showing what he can produce. Pretty much took the game by the scruff of the neck. Am excited about what he can do this season. Definitely in our best 22
 
Jun 28, 2013
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Ok. Here's my attempt.

Hardwick Brand Stratton
Sicily Frawley Birchall
Shiels Howe Smith
Gunston Burton Breust
Rioli Roughead Puopolo
McEvoy O'Meara Mitchell
Int: Burgoyne Impey O'Brien Glass

Howe starts in the middle. He's the big bodied mid we need.
I couldn't think of another place to put Burton. He doesn't have the tank to play in the middle full time and there are too many others in the backline. So put him forward, use Gunston as a high half forward.
Burgoyne goes wherever we need him.
Impey isn't a winger (yet). Shiels has the endurance to do the job.
Glass will have a break out season.
This is actually a pretty good team. What will be interesting to see will be how our depth goes this year.
 
Ok. Here's my attempt.

Hardwick Brand Stratton
Sicily Frawley Birchall
Shiels Howe Smith
Gunston Burton Breust
Rioli Roughead Puopolo
McEvoy O'Meara Mitchell
Int: Burgoyne Impey O'Brien Glass

This is my round 1 team with Mirra in for Birch’s delayed start to the season. Impey to HFF, Bruest to forward pocket. Poppy is in danger of being transitioned away from through no fault of his own and will depend how Hanrahan’s NAB cup goes.
 
Hardwick frawley glass
Sic stratts birch
Smithy mitchell shiels
Breust burton gunston
Rioli rough burgers
Bigm howe omeara
Toby impey poppy morrison

Many teams will go small next year. Brand and glass swap for match ups
 
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This is my round 1 team with Mirra in for Birch’s delayed start to the season. Impey to HFF, Bruest to forward pocket. Poppy is in danger of being transitioned away from through no fault of his own and will depend how Hanrahan’s NAB cup goes.
Pops playing at Box Hill (being replaced by Ollie and/or Lovell) reminds me of Osborne at Box Hill. Worked out fine
 
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Morrison could be another as T4P reminded me
It might seem too obvious to bring someone in to start with in a small forward role too.

Clarko sometimes rips off the bandaid and chucks a kid in the guts to see how they will go.

Last year was interesting. I was expecting Dan Howe to be a defender and Hardwick to be a midfielder and Clarko threw things around and it worked a treat

As per what 4Ps has stated - this is the Hawthorn way - multi position players
 

burger09

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Hardwick Frawley Stratton
Birchall Burton Sicily
Smith Mitchell Sheils
Impey Gunston Burgoyne
Rioli Roughhead Bruest
McEvoy Howe O'meara

O'brien, Ceglar, Puopolo, Glass.

Looking forward to seeing what a forward half containing cyril, popy, bruest, impey, burgoyne, gunner and rough can produce......hopefully carnage.

Lots of flexibility in that squad, swingmen everywhere, which will please mr. Clarkson.

Still maybe a gun midfielder short. But if jaeger moves into dusty mode, look out!

Plenty will be given chances inc. vets Langers, Durea, Shoey, Hendo and newbies Lovell, JOR, Morrison, Brand.

We're still a team in transition and spots are there for the claiming. The evolution is underway but it may take a little while yet.
 
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Hawks1994

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We seem to have several spots in the 22 which could go to a number of ways in terms of who gets selected. It's a nice little problem to have.
The one that intrigues me most is the position of the 'second ruck'
Big Boy did an outstanding job last year as the 'sole' ruckman and hopefully he can continue on with that. Cegs will be a terrific addition as the second ruck if we choose to go with that little bit more height. The only downside here is that it usually takes a heap of match fitness to get a knee reco back to anything resembling 100%
Rough we know can do a solid job as the backup ruckman and Timbo emerged last year showing he can do a good good in there for us too

If it was me, I would have either Rough or O'Brien taking the backup ruck role whilst Ceglar starts the year off at VFL level to get the miles in the legs. Literally
 

LRobbo

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Agree with the Mirra for Birchall call early in the season as Birchall seems to be a way off yet. Maybe round 5 or after.
Mirra is ready to go, big body and oozes leadership.

Also wouldn’t be surprised if good JLT form is rewarded with a round 1 debut under lights in front of 75k.
Thinking Worpel will be a big chance.
 
Dec 29, 2008
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Hardwick Frawley Stratton
Sicily Brand Mirra
Smith Mitchell Shiels
Burton Gunston Rioli
Puopolo Roughead Breust
McEvoy JOM Howe

Burgoyne Impey Lovell O'Brien

E: Glass, Hanrahan, Schoey, Morrison

Feel like O'Brien just has to play. Did really well as 2nd Ruck and just seems a bees privates away from being a really good KPP.

Loved the idea of Mirra playing from the start and Birchalls knee might just open up a spot for him.

Lovell is my pick for the next young player to step up this year. As a junior he was a ball magnet - if Caleb Daniel, Lachie Neale and Zac Merrett can excel so can Lovell.

Can't help but feel Brand deserves a spot as he showed some real progress last year. Can see him being given the boot though as we bring in a more mobile player like Glass, Morrison or JOR.

Give. Hanrahan. A. Game.
 
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Hardwick Frawley Stratton
Sicily Brand Mirra
Smith Mitchell Shiels
Burton Gunston Rioli
Puopolo Roughead Breust
McEvoy JOM Howe

Burgoyne Impey Lovell O'Brien

E: Glass, Hanrahan, Schoey, Morrison

Feel like O'Brien just has to play. Did really well as 2nd Ruck and just seems a bees privates away from being a really good KPP.

Loved the idea of Mirra playing from the start and Birchalls knee might just open up a spot for him.

Lovell is my pick for the next young player to step up this year. As a junior he was a ball magnet - if Caleb Daniel, Lachie Neale and Zac Merrett can excel so can Lovell.

Can't help but feel Brand deserves a spot as he showed some real progress last year. Can see him being given the boot though as we bring in a more mobile player like Glass, Morrison or JOR.

Give. Hanrahan. A. Game.

No Birch???
 
I would like to see Worpel debut in Round 1. With Birchall and Ceglar likely to miss the first few rounds with injury, there's potentially two spots up for grabs and we may see Worpel, Mirra or even Hanrahan in the mix for selection.
 
I would like to see Worpel debut in Round 1. With Birchall and Ceglar likely to miss the first few rounds with injury, there's potentially two spots up for grabs and we may see Worpel, Mirra or even Hanrahan in the mix for selection.

I can't see us going with Ceglar and McEvoy. Will be interesting to see, but it just seems like the wrong way to go with the speed of the game as Ceglar only has the one gear.
 

Coathanger

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Below is best 22 not specifically round 1.

Hardwick Frawley Stratton
Birchall Brand Burton
Smith O'Meara Impey
Breust Gunston Sicily
Rioli Roughy Poppy
McEvoy Mitchell Shiels
I/C Burgoyne Howe Ceglar Glass

Ceglar makes my team before TOB as he's a proven performer in the "Hale" role.

People are trying to push Burton forward when Sicily is way more natural in that role.
Yes Clarko will throw Sicily down back at times but with the senior guys back I prefer him forward.

Let's hope a Morrison,Cousins,Lovell or Worpel can impress enough to take one of these spots during the season.
To have guys like Schoe,Hendo,Duryea,TOB & Langford in the wings, shows we have real depth this year.

Go Hawks!
 

Pessimistic

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Both TOB and shoe played last year in the same teams despite the rcruitment of vickery.

Fans didn’t expect that

Ceglar and Frawley return but Hodge hartung also out
 
Oct 6, 2013
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Stratton Brand Hardwick
Sicily Frawley Birchall
Howe Mitchell Smith
Impey Roughead Rioli
Pouopolo Gunston Bruest
McEvoy Shiels O’Meara

Burton O’Brien Burgoyne Morrison

Think Brand needs to be rewarded for his form last season.

Ceglar unlucky but McEvoy secures the #1 role and O’Brien will kick more goals & backline is covered in terms of height so we don’t need a ruckman to be rolling back constantly. O’Brien can crash a contest
 
Stratton Brand Hardwick
Sicily Frawley Birchall
Howe Mitchell Smith
Impey Roughead Rioli
Pouopolo Gunston Bruest
McEvoy Shiels O’Meara

Burton O’Brien Burgoyne Morrison

Think Brand needs to be rewarded for his form last season.

Ceglar unlucky but McEvoy secures the #1 role and O’Brien will kick more goals & backline is covered in terms of height so we don’t need a ruckman to be rolling back constantly. O’Brien can crash a contest
It's nice to have this competition for rucks. Even as recently as 2016 many were not thinking Big Boy was much chop.
 

diggydig

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Saw a few games last year where we started a big man on the wing (e.g., Roughy). Thought it worked well, and hoping to see it again in 2018!
 
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