Analysis 2018 Best 22

[eaglesnutcase]

I think the best 22 structurally based on 7 Defenders, 6 Midfielders, 2 Rucks and 7 Forwards is pretty settled, other than the final defender position (Jetta, Nelson) and final midfield position (Hutchings, Sheed).

DEF: McGovern, Barass, Hurn, Sheppard, Duggan, Cole, Jetta/Nelson
MID: Shuey, Gaff, Yeo, Redden, Masten, Sheed/Hutchings
RUCK: Naitanui, Lycett
FWD: Kennedy, Darling, Waterman, Rioli, LeCras, Cripps, Ryan

Dunno Bluey, the club has shown a very high regard for Venables subject to fitness and i think Petrol will be on the very near fringes with his blitzkrieg pace.

 

[RookiePick]

Difference is Embley was hitting the scoreboard at age and demanded attention.

Nelson is a defensive player. If he is on the wing it's not like he will draw a tag or much opposition attention. That means Gaff will be focused more.

If he plays up the ground he needs more strings to his bow.

I understand your point but I guess I see more upside to some of these kids than others do. Plenty of places for players that are up to the athletic demands and can play their roles. Not every player can be Luke Shuey or Elliot Yeo and we couldnt afford them if they were.

Look at how much we all love Shep these days and essentially he is just a very experienced, reliable footballer. He hardly set the world on fire in his early career and how valuable is he to the team nowadays?

 

[Max zero]

I understand your point but I guess I see more upside to some of these kids than others do. Plenty of places for players that are up to the athletic demands and can play their roles. Not every player can be Luke Shuey or Elliot Yeo and we couldnt afford them if they were.

Look at how much we all love Shep these days and essentially he is just a very experienced, reliable footballer. He hardly set the world on fire in his early career and how valuable is he to the team nowadays?

Yep but Shep is a defender we don't expect him to push forward.

I am fine with Nelson as a defender but people are talking about playing him on a wing. The wing has offensive requirements. I have been critical of Masten in the past when he was playing on the wing and wasn't being enough of an offensive threat. It meant so much more pressure was put on Shuey and Gaff. He has improved in this area this year.

If Nelson plays on the wing he needs more then just a big tank. He needs to be able to setup play and be an offensive threat. Nothing I have seen so far has shown me he has those traits.

Just like how we gave up playing midfielders as makeshift forwards we can't make the same mistake playing role players as makeshift replacements in other positions.

 

[Candiru]

What is it? And will we have it available some time before the end of July?

I reckon Hutchings has strengthened his claim lately.

 

[Candiru]

I reckon that's the end of the Hutchings argument.

 

[WCE Wizard]

I reckon that's the end of the Hutchings argument.

Yep he has stamped his authority the last two weeks taming, Sloane, Kelly and now Sidebottom

 

[Candiru]

So this was our side against the Bulldogs:

B: Shannon Hurn - Will Schofield - Brad Sheppard
HB: Liam Duggan - Jeremy McGovern - Lewis Jetta
C: Mark Hutchings - Elliot Yeo - Chris Masten
HF: Jamie Cripps - Jack Darling - Jack Redden
F: Mark LeCras - Josh Kennedy - Willie Rioli
R: Scott Lycett - Luke Shuey - Andrew Gaff
Int: Dom Sheed - Daniel Venables - Nathan Vardy - Tom Cole

What changes would make it our best 22? Taking for granted no NicNat.

Is it as simple as Barrass replacing Schofield? Or are Waterman/Ryan still a chance? Hard to see Ah Chee getting another go, barring injury.

I have to say, I think the inclusion of Vardy - and I assume he's there to stay - has probably hurt Waterman's chance of a recall.

 

[Candiru]

My faith in Sheed is wavering.

 

[Candiru]

So I reckon the unavailability of Naitanui and Gaff has clarified the best 25 for the rest of the season. There's going to need to be an emphasis on grunt and repeat effort. We're not going to be able to play our perfect stoppage game that relies on Naitanui's silver service. Nor will we be able to play our perfect run and gun chippy-chippy style that Gaff anchors.

I reckon the team that beat Port, plus Kennedy, Schofield and Waterman – that's our preferred 25 for the next two months. Sheed and Ah Chee have had their critics, justifiably, but I reckon they're odds-on to play henceforth, purely because of the style that we're going to need to play.

So much depends on JK's fitness. Without him, I think we'd be forced to pick Waterman, because Darling will otherwise be triple-teamed every time we kick long I50. And if Waterman is in, we probably have to pick Schofield too, just in case we need to swing McGovern forward. Assuming JK is fit, it's a trickier question. But I think his inclusion allows us to go with two talls at either end and two rucks, and then just load up the midfield.

I think this is our best available 22 for the run home:

B: Duggan Barrass Sheppard
HB: Hurn McGovern Cole
C: Jetta Redden Masten
HF: Rioli Darling Cripps
F: Ryan Kennedy LeCras
R: Lycett Yeo Shuey
Int: Vardy Hutchings Sheed Ah Chee

Next guys in: Venables Schofield Waterman

 

[Candiru]

My faith in Sheed is wavering.

Not any more.