Team Mgmt. 2018 Best 22

[freddy mercury]

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Stringer stringer stringer tippa

 

[Pweter]

B: Ambrose Hartley McKenna
HB: Saad Hurley Gleeson
C: McGrath Merrett Fantasia
HF: Stringer Daniher Smith
F: Stewart Hooker Walla
R: Bellchambers Heppell Parish
INT: Zaharakis Goddard Begley Myers

Plenty can change depending on preseason form etc for guys like Langford, Francis, Laverde, Green, Colyer to force their way in. Getting yesss in the trade period means some guys are unlucky

 

[boncer34]

B: Ambrose Hartley McKenna
HB: Saad Hurley Gleeson
C: McGrath Merrett Fantasia
HF: Stringer Daniher Smith
F: Stewart Hooker Walla
R: Bellchambers Heppell Parish
INT: Zaharakis Goddard Begley Myers

Plenty can change depending on preseason form etc for guys like Langford, Francis, Laverde, Green, Colyer to force their way in. Getting yesss in the trade period means some guys are unlucky

I like it

 

[Pweter]

I like it

It's easily the most competitive list we've had for starting 22 positions in the last 15 or so years. I didn't even consider the kids that are yet to get a senior game like Mutch, Ridley etc who have also been talked about in very positive terms.

 

[SherbertLemon]

FULLY ERRECT

 

[freddy mercury]

It's easily the most competitive list we've had for starting 22 positions in the last 15 or so years. I didn't even consider the kids that are yet to get a senior game like Mutch, Ridley etc who have also been talked about in very positive terms.

I thought last year was hard.

 

[Jade]

 

[Gumby2Hurley]

replace the face with dodo

 

[Pweter]

I don't think the s**t eating grin has left my face since I typed the centre and half forward lines of that team this morning.

 

[Bomberbuzz1]

I don't think the s**t eating grin has left my face since I typed the centre and half forward lines of that team this morning.

Is that you shooter mcgavin?

 

[table tennis]

Coincidence..... me think not!

 

[FAILTOSUCCEED]

B: Ambrose Hartley McKenna
HB: Saad Hurley Gleeson
C: McGrath Merrett Fantasia
HF: Stringer Daniher Smith
F: Stewart Hooker Walla
R: Bellchambers Heppell Parish
INT: Zaharakis Goddard Begley Myers

Plenty can change depending on preseason form etc for guys like Langford, Francis, Laverde, Green, Colyer to force their way in. Getting yesss in the trade period means some guys are unlucky

I still don’t understand how Gleeson gets a game. Do the wider Essendon board still think McKenna is best 22 even with Saad?

Also, I reckon Zaha to wing, Stewart benched and Fantasia to forward pocket. You guys have speed to burn in that forward line, use it!

 

[eth-dog]

I still don’t understand how Gleeson gets a game. Do the wider Essendon board still think McKenna is best 22 even with Saad?

Also, I reckon Zaha to wing, Stewart benched and Fantasia to forward pocket. You guys have speed to burn in that forward line, use it!

Gleeson's second half of the year was better than any other small defender we had, except maybe McGrath, who is moving into the midfield anyway.

 

[Lore]

I still don’t understand how Gleeson gets a game. Do the wider Essendon board still think McKenna is best 22 even with Saad?

Also, I reckon Zaha to wing, Stewart benched and Fantasia to forward pocket. You guys have speed to burn in that forward line, use it!

Zaharakis on the wing might as well not even be on the field, he doesn't impact the game from out there and has to be rotated through.

McKenna – have you even watched him play? Or heard about the contract extension he got at the end of 2017, for that matter... he earned that pay check Between James Kelly retiring and McGrath moving into the midfield, I'm assuming there'll be a spot somewhere there for Saad. Ambrose and Hartley in the same team is pretty unlikely.

As for Gleeson, he's serviceable. The main thing that bugs me about him is when he's caught on bigger opponents that just rag doll him... like Rohan when we play against Sydney.. >_>

 

[FAILTOSUCCEED]

Gleeson's second half of the year was better than any other small defender we had, except maybe McGrath, who is moving into the midfield anyway.

I guess you didn’t really have any decent small defenders apart from McGrath?

I think he just needs to add considerable bulk to be able to defend properly 1 on 1.

I like McKenna, has his moments but huge upside and can massively break the lines.

 

[eth-dog]

I guess you didn’t really have any decent small defenders apart from McGrath?

I think he just needs to add considerable bulk to be able to defend properly 1 on 1.

I like McKenna, has his moments but huge upside and can massively break the lines.

Nope. His second half of the year was very good, and he was pretty much BoG in the final we played. People just think back to the Rohan thing and automatically assume he was s**t all year around.

 

[Lore]

Nope. His second half of the year was very good, and he was pretty much BoG in the final we played. People just think back to the Rohan thing and automatically assume he was s**t all year around.

 

[Mad Bomber Sean]

My spies tell me that Bluey didn’t train again today.. at least on the track during regular training time.

I hope he isn’t losing his way too
much and is dealing with his issues rather than X boxing with a bucket of KFC - better than an ice pipe but equally unwelcome for a pro footballer.

 

[BrunoV]

I guess you didn’t really have any decent small defenders apart from McGrath?

I think he just needs to add considerable bulk to be able to defend properly 1 on 1.

I like McKenna, has his moments but huge upside and can massively break the lines.

As it stands McGrath is an elite small defender, quite possibly the best in the AFL, and I agree that he is the only quality small defender we have at this stage. It doesn't look like he'll be playing in defence.

I haven't watched Saad closely enough to know how good he is at playing purely as a small defender but he is supposed to be better than he is given credit for. It would seem, based on comments made by Dodoro and maybe even Worsfold, that he will be start in that role. Playing in a better team should help him as it make all defenders look better.

McKenna has massive scope for improvement for at least another 12 months. It's more likely than not that the extent of the improvement made last year will be matched this year as he develops a better understanding of the game. He'll be a much better defensive player this year than last.

The observation about Gleeson needing to get stronger to be good at one on one defending is fair enough. He had a great second half of the 2017 but it was primarily as an intercept defender. His 1v1 is okay when he plays on normal flankers but he struggles on the smaller and taller more powerful players. We've been waiting a long time for him to 'fill out'. He's running really good times at the moment which indicates that the physical maturity is coming.

 

[hurlygurdy]

I don't think the s**t eating grin has left my face since I typed the centre and half forward lines of that team this morning.

I like the team but If it happens it will mean begley is something truly special. Could he really be considered to be in front of Laverde who is going into his 4th year? I also think Langford will be played in front of Myers... all signs point that way.
What gives a real buzz is to read the speed on each line of the ground.
fb mckenna
Hb saad
C Fantasia
Hf smith
Ff walla
The quality of that speed is really going to hurt the opposition this year. They are not just there for their pace, they are all true footballers. The challenge for the coaches will be to exploit the two or three mismatches each week.

 

[Milanista28]

Smith will play 80% of his footy for us on ball, I watched him last week in match sim and he finds as much of the ball as Zachy, Will form a awesome threesome with Andy as well.

Gleeson has to be our most underrated young kid, He does everything asked of him week in week out, He was dropped last year fought his way back and had the best 12 games of his career IMO, He's our best intercept defender with Hooker now forward, Will play every week in 2018 and will flourish IMO.

 

[FAILTOSUCCEED]

As it stands we McGrath is an elite small defender, quite possibly the best in the AFL, and I agree that he is the only quality small defender we have at this stage. It doesn't look like he'll be playing in defence.

I haven't watched Saad closely enough to know how good he is at playing purely as a small defender but he is supposed to be better than he is given credit for. It would seem, based on comments made by Dodoro and maybe even Worsfold, that he will be start in that role. Playing in a better team should help him as it make all defenders look better.

McKenna has massive scope for improvement for at least another 12 months. It more likely than not that the extent of the improvement made last year will be matched this year as he develops a better understanding of the game. He'll be a much better defensive player this year than last.

The observation about Gleeson needing to get stronger to be good at one on one defending is fair enough. He had a great second half of the 2017 but it was primarily as an intercept defender. His 1v1 is okay when he plays on normal flankers but he struggles on the smaller and taller more powerful players. We've been waiting a long time for him to 'fill out'. He's running really good times at the moment which indicates that the physically maturity is coming.

Absolutely agree with everything here.

I think having McKenna & Saad off half back adds a huge element of danger to your line up - and opposition teams would be worried about the speed from half back where you can set up.

Gleeson has some great attributes in terms of marking and reading the play, I just think his defending skills need some work - largely due to him being out sized a lot of the time. This is why he needs some solid time in the gym the next few years to take his game to the next level.

 

[Keystone agony]

Smith will play 80% of his footy for us on ball, I watched him last week in match sim and he finds as much of the ball as Zachy.

Did they do any centre bounce stoppages and was he involved in them if so?

 

[Run and carry]

Absolutely agree with everything here.

I think having McKenna & Saad off half back adds a huge element of danger to your line up - and opposition teams would be worried about the speed from half back where you can set up.

Gleeson has some great attributes in terms of marking and reading the play, I just think his defending skills need some work - largely due to him being out sized a lot of the time. This is why he needs some solid time in the gym the next few years to take his game to the next level.

Its not just about speed with Mckenna and Saad. These guys along with Tippa, Colyer, Stringer, and Fantasia legitimately take players on. A few clubs just don't have those types of players. Competitive advantage hopefully.

 

[Milanista28]

Did they do any centre bounce stoppages and was he involved in them if so?

They did and he was involved, Can't remember too many 1st possession clearances but he was involved in a few break aways from the stoppage.

Stringer on the other hand won 3 center clerances in a row in match sim, Jake looked really good in the stoppages with his speed and strength kicking needs work but his touch will come.

Our midfield is going to look completely different this year, I can't remember a team overhauling a midfield group as much as we will from one year to the next.