2022 All Aus Predictions and Rolling teams

VinnieB

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Oct 28, 2021
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Hardwick should find a spot in the AA.
Not only can he shut a player down in the backline, but he has been shown to be flexible when asked to move further up the ground.

To be honest, can't see why he isn't one of the easier decisions to make.
 
I doubt Hardwick makes the real squad. Just doesn't have the profile or media attention.

Not statistically dominant and not in a top side = not selected in my view.

It's a shame that certain roles are so undervalued in this type of team (despite every team needing actual defensive shut down players).

Well done for recognising he, Maynard and others though.

Hope they do consider a defensive type of player (maybe off the bench), ask most Sydney fans and Clarke's role has been critical in us winning these games. Took Daicos out of the game last week, you know it's a win when you send Daicos forward.
 
Hardwick should find a spot in the AA.
Not only can he shut a player down in the backline, but he has been shown to be flexible when asked to move further up the ground.

To be honest, can't see why he isn't one of the easier decisions to make.

Not that it should matter but picking two blokes from the Hawks with an average defence would be the issue, Sicily is a stone cold moral.
 
Jul 13, 2015
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I've got Hardwick in the squad, think he's had a brilliant season, but I think he'll just miss out on the final team. It'll be hard for them to justify picking two defenders from a team that's conceded the fourth most points, even if it's technically an individual award.

The way forwards and defenders are picked is very different.

Despite Hawthorn conceding so many goals Hardwick has conceded the least number of goals out of all defenders. Not letting him in would be the same as keeping Lockett out because his 100 goals didnt count because St Kilda were awful.

Not that it should matter but picking two blokes from the Hawks with an average defence would be the issue, Sicily is a stone cold moral.

Our defence isnt that bad, its our midfield that is very poor. They concede so many inside 50s, which is why there are so many scores against.
 
The way forwards and defenders are picked is very different.

Despite Hawthorn conceding so many goals Hardwick has conceded the least number of goals out of all defenders. Not letting him in would be the same as keeping Lockett out because his 100 goals didnt count because St Kilda were awful.

I'd have no issue him being there, however these are AA selectors who lets be honest here are woeful year after year. They always pick flavour of the month players. Nick Smith was one of the best lockdown defenders period and it took the best season we ever had for him to get a gig. Think Hardwick is doing well to get in the squad being realistic.
 
Hardwick has conceded the least number of goals out of all defenders.
Where can I find these stats? Not saying you're wrong, just interested in the stats for everyone
 
Jul 13, 2015
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Where can I find these stats? Not saying you're wrong, just interested in the stats for everyone

I dont know where the stats are from. King and Joey have mentioned it a few times over the months. Last time I think was 3 weeks ago and it was 12 goals against Hardwick, and in the last 3 weeks he has conceded only a couple of goals. So maybe someone is a little better now, but I doubt it.
 
I'd have no issue him being there, however these are AA selectors who lets be honest here are woeful year after year. They always pick flavour of the month players. Nick Smith was one of the best lockdown defenders period and it took the best season we ever had for him to get a gig. Think Hardwick is doing well to get in the squad being realistic.
That’s fair, even the game on the weekend Hawks tried a few different things and the kids held up okay for the most part and defensive structures were solid but the repeat entries is what killed you and made your defenders look ave at times after winning the ball back and trying to find an outlet into the midfield and getting caught on the rebound
 
Jul 13, 2015
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That’s fair, even the game on the weekend Hawks tried a few different things and the kids held up okay for the most part and defensive structures were solid but the repeat entries is what killed you and made your defenders look ave at times after winning the ball back and trying to find an outlet into the midfield and getting caught on the rebound

The 1st and 3rd quarter when we had Sicily in the midfield and Blanck, Jeka, and DGB (total of about 26 games) as our defenders pretty much opened the door to Richmond running goals in. And even then Hardwick still wasnt conceding goals.
 
That’s fair, even the game on the weekend Hawks tried a few different things and the kids held up okay for the most part and defensive structures were solid but the repeat entries is what killed you and made your defenders look ave at times after winning the ball back and trying to find an outlet into the midfield and getting caught on the rebound

Have to say the Hawks game I only watched last night, was at the SCG so missed a fair bit of that game. Despite losing Sicily stood out like nothing before. He is a certain selection in the AA. Not sure Hardwick makes it, if he does will be a top 40 squad type wouldn't make the team.
 
The 1st and 3rd quarter when we had Sicily in the midfield and Blanck, Jeka, and DGB (total of about 26 games) as our defenders pretty much opened the door to Richmond running goals in. And even then Hardwick still wasnt conceding goals.
Really rate Jeka as a long term prospect been great at box hill for a while and liked the move down back for him
Definitely something worth continuing to experiment with, has the tools to be that no fuss big kpd who can do the grunt work
 
May 16, 2017
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There’s no chance that Hardwick gets in. The team simply isn’t selected to actually play games. The wingers would have never played a game on a wing this entire year. The selectors simply put the best players in regardless of role. I guess their thoughts would be that if Tom Stewart wanted to play a lockdown role like Hardwick he would be just as good.

It's debatable but I tend to agree with them. I would rather have a better mid on the wing then a pure wingman if I was to actually choose a team. I would also rather have Petracca or Bont as a half forward then a pure half forward. It's not really a position based team rather then just the best overall players.
 
Jul 13, 2015
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There’s no chance that Hardwick gets in. The team simply isn’t selected to actually play games. The wingers would have never played a game on a wing this entire year. The selectors simply put the best players in regardless of role. I guess their thoughts would be that if Tom Stewart wanted to play a lockdown role like Hardwick he would be just as good.

It's debatable but I tend to agree with them. I would rather have a better mid on the wing then a pure wingman if I was to actually choose a team. I would also rather have Petracca or Bont as a half forward then a pure half forward. It's not really a position based team rather then just the best overall players.

And the irony is after the AA team is picked you could then pick from all the players and come up with a team which would for sure beat the AA team.

The selectors for as long as I can remember have made simply baffling selections.
 
May 16, 2017
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And the irony is after the AA team is picked you could then pick from all the players and come up with a team which would for sure beat the AA team.

The selectors for as long as I can remember have made simply baffling selections.
That’s true maybe if you were to play the day the team got selected. But if you gave them a few months to learn their roles I reckon the AA selected players would roll them. As good as a forward pocket may be in his role I have no doubt Petracca would be much better if given time to learn that role. The better players simply move onto more important positions.
 
Jul 13, 2015
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That’s true maybe if you were to play the day the team got selected. But if you gave them a few months to learn their roles I reckon the AA selected players would roll them. As good as a forward pocket may be in his role I have no doubt Petracca would be much better if given time to learn that role. The better players simply move onto more important positions.

Im pretty sure Kosi or Breust or Greene or Papley or Heeney (assuming Cameron and Stengle make it) would do far better than Petracca or Bont or whoever else gets thrown forward despite hardly ever kicking goals generated from inside the forward 50.
 
May 16, 2017
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Im pretty sure Kosi or Breust or Greene or Papley or Heeney (assuming Cameron and Stengle make it) would do far better than Petracca or Bont or whoever else gets thrown forward despite hardly ever kicking goals generated from inside the forward 50.
Maybe, obviously we'll never know. It would just feel weird though if a player at Petracca's level isn't in the team and instead Breust or Kosi is. I don't think anybody would say that Petracca hasn't been having a better year then them so sometimes you just have to throw players out of position.
 
Maybe, obviously we'll never know. It would just feel weird though if a player at Petracca's level isn't in the team and instead Breust or Kosi is. I don't think anybody would say that Petracca hasn't been having a better year then them so sometimes you just have to throw players out of position.

Petracca is the ONE mid you can justify forward. What I don’t want is them to do is put another mid forward
 
Jul 13, 2015
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Maybe, obviously we'll never know. It would just feel weird though if a player at Petracca's level isn't in the team and instead Breust or Kosi is. I don't think anybody would say that Petracca hasn't been having a better year then them so sometimes you just have to throw players out of position.

Then they should just get rid of the positions and choose the best 18 plays and the next best 4.

If they are going to assign to positions then they should be choosing the best players in those positions. There is a bench where they are free to put any 4 players too. So if Bont is the 5th best midfielder stick him on the bench, not on a HFF when he kicked 11 goals all year.
 

Happy Mastenator

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FMD! Close enough to 1/7 of 4200 posts between these two. Get a room fellas, nut it out and get back to us.
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Happy Mastenator

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Then they should just get rid of the positions and choose the best 18 plays and the next best 4.

If they are going to assign to positions then they should be choosing the best players in those positions. There is a bench where they are free to put any 4 players too. So if Bont is the 5th best midfielder stick him on the bench, not on a HFF when he kicked 11 goals all year.
One of the HFF at least in most teams is traditionally filled by a "midfielder" each week.

Having the number 2 and/or the number 4 goal assist provider in the league named on the HFF is not unreasonable
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Petracca has kicked 17 goals, Bont 21 goals as well.
 
Then they should just get rid of the positions and choose the best 18 plays and the next best 4.

If they are going to assign to positions then they should be choosing the best players in those positions. There is a bench where they are free to put any 4 players too. So if Bont is the 5th best midfielder stick him on the bench, not on a HFF when he kicked 11 goals all year.

I agree with you but do you trust the AA selectors lol
 
May 16, 2017
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Then they should just get rid of the positions and choose the best 18 plays and the next best 4.

If they are going to assign to positions then they should be choosing the best players in those positions. There is a bench where they are free to put any 4 players too. So if Bont is the 5th best midfielder stick him on the bench, not on a HFF when he kicked 11 goals all year.
I just think it's a lose lose situation for the selectors. If they pick on position they'll satisfy the purists like yourself. But at the same time they will upset the more casual audience who will go 'Where the heck is Bont / Petracca / Dangerfield / Dusty" or whatever mid they put there. The team at the end of the day really doesn't mean much so they want to appease that casual demographic more.
 
I'd be surprised if Hardwick actually makes the side, he would be deserving but still surprised. Just to many things riding against him that are out of his control. I am hoping someone like Maynard does get selected though he has had an equally good season but is playing for a finalist so might have that in his favour.
 

Duskfire

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Has there been a year where the team that finished top didn't have a midfielder in the AA? No Geelong mid deserves it, but now that I think about it its a little weird.
 
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