Team Mgmt. 2018 Best 22

Dec 18, 2007
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It was neccesity that the Dogs put Stringer in a KP. Won't be that at Essendon. Hope he comes out and kicks 50 goals in 2018, would certainly shut some naysayers up in a big way.

I reckon there is a real chance of that happening because Stringer was tasked with carrying the Dog forward line and he isn't that sort of player wheres at Essendon he will be just one part of a more rounded forward half than he was part of at Footscray.
 

WEEVZ

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Besides flicking around positions, this is the same as my 22 - one thing i've been pondering is whether we will actually play Stringer, Stewart and Laverde in the team together alongside Hooker and Joey. String likely to play 50-50 mid-fwd and maybe Lav is the same but this means going in with the 4 'tall' fwd structure. Something that our coaches weren't keen on last year. I'm sure they will give it a try but Stewart and Laverde will have to be on song given Langers will probably rest fwd too. Even though Stewy was fantastic as the 3rd tall last year, I could see a Begley or Green getting a gig in front of him based on need for Fwd pressure. (If Laverde is playing as a Mid-Fwd)
Nah given Woosha's comments about not playing Daniher in the ruck so much next year (if at all), I get the feeling we'll be using Stewart as that 2nd ruck. And to be honest from what I've seen Stewart probably has better ruck craft that Daniher does.

I think having that style of forwardline works pretty well especially considering that with the exception of Hooker they're all very athletic players. If we're worried about mobility the its a fairly simple fix: Hooker to FB, Francis to FF, Hartley out and (if the coaches think he's ready) Ridley in.
 
Jul 16, 2013
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People need to stop putting Hooker in the backline. He will play forward.

B: Saad Hurley McKenna
HB: Gleeson Hartley Ambrose

C: Goddard (will float back) Heppell Zakarakis
Foll: BChambers ZMerrett Parish

HF: Stringer Daniher Tippa
F: Fantasia Hooker Stewart

B: Langford Laverde McGrath Smith

Emg: Francis Begley Hartley
 
Why are people constantly putting Ambrose on a flank? I know it's relatively minor but I like to think we'd put the most attacking players on the flanks (Saad and McKenna) rather than more defensive types.
 

BrunoV

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I'd like to see the following side against the Crows:
B: Saad - Hartley - Francis
HB: McKenna - Hurley - Gleeson
C: McGrath - Heppell - Z.Merrett
R: Bellchambers - Langford - Smith
HF: Stringer - Daniher - Walla
F: Fantasia - Hooker - Stewart

I/C: Zaharakis - Goddard - Parish - Laverde


All things considered this is the best 22 we can name for 2018.

Hartley, Francis, Ambrose and Brown are fighting for two spots. That seems to me to be the only real area of uncertainty. Everyone else picks himself.
 
Jul 16, 2013
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Why are people constantly putting Ambrose on a flank? I know it's relatively minor but I like to think we'd put the most attacking players on the flanks (Saad and McKenna) rather than more defensive types.

You do realise that being named on the flank has no actual bearing on where they play right?

I should have said this to be honest.

Back 7: Hurley Hartley Ambrose Gleeson Saad Mckenna and Goddard

Middle 6: Heppell Zaka Parish Merrett Bellchambers and Stringer

Forward 5: Daniher Tippa Hooker Fantasia and Stewart
 
You do realise that being named on the flank has no actual bearing on where they play right?

I should have said this to be honest.

Back 7: Hurley Hartley Ambrose Gleeson Saad Mckenna and Goddard

Middle 6: Heppell Zaka Parish Merrett Bellchambers and Stringer

Forward 5: Daniher Tippa Hooker Fantasia and Stewart
Hence the words "relatively minor". Just a little bit of curiosity is all.
 

WEEVZ

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All things considered this is the best 22 we can name for 2018.

Hartley, Francis, Ambrose and Brown are fighting for two spots. That seems to me to be the only real area of uncertainty. Everyone else picks himself.
Yep. I think Gleeson may be competing with Ridley for that spot by the end of the year as well. Especially given how dominant Ridley was in that intercepting half back role when he returned from that back injury.
 

BrunoV

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Yep. I think Gleeson may be competing with Ridley for that spot by the end of the year as well. Especially given how dominant Ridley was in that intercepting half back role when he returned from that back injury.


I think that Ridley's time will come as he becomes capable of challenging Goddard for a spot. I expect Gleeson to go from strength to strength so I doubt that his position will come under threat particularly from a second year player.

Myers is a player I overlooked. A spot in round 1 is still probably his to lose (or for someone to take form him).

I do think that the team you named is what we would want to be playing. If that team selects itself it will answer every query about our list and we'll be right in contention. It's now up to Laverde, Langford and Francis to force their way into the team.
 
Dec 2, 2014
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Woosha said that Jake may play 50% or more in the middle depending in his fitness, If it's a 50/50 split will he rotate with multiple players or say a Langford/Laverde who also plays that 50/50.

I also heard that Zachy is practicing his goal kicking a lot more this pre season, Maybe he plays more HFF as opposed to last years quarterback role. If he can get the ball 12-15 times within 80 meters I'd back that into 8-10 or so scoring shots, Absolute class with the ball.
 

eDPS

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Woosha said that Jake may play 50% or more in the middle depending in his fitness, If it's a 50/50 split will he rotate with multiple players or say a Langford/Laverde who also plays that 50/50.

I also heard that Zachy is practicing his goal kicking a lot more this pre season, Maybe he plays more HFF as opposed to last years quarterback role. If he can get the ball 12-15 times within 80 meters I'd back that into 8-10 or so scoring shots, Absolute class with the ball.
Might be rotating with Fanta and Tippa, both those guys love to push through the middle so wouldn't surprise me.
 

BrunoV

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Woosha said that Jake may play 50% or more in the middle depending in his fitness, If it's a 50/50 split will he rotate with multiple players or say a Langford/Laverde who also plays that 50/50.

I also heard that Zachy is practicing his goal kicking a lot more this pre season, Maybe he plays more HFF as opposed to last years quarterback role. If he can get the ball 12-15 times within 80 meters I'd back that into 8-10 or so scoring shots, Absolute class with the ball.


Merrett could get a third fewer possessions than he did this year and dramatically increase his impact on games if he gets the ball from the centre or forward of centre.
 

Sockeye

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Saad Hartley Baguley
McKenna Hurley Gleeson

Walla Heppell McGrath
Bellch Zaharakis Merrett

Stewart Daniher Fantasia(mid)
Stringer(mid) Hooker Smith(mid)

Ambrose(d)
Laverde(mid)
Goddard(mid)
Begley(f)

Who TF knows? Likely best 22
Francis Myers
Langford Colyer

McGrath to take Merrett/Goddards QB role.
Merrett to roll more forward.
Zaharakis, Goddard, Heppell, Stringer and Laverde more inside. (and Myers and Langford at some stage)
Smith, Walla and Fanta rotate forward and mid.
Ambrose in defense rotation. (Whether Ambrose, Gleeson or Bags starts depends on match ups.)
Begley in forward rotation.
 

WEEVZ

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I think that Ridley's time will come as he becomes capable of challenging Goddard for a spot. I expect Gleeson to go from strength to strength so I doubt that his position will come under threat particularly from a second year player.

Myers is a player I overlooked. A spot in round 1 is still probably his to lose (or for someone to take form him).

I do think that the team you named is what we would want to be playing. If that team selects itself it will answer every query about our list and we'll be right in contention. It's now up to Laverde, Langford and Francis to force their way into the team.
I can't see Myers being best 22 myself. Not the player he used to be and now somehow he's gotten even slower and now can't hit a target.
 
Yep. I think Gleeson may be competing with Ridley for that spot by the end of the year as well. Especially given how dominant Ridley was in that intercepting half back role when he returned from that back injury.
* Gleeson is probably the most underrated player on BigFooty. He was nigh on elite in the second half of the year.
 

WEEVZ

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**** Gleeson is probably the most underrated player on BigFooty. He was nigh on elite in the second half of the year.
I'm not saying Gleeson didn't have a good second half of the year (after a frankly garbage 1st half), I'm saying in the long run Ridley is going to be the better, more consistent player and if it came down to a choice between those two I'd pick Ridley every time if he were ready.
 

akiva

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Aug 8, 2013
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I'm not saying Gleeson didn't have a good second half of the year (after a frankly garbage 1st half), I'm saying in the long run Ridley is going to be the better, more consistent player and if it came down to a choice between those two I'd pick Ridley every time if he were ready.
Ridley hasn't even played a senior game yet!
 
Jul 13, 2008
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These sides need more Begley.
He fished at least even with Lav end of last year after only a small number of games and yet Lav is a walk up start to many teams here.

Word on Ferntree Gully road is that this kid has been doing a lot of extra training and lost a few kegs to boot. I heard that he actually looks bigger...

Smashing ball Begley.
 

Bombers36

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These sides need more Begley.
He fished at least even with Lav end of last year after only a small number of games and yet Lav is a walk up start to many teams here.

Word on Ferntree Gully road is that this kid has been doing a lot of extra training and lost a few kegs to boot. I heard that he actually looks bigger...

Smashing ball Begley.

If Begley can play off a bench and keep up his goal average of 1.7 a game it would be huge! Hope im wrong but not totally sold on Laverde just yet - Begley and Langford may go past him in 2018...
 
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