2021 - Best 22

[caesar88]

Prescient post from C88. After 4 rounds the influence of Pyke and others can be seen. There may need to be revision to the Top 10 list. Field kicking combines technical ability, composure and vision.

Will leave it to C88 and others but I reckon Gulden, Ollie and Campbell (despite some errors) would be on that list at the moment. Maybe Blakey, Cunningham and Lloyd would be outs.

Yep based on this year, I would swap out Blakey, Cunningham and Lloyd, and add in Braeden, Errol and Ollie. A good problem to have I suppose.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Prescient post from C88. After 4 rounds the influence of Pyke and others can be seen. There may need to be revision to the Top 10 list. Field kicking combines technical ability, composure and vision.

Will leave it to C88 and others but I reckon Gulden, Ollie and Campbell (despite some errors) would be on that list at the moment. Maybe Blakey, Cunningham and Lloyd would be outs.

Without delving into who is or isn't a top 10 field kicker (we have certainly improved very significantly!) I will proffer that the ability to spot and deliver to targets (including to where targets are running to) is a critical skill that we are so much better at. For sure a big part of that will be coaching (looking at you Macca) but the confidence in your teammates is also a factor. For example, Paps almost always now looks to see if there is someone in position.
It's great to see.
Lost it a bit under pressure vs Essendon but I'm sure we'll get it back.

 

['51 Bewick]

Hi folks,
What has happened to Rowbottom?
Was reported on here he trained really well on Tuesday, but still not picked.
Is there a major problem?
Cheers.

 

[Millky95]

Hi folks,
What has happened to Rowbottom?
Was reported on here he trained really well on Tuesday, but still not picked.
Is there a major problem?
Cheers.

Club probably wants him to have a game in the 2nds just to make sure before he comes back in

 

['51 Bewick]

Club probably wants him to have a game in the 2nds just to make sure before he comes back in

Is he definitely playing reserves this week?

 

[Millky95]

Is he definitely playing reserves this week?

Don't think it has been announced yet

 

[Millky95]

Is he definitely playing reserves this week?

From the website:

James Rowbottom, who has missed the last three weeks with a knee injury will return but at VFL level, with the Sydney Swans playing their first VFL match against the Giants on Saturday at Lakeside Oval, as a precursor to Sydney Derby XX.

“He (Rowbottom) got through training well and we’d like to see him play at the reserves level this week and hopefully get through that and he will be ready to go after that,” Longmire said.

TEAM: Two changes for Sydney Derby

The Sydney Swans have made two changes to the team for Saturday's Round 5 match , the 20th edition of the Sydney Derby.

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

['51 Bewick]

From the website:

James Rowbottom, who has missed the last three weeks with a knee injury will return but at VFL level, with the Sydney Swans playing their first VFL match against the Giants on Saturday at Lakeside Oval, as a precursor to Sydney Derby XX.

“He (Rowbottom) got through training well and we’d like to see him play at the reserves level this week and hopefully get through that and he will be ready to go after that,” Longmire said.

TEAM: Two changes for Sydney Derby

The Sydney Swans have made two changes to the team for Saturday's Round 5 match , the 20th edition of the Sydney Derby.

www.sydneyswans.com.au

Thanks for that guys. I was getting worried that his leg had fallen off.
Going to be one of my best players in a keeper league.

 

[scaryness]

Came up with this.
Bolded are locks

B: Fox - Rampe - Cunningham
HB: Lloyd - McCartin - Dawson
C: Florent - Mills - McInerney
HF: Papley - Reid - Gulden
F: Hayward - Franklin - Heeney
R: Hickey - Parker - Rowbottom

INT: Kennedy - Hewett - Warner - Wicks

Depth:
Blakey
Campbell
Ling
McDonald
McLean
Melican
O'Riordan
Stephens

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Came up with this.
Bolded are locks

B: Fox - Rampe - Cunningham
HB: Lloyd - McCartin - Dawson
C: Florent - Mills - McInerney
HF: Papley - Reid - Gulden
F: Hayward - Franklin - Heeney
R: Hickey - Parker - Rowbottom

INT: Kennedy - Hewett - Warner - Wicks

Depth:
Blakey
Campbell
Ling
McDonald
McLean
Melican
O'Riordan
Stephens

I think Melican would be close best 22 given the contract extension to 2024, Stephens hasn't signed which is a major red flag.

McLean is very close if not already in our best 22 the issue is we aren't willing to throw him in the ruck so that requires Sinclar to play.

O'Riordan is really interesting do you think he has a position at the club given he is OOC this year?

Still a bit of shuffling from our depth pool to find our best 22.

 

[scaryness]

I think Melican would be close best 22 given the contract extension to 2024, Stephens hasn't signed which is a major red flag.

McLean is very close if not already in our best 22 the issue is we aren't willing to throw him in the ruck so that requires Sinclar to play.

O'Riordan is really interesting do you think he has a position at the club given he is OOC this year?

Still a bit of shuffling from our depth pool to find our best 22.

I am more comfortable with Fox in the lineup but Melican is fine. You can't play all 4 of Fox, Rampe, Melican and McCartin unless McCartin is a forward or you make one play small and maybe drop Cunningham, but you likely get exposed for pace.

I left McLean out because I only really want 2 talls up forward with Heeney and Hayward being 3rd tall substitues, though when I think about it Reid almost plays on the wing in general play so I may have been duped by the old fashioned lineup template we use and you could possibly play McLean too. Either way I would pick him ahead of Sinclair both forward and ruck.

I don't see the harm in keeping O'Riordan unless he has ambitions elsewhere. Don't say no to handy depth, I wouldn't say Cunningham is miles ahead of him as a defender.

I still like Blakey but don't know what to do with him.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Yer i think most would of hoped Blakey by now would of shown enough to be best 22 with 3 years in the system.

Its why he has been played in numerous positions as the coaches don't know his best position yet either.

 

[TryAnHit]

What will the swans do with Naismith once he is back? Play him and Hickey combo? Or just put him in the reserves.

 

[scaryness]

What will the swans do with Naismith once he is back? Play him and Hickey combo? Or just put him in the reserves.

Hickey is better and neither can play forward

 

[sataris]

Hickey is better and neither can play forward

Pls don't look at his career average of 0.3 goals / game.

In 2021 he's kicked 6.1 in 7 games so, Hickey can at least kick a goal. In fact he's kicked 1000% more goals than Naismith.


He's actually kicked more goals than Naismith has played games.

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

What will the swans do with Naismith once he is back? Play him and Hickey combo? Or just put him in the reserves.

He'll have an extended run in the Reserves but I daresay Horse will be tempted at some point to play both.

Naismith showed serious improvement in his marking in his short stint back last time, especially at Reserves level. It will be interesting to see whether that has stuck.

 

[scaryness]

Pls don't look at his career average of 0.3 goals / game.

In 2021 he's kicked 6.1 in 7 games so, Hickey can at least kick a goal. In fact he's kicked 1000% more goals than Naismith.


He's actually kicked more goals than Naismith has played games.

Hickey kicks goals from the ruck but I don't think you can plonk him in the square to take big marks or have him be a leading forward, which he would have to do if Naismith comes back.

I could be wrong, I just don't think it's in his game.

 

[S120]

Hickey kicks goals from the ruck but I don't think you can plonk him in the square to take big marks or have him be a leading forward, which he would have to do if Naismith comes back.

I could be wrong, I just don't think it's in his game.

Agreed. His goals have come from ruck stoppages or getting forward to take an uncontested mark inside 50. He's proved me wrong before so I'm open to being wrong again about Big Hick, but I wouldn't expect to get much in terms of big contested grabs from him sitting at FF.

 

[rustycrate]

Agreed. His goals have come from ruck stoppages or getting forward to take an uncontested mark inside 50. He's proved me wrong before so I'm open to being wrong again about Big Hick, but I wouldn't expect to get much in terms of big contested grabs from him sitting at FF.

I wouldn't necisarily put restrictions on Hickey. He has defied his own history and become a player that he himself may not have envisaged. He keeps defying the odds and proving people wrong. I love his work.

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

Hickey kicks goals from the ruck but I don't think you can plonk him in the square to take big marks or have him be a leading forward, which he would have to do if Naismith comes back.

I could be wrong, I just don't think it's in his game.

But you don’t have him at the top of the square to necessarily take pack marks and kick goals. You have him there to tie up a tall defender. If the opposition don’t put a tall on him he will take pack marks and kick goals.

 

[Kiama Chris]

He'll have an extended run in the Reserves but I daresay Horse will be tempted at some point to play both.

Naismith showed serious improvement in his marking in his short stint back last time, especially at Reserves level. It will be interesting to see whether that has stuck.

Big Sam will play reserves and replace Sinkers as injury cover for Hickey. Reid will play as the cut out ahead of Sinkers if he's fit. Amartey is the "smash glass" option. I think they've settled on McLean as a KPF, at least for now.
Our forward line of Reid, McLean and McDonald functioned very well. Good to remember.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Too hard to pick a "best 22" (now 23?) week in/week out. More like 30+ to get through a season. Do we have 30 players who are "AFL Standard"? In this exercise have played a few games.
Amartey *
Bell
Blakey
Brand*
Campbell
Clarke
Cunningham
Dawson
Florent
Fox
Franklin
Grey*
Gulden
Hayward
Heeney
Hewett
Hickey
Kennedy
Ling
Lloyd
McCartin
McDonald
McLean
McInerney
Melican
Mills
Naismith
O'Riordan
Papley
Parker
Rampe
Reid
Ronke
Rowbottom
Sinclair
Stephens
Taylor
Warner
Wicks
* is doubt on my part to play a role of some sort, despite experience. No-one who has not yet played seniors.
39 players with AFL experience is pretty darn good. Only a few of those would make me gasp if selected.

 

[RUNVS]

Been a couple of months and we are well into the season. Assuming everyone is fit who is our best 22?

B: McCartin, Rampe, Reid
HB: Lloyd, Campbell, Dawson
C: Hewett, Florent, McInerney
HF: Heeney, McDonald, Hayward
F: Papley, Franklin, Gulden
FOLL: Hickey, Mills, Parker
I/C: Wicks, Rowbottom, Warner, Blakey
Emg: Fox, McLean, Amartey, Kennedy, Melican, Cunningham

Big call leaving Kennedy out I know, but the other option is leaving one of Warner or Rowbottom out and when they are both fit I just can't.

 

[BloodySwan]

Been a couple of months and we are well into the season. Assuming everyone is fit who is our best 22?

B: McCartin, Rampe, Reid
HB: Lloyd, Campbell, Dawson
C: Hewett, Florent, McInerney
HF: Heeney, McDonald, Hayward
F: Papley, Franklin, Gulden
FOLL: Hickey, Mills, Parker
I/C: Wicks, Rowbottom, Warner, Blakey
Emg: Fox, McLean, Amartey, Kennedy, Melican, Cunningham

Big call leaving Kennedy out I know, but the other option is leaving one of Warner or Rowbottom out and when they are both fit I just can't.

Cunningham would be top 5 in our B&F
Kennedy has had a better season than Blakey or Campbell
Fox has had a better season than Blakey
Blakey has had an awful 2021 season, there is no way he is infront of any of the emergencies based off of 2021 form

 

[RUNVS]

Cunningham would be top 5 in our B&F
Kennedy has had a better season than Blakey or Campbell
Fox has had a better season than Blakey
Blakey has had an awful 2021 season, there is no way he is infront of any of the emergencies based off of 2021 form

That is possibly quite true. Blakey is one that could be left out, though not sure if Kennedy or Cunningham comes in for him. Campbell, I know he is young but I just love the way he goes about it. I love how he kicks and attacks when he has the ball.