22 Under 22 - 2016

[dewah07]

i feel like wines has been in this discussion for 10 years

 

[AFLOnline]

Laird - Lever - Mills
K. Kolo - Weitering - Docherty
Kelly - Cripps - B.Crouch
Petracca - Moore - Heeney
Membrey - Hogan - Fantasia

Grundy - Bont - Coniglio

J. Kolo - viney - Wines - Stringer

 

[Bomberblitzer]

Laird - Lever - Mills
K. Kolo - Weitering - Docherty
Kelly - Cripps - B.Crouch
Petracca - Moore - Heeney
Membrey - Hogan - Fantasia

Grundy - Bont - Coniglio

J. Kolo - viney - Wines - Stringer

No Merrett = no idea.

 

[eaglespremiers]

Gave it a shot. Definitely a couple of midfielders unlucky to miss.

Hunter over Kelly is a bit disturbing IMO.

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

Hunter over Kelly is a bit disturbing IMO.

Hunter gets a lot more of the ball, gets more contested ball and has a better disposal efficiency than Kelly. Stats aren't everything and Hunter isn't the most damaging player around, but he is clearly at least in the same ball park as Kelly. He's a shot at the All Australian squad

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Hunter gets a lot more of the ball, gets more contested ball and has a better disposal efficiency than Kelly. Stats aren't everything and Hunter isn't the most damaging player around, but he is clearly at least in the same ball park as Kelly. He's a shot at the All Australian squad

If Hunter has a better disposal efficiency than Kelly then i'm just about ready to throw that stat out the window. Kelly is clearly the more damaging kick.

 

[AFLOnline]

No Merrett = no idea.

Who does he replace? Good player but every other player mentioned is more damaging imo. Can't impress everyone.

 

[Adz2332]

Plus in an ess midfield thats lacking it easier to rack up numbers. Doesnt have a couple stars gobbling up stats

 

[HARKER]

You think Mcdonald has been better than Docherty... Thats borderline insane

You'd have to be kidding. You are kidding, aren't you?
Docherty may be leading our B&F right now and has been in the best just about every week. McDonald?

Your insanity gauge needs checking.

 

[carnthedons]

And this is exactly where the underrating is rooted; the notion that Macrae is just a ball-magnet. I would defy one to find a 2-way runner with better combined ability to apply direct defensive pressure, attend stoppages anywhere on the field, handball effectively out of contests and provide offensive drive with ball in hand more adept than Macrae. I'm not surprised that this goes unnoticed by 95% of onlookers, but the fact is that while Macrae may not be the most talented endurance-running outside mid or ball-magnet extractor, the bonuses he provides for the Dogs outweigh those of Kelly, Whitfield, Hunter (in my opinion), and even Coniglio (when comparing the weight of output over their whole careers - Coniglio burst onto the scene late-2015 v Macrae beginning of 2014). That's better than decent.

I also don't really believe that talent is a large factor at all in judging U22s like these. It's far-fetched, I know, but Dayle Garlett and Waylon Mansen have more talent then Macrae ever did and yet you still don't see them on this list. Jimmy Toumpas was drafted 2 spots before Macrae given he was considered more talented than Macrae, however it would be downright insane to say that he is more worthy of a position in this team. Performance and potential are the deciding factors in teams such as these and speaking purely on output, past and present, I reckon Macrae has Kelly and Coniglio covered.

Kelly is arguable since it's really only this year he's exploded but Coniglio is miles in front right now and based on the criteria you nominated Zac Merrett is a much better player with much less support.

Coniglio and Merrett are just about certainties for the AA squad and a good show at the team, Macrae wouldn't be in the AA 4ths right now

 

[Bomberblitzer]

Plus in an ess midfield thats lacking it easier to rack up numbers. Doesnt have a couple stars gobbling up stats

Doesn't have protection or assistance from older guys either. I guarantee that it'd be easier to win the ball with Heppell and Watson handing it out to you rather than having to go in an win it yourself.

 

[Adz2332]

Doesn't have protection or assistance from older guys either. I guarantee that it'd be easier to win the ball with Heppell and Watson handing it out to you rather than having to go in an win it yourself.

fair point

 

[Halftimehero]

Who does he replace? Good player but every other player mentioned is more damaging imo. Can't impress everyone.

He replaces Kelly, Crouch, Viney and Wines and possibly Cripps, he will be in this years AA squad and one of the first picked in this squad, his omission from you is a massive oversight.

 

[Bic]

Who does he replace? Good player but every other player mentioned is more damaging imo. Can't impress everyone.

I'd take Josh Kelly over Merrett. Merrett didn't make my team. Was next in line though.

 

[Bic]

He replaces Kelly, Crouch, Viney and Wines and possibly Cripps, he will be in this years AA squad and one of the first picked in this squad, his omission from you is a massive oversight.

 

[Bomberblitzer]

I'd take Josh Kelly over Merrett. Merrett didn't make my team. Was next in line though.

By what metric is Kelly currently better than Merrett?

 

[Halftimehero]

What would you care to wager that Merrett makes this 22?

 

[Apex36]

For a team meant to be rebuilding this side does not look great for the Lions.

Give it a year or two. You have a few first and second year players who will likely make the cut with the extra age/experience under their belt.

 

[Halftimehero]

By what metric is Kelly currently better than Merrett?

He doesn't play for Essendon would be the only one.

 

[Bic]

Plus in an ess midfield thats lacking it easier to rack up numbers. Doesnt have a couple stars gobbling up stats

You are spot on, has double the amount of uncontested possessions than contested.

I think the chip-chip game style suits someone like Merrett who runs all day, credit to him.

 

[Bic]

He doesn't play for Essendon would be the only one.

You are being ultra defensive here, relax.

I am not dissing Merrett at all, I rate him highly. But when you are talking cream of the crop, he is the jack of all trades when I can pick a team based on unbelievable strengths...

Cripps/Wines/Viney/Coniglio dishing to Kelly/Whitfield/Bont etc...

If I could have picked him on the HFF I would have.

He is a cracking player, be happy he is even in the discussion.

 

[Halftimehero]

You are spot on, has double the amount of uncontested possessions than contested.

I think the chip-chip game style suits someone like Merrett who runs all day, credit to him.

Yet you put Macrae and Whitfield in your team who's difference in contested and uncontested is a lot more, Whitfield's is almost triple.

 

[Bic]

Yet you put Macrae and Whitfield in your team who's difference in contested and uncontested is a lot more, Whitfield's is almost triple.

I explained why in the next post.

Macrae is also older than Merrett and had an extra year in the system, also has played in a final. Whitfield is class...

 

[Halftimehero]

You are being ultra defensive here, relax.

I am not dissing Merrett at all, I rate him highly. But when you are talking cream of the crop, he is the jack of all trades when I can pick a team based on unbelievable strengths...

Cripps/Wines/Viney/Coniglio dishing to Kelly/Whitfield/Bont etc...

If I could have picked him on the HFF I would have.

He is a cracking player, be happy he is even in the discussion.

You are being ultra anti Essendon, you have even got Peter Wright in ahead of Daniher lol.

Merrett will be one of the first mids picked in this team, anyone leaving him out is absolutely clueless.

 

[Halftimehero]

I explained why in the next post.

Macrae is also older than Merrett and had an extra year in the system, also has played in a final. Whitfield is class...

Merrett has also played in a final....