Possible Best 22

[gandaal]

If Saddington makes an appearence in our starting 22 without the team suffering some major injury woes I'll be chasing after Pagan and the match commitee with a large rubber mallet.

 

[Bluebear]

If Saddington makes an appearence in our starting 22 without the team suffering some major injury woes I'll be chasing after Pagan and the match commitee with a large rubber mallet.

Missed the intra-club, match did ya?

 

[gandaal]

Missed the intra-club, match did ya?

Nope I was there.

I'd take Whitnall, Thornton, S.O'hAilpin, Bower, Waite, Walker, Hartlett and Flint as Key Position defenders before I even consider playing Saddington. It's take more than one decent performance in a nothing game riddled by sloppy disposal against a guy who couldn't care less to change my opinion.

Here's my mallet:

*shakes mallet in warning at Pagan*

 

[SurreyBlue]

I believe he'll mostly be playing as a running defender.

I give up ... throws his hand in the air with frustration!

My best 22 and lineup:

Carrazzo Thornton Saddington
Lappin O'hAilpin Walker
Simpson Koutoufides Scotland
Houlihan Whitnall Waite
Fisher Fevola Bets
Ackland Stevens Murphy
Cloke/McLaren(?) Blackwell Gibbs Bentick
Emerg: Russell Kennedy Bower

1. Thornton must still take no.1 kp forward. Saddington to add support & depth.
2. Koutoufides has decided to go around another year, therefore to start in the middle and rotate off the bench with Bentick. (our insiders)
3. Rotation of Blackwell, Gibbs through the midfield to relieve Stevens and company as needed.
4. Waite to be give a license to run further up the ground and through the middle rather than just play across the forward 50.
5. 3 Key forwards within 50 Fev, Red and Fish. Don't want to see just one ever again ... are you listening Denis!
6. I prefer WALKER in the midfield rotations but probably won't occur.
7. Really would like to have the 3 emerg into the 22 but can't find a spot so depth must be building.

 

[Bluebear]

Nope I was there.

I'd take Whitnall, Thornton, S.O'hAilpin, Bower, Waite, Walker, Hartlett and Flint as Key Position defenders before I even consider playing Saddington. It's take more than one decent performance in a nothing game riddled by sloppy disposal against a guy who couldn't care less to change my opinion.

Right, because these two have been sooooo impressive.

The great thing about having some depth is that it will force the likes of Hartlett, Flint, Jackson, Bentick, Blackwell to earn their spot. Saddington will have to earn his to, but at no stage should we concede to play these guys just because they are young.
A senior place should be hard earnt (for many years it has not been), and with earning it the hard way players are more likely to fight hard to keep it.
Go handing out senior spots to guys because "You're next in line" or "You're young enough" will mean the likes of Saddo, Teague etc give up. When they do this the level of intensity drops considerably, complacency enters and we go backwards.

Saddo beat Fev. Maybe Fev wasn't trying......yadda yadda....and all the other stuff you said......but what have Harts and Flint done?

 

[gandaal]

Right, because these two have been sooooo impressive.

Saddo beat Fev. Maybe Fev wasn't trying......yadda yadda....and all the other stuff you said......but what have Harts and Flint done?

They've done jack, and plenty of people know how I feel about Hartlett, and still I'd rather them in the side. I'd rather take a gamble on a young kid just starting his career and playing him on a third forward (which isn't really much of a gamble anyway) instead of playing a hack like Saddo who we know isn't up to it and most likely won't be at the club this time next year. You can't do anything unless you've been given the opportunity.

Play the god damn kids already!

 

[Aussie Joe]

I'm pretty sure our CHB line will look something like Waite, O'hAilpin, Thornton.

Saddington as fullback. They were full of praise for him last night, he did really really well on fev apparently.

Then we have Bower as well who can run around.

Maybe

B: Bower, Saddington, Thornton
HB: O'hailpin, Waite, Scotland?

Holly crap. Throw Ackland back there and you have a Land of the Giants remake

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

They've done jack, and plenty of people know how I feel about Hartlett, and still I'd rather them in the side. I'd rather take a gamble on a young kid just starting his career and playing him on a third forward (which isn't really much of a gamble anyway) instead of playing a hack like Saddo who we know isn't up to it and most likely won't be at the club this time next year. You can't do anything unless you've been given the opportunity.

Play the god damn kids already!

I disagree imo we should play the players who deserve a game and Saddo would have just as much chance of playing another 50games as Hartlett and Flint do.

 

[gandaal]

B Bower, O'hAilpin, Thornton
HB Scotland, Whitnall or Waite, Walker

That's our Round 1 defensive unit (fingers crossed for no injuries). The only real change you could make to that in my mind (other than rotating Scotland through the midfield with another mid/flanker taking his place) would be to drop Bower and play both Whitnall and Waite in defence if they really wanted to go down that road. I wouldn't be ecstatically happy because I rate Bower highly but I'd accept it.

 

[Aussie Joe]

Based on the past few weeks, here is my Best 22;

B. Lappin O'hAilpin Thorton
HB. Bower Waite Scotland
C. Walker Stevens Simpson
HF. Fisher Whitnall Gibbs
F. Betts Fevola Houlihan
Foll. Ackland Carrazzo Murphy
Int. Kennedy Koutafides Blackwell Russell
Emerg. Bentick McLaren Wiggins

I left out a "second" ruckman in lieu of using Whitnall and Kennedy as pinch ruckman.

 

[gandaal]

I disagree imo we should play the players who deserve a game and Saddo would have just as much chance of playing another 50games as Hartlett and Flint do.

But would he be as much chance as Flint and Hartlett to play 100 games? 150? 200 games?

Yeah we go down the road of only playing experienced players and what will that get us? The next five wooden spoons in a row. We've been there, done that, got the spoons to prove it. The future of the club is with the kids, not with never beens from other clubs. Players need time in the seniors if they're going to develop, and they won't get that experience playing for the Bullants. Saddington is as developed as he's ever going to be but the kids still have a chance of actually making it as AFL players. We'd be cutting our own throats if we played Saddington.

 

[av76]

Saddington was a walk-up start in a very tough team approaching its peak. He has proven he can play already, unlike the younger kids. I think the only reason Sydney got rid of him was thay they were betting his knee wouldn't be fixed (and maybe to offload some of his salary at the same time). Its now looks like his knee is right. There is no reason he can't play for another 4-5 years, so I don't think he is only a stop-gap "stopping the kids from getting a go".
Sounds like he rarely played deep in defence at Sydney but judging by the way he has bulked up, the club must have told him he would need to play more as a pure stopper on some bigger opponents. If Whitnall plays forward, which I think he should, Saddington also adds some experience back there.
Also agree with Bluebear's comments about competition for spots and team morale.

 

[Jock]

Saddington is a depth player, and a reasonable one fit and well.
If he plays more than 8-9 games we are going in the wrong direction. It will mean one of the younger prospective defenders wasn't able to step up and cement a spot.

 

[Jimthegreat]

As for Whitnall i understand it's a bit rough calling him an oaf. But he doesn't seem like the smartest bloke to me, that's all. And i'd rather have Stevens captain. But these are only my humble opinions.

Anyonw who knows anything about the game knows that Whitnall is one of the smartest players in the competiton. Can't believe you just said that. Seems Lance be named captain tomorrow.

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

Ok this is how i'd like to see us line up Round 1.

FB: Saddington O'HAilpin Carrazzo

HB: Waite Thornton Walker

C: Simpson Scotland Houlihan

HF: Fisher Kennedy Lappin

FF: Betts Fevola Wiggins

F: Ackland Stevens (C) Murphy

INT: Koutafides, Bower, Blackwell, Cloke

EMG Gibbs, Bentick, McLaren, Hartlett

I'd prefer not to bring Gibbs in til say round 6 or 7. Bring young players in too early and they can tend to get smashed around too much and are gone by half way through the year.

 

[blues4flag]

Good article on Saddo on afl.com.au
If he can get his knee right and return to his form prior injury (very unlikely, given that was some three years ago) he could be a decent addition to our backline. Hopefully now that he's past his knee he can start playing some good footy again, it's not fair to him to right him off this early considering his supposed good form. Give him a chance, see how he goes now that he's fit and take it from there.

 

[cfc05]

Gibbs will start round one... he has earned that right already from what i have seen and heard - no doubts about that!

Saddington has also earned the right to be in the preferred back 6 to this point, a long way to go but atm he has to picked in the starting back 6! He is 27, Hartlett is 20.... who cares - we shoudlnt just fall into the trap of playing the kid because he is just that, a kid. Make him earn his spot and not just chuck him in because we want to be seen as playing youth.

 

[Bluebear]

But would he be as much chance as Flint and Hartlett to play 100 games? 150? 200 games?

Yeah we go down the road of only playing experienced players and what will that get us? The next five wooden spoons in a row. We've been there, done that, got the spoons to prove it. The future of the club is with the kids, not with never beens from other clubs. Players need time in the seniors if they're going to develop, and they won't get that experience playing for the Bullants. Saddington is as developed as he's ever going to be but the kids still have a chance of actually making it as AFL players. We'd be cutting our own throats if we played Saddington.

Who said only?
This is about balance, and about earning your stripes.
The team has plenty of guys who have played under 50 games, but you want them to learn from experienced players and learnt their trade.
Otherwise you end up with the Hawks situation where loads of raw talent has no-one to learn from......who knows if they will make it.
Bower, Betts, Blackwell, Murphy, Kennedy, Cloke, Gibbs, O'Hailpin and Russell.........how many more inexperienced guys do you need on the field at once? Saddington has done well this pre-season from all reports, and gives us depth in the backline, allows us to release Lance up forward and leave some experience there.

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

Gibbs will start round one... he has earned that right already from what i have seen and heard - no doubts about that!

Saddington has also earned the right to be in the preferred back 6 to this point, a long way to go but atm he has to picked in the starting back 6! He is 27, Hartlett is 20.... who cares - we shoudlnt just fall into the trap of playing the kid because he is just that, a kid. Make him earn his spot and not just chuck him in because we want to be seen as playing youth.

He's been ok in a few intra-club practice matches.

The season is 22 hard gruelling weeks long.

He's still a soft bodied 18 year old kid.

Do you wan't him broken by round 13?

Yes we all want to see him play but what's the rush?

 

[cfc05]

Can see what your saying, but if he plays well enough to earn a spot during the NAB cup (which from what we have all seen, is going to happen!) We should/will pick him round 1.

Then if he continues to perform then we will obviously be faced with a decision to give him a week off footy maybe a week before the break (giving him two full weeks off) or something like that.

I would find it pretty silly playing him in the Bullants when he is a class above, he will play against big bodies and hard hitters in the VFL aswell anyway.

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

Can see what your saying, but if he plays well enough to earn a spot during the NAB cup (which from what we have all seen, is going to happen!) We should/will pick him round 1.

Then if he continues to perform then we will obviously be faced with a decision to give him a week off footy maybe a week before the break (giving him two full weeks off) or something like that.

I would find it pretty silly playing him in the Bullants when he is a class above, he will play against big bodies and hard hitters in the VFL aswell anyway.

It's all about the pace of the game.

You've seen the ads "Speed Kills"

We didn't play Waite too early and i think that's benefited his development.

 

[BlueBelle]

They've done jack, and plenty of people know how I feel about Hartlett, and still I'd rather them in the side. I'd rather take a gamble on a young kid just starting his career and playing him on a third forward (which isn't really much of a gamble anyway) instead of playing a hack like Saddo who we know isn't up to it and most likely won't be at the club this time next year. You can't do anything unless you've been given the opportunity.

Play the god damn kids already!

If Saddington plays he will add some much needed experience down back, not to mention his big body. I think if he is fit and firing then he could be the wild card we need.

 

[Casper Wiggins]

I know I am biased but I can't wait for the start of the season and watch Wiggins prove to everyone he is one of our next best things...its taken a while but just watching his games last year has proven to me Wiggins will be consistent everygame he plays.

 

[gandaal]

If Saddington plays he will add some much needed experience down back, not to mention his big body. I think if he is fit and firing then he could be the wild card we need.

Much needed?

You mean that Whitnall, Thornton, Lappin/Scotland don't provide sufficient experience? Sorry bluegal but the idea of Saddington's experience being much needed is garbage. The only, and I mean the only, time we'd ever need Saddington is if two of Whitnall, Thornton and Setanta manage to get themselves injuried at the same time and even then I'd be looking at Hartlett.

 

[gandaal]

He's been ok in a few intra-club practice matches.

The season is 22 hard gruelling weeks long.

He's still a soft bodied 18 year old kid.

Do you wan't him broken by round 13?

Yes we all want to see him play but what's the rush?

Nonsense. Just because something happened once doesn't mean it will happen again. Deledio got through his debut season just fine, and I don't see why the hell Gibbs will be any different. It'd be just plain cowardice not to play Gibbs for any reason other than poor form.