Our 2011 Finals Squad?

[Quicky]

Last year we entered the finals with a well publicised squad of 31 players. By the time we reached the grand final we had very few players left who had the match fitness to be relied upon in such a big and intense game. For example the match committee were close to dropping Beams for the grand final but literally had no one with the match fitness to come into the side (From One Grand Week). Beams retained his position.

I was very worried a couple of weeks ago at our lack of debutants for this very reason. We just didn't seem to have created enought depth to carry us through a finals series. A fact that proved critical to our success last years premiership winning season. It is why I was happy to see games pumped into McCarthy, Fasolo, Rounds and Keeffe. We need this depth.

With all that said it is getting into the business end of the season and I don't think we can afford to be bringing through new blood any longer. Do you think we have seen our finals squad already? And who will it include?

Heres my thoughts:

Defense
Tarrant, Reid, Maxwell, Toovey, Shaw, O'Brien, Davis, Buckley, Goldsack (9)

Midfield
Pendlebury, Swan, Ball, Thomas, Wellingham, Didak, Johnson, McCarthy, Rounds(9)

Ruck
Jolly, Wood, Brown (3)

Forward
Cloke, Dawes, Keeffe, Krakouer, Sidebottom, Beams, Blair, Macaffer, Fasolo (9)

Thats a squad of 30, 1 less than last year. Those highlighted have fitness/form/suspension issues. Is this how you see our finals squad? Is it enough depth to see us through another tough finals series?

 

[Bay Pie]

Agree with that squad.

Rounds & Keefe would be the 29/30 men on that list and would be only a small chance for a finals gig unless injuries hit certain players.

Both have done OK, but it's getting close to 'winning' a flag charge.

I'd like to see us rotate the remaing 28 through our 22 for the remaining 7 rounds but sticking close to our best 22, with the odd player here and there coming in. No more then 2/3 changes each week.

 

[Hardas]

From what I saw today, only Seedsman and Josh Thomas could add anything to the picture. Seedsman as another possible 'Heath-like' HBF/W option, while Thomas has potential as a 'burst' in-and-under player if they want to rest Ball and want a like-for-like option to add to the rotation.

 

[THATSGOLD]

If we are going to debut seedsman we had better hurry up and get him in with only 7 games left.. a player going into a finals series would want at least 10+ experience under his belt.

 

[blaze036]

Tom Young is a real chance, Seedsmen is far to skinny to play AFL this year.

 

[twaters]

Yep that looks the thirty.

And it's probably better to get games into Fasolo, Keeffe, Rounds, JMac, Goldsack, Bucks and Caffa (not to mention Didak, Beams, Dawes, and even Jolly/ Wood) to be cherry ripe, rather than diffuse into a larger squad?

Next would be Young, Seedsman, JThomas (all have been emergencies and around the rooms this year or last, so would not be totally stuck rigid in the headlights if called up); but there's not likely to be a finals opening for any of them within that main squad of 30.

 

[blaze036]

buckley panics under pressure too much, i wouldnt want him in the finals team. Prefer Tom Young B&F in the VFL side in 2010 to be given a chance.

 

[vjknight]

With all that said it is getting into the business end of the season and I don't think we can afford to be bringing through new blood any longer. Do you think we have seen our finals squad already? And who will it include?

Is it enough depth to see us through another tough finals series?

i tend to agree with the notion that those that have debuted should now be the final batch - if anyone was considered good enough for senior footy in 2011 then we would have seen them by now. hence that list does provide enough depth for what should be an easier campaign than last year - easier as the entire group, bar the 2011 debutantes, have experienced several finals matches and the related build up.

we have a series of games coming up that offer the opportunity to provide further experience to those challenging for best 22 status, and likewise a chance for those best 22 missing at present (dawes, shaw, didak, macaffer) to continue with their rehab or serve their sentence. while logic would see those 4 come into the team to replace the likes of keeffe, fasolo, mccarthy & rounds it would be a very pleasant surprise to see any of those 4 retain their spot in the best 22 ON MERIT, rather than with of those key players missing.

likewise, should fate mean we have to draw on anyone else, ie make another debut, remember unlike years past, we can use the sub rule to shelter them from the hottest part of the game and only bring them in when the game is done. and also remember we do have a history of making debuts in finals.

good times.

 

[jonbe54]

Re debutantes in finals VJ - I can remember a young beanpole ruckman being debuted in a finals series and going on to win a Brownlow and become the prototype for the modern running ruckman!

I'm speaking of course of Len Thompson

 

[blaze036]

Fasolo is the only player currently outside our best 22 that has a good chance to force his way in

 

[carnthepies19]

If Didak or Beams can't find form before the finals then I'd leave in Fasolo, but Rounds and Keefe should be out when Shaw and Dawes come back in. Fasolo seems to have some good talent from what we've seen so far of him. He needs to start the game though instead of being the sub so we can get as much game time into him as possible, incase we really do need him come September. We can give one of our better players (Thomas, Pendlebury, Ball etc) the sub vest in the easier matches against GC, Port, Brisbane. Just to give them a bit of a rest they need so they're as fresh as possible for finals.

 

[THATSGOLD]

I can't really see Shaw getting back in unless we are so struck down by injuries. The team will need to be well balanced for the qualiflying final and taking Shaw in without having played for over 2 months could be a liability.To think its july now and he can't play until september is a bloody long time.

 

[Ed D]

I can't really see Shaw getting back in unless we are so struck down by injuries. The team will need to be well balanced for the qualiflying final and taking Shaw in without having played for over 2 months could be a liability.To think its july now and he can't play until september is a bloody long time.

He can still train with the side, and he'd be a better option than say Buckley. It could be tough but he's an elite player for us.

 

[Lockyer24]

Here is my best 22, with Finals squad of 30 the next layer, then "break in case of emergency". Really the main question marks, disregarding any further potential injuries (which I hope we can control a bit better with our record) is whether Shaw will slot back in (I'm 99% sure he will), Didak/Macaffer - will they get to the level required? if they do, who will be the unlucky ones?

Reid
Tarrant
Maxwell
O'Brien
Toovey
Shaw
Davis

Jolly
Brown
Pendlebury
Swan
Thomas
Ball
Wellingham
Johnson

Cloke
Dawes
Didak
Krakouer
Beams
Sidebottom
Blair

Keefe
Goldsack
Buckley

Wood
McCarthy

Macaffer
Fasolo
Rounds

Young
Seedsman

Bolton
Sinclair
Thomas

McNamara
Ceglar

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Personally I cant see why they have a finals "squad" at all.

Every player on the list should be training until the last day in September. You never know who you might need.

If nothing else its a great preseason for the younger players. Or pre-pre-season.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

I can't really see Shaw getting back in unless we are so struck down by injuries.

He will walk straight back into the team.

 

[shawthing09]

I think you have it pretty spot on Q-stick.

There is a slight possibility that we will use the game vs the GC to reward Seedsman for some good form and I think it's certainly a good oppertunity to give Fasolo and Rounds another game.

After this week though I am with a couple of the others. I think even Keeffe and Rounds who I feel are pretty much the 29th and 30th man shouldn't be used too often.

On the other hand we really need to get some games into LeCafe,Dids and Beams as soon as they are ready.

Fasolo is the only real guy in the extended squad who I think has a chance to sneak into the finals side. If LeCafe, Beams and Dids struggle to come up (and there is a chance one of the 3 will) and he continues to play good footy. I also think he has been our best "sub" player which may possibly go to his advantage.

 

[Cory]

That's spot on Quicky

 

[ozpie]

Personally I cant see why they have a finals "squad" at all.

Every player on the list should be training until the last day in September. You never know who you might need.

If nothing else its a great preseason for the younger players. Or pre-pre-season.

Good point, I think it might have something to do with their contracts and the fact that it stipulates that each player must have a minimum of 4 weeks off. Therefore the players who arent being utilised can go off, have their break and come back earlier than the others to get stuck into pre-season training.