Draft Game: eth-dog v Jack Package

[Jade]

G'day All, over the last two months we've been running a bidding game on the Essendon board:

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/list-management-game-2013.986469/

We're at the pointy end of the game now, the matchups.

Please consider the following criteria:

Criteria 1: Experience - is the team experienced enough to be ready to win premierships?

Criteria 2: Depth - if 5 star players have injuries, are there good back-ups?

Criteria 3: Quality - Brownlow medallists, Coleman medallists etc.

Criteria 4: Chemistry - Is the team full of Akers and Fevs?
Criteria 5: Mix – Is it a healthy list with coverage all over the ground?

Make your choice! Which of the two teams would you pick?

eth-dog


Jamison-Grundy-Butler
Atley-Reid-Smith
Swan-Boyd-Jetta
Varcoe-Hurley-Bartel
Ryder-Clark-Thomas
S Jacobs-Ward-Boak
Viney-Masten-B Jacobs-O'Rourke

Emg: Hardingham-McIntosh-Blease

Rest of squad: Horlin-Smith, Gregory, Delaney, Crozier, Russell, Hutchings, Phillips, Vlastuin, Colquhoun, Dixon, Macaffer, Petterd, Baguley

The reason I should win this game is quite simple. Look at that 22. It's one of the strongest going around.

My defence has 3 premiership players in Butler, Reid and Grundy, a defender in Jamison that you know is capable of defeating both talls and smalls as the 3rd key defender- you rarely see that quality. You've got a former All Australian CHB, and two young, quick players on the flanks with good skills and good football brains in Atley and Brodie Smith

My midfield is fantastic. 2 Brownlow medals, 1 Norm Smith Medal, 2 very exciting young, quick players who break lines for fun, 3 club captains and 4 bench players who are capable of some tough football. Not to mention a ruckman pair who are great in both the hitout department as well as resting forward or running around the ground

The forward line is probably the weakest 3rd of the ground. Hurley, Ryder/Jacobs and Clark are smart key forwards, Thomas knowing how to crumb and two of Varcoe/Jetta/Bartel/Swan/Ward resting forward you've got the makings of a good, solid forward line.

My depth is a fair question, and I believe my ruck depth is unrivaled with Hamish McIntosh being 3rd in line, and Andrew Phillips as a developing ruckman. My midfield depth is young and exciting with Horlin-Smith, Blease, Crozier and Russell, my key position depth is also exciting with youngter Sean Gregory (I claimed him as my boy from this years draft so I had to take him) and Charlie Dixon. My forward depth is solid with Macaffer and Petterd, but my defensive depth is by far my best, with young players like Colquhoun and Vlastuin as well as solid defenders like Hardingham and Baguley

Jack Package

FB: Aaron Joseph - Eric McKenzie - Sean Dempster
HB: Brent Reilly - Jarrad Rivers - Luke Hodge (vc)
C: Harley Bennell - Patrick D'field - Bryce Gibbs
HF: Matt De Boer - Matthew Pavlich (c) - Jarrod McVeigh (vc)
FF: Adam Schnieder - Zac Clarke - Alex Fasolo
R: Tom B'mbers - Brent Moloney - Luke Shuey
I: Liam Shiels - Brock McLean - Ashley Smith
S: Nathan Lovett-Murray

EM: Jesse Lonergan - Jake Melksham - Trent West

SQUAD:
Jack Newnes
Luke Davis
Kepler Bradley
Mike Pyke
Tom Jonas
Sam Mayes
Josh Mellington
George Burbury
Ben Kennedy
Daniel Markworth
Alex Howson
Craig Moller
Tom Nicholls
Jack Hannath
Lachie Keefe

The main reason I think I should win is my midfield, which oozes pace and class with young stars like Dangerfield, Bennell, Shuey and Gibbs leading the charge. Seriously, Who do you tag?
However that outside class is backed up by the inside hardness of Moloney, De Boer, McLean, Shiels, McVeigh and Hodge (the latter two being a premiership captain and N.S medalist respectively) who provide the bash and crash to feed the ball out to the outside runners.
But all that's meaningless if the mid's don't get first use of the ball, which is where my deep ruck department comes into play. Bellchambers i believe is capable of becoming one of the best ruckmen in the competition very shortly, and he's ably backed up by Clarke, West, Pyke and Hannath, who are all capable as tap ruckmen who can also slide forward and kick a goal as well.

The Defense i believe is extremely solid, even if it lacks a big name or two. Rivers and McKenzie form a solid partnership capable of containing the leagues best forwards, while Dempster and Joseph can do job's on the leagues Medium and Small forwards, while Dempster can also provide run off the half back flank if left on his own. Couple this with the experienced Hodge and Reilly manning the flanks (As well as the dashing Ash Smith on the pine) and I believe you have a very solid, well rounded defence.

If my team does have a weakness, it is probably the forwards, although in saying that, it is lead by the best key forward in the game IMO in Matthew Pavlich, who is the star, spearhead and captain of my side. At the feet of the Pav there's the crumbing duo of Adam Schneider and Alex Fasolo, the former a class, premiership forward, and the latter an excellent (if not arrogant) young forward who relishes the big games.
Providing the chop out for Pavlich (and Bellchambers) is his purple buddy Zac Clarke, who although goofy, can take a grab, and crash a pack, which is really all I need from him considering the players on the deck.
And before you say there's not enough goals in that forward line, Danger, Shuey and Bennell kicked 70 between them last year, so there is that.

Other Criteria

Experience - A young side admittedly, but 12 players with more than 100 games, and experience in all areas of the ground makes me believe there is enough experience there.
Depth - I'll admit to not having the deepest squad, but I do think my ruck depth is fantastic, and I have very promising kids in all areas of the field ready to fill any voids that may arise.
Quality - Not laden with awards, but I don't think squads should be marginalized due to lack of individual awards, it is a team game after all.
Chemistry - pretty healthy mix, you could say Moloney is a bit of a bonehead, but his move north seems to have revitalized him.
Mix - The midfield runs the show, but there are matchwinners on every line in my opinion.