I would go with a 2 ruck combination. Stef is not getting any younger and it is good to get games into Oscar. I would like to see Ballenden get a few games this year as well to see if he is likely to be able to step up. We are not going to have a star ruck going forward but I think Oscar and Archie are both competitive number 1 ruck options.
As a junior I liked Hipwood much more as a KPD but that is not going to happen. I do think he is a KPF now but I think he would work better as a mobile target. Get him into the game taking a few marks up the ground and working his opponent into positions they are not comfortable with. It would be ideal to have a strong marking type in the goal square that he could work off. Jenkins despite having a poor year might have been a target for me to play that role. Dixon if we were confident his body would stand up could be someone to ask about next year. I might also keep an eye on the Freo players. They have a bucketful invested up forward there and something good could drop out of favour there.
With all that said if we could manage 45 goals a year from Hipwood and 20+ from the backup ruck option I think we could easily go with a smaller line up if that is where the talent is. Design your team to give your best players games and don't feel like you have to conform strictly to structural stereotypes . I could easily see Charlie, Cam, Keidean and the resting mids giving opposition teams absolute nightmares. If that was the case play the guys who present the problems for the opponent. Coleman Jr next year also looks like another really nice small forward option.
As a junior I liked Hipwood much more as a KPD but that is not going to happen. I do think he is a KPF now but I think he would work better as a mobile target. Get him into the game taking a few marks up the ground and working his opponent into positions they are not comfortable with. It would be ideal to have a strong marking type in the goal square that he could work off. Jenkins despite having a poor year might have been a target for me to play that role. Dixon if we were confident his body would stand up could be someone to ask about next year. I might also keep an eye on the Freo players. They have a bucketful invested up forward there and something good could drop out of favour there.
With all that said if we could manage 45 goals a year from Hipwood and 20+ from the backup ruck option I think we could easily go with a smaller line up if that is where the talent is. Design your team to give your best players games and don't feel like you have to conform strictly to structural stereotypes . I could easily see Charlie, Cam, Keidean and the resting mids giving opposition teams absolute nightmares. If that was the case play the guys who present the problems for the opponent. Coleman Jr next year also looks like another really nice small forward option.