Pre-Season Best 22 - 2018

[Windhover]

Nah , not having a go at anyone. I love hearing people's footy opinions here.

I am just genuinely staggered that quite a few aren't seeing what i'm seeing in Silvagni's very young 18 and 19yo seasons. He already got as much of the ball as our 27yo key forward last year. And works his butt off for his teammates offensively AND defensively.

I'm seeing a very bright future, while some have him struggling to get a game in probably the most shallow forward line in the comp.

SOJ has ticked every box and will be a regular in the side this year. IMO he has shown he knows how to find space on the forward line and those types - Breust, Stevie J, Josh Mahoney, Paul Hudson - don't grow on trees and can pinch a game or 2 when all other scoring options are locked down.

That said, he would not get into my best 22 this year because he is an in-betweener. He is not big enough to be a KPF. McKay is ahead of him there. He is not a good enough contested ball winner to be a midfielder. Better tries with Dow, Kennedy, Fisher, Garlett, Cuningham and Charlie. He is seemingly not yet agile enough to be a Stevie J type on the forward line. Try Pickett, Wright, Polson. He is not good enough one on one to be a reliable defender. McCredie, Plowman, Williamson, Byrne are ahead.

He will be a regular though because between form and fitness other players will be dropped or rested and because he works hard his name will always be thereabouts. Which is a good thing because we are going to want him to develop his forward craft for the flags ahead.

 

[Jimmae]

Jack to me looks more adept as a defender

I thought he got regularly exposed when playing there. He's fantastic 1v1, but if he loses body contact he's not going to close them.

 

[Heres Waite]

Can’t see why Jack can’t play a role similar to that of Tom Lynch from the Crows. Tom isn’t that quick either, but his footy smarts and skills make him a fantastic link up player. Jack has the talent to be just as good.

 

[Neese]

I mean he looks more natural as a defender

 

[SkyhorseTamer]

I think the concerns people have wrt JSos will remain the same whether he’s up front or down back - in betweener, suspect speed. So why waste time remodelling and retraining him when the concerns will stay the same. Let him continue to develop up front, no point risking stunting his growth as a player.

Funny I say this because I like Weitering up forward. Oh well.

 

[ParapMarkets]

Are we going to play a lot closer to our best 22 this pre-season with only 2 games? They seem to like to have them play a couple of games, maybe 8 or so only playing a half each in the first game and then pretty much best 22 in the second game?

 

[Jimmae]

Are we going to play a lot closer to our best 22 this pre-season with only 2 games? They seem to like to have them play a couple of games, maybe 8 or so only playing a half each in the first game and then pretty much best 22 in the second game?

I'd say so, but I'd imagine some of the kids who didn't get a run in the AFLX will be the fodder depth in game one as a means to rest senior players like Thomas, Murphy, Simpson, etc.

 

[ParapMarkets]

I'd say so, but I'd imagine some of the kids who didn't get a run in the AFLX will be the fodder depth in game one as a means to rest senior players like Thomas, Murphy, Simpson, etc.

It’s an 8 man interchange isn’t it? And Bolts likes to use 4 in the first half and 4 in the second.

I agree re: the other youth, but I’d imagine they would want to have a good look at Dow and O’Brien.

 

[BlueRenaissance]

Nah , not having a go at anyone. I love hearing people's footy opinions here.

I am just genuinely staggered that quite a few aren't seeing what i'm seeing in Silvagni's very young 18 and 19yo seasons. He already got as much of the ball as our 27yo key forward last year. And works his butt off for his teammates offensively AND defensively.

I'm seeing a very bright future, while some have him struggling to get a game in probably the most shallow forward line in the comp.

+1

I really see Jack Silvagni's development as very good so far as well. He has played well in a weak fwd line, but more importantly, with weak forward of centre delivery.

During the last 2 seasons we have been forced to play fringe players and young players in our midfield, e.g. Kerridge, Thomas, Boekhurst, Armfield, + a whole series of young players not ready yet and under pressure for kicking. Our midfield group has only had around 3 decent mature age kickers at any one time due to injury (both Murph and Cripps have miss large chunks of Silvagni's two seasons with injury).

I see at the very least a VERY good contributor to our side if not more. Will shine as we get our fwd of centre structures and delivery right. Prolly just need to wait until our midfield of Dow, SPS, Fisher, Cuningham, Williamson etc mature another 2 years physically and experience wise. Their delivery will improve out of site and at that time, Silvagni will get a lot of easier ball. Smart thinker and knows how to use it too.

2nd picked in our fwd line behind Curnow.

 

[gbatman]

Jack Silvagni is going alright, he's one of few leading forwards we have on our list, the thing is, he hasn't got too many pushing for his position as a leading and mobile forward. Perhaps Kerr? You look at other gun leading forwards around the league, Jack Gunston comes to mind, he's on track statistically with him at this stage so lets see. You'd like to think that in a good team Silvagni could be a little over a two goal a game player.

 

[Foucault1989]

I have no problems with Jack Silvagni yet. He will get better as our midfield improves. He is still a kid playing one of the tougher positions in AFL and has shown plenty of promise. I don't think he will be a great player but he will certainly have a decent career

 

[Jimmae]

It’s an 8 man interchange isn’t it? And Bolts likes to use 4 in the first half and 4 in the second.

I agree re: the other youth, but I’d imagine they would want to have a good look at Dow and O’Brien.

Here's my guess:

FB: Macreadie ASOS Marchbank
HB: Byrne Weitering Williamson
C: Dow Cuningham SPS
HF: Fisher C.Curnow Garlett
FF: SOS McKay Pickett

R: Lobbe Cripps Kennedy

Int: Kerridge, O'Brien, Lamb, Casboult, Schumacher, Mullett, Kerr, then one of Lang or Wright (subject to Lang's fitness).

The players only playing a half will be O'Brien, Casboult, Cripps, Schumacher, Lang/Wright, Marchbank, Kerr.

 

[HyphensBack]

Best 22 but with the contenders listed next to them where I think it is 50:50

Plowman Jones/ASOS Byrne
Marchbank Weitering Williamson
Simpson Ed SPS
Pickett Charlie JSOS
Fisher Casboult/McKay Wright

R. Kreuzer Cripps Murphy
I. Cuningham Kennedy Dow Lamb/Lang/Kerridge

E. Macreadie O'Brien Garlett

Jones did okay last year but ASOS or Macreadie may get that spot
McKay may get Cas later in the year but who knows
Would really like to think Cuningham will get a run at it this year early and grab it with both hands. Lamb, Lang and Kerridge probably have the wood over OBrien and Gartlett but had better perform in JLT.

 

[Metalcrusher]

I'd say so, but I'd imagine some of the kids who didn't get a run in the AFLX will be the fodder depth in game one as a means to rest senior players like Thomas, Murphy, Simpson, etc.

What possible reason is there to rest Thomas??? He is the fodder depth.

 

[Jimmae]

What possible reason is there to rest Thomas??? He is the fodder depth.

The 2nd and 3rd year mids (plus Dow, Garlett and Lang) need a chance to try some of the roles within the midfield system with a few players missing, notably Thomas, Murphy, Simpson and Ed.

None of them are spring chickens any more.

 

[Metalcrusher]

Thomas is not, nor has he been a midfielder for 4 + years.

 

[Foucault1989]

Thomas is not, nor has he been a midfielder for 4 + years.

Jimmae talks about Thomas like it is 2010.

 

[HARKER]

Definately not. Every premiership team needs a few. I don't ever see him as a star player. But i see him as a much sought after team component. Smart, good, willing, team oriented. Consistent contributor from game to game, quarter to quarter, contest to contest. Someone the coach can rely on. Whether that's popping up with a bag of 3 or playing any role required.

When we drafted him as a babyish December 17yo, i wouldn't have dreamed he'd be where he is now with 30 promising games under his belt.

Just had a look at the stats between Jack & Levi from last year.
We know the forward line is a tough place to be when you haven't a full midfield complement, but Levi only had one double-digit kicking game.
Only one game in 23 where he had 10 kicks. Jack had 5 and that probably doesn't say much alone, but that's quite staggering that your premium forward managing only one game double-digit kick, game.

Jack will play out the year as a 20 year old. Gee, we can at times expect a lot from these very young men, can't we?

 

[gbatman]

Thomas is not, nor has he been a midfielder for 4 + years.

Not quality wise but he's still played a fair bit on the wing for us. If it wasn't for his kicking, he'd be going fairly well. I don't know what the odds are that he will jump out this year with a spring in his step and a better boot on him, we will see.

 

[BLUE_BALLS95]

Have shpwn what exactly lol? Aflx? Please

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

And still more than those I listed as struggling .....

 

[Jimmae]

Jimmae talks about Thomas like it is 2010.

And you use statistics as the adjudicator of midfield play like it's 2002.

 

[Foucault1989]

And you use statistics as the adjudicator of midfield play like it's 2002.

Hahaha OK sure...I can see that... I think?

 

[BlueRenaissance]

I think all of these things apply to Thomas:

• Has got the respect of Bolton (not an easy thing to do)
• Is providing a mentoring role fwd of 50 on structures
• Is getting slightly more of the pill than the kids who we want to replace him with
• Is pretty weak on disposal efficiency and decision making vs experienced AFL players - not versus the young kids he is up against for a spot
• Does looked rushed these days...so do the kids we have who are learning.

Hope he is not in our side come mid season and becomes insurance. Our 2/3/4th years should go past him easily this season.

I can understand why he would be in the mix round 1 based on 2017 form shown by his younger adversaries. I'm still hoping extra size/fitness of those young players beat him to a round 1 spot.

 

[JustaBattler]

I think people over rate Marchbank on this forum.

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

I think people over rate Marchbank on this forum.

I love him but if he doesn't improve his kicking he won't be very damaging rebounding and I'm not sure he is a great stopper so he has got abit to work on. He has a hell of a lot of talent though.