Folks- I’ve painted myself into a corner with this team I think. I must admit I’ve forgotten the last team I offered up for your perusal, but I do know it was somewhat different to the current one…
Backs:
Cornes, Gilbee, Milburn, Shaw, Barlow, Proud, L. Hansen
Pfeiffer, Taylor
Mids:
Dal Santo, Ablett, Pearce, Johnstone, Gibbs, Houli
Palmer, Bird
Rucks:
Gilmore, Leuenberger
Kreuzer, Meeson
Forwards:
Pavlich, Riewoldt, Brown, Burton, Porplyzia, Bradshaw, Jetta
Tippett, Rioli
So- I think I’ve covered all the areas reasonably, but I’ve still got about $250K left, which tells me that either I’m an absolute SC genius, or more likely I’m a delusional eejit, and have left massive gaps.
Given I’m correct about the latter, let’s have a look, shall we?
Backs- big names there, but also two young’ns who should perhaps be more comfortable warming the pine. I’m thinking downgrade one of the big players down a little (Shaw or Milburn mebbe- I have too much lurve for Lindsay and Chad), move one (most likely Hansen) out altogether and look for someone still handy, but a little cheaper- Mundy, Johncock, Waters, Birchall etc- all around $450K. I do that and I’ve got $350K to play with.
Mids- Well- with the war chest I’ve built from above, I can have pretty much anyone if I want to replace any of the starters aside from Houli, but even if I don’t use all of it, I can perhaps find better- even Houli can turn into Priddis or Cooney or Stanton etc etc). I’m tempted to leave mostly as is except swap Ablett for Corey- it’s just a hunch I’ve got- can’t explain it.
Rucks-
The weak spot in SC, and which is why I’ve not walked the CoxSimmons path- I am prepared to be persuaded otherwise, but I always think- could I use the $200K it will take Gilmore to become Cox (or even the smaller savings if I take Mcintosh or White or whichever other one you care to choose) to greater all over effect? More often than not, the answer is yes.
Forwards.
For a hell of a long time Burton was big Q Lynch. So now I have two injury prone potential big scorers in Bradshaw and Birdman, one semi smokey (and the second starting Croweater, which really sticks in my throat after GF 1997, but let's not live in the past), and one real smokey (not to mention another bloody Crow on the bench, but that can change- see below). I think I can do better, but it depends on what I do with the other positions.
I’m assuming that I might shift one or two of the bench players around once the teams come out tomorrow as well, so let’s not think too closely about them- they’re pretty interchangeable for the purposes of this discussion really (dollar terms mostly…)
Anyway- apologies for the length- I keep thinking I’m so close to getting this right, but I really need a couple of alternative perspectives.
Cheers,