Our list up to 26

[TheFreshBanana]

A few friends were boasting about how "good" their young stocks were by making a team sheet of players under 26. Now, I made one but I made it with players that were mostly guaranteed to make it big at AFL.

B: Toovey Reid O'Brien
HB: Clarke Brown Shaw
C: Thomas Pendlebury Mooney
HF: (no player) Cloke Sidebottom
F: Fasolo Dawes (no player)
R: Witts Wellingham Beams

I know I have a few players somewhat out of position, but had to find space for them somewhere.

Who do you think, of our younger players, will fill those (no player) slots?

I have high hopes for Paine or Gault to make it as a 3rd tall, or even have Elliot play as a Medhurst role.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Not sure how you can have Dawes as a long term future prospect yet not include the medium sized Macaffer.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...d1=1746&tid2=5&pid2=1820&type=A&fid1=C&fid2=C

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...2=5&pid2=1820&type=A&fid1=S&fid2=P&fopt2=2010

Dawes had been in our best 22 as a result of a shortage of other viable tall forward options, not necessity. He's hardly certain to "make it".

 

[legendstatus]

Not sure how you can have Dawes as a long term future prospect yet not include the medium sized Macaffer.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...d1=1746&tid2=5&pid2=1820&type=A&fid1=C&fid2=C

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/...2=5&pid2=1820&type=A&fid1=S&fid2=P&fopt2=2010

Dawes had been in our best 22 as a result of a shortage of other viable tall forward options, not necessity. He's hardly certain to "make it".

Fair dinkum, I hope I’m proven wrong but this board severely overrates MaCaffer big time... he is a spud and wouldn’t be in my top 30... is it MaCaffer or relatives themselves on this board???

 

[Tarkyn_24]

Fair dinkum, I hope I’m proven wrong but this board severely overrates MaCaffer big time... he is a spud and wouldn’t be in my top 30... is it MaCaffer or relatives themselves on this board???

I feel the opposite, and that the board overrates Dawes. I don't think he is a genuine option as a tall forward moving into the future.

I'm simply questioning how Macaffer can be left put of the OPs team when he's including players like Dawes and Mooney as certainties to hold down their position into the future.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

I feel the opposite, and that the board overrates Dawes. I don't think he is a genuine option as a tall forward moving into the future.

I'm simply questioning how Macaffer can be left put of the OPs team when he's including players like Dawes and Mooney as certainties to hold down their position into the future.

I agree re Mooney who is yet to play a game and is Irish, but not Dawes. You are entitled to your opinion, and I know dawes had an ordinary season this year, but he is likely to strike form and fitness and prove your prediction wrong next year. He did have a good GF the year before, so we have seen him play better than last season.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

I agree re Mooney who is yet to play a game and is Irish, but not Dawes. You are entitled to your opinion, and I know dawes had an ordinary season this year, but he is likely to strike form and fitness and prove your prediction wrong next year. He did have a good GF the year before, so we have seen him play better than last season.

Hope so, but everything you've said about Dawes there is just as applicable to Macaffer.

To me, I haven't seen a whole lot to differentiate the two. Both have had one hot streak in their career as far as form goes and otherwise have simply been contributors.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

Fair dinkum, I hope I’m proven wrong but this board severely overrates MaCaffer big time... he is a spud and wouldn’t be in my top 30... is it MaCaffer or relatives themselves on this board???

Did you think he was a spud in 2010? Were you not at all impressed with his GF game?

 

[cfx_1]

Do yourself a favour guys and go back and re-watch the 2010 GF replay. Macaffer was on fire. I think he is in for a big year. I don't overate him. But i do think he is best 22.. Just

 

[Number 10]

Dawes overrated? He is 23 and only cracked the team in 2010, he has many years to improve, just like every other KPF. He is a more reliable set shot than Cloke, always has been always will be, his only knock is his hands when he loses confidence. He is good off the ground, tackles and runs hard and once again - he is 23 and KPF's do not grow on trees.

Macaffer a spud? Now I have heard it all. Tackling pressure, strength, marking, goal sense and an ability to play as either a 3rd tall forward or midfielder...Sounds like a spud to me.

 

[cleomenes]

The persistent criticism of Dawes and McCaffer from our supporters continues to surprise and gall me.
Dawes: The one weakness in his game is in the strength of his hands marking. This is made to look worse because he is always in front, and has the ball punched away. Krakouer is in the side for this. Dawes thought processes are ahead of most, and he makes goals with his intelligent knock on acts. Sometimes these fail that is the nature of this kind of creativity. He is not Travis Cloke, and should not be expected to be. Two of the same kind of player is rarely an advantage.

McCaffer: had a bad year, but was injured for most of it. This is all that needs be said. The previous year he was terrific, and perhaps crucial to our success. Nobody should be judged on the basis of a year battling injuries. It is clearly not a sensible yardstick. See what he does this year injury free (hopefully) and judge on that. Perhaps 2010 will prove to be his only good year, but I certainly would not decide that on the basis of 2011.

Similar exception could be taken to the criticism of Nick Maxwell this year. He was injured for most of it.

We have an excellent list. Injury, form and coaching quality are the worries (as they are every year) At least the quality of the "cattle" is sufficient. I do wish we hadn't lost Leon Davis. His astounding year on the backline is a clear measure of how hard it is to play as a forward.

 

[Knightmare]

Given the choice between a KPF and a medium size player. KPF any day of the week.

Also you have to remember key forwards take longer to develop. So Dawes' production still has more room for improvement relative to that of Macaffer.

Dawes in another team might not necessarily be as effective as he is playing with Cloke, but to Collingwood Dawes has significantly more value than Macaffer does because he plays a role which is harder to fill and more critical to team success, additionally there are less options within the team as potential replacements.

If trade week is any indication Macaffer has little currency around the league whereas Dawes on the other hand is one many clubs would trade for if he was to become available, and for good currency.

 

[The 10th Letter]

I'm a fan of both Dawes and Macaffer and like others have mentioned, if you're going to have Mooney in that squad sight unseen then Macaffer is a lock.

Dawes obviously has a weakness overhead, that he tends to make up for with his better-than-average ability at ground level for a player his size. I'm not sure if he'll ever manage to improve his overhead marking, despite being hopeful on that front, but when on song his smarts, pressure and ability to create are of immense value.

Macaffer's year was write off thanks to an interrupted preseason and persistent niggles thereafter. I'm extremely glad that we managed to keep him, as we need what he can bring to the table up forward. I think you can draw a line between the lack of variety in our forward entries and ability to lock it in once it got there with Macaffer's absence.

The best example of the worth of both players can be found in the grand final replay, where as others have mentioned they were both instrumental.

 

[TheFreshBanana]

I feel the opposite, and that the board overrates Dawes. I don't think he is a genuine option as a tall forward moving into the future.

I'm simply questioning how Macaffer can be left put of the OPs team when he's including players like Dawes and Mooney as certainties to hold down their position into the future.

It's a fair comment and I never really thought about it.

But I've never rated Macaffer, his 2010 season does not stand out in my mind, which is why I personally don't rate him. Whereas I remember Dawes pre-injury and I remember that Cloke/Dawes combo was regarded as one of the best combinations in the league.

 

[Ed D]

We have a young list. There are only a few players who will retire in the next few years, the core of the team will be together 4+ years. We're up for some exciting times.

Also I agree with the Macaffer/Dawes/Mooney call. I don't know how you can list Mooney in the side ahead of Macaffer and even guys like Rounds, Seedsman and Ugle when Mooney hasn't even played a game for us and comes from an Irish background.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

Discussions on whether Macaffer and Dawes belong in a team of U/26s are utterly ridiculous considering that there are two guys that have never played an AFL game, and have barely played any aussie rules footy between them, and TWO EMPTY SPACES in the team.

No matter what your thoughts on Macaffer and Dawes are, it is obviously true that two premiership players are more set in stone than guys who have never played an AFL game, and they're certainly more likely to make it than (no player)...

 

[PremierPie13]

We have a young list. There are only a few players who will retire in the next few years, the core of the team will be together 4+ years. We're up for some exciting times.

Also I agree with the Macaffer/Dawes/Mooney call. I don't know how you can list Mooney in the side ahead of Macaffer and even guys like Rounds, Seedsman and Ugle when Mooney hasn't even played a game for us and comes from an Irish background.

Caff and Dawes need to jump over a punching bag before they can be considered better AFL players than Mooney

Also Swan will be a half-forward after 30 and play till he's 45.

 

[TheFreshBanana]

We have a young list. There are only a few players who will retire in the next few years, the core of the team will be together 4+ years. We're up for some exciting times.

Also I agree with the Macaffer/Dawes/Mooney call. I don't know how you can list Mooney in the side ahead of Macaffer and even guys like Rounds, Seedsman and Ugle when Mooney hasn't even played a game for us and comes from an Irish background.

Discussions on whether Macaffer and Dawes belong in a team of U/26s are utterly ridiculous considering that there are two guys that have never played an AFL game, and have barely played any aussie rules footy between them, and TWO EMPTY SPACES in the team.

No matter what your thoughts on Macaffer and Dawes are, it is obviously true that two premiership players are more set in stone than guys who have never played an AFL game, and they're certainly more likely to make it than (no player)...

Like I've said before, I never rated Macaffer after his 2010 season, and was waiting for 2011 to see why everyone was talking him up so much. Let's just say, bitterly dissapointed but still high hopes for 2012.

I'm extremely excited about Mooney from what I've heard. And to be frank, Rounds didn't look too hot to me apart from the game against North. Forgot about Seedsman, but in my mind the excitement over Mooney is a lot more than Seedsman.

And the other point of the thread was to discuss over which player could fill the NO PLAYER spots.

 

[Ed D]

No offense but it's still ridiculous to have a guy with 0 games of AFL under his belt (perhaps a couple of practice games) ahead of someone who actually plays in our senior team regularly when not injured. It doesn't matter if you don't rate Macaffer, you can at least see that the coaching staff thinks he's in the team when fit, and that's the senior side that's not restricted.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

And the other point of the thread was to discuss over which player could fill the NO PLAYER spots.

Oh, well then... In that case, I'm going to have to go with the 23 year old who kicked two goals in a winning Grand Final...

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

Is Mooney THAT good? Is he going to 'do a Clarke' and play with the big boys sometime this season? Is so, I shall take much more of an interest him.

 

[THATSGOLD]

Witts and mooney are in the over other players because??? Wood is under 26 isn't he?

 

[THATSGOLD]

Fair dinkum, I hope I’m proven wrong but this board severely overrates MaCaffer big time... he is a spud and wouldn’t be in my top 30... is it MaCaffer or relatives themselves on this board???

You might want to check his 2010 stats and ask yourself how much of a part he played in us actually winning a GRAND FINAL.

 

[ipswichpies]

Listen bud we may overate our players and we may have some spuds and duds but we did not draft a 29 yo ruckman who has not played at the highest level,come back to us halfway through the season and then we can discuss whether or not that is a success.

 

[Shade]

...

Thanks for your input.

 

[abs_of_STEELE]

...

Enjoy the ban.

To stay on topic, I do like the Caff and I'm confident he'll hit back next season. He was a big part of our team late 2010 and he'll be good if he can get fit. Even though we lost Leon, I was very happy to keep Caff as I really do think he's best 22. I prefer him over Blair anyway, but each to there own I guess.

Dawes marking skills give me the shits sometimes, but he's still young, he'll get there eventually. Well worth sticking with him in the 22.

Mooney's athletic ability is obviously something we're all excited about, but let's wait and see if he can actually play footy!!! Again he'll take a long time to get the hang of it, but his got the athletic ability to make it.