Opinion Best team 2022

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Yeh, one might be able to play footy, whilst the other can't. ;)
One has zero games, the other has managed 132 in a perennial top 4 side which year on year has one of the stiffest defences.
Harsh for you to say Stevens can't play though ;)

No more pussy footing around for me in 2022. Those with Kolodjashnij out of their side, are frankly, wrong.
He has shoddy kicking, that is one weakness. No one denies that. But a lock in our side. You bet.
 

Shadow89

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One has zero games, the other has managed 132 in a perennial top 4 side which year on year has one of the stiffest defences.
Harsh for you to say Stevens can't play though ;)

No more pussy footing around for me in 2022. Those with Kolodjashnij out of their side, are frankly, wrong.
He has shoddy kicking, that is one weakness. No one denies that. But a lock in our side. You bet.

I know there are some who disparage him, and that's unfair, but to go as far as to call him a 'lock - it's just too far the other way, IMO.

In our best sides, he would be part of the bottom 6 players in pretty much every side. He might deserve his place in our 22, that's one argument. It's a whole different one to say he should be picked every week without consideration of others who might be performing better.

He's neither here, nor there, and is easily replaced for mine. I think Stevens has far more upside, but I also don't think I'd go to the extreme of completely having Kolo out of our best 26 week on week.
 
I know there are some who disparage him, and that's unfair, but to go as far as to call him a 'lock - it's just too far the other way, IMO.

In our best sides, he would be part of the bottom 6 players in pretty much every side. He might deserve his place in our 22, that's one argument. It's a whole different one to say he should be picked every week without consideration of others who might be performing better.

He's neither here, nor there, and is easily replaced for mine. I think Stevens has far more upside, but I also don't think I'd go to the extreme of completely having Kolo out of our best 26 week on week.
There was no one to replace him when we had good tall/med defender depth. Hard to see that situation changing now that we're threadbare.
Calls for uncapped Stevens to be the man, are fanciful, at best.
 

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Shadow89

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There was no one to replace him when we had good tall/med defender depth. Hard to see that situation changing now that we're threadbare.
Calls for uncapped Stevens to be the man, are fanciful, at best.

I'd say it's more likely to be SDK (giving us two traditional KPD's), given Henry and O'Connor can both play small and tall. As with everything though, time will tell
 
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One has zero games, the other has managed 132 in a perennial top 4 side which year on year has one of the stiffest defences.
Harsh for you to say Stevens can't play though ;)

No more pussy footing around for me in 2022. Those with Kolodjashnij out of their side, are frankly, wrong.
He has shoddy kicking, that is one weakness. No one denies that. But a lock in our side. You bet.

The problem with Kolo is he is a very limited player. He’s unable to play on the true key position players and is vulnerable at best against small forwards with any tricks in their game. His best matchups are against the likes of Jack Riewoldt - not a monster and not quick. He’s been effective against him on a few occasions. (Which made his matchup in the 2019 GF on Martin when he played forward perplexing).

In addition he’s shown only incremental improvement over the past 4-5 years. He’s plateaued as a C grade player at best.

If you think the likelihood of us winning a flag is over for a little while (which I and many others do), then we’d be better off investing in other options than Kolo. I actually don’t think that Stevens is the one to necessarily replace him right now. I’d be playing O’Connor in his negating role.

A back six such as -

B: Bews, Blicavs, Henry
HB: Stewart, DeKoning, O’Connor

Have Tuohy rotate through there as well for a bit of run.

For what it’s worth I’d be initially introducing Stevens this year on a wing when Smith or Menegola or Holmes need a spell.
 
I reckon we could have a Best 30, if we're going down that route (squad for the season not Best 22 for that week):

B: Bews/O'Connor, SDK/Kolo, Henry/Zuthrie
HB: Stewart, Blics, Tuohy/Atkins
C: I. Smith, Selwood/C. Stephens, Menegola/Holmes
FO: Stanley/Ceglar, Guthrie, Danger
HF: Duncan/Simpson, J. Cameron/Sav, Parfitt/Willis
F: Stengle/Miers, Hawk/Neale, Close

I think rohan is still best 30 (ie id like to see him not start in the 22 but he is reasonable injury backup) as is higgins but i reckon dahl is about done. But yes swap say rohan and narkle (into the best 30 not the 22) in for neale and willis and the rest are our best 30. In time i think guys like neale will clearly be best 30 in a year or two. The concern re that list is we dont really have great injury backup for blicavs or hawkins (though sav or stanley probably go to FF if hawk gets injured unless we put danger there) everywhere else we are ok.
 
The problem with Kolo is he is a very limited player. He’s unable to play on the true key position players and is vulnerable at best against small forwards with any tricks in their game. His best matchups are against the likes of Jack Riewoldt - not a monster and not quick. He’s been effective against him on a few occasions. (Which made his matchup in the 2019 GF on Martin when he played forward perplexing).

In addition he’s shown only incremental improvement over the past 4-5 years. He’s plateaued as a C grade player at best.

If you think the likelihood of us winning a flag is over for a little while (which I and many others do), then we’d be better off investing in other options than Kolo. I actually don’t think that Stevens is the one to necessarily replace him right now. I’d be playing O’Connor in his negating role.

A back six such as -

B: Bews, Blicavs, Henry
HB: Stewart, DeKoning, O’Connor

Have Tuohy rotate through there as well for a bit of run.

For what it’s worth I’d be initially introducing Stevens this year on a wing when Smith or Menegola or Holmes need a spell.
Agree with very little of this.
That back 6 looks undersized and weak.
 
There was no one to replace him when we had good tall/med defender depth. Hard to see that situation changing now that we're threadbare.
Calls for uncapped Stevens to be the man, are fanciful, at best.

We have stacks of medium defender depth: (im listing henry as a tall back for this exercise but some consider him a medium only):
Stewart
Bews
Atkins
MOC
Tuohy
Kolo
Zuthrie
Stevens
Mullin

Thats without considering any other positional moves or where the draftees might play.
Some of those have claims to be picked ahead of kolo and some dont but if we go with only 2-3 tall defenders then he may well get squeezed out of the back 6 by 4 of the other guys i listed. If we want an extra tall in the back half then he will likely get picked every week for structure as we have no tall backs on the list other than blitz sdk and henry.
 

Shadow89

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I think rohan is still best 30 (ie id like to see him not start in the 22 but he is reasonable injury backup) as is higgins but i reckon dahl is about done. But yes swap say rohan and narkle (into the best 30 not the 22) in for neale and willis and the rest are our best 30. In time i think guys like neale will clearly be best 30 in a year or two. The concern re that list is we dont really have great injury backup for blicavs or hawkins (though sav or stanley probably go to FF if hawk gets injured unless we put danger there) everywhere else we are ok.

Ah knew I forgot about someone, haha. As much as Rohan annoys me, he's still definitely Best 26, and easily Best 30. Higgins is iffy, but you're probably right at this stage. Still think Willis will surprise a lot and play very early, given how ready made he is.

Also think that we're fine for both Blics and Hawk, as SDK would just replace Blitz, and then Stevens could be back up for Kolo. Neale the obvious replacement if any issues with Hawk. A lot more balanced across the board now IMO - with just another KPD (hopefully we do invite someone to train/pick up another for our VFL team like Schlensog or Morrison).

Besides that, we just need some high end mids, a winger, another KPF and another running back (could be Mullin if he lives up to the hype) for our Future 22. Everything else is pretty decent.
 
We have stacks of medium defender depth: (im listing henry as a tall back for this exercise but some consider him a medium only):
Stewart
Bews
Atkins
MOC
Tuohy
Kolo

Zuthrie
Stevens
Mullin

Thats without considering any other positional moves or where the draftees might play.
Some of those have claims to be picked ahead of kolo and some dont but if we go with only 2-3 tall defenders then he may well get squeezed out of the back 6 by 4 of the other guys i listed. If we want an extra tall in the back half then he will likely get picked every week for structure as we have no tall backs on the list other than blitz sdk and henry.
Bolded will play 20+ games (if fit). None will be squeezed out.
 

Shadow89

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Agree with very little of this.
That back 6 looks undersized and weak.

I don't think you're looking at this objectively, IMO.

SDK looks to have put on a good 5-7kgs since last season (so a similar weight- judging by pictures), and he's 8cm taller than Kolo. O'Connor is 2cm shorter and around 5 kgs lighter. Henry is 1cm shorter and 3kgs lighter. Tuohy is 6cm shorter and 3kgs lighter. Stewart is 3cms shorter and 9kgs lighter. Bews is 8cms shorter and 3kgs lighter.

SDK vs Kolo - Much taller, more flexible, great mark, good ground skills, good kick

Stewart vs Kolo - Kolo is slightly taller and heavier, and thats about it - Stewart is in a different league

Tuohy vs Kolo - Shorter and slightly lighter than Kolo, but a far better kick, much quicker, much stronger in the contest and much more flexible

Bews vs Kolo - a lot shorter, but nearly the same weight bar a few kilos. Just as bad a kick, but far quicker and more agile, far better on smaller opponents and has a good spin out of traffic

Henry vs Kolo - 1cm shorter and 3kgs lighter, but far quicker, far better mark, far more flexible and far better reader of the ball in flight

Blics vs Kolo - 4cm taller, 6kg heavier and far more flexible. Similar work in the contest, and similarly poor disposal, but far better aerobic capacity, agility and reach

O'Connor - 2cm shorter, 6kgs lighter, but a far better kick of the ball, can play mid and tag, and much more agile than Kolo. Similar traits when playing on smaller opponents- probably the closest comparison of the aforementioned

**************************

Having Kolo replace one of those players, really doesn't change that much, or make us 'smaller and weaker.' Even if it was someone like Bews out for Kolo, who is shorter and lighter, we give up speed, agility and inside contest work, for height and a slight weight difference. Like it or not, he is the weakest link in our back 6/7 - and this is from someone who's neither here nor there on Kolo as a player. He's currently in front of SDK, but SDK is a true KPD, as opposed to a medium KPD like O'Connor, Henry and Stewart - that's who he's competing against.

EDIT: Obnoxiously laughing at my post rather than discussing things rationally and objectively, shows just how arrogant a poster you are - who can't accept anything that remotely goes against your own opinion. You always do this, and it's just tiresome.

You can meet people halfway sometimes, rather than ram your opinion down people's throats..crazy thought I know...
 
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That doesn’t surprise me.

Both Blicavs and DeKoning over 198cm, Henry and O’Connor mid 190’s and Stewart high 180’s. You want a footy side or a basketball team?
Blicavs - Often Mr Fixit, our spakfilla player plugging gaps.
DeKoning - 1 game total, as a forward.
Henry and Stewart - AA standard guns.
O’Connor - May be tall but is skinny and wiry and nimble. Agility belies his size.

I want more of the same down back, it isn’t the area that’s losing us finals. The midfield and ruck routinely are the achilles heal. Joel and Paddy’s underlings are Parfitt and Narkle. We’re screwed.
 

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I don't think you're looking at this objectively, IMO.

SDK looks to have put on a good 5-7kgs since last season (so a similar weight- judging by pictures), and he's 8cm taller than Kolo. O'Connor is 2cm shorter and around 5 kgs lighter. Henry is 1cm shorter and 3kgs lighter. Tuohy is 6cm shorter and 3kgs lighter. Stewart is 3cms shorter and 9kgs lighter. Bews is 8cms shorter and 3kgs lighter.

SDK vs Kolo - Much taller, more flexible, great mark, good ground skills, good kick

Stewart vs Kolo - Kolo is slightly taller and heavier, and thats about it - Stewart is in a different league

Tuohy vs Kolo - Shorter and slightly lighter than Kolo, but a far better kick, much quicker, much stronger in the contest and much more flexible

Bews vs Kolo - a lot shorter, but nearly the same weight bar a few kilos. Just as bad a kick, but far quicker and more agile, far better on smaller opponents and has a good spin out of traffic

Henry vs Kolo - 1cm shorter and 3kgs lighter, but far quicker, far better mark, far more flexible and far better reader of the ball in flight

Blics vs Kolo - 4cm taller, 6kg heavier and far more flexible. Similar work in the contest, and similarly poor disposal, but far better aerobic capacity, agility and reach

O'Connor - 2cm shorter, 6kgs lighter, but a far better kick of the ball, can play mid and tag, and much more agile than Kolo. Similar traits when playing on smaller opponents- probably the closest comparison of the aforementioned

**************************

Having Kolo replace one of those players, really doesn't change that much, or make us 'smaller and weaker.' Even if it was someone like Bews out for Kolo, who is shorter and lighter, we give up speed, agility and inside contest work, for height and a slight weight difference. Like it or not, he is the weakest link in our back 6/7 - and this is from someone who's neither here nor there on Kolo as a player. He's currently in front of SDK, but SDK is a true KPD, as opposed to a medium KPD like O'Connor, Henry and Stewart - that's who he's competing against.

EDIT: Laughing at my post shows just how arrogant a poster you are - who can't accept anything that remotely goes against your own opinion. You always do this, and it's just tiresome.

You can meet people halfway sometimes, rather than your opinion down people's throats..crazy thought I know...

Probably wasting your time. When the response is a laughing emoji you can bet he’s a troll.
 

Shadow89

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Probably wasting your time. When the response is a laughing emoji you can bet he’s a troll.

Nah he's just arrogant as f*ck and can't ever accept dissenting responses - as he's always right and no-one else is worth listening to. He's ignored now anyway, as I'm not gonna entertain his BS and derail the board any further.
 

BORIS332

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I reckon we could have a Best 30, if we're going down that route (squad for the season not Best 22 for that week):

B: Bews/O'Connor, SDK/Kolo, Henry/Zuthrie
HB: Stewart, Blics, Tuohy/Atkins
C: I. Smith, Selwood/C. Stephens, Menegola/Holmes
FO: Stanley/Ceglar, Guthrie, Danger
HF: Duncan/Simpson, J. Cameron/Sav, Parfitt/Willis
F: Stengle/Miers, Hawk/Neale, Close

Agree with most of the above but clearly Ratugolea is ahead of Neale. Also don’t think Willis debuts in 2022, especially with his injury set backs.
 
I don't think you're looking at this objectively, IMO.

SDK looks to have put on a good 5-7kgs since last season (so a similar weight- judging by pictures), and he's 8cm taller than Kolo. O'Connor is 2cm shorter and around 5 kgs lighter. Henry is 1cm shorter and 3kgs lighter. Tuohy is 6cm shorter and 3kgs lighter. Stewart is 3cms shorter and 9kgs lighter. Bews is 8cms shorter and 3kgs lighter.

SDK vs Kolo - Much taller, more flexible, great mark, good ground skills, good kick

Stewart vs Kolo - Kolo is slightly taller and heavier, and thats about it - Stewart is in a different league

Tuohy vs Kolo - Shorter and slightly lighter than Kolo, but a far better kick, much quicker, much stronger in the contest and much more flexible

Bews vs Kolo - a lot shorter, but nearly the same weight bar a few kilos. Just as bad a kick, but far quicker and more agile, far better on smaller opponents and has a good spin out of traffic

Henry vs Kolo - 1cm shorter and 3kgs lighter, but far quicker, far better mark, far more flexible and far better reader of the ball in flight

Blics vs Kolo - 4cm taller, 6kg heavier and far more flexible. Similar work in the contest, and similarly poor disposal, but far better aerobic capacity, agility and reach

O'Connor - 2cm shorter, 6kgs lighter, but a far better kick of the ball, can play mid and tag, and much more agile than Kolo. Similar traits when playing on smaller opponents- probably the closest comparison of the aforementioned

**************************

Having Kolo replace one of those players, really doesn't change that much, or make us 'smaller and weaker.' Even if it was someone like Bews out for Kolo, who is shorter and lighter, we give up speed, agility and inside contest work, for height and a slight weight difference. Like it or not, he is the weakest link in our back 6/7 - and this is from someone who's neither here nor there on Kolo as a player. He's currently in front of SDK, but SDK is a true KPD, as opposed to a medium KPD like O'Connor, Henry and Stewart - that's who he's competing against.

EDIT: Obnoxiously laughing at my post rather than discussing things rationally and objectively, shows just how arrogant a poster you are - who can't accept anything that remotely goes against your own opinion. You always do this, and it's just tiresome.

You can meet people halfway sometimes, rather than ram your opinion down people's throats..crazy thought I know...
Dude, I’ve been calmly discussing this and the most pointed remark I’ve made is that people with Kolo out of the side will have their side proven wrong. I am confident my view will align with the clubs. Very confident of that.

I laughed because you went to the effort to do player by player comparisons to try and argue he’s worse than all of them, yet every player you’ve mentioned will be a regular member of the team so it’s largely moot. Like arguing over where to rank Selwood, Danger, Duncan, Guthrie and Menegola among each other when they’ll all play.

The only new face you’ve mentioned is SDK and he is looking at taking Hendo’s place.
Probably wasting your time. When the response is a laughing emoji you can bet he’s a troll.
see now this is why this board has jumped the shark. Arguing a regular member of the team will continue to be so is the sign of a troll these days. Okay then.

I know you don’t rate the guy, that’s cool.

We lost a defender off the list, didn’t recruit an experienced replacement via trade. Didn’t bring one in via DFA and didn’t bring one in via draft. Yet with 5 rounds of VFL football in 2021 somehow one is making way out of the team in most people’s eyes… and I’m apparently the one not being objective, and prophesying that most of the established crew will play 20 games is an unknown and annoys Shadow. Yet replacing Kolo for (generally) an inexperienced player off 18 months of limited reserves football isn’t equally an unknown.

This whole thread is debating unknowns. I just don’t think anyone has made a compelling case as to why the status quo will change, and I think Henderson’s retirement only stiffens the case for Kolodjashnij to play. Not weaken it
 

Shadow89

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Agree with most of the above but clearly Ratugolea is ahead of Neale. Also don’t think Willis debuts in 2022, especially with his injury set backs.

Yeah as PO pointed out, Rohan wasn't included, so Willis goes out for him. Sav is already in next to Cameron :)
 

AeneasX

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Jack Henry Mark Blicavs Mark O'Connor
Tom Stewart Sam de Koning Jed Bews

Mitch Duncan Patrick Dangerfield Isaac Smith
Jon Ceglar Brandan Parfitt Cameron Guthrie

Quinton Narkle Jeremy Cameron Sam Menegola
Bradley Close Tom Hawkins Francis Evans

INT: J. Selwood E. Ratugolea S. Simpson Z. Tuohy

Almost: Holmes Kolodjashnij Atkins Stanley Zuthrie Rohan Miers C.Stephens
 
Bolded will play 20+ games (if fit). None will be squeezed out.

Who are you leaving out then? Blitz and henry are best 18 and sdk will get games and i doubt we play 9 defenders each week so i doubt kolo plays 22 games unless atkins is squeezed out (which to be fair is highly possible if we want extra height in our backline.
 
Who are you leaving out then? Blitz and henry are best 18 and sdk will get games and i doubt we play 9 defenders each week so i doubt kolo plays 22 games unless atkins is squeezed out (which to be fair is highly possible if we want extra height in our backline.
23 players x 22 games is 506 games. Lots of games to go around.

Can see Dahlhaus, Higgins, Ceglar playing lots of reserves. Tuohy isn’t really a defender much anymore. O’Connor is an interesting prospect for 2022, wasn’t earmarked for defence this season but got 2-3 injuries so wonder where we use him, and if he regains form without injuries.

Just don’t see seismic shifts occurring in defence. Maybe Kelly makes this change his hallmark and you’re all right but think we need to focus on the midfield.
 
23 players x 22 games is 506 games. Lots of games to go around.

Can see Dahlhaus, Higgins, Ceglar playing lots of reserves. Tuohy isn’t really a defender much anymore. O’Connor is an interesting prospect for 2022, wasn’t earmarked for defence this season but got 2-3 injuries so wonder where we use him, and if he regains form without injuries.

Just don’t see seismic shifts occurring in defence. Maybe Kelly makes this change his hallmark and you’re all right but think we need to focus on the midfield.

I agree dahl higgins and ceglar will play a lot of vfl but they arent defenders so its not relevant to kolos spot.
I agree there will be rotations of defenders during the year i was talking about what defence we are likely to pick come finals and we have an excess of medium defenders. So i dont see kolo in the best 22 then unless at least one of atkins bews or tuohy gets dropped. A bit depends on the style kelly wants to play if he prioritises marking kolo might stay if he prioritises groundball speed and kicking skills out of defence those guys will likely get picked ahead of him.
 

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