Chris25
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- Oct 30, 2007
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I was going to start this thread a few days ago, but then I got distracted. But that may have been for the best since SA ended up naming their squad for the U18 Champs yesterday, so now I can just post that rather than take a guess....
U18 Championships Squad
And we also have some preseason testing numbers to have a look through too.
This team was put together in less than 5 minutes, so it's no doubt hugely flawed and missing something obvious but it's better than nothing...
f: Jack Delean - Liam Fawcett - Patrick Weckert
hf: Ashton Moir - Harry Francis - Eli Redman
c: Luca Slade - Kane McAuliffe - Loch Rawlinson
hb: Bodie Ryan - Will Patton - Callum Fairall
b: Logan Evans - Jack Oates - Alex Holt
r: Tom Luck - Ben Ridgway - Trent Tattoli
i: Will McCabe - Tom Wheaton - Oscar Talbot - Tyler Welsh - Sid Draper
It's always impossible to know which way the coaches will go, and there are a few options across all three lines. Fawcett deserves the chance to be the #1 guy up forward, but there are a few options around him in Weckert, Francis and McCabe. The latter two offer more versatility in terms of ruck or KPD. And we saw last year that the coaches value their structure over particular 'bigger' names. But with Delean and Moir down there, it'll be a talented forward line no matter what.
And down back, there are a handful of KPDs to choose from - I went with Oates, I think his ceiling might be the highest of the options. But the real strength should be in the medium defenders and half backs.
In the middle, there's a bunch of ball winners to pick from and that's where it's a waiting game to see which way the coaches go - especially when filling the bench. As always a bit more speed would be nice through the middle, but there's some good solid mids to build off in McAuliffe and Ridgway. At the moment, it's looking like the ruck role is between the underage Luck and the overage van Wyk. Maybe both play, or maybe they go with some relief work from Francis.
Feels like there'll be a couple of late additions to the squad, likely more in terms of the x factor players who pop up over the next month. I've always had a soft spot for Jayden Matz as a developing KPP/relief ruck, I think he's still draftable despite missing the squad - he has a few things to work on though, and really needs to nail down a specific position.
Anyway, I'll look to keep this thread updated throughout the season with news and results. But please jump in and help me out with thoughts and opinions.
U18 Championships Squad
And we also have some preseason testing numbers to have a look through too.
This team was put together in less than 5 minutes, so it's no doubt hugely flawed and missing something obvious but it's better than nothing...
f: Jack Delean - Liam Fawcett - Patrick Weckert
hf: Ashton Moir - Harry Francis - Eli Redman
c: Luca Slade - Kane McAuliffe - Loch Rawlinson
hb: Bodie Ryan - Will Patton - Callum Fairall
b: Logan Evans - Jack Oates - Alex Holt
r: Tom Luck - Ben Ridgway - Trent Tattoli
i: Will McCabe - Tom Wheaton - Oscar Talbot - Tyler Welsh - Sid Draper
It's always impossible to know which way the coaches will go, and there are a few options across all three lines. Fawcett deserves the chance to be the #1 guy up forward, but there are a few options around him in Weckert, Francis and McCabe. The latter two offer more versatility in terms of ruck or KPD. And we saw last year that the coaches value their structure over particular 'bigger' names. But with Delean and Moir down there, it'll be a talented forward line no matter what.
And down back, there are a handful of KPDs to choose from - I went with Oates, I think his ceiling might be the highest of the options. But the real strength should be in the medium defenders and half backs.
In the middle, there's a bunch of ball winners to pick from and that's where it's a waiting game to see which way the coaches go - especially when filling the bench. As always a bit more speed would be nice through the middle, but there's some good solid mids to build off in McAuliffe and Ridgway. At the moment, it's looking like the ruck role is between the underage Luck and the overage van Wyk. Maybe both play, or maybe they go with some relief work from Francis.
Feels like there'll be a couple of late additions to the squad, likely more in terms of the x factor players who pop up over the next month. I've always had a soft spot for Jayden Matz as a developing KPP/relief ruck, I think he's still draftable despite missing the squad - he has a few things to work on though, and really needs to nail down a specific position.
Anyway, I'll look to keep this thread updated throughout the season with news and results. But please jump in and help me out with thoughts and opinions.
