Our Spine

[Ysaye]

Hey guys I have been thinking the last little while about the future of our key position players and what it will look like and some of the players that will step up. With Grover and McPharlin on the way out and eventually Pavs, who do you think will take over these positions. With using our current group of players not considering drafts or anything, just a idea of who we can look towards. What we have.

Joel Houghton
Dylan Roberton
Kepler Bradley
Alex Silvagni
Michael Johnson
Peter Faulks
Hamish Shepheard
Casey Sibosado


I wonder about this mostly thinking about who takes over for Grover and McPharlin. Silvagni probably has the best chance to slot in at FB or CHB but who else do we throw in there most of our taller players are forwards do we shift Johnson to the back again. Or since our MF is so tall do we need to worry about this do we shift some of our midfielders? your thoughts

For me Sibosado is a definite eventual like for like replacement for McPharlin, at least athletically and style wise with possibly better skill. All he needs to do is make sure he keeps developing. I still think if one of McPharline / Grover goes down he could get elevated this season.

Silvagni is a good replacement for grover.

 

[Kickett Punches Read]

i think our next luke mcpharlin will come from this years draft rather than from anyone we currently have in our squad. Grover can be replaced by silvagni or faulks i would say

 

[Dyslexic Emo]

Short term will be Silvagni and Faulks or JA

Long term Sibosado and Faulks (needs to bulk up about 15 kgs)

 

[Deep_Purple]

Joel Houghton
Dylan Roberton
Kepler Bradley
Alex Silvagni
Michael Johnson
Peter Faulks
Hamish Shepheard
Casey Sibosado

There are question marks over all these players. Silvagni is going to be a great player, but where he ends up is not sure. He may be a great CHB, but can also play on a flank and could end up forward. Shepheard, Sibo, Faulks, Houghton are all yet to prove themselves, Jono and Roberton have had ordinary starts to 2011.

I think we need to draft or trade a couple of good KP players over the off season.

 

[PapaJ]

How realistic is Sibbo though really? His 'development' has been a while coming. Can we count on him being AFL material?

NB. I'm not saying he's not, I just don't think we can put too many eggs in that basket that's all.

 

[free at last]

can anyone tell us when free agency comes in & how it works? free agency could be the answer to our genuine lack of promising KPP.

 

[Nickos66]

The way I see it, all we're lacking in future is key backs. We're not big on having a structure that involves key forwards - Harves doesn't like the predictability of having 1 main avenue to goal, besides we have some relatively big bodies that con rotate through there in future like Mora, Mayne, Jack Anthony, SNOS, Keps and i'm sure a few others.
Also, Our ruck stocks appear to be filled indefinitely with Griffin, Clarke & soon to be Moller, a project ruckman might be an option at some stage though of course.

Key backs should be a priority at the next draft, regardless of where they're from. If we can get a good sized versatile back like a few that have gone high in recent drafts we should be sitting pretty.

 

[theGav56]

My 1st choice;

FF; Anthony
CHF; Houghton
CHB; Sibosado
FB; Silvagni

My 2nd Choice;

FF; Bradley
CHF; Morabitto
CHB; Roberton
FB; Faulks

The big issue in those line-ups is that a lot of the top teams in Collingwood, Geeling and Howthorn, are going with at least two, big, mobile forwards, and we need to be careful that we can match them in the backline.

 

[PapaJ]

The way I see it, all we're lacking in future is key backs. ...

Oh absolutely, Fwds we can do OK with what we've got (actually probably better than OK). Rucks, well nobody will ever easily replace Sandi, but we've got some makeshift options in the oven - not convinced there, but we'll be OK. Backs, another story all together.

Good KPB is far more important in the modern game than any other key position I'd say - and we are one Luke or Antoni away from looking really small and vulnerable in that sense.

 

[more_of_bito]

Assuming Mcpharlin, Grover get us through the next two years, I would think for 2013-2015 I like the look of Gav's 2nd option with a minor tweak

FF: Pav ( if he can make 2015 otherwise if were using the above list then Houghton)
CHF : Mora ( 191cm)
CHB : Roberton (191cm same as Luke, has pace and good over head)
FB : Faulks ( Silvagni third tall/ utility similar to MJ today)

Sibo, Shepherd , Houghton Im not sure as have not seen play live, but have been around a few years and haven't seen any AFL footy ( even during our rebuilding). Even though theyre KPP if they havent been elevated or even considered for a debut it's will be tough especially for Sibo/ Shepherd on the rookie list.

 

[Man of Men]

My 1st choice;

FF; Anthony
CHF; Houghton
CHB; Sibosado
FB; Silvagni

If houghton can get on the park he shows a bit of promise. Kicked a couple of bags last year in the wafl and supposedly is quite mobile. If all these guys pull through i will be surprised (due to injury and other factors) but if they do they will be very talented

 

[theGav56]

Assuming Mcpharlin, Grover get us through the next two years, I would think for 2013-2015 I like the look of Gav's 2nd option with a minor tweak

FF: Pav ( if he can make 2015 otherwise if were using the above list then Houghton)
CHF : Mora ( 191cm)
CHB : Roberton (191cm same as Luke, has pace and good over head)
FB : Faulks ( Silvagni third tall/ utility similar to MJ today)

Sibo, Shepherd , Houghton Im not sure as have not seen play live, but have been around a few years and haven't seen any AFL footy ( even during our rebuilding). Even though theyre KPP if they havent been elevated or even considered for a debut it's will be tough especially for Sibo/ Shepherd on the rookie list.

I am big on Pav in the forward line, but thought we were projecting to a Pav-less future. I also think that you don't recruit someone like Anthony and not plan to fit him in the line-up. He isn't cover for anyone, but is a replacement for Murphy, which indicates that Harvey wants a specialist FF (remember he gave Murphy a 2 year extension).

Who knows how Houghton will progress? And while Mora could be an option, the default for Harvey seems to be to play big mobile guys midfield.

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

FF: Walters - Mayne - Ballantyne
HF: VanBerlo - Anthony - MDB
C: Hill - Morabito - Fyfe
HB: Roberton - Silvagni - Broughton
B: Suban - Faulks - Sibbo
R: Clarke - Barlow - Pitt

I: Lower - Ibbotson - Mzungu
S: Griffin

I think all those guys are born 1986 or later

Spots aren't 100% what I think - just getting the list together

A lot of our players are very, very versatile (MDB, JVB, Silvagni, Griff) and can play many roles

That still leaves out a lot of guys already on our list, plus whoever we pick up in the next 2-3 drafts when these guys are 22-25

 

[jusjoshin]

FF: Walters - Mayne - Ballantyne
HF: VanBerlo - Anthony - MDB

wow, if we can get JA tackling like the rest of that fwd line, the ball might never come back out.

 

[mayne iac]

I saw Freo in Bunno pre season, Sibbo, while composed and a great kick seemed extremely slow. Any one who thinks he could replace McPharlin is dreaming.

 

[Alfonz]

Replacing McPharlin will be practically impossible, key defenders with his speed and aerial ability are a very rare commodity. We'll have to make do with someone a fair bit inferior (whether that be Sibosado or whoever) and rely on our midfield of Fyfe-Barlow-Hill-Morabito-Mundy-etc dominating sides.

 

[theGav56]

FF: Walters - Mayne - Ballantyne
HF: VanBerlo - Anthony - MDB
C: Hill - Morabito - Fyfe
HB: Roberton - Silvagni - Broughton
B: Suban - Faulks - Sibbo
R: Clarke - Barlow - Pitt

I: Lower - Ibbotson - Mzungu
S: Griffin

I think all those guys are born 1986 or later

Spots aren't 100% what I think - just getting the list together

A lot of our players are very, very versatile (MDB, JVB, Silvagni, Griff) and can play many roles

That still leaves out a lot of guys already on our list, plus whoever we pick up in the next 2-3 drafts when these guys are 22-25

The Key Forwards are the most worrying aspect of that spine, notably JA as a CHF. But as you suggest, plenty of recruiting/development time between now and then.