FB: Cumming (22) - Corr (26) - Taylor (21)
HB: Kennedy (28) - Davis (30) - Williams (26) - [Haynes (28)]
C: Whitfield (26) - Perryman (21) - Kelly (25)
HF: Greene (27) - Himmelberg (24) - Finlayson (24) - [Lloyd (28)]
FF: Daniels (21) - Cameron (27) - Hill (20)
R: Jacobs (32) - Taranto (22) - Hopper (23) - Coniglio (26) - [Caldwell (19)]
Number in brackets is player age as at September 2020. Average age 24.8. I think that's a good mix of youth and experience.
Outside 22: Mumford (34), Shaw (34), Ward (30), De Boer (30), Reid (30), Keeffe (30), Stein (27), Buntine (26), Sheridan (26), Langdon (24), Flynn (23), Sproule (23)
Developing: Shipley (21), Briggs (20), Idun (20), O'Halloran (20), Hately (19), draftees
With a full list I would leave out at least 2-3 older players who are good enough to play for team balance.
Defence - with the aging Davis, Corr, Haynes and Kennedy, having Shaw as well will get too old and slow. Will get bogged down in defence and unable to get out when teams like Richmond apply forward pressure. A couple of failed handball chains early followed by lots of long kicks down the line to key forwards who aren't really suited to that style. Therefore I think we need a younger quicker player in the mix.
Midfield - Jacobs Taranto Hopper Perryman is a very good but also very pack-to-pack oriented set of main midfielders. I think adding Ward too the balance becomes too slow and pack-to-pack oriented so I want a younger player with pace and pressure contributing.
Forward - forward pressure is critical and at the moment Daniels is really the only player providing it. Need at least one more in Hill.
With a full list I expect Leon will back in Heater, Ward and De Boer for a full season. Then the average will be 26.3 which is getting to Adelaide 2019 levels. And the team will be too old and slow against younger quicker teams on fast September decks. Or more likely injuries solve the problem.
Overall it's a nice solid team which should be at least in the 5-6 area again if not better.
HB: Kennedy (28) - Davis (30) - Williams (26) - [Haynes (28)]
C: Whitfield (26) - Perryman (21) - Kelly (25)
HF: Greene (27) - Himmelberg (24) - Finlayson (24) - [Lloyd (28)]
FF: Daniels (21) - Cameron (27) - Hill (20)
R: Jacobs (32) - Taranto (22) - Hopper (23) - Coniglio (26) - [Caldwell (19)]
Number in brackets is player age as at September 2020. Average age 24.8. I think that's a good mix of youth and experience.
Outside 22: Mumford (34), Shaw (34), Ward (30), De Boer (30), Reid (30), Keeffe (30), Stein (27), Buntine (26), Sheridan (26), Langdon (24), Flynn (23), Sproule (23)
Developing: Shipley (21), Briggs (20), Idun (20), O'Halloran (20), Hately (19), draftees
With a full list I would leave out at least 2-3 older players who are good enough to play for team balance.
Defence - with the aging Davis, Corr, Haynes and Kennedy, having Shaw as well will get too old and slow. Will get bogged down in defence and unable to get out when teams like Richmond apply forward pressure. A couple of failed handball chains early followed by lots of long kicks down the line to key forwards who aren't really suited to that style. Therefore I think we need a younger quicker player in the mix.
Midfield - Jacobs Taranto Hopper Perryman is a very good but also very pack-to-pack oriented set of main midfielders. I think adding Ward too the balance becomes too slow and pack-to-pack oriented so I want a younger player with pace and pressure contributing.
Forward - forward pressure is critical and at the moment Daniels is really the only player providing it. Need at least one more in Hill.
With a full list I expect Leon will back in Heater, Ward and De Boer for a full season. Then the average will be 26.3 which is getting to Adelaide 2019 levels. And the team will be too old and slow against younger quicker teams on fast September decks. Or more likely injuries solve the problem.
Overall it's a nice solid team which should be at least in the 5-6 area again if not better.