Our best 22 coming into finals

[year of the cat]

Posted this in the most recent VFL thread:




"I recall last year catempire had a thread with the locks and the possibles with our 22. Probably not a bad time to kick it off again?

For me the locks are:

B: Enright, Lonergan,
HB: Henderson, Taylor, Mackie
C: Cockatoo, Duncan, Guthrie
HF: Motlop, Stanley, Bartel
F: Menzel, Hawkins, McCarthy

Foll: Smith, Dangerfield, J.Selwood

Int: Caddy,

Leaves 4 spots open for Blicavs, S.Selwood, Menegola, Kolojashnij, Bews, Ruggles, Cowan, Kersten and Lang to fight for.

At the moment my 4 most likely would be Blicavs, Ruggles, Menegola and ..... Really have no idea who fills that last spot. Probably Kersten."





I will update this on a weekly basis. We will obviously have our own favourites and biases! (i.e. Don't expect Cowan to feature prominently in my team any time soon ).

The couple of contentious ones are possibly Cockatoo and McCarthy. I think we played our best footy earlier in the year with these two in the team providing defensive pressure and exuberance. For me they are locks. For others possibly not. Ruggles is oh so close to being named a lock. I just wonder whether Guthrie may go back with S.Selwood coming in thereby rendering one small defensive position unavailable? Will see the MC's thoughts this next few weeks I assume.

 

[Hoooops]

It sure doesn't include Kersten anymore.

Rhys

 

[Spazz Cat]

I love McCarthy but I don't think he's a lock IMO

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Blicavs is a lock. The club won't drop him.

 

[Hoooops]

I love McCarthy but I don't think he's a lock IMO

Who would replace him..?

 

[DanA]

It sure doesn't include Kersten anymore.

Rhys

Thought we looked better with Kersten against Adelaide than we did without him against Bulldogs.

 

[year of the cat]

Blicavs is a lock. The club won't drop him.

Probably right. One that seems to have a golden pass.

 

[Spazz Cat]

Who would replace him..?

Possibly Lang if he keeps he's VFL form up, Kersten if we wanna go taller or even Menegola or Scooter if we want another inside mid and Motlop or Cockatoo could be full time forwards.
I am a big fan of McCarthy though and I hope he can lift he's output more before the finals. As much pressure as he brings 10 possession, 0 goal games could probably be improved a bit.

 

[Hoooops]

Thought we looked better with Kersten against Adelaide than we did without him against Bulldogs.

Hm, I thought we were less predictable going forward against the Dogs.

Wouldn't object to Kersten coming back in to the side, but I don't think it's gonna happen unless someone gets injured.

 

[year of the cat]

Possibly Lang if he keeps he's VFL form up, Kersten if we wanna go taller or even Menegola or Scooter if we want another inside mid and Motlop or Cockatoo could be full time forwards.
I am a big fan of McCarthy though and I hope he can lift he's output more before the finals. As much pressure as he brings 10 possession, 0 goal games could probably be improved a bit.

Reckon he's a player that will do well on the more open spaces of the 'G. Played well in the Hawthorn game first round where he was a difficult match up for them with his overhead marking ability and speed. Hope we see that in September.

 

[Spazz Cat]

Reckon he's a player that will do well on the more open spaces of the 'G. Played well in the Hawthorn game first round where he was a difficult match up for them with his overhead marking ability and speed. Hope we see that in September.

Yeah some players play better at the G.
Lang has been preety good there this year compared to other grounds

 

[sarah.13]

B. Enright. Lonergan. Taylor
Hb Guthrie Henderson Mackie
C motlop. Selwood Duncan
Hf McCarthy Stanley menzel
F caddy Hawkins Bartel
R Smith Dangerfield S selwood
Cockatoo ruggles blicavs Lang

 

[Hoooops]

With McCarthy: 11-3
Without McCarthy: 2-2

With Lang: 8-4
Without Lang: 5-1

 

[leorex]

I don't know why Kersten seems out of favour
we just look better with him in

 

[leorex]

i like Blicavs in the back line help out Loner and Taylor
they both can be sluggish

 

[year of the cat]

i like Blicavs in the back line help out Loner and Taylor
they both can be sluggish

Don't reckon Blicavs is a defender. I've seen numerous occasions where he's lost either his man or the ball in a marking contest down back. In as a 2nd ruck/ruck rover or not at all for me.

 

[BlightysCats]

I reckon pretty much our 22 from the other night except S.Selwood/Caddy in for Blicavs. We can't play Taylor, Lonergan and Henderson in the same team so one of them will have to miss.

 

[BlightysCats]

i like Blicavs in the back line help out Loner and Taylor
they both can be sluggish

Blicavs is slow himself. He is a good endurance runner but lacks real pace.

 

[BlightysCats]

Reckon he's a player that will do well on the more open spaces of the 'G. Played well in the Hawthorn game first round where he was a difficult match up for them with his overhead marking ability and speed. Hope we see that in September.

Saw Lang at Vic Park yesterday and there's no way he deserves a call up.

 

[leorex]

too late now to develop a new defender
its either Bews or Kolo for the vacant position

next year I like to see Menegola given a chance down there
now have to hope for a wet finals

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Both mccarthy and cockatoo show flashes of brilliance but i think need to be more consistent.but both apply a lot of defensive pressure and if you want to play a very high press like we do you need at least one or two in your front half specifically for that.we could be more left field and say play a caddy in that role but i doubt it i think he is more mid and mccarthy and cockatoo probably stay.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Blicavs won't get dropped. Won't get into the dribble inducing argument about golden passes. They simply won't drop him.

So from yotc list I'd say the last 4 will be Blicavs. SSelwood, Ruggles then either Menegola or Kolo.

Kolo if they keep Guthrie in midfield. Menegola if they shift him to half back.

 

[Boxhead_31]

FB: Ruggles Lonergan Taylor
HB: Guthrie Henderson Enright
C: Mackie Dangerfield Duncan
HF: Motlop Stanley Bartel
FF: McCarthy Hawkins Menzel
R: Smith J.Selwood Caddy
Int: Blicavs S.Selwood Kolodjashnij Menegola

 

[strauchnyy]

Best team for week 1 finals:

FB: Ruggles - Lonergan - Taylor
HB: Guthrie - Henderson - Enright
C: Duncan - J.Selwood - Bartel
HF: Caddy - Stanley - Motlop
FF: McCarthy - Hawkins - Menzel
Fol:Smith - Dangerfield - S.Selwood

Int: Blicavs - Cockatoo - Mackie - Menegola

EMG: Lang - Kersten - Kolo

Changes from last week: Caddy, Henderson & S.Selwood in for Kolo, Cowan, Bews

I think we need to play Guthrie back with Caddy, Selwood Menegola playing inside mid. And would play either Lang/Menegola depending on form. Also, certainly have to go with the 3 tall defenders instead of all 4... I just hope the MC see it the way 98% of the footy world do.

If we are to play Hawthorn: Guthrie on Cyril for 90% of the game.

 

[Spazz Cat]

Saw Lang at Vic Park yesterday and there's no way he deserves a call up.

Based on yesterday no one deserved a call up. Including Caddy and Scooter. Terrible conditions though.
Did you see Lang the previous 2 weeks? Preety impressive. Not saying he should walk into the side but there's no doubt he's quality.
A few times this year when we couldn't buy a goal he's been able to snag some. Could be handy in a final. Good finisher.