Strategy Preferred forward line

[mopsy]

This is the side i think they will go with round 1. We all know Hardwick will stick fat with the older players regardless of form.
As has been his want I think He will play an extra tall in defense probably Astbury at this stage. Hardwick has shown a liking for this set up when Astbury has been fit. He will not drop Chaplin and has no option but to play him atm..

Big inside mid was identified early in the piece as a real need, one of A Moore or Townsend will play.He may go with Moore being the older player.

Fwd line woes have regularly been spoken about. Hardwick has constanly tried to find a small forward, most likely this will be Lloyd sticking with his familiar theme of playing the older blokes over newbies.
I also think after being dropped for the Elimination final and all the hoo har Ben Lennon will play at h/f.

Then of course theres Yarran the prized recruit who was targeted to fix another glareing weakness and provide run out of defense. If fit he will play.

That is 5 changes. That is a lot of changes for the super conservative Hardwick. I cant see him making more.

I also believe the way both Griffiths and Conca were rushed into the team they are prefered players and will play. Hardwick has always gone back to playing three tall fwds when possible it wont change imo. Conca is a Hardwick favorite.

Five changes from that E/F team.All changes are to areas the club has said needs improving. Who are the most likely ones to be dropped considering the above.

Obviously Newman replaced by Yarran. Then who ?
Most obvious ones are probably
Lambert replaced by Townsend or Moore that is big bodied mid coming in for a small bodied mid..
Hunt replaced by Lennon. Fwd/mid for a mid. Are they going to actually address the fwd line woes.A classy medium is added to the fwd half.
Batchelor replaced by Astbury.. This is common sense. A short kpd who cant play tall is replaced by a genuine tall who has shown at times hes more than capable of the role.
Who goes out for Lloyd?

The following side would not surprise me in the least.It is very close to the most experienced 27 players we have.Personally i cant see it as a top 4 side but i think it is close to what they will go with for the early part of the year at least.

FB: Grimes - Astbury - Chaplin
HB: Houli - Rance - Yarran.
C:: B Ellis - Cotchin - McIntosh
HF: Lennon - Vickery - Deledio
FF: Lloyd - Riewoldt - Griffiths
R:: Maric - Martin - Miles
Int from: Conca - Moore/Townsend - Vlastuin - Edwards - Grigg - C Ellis - Hunt - Lambert.

 

[Dr Tigris]

KPFs - TV and Jack for certain with Griff playing some sort of CHF/roving tall role. Although I've noticed some fo the pre-season reports saying Griff is often rucking. I'd love for Griff to play as a mobile tall/ruck/lead up forward. That would free up space for another tall to play. Which could be McBean or a medium sized marking player like Lennon.
Medium forwards - Lids + someone else. Lennon, Dusty in periods, plus others - whatever works/fits on the day. E.g. Conca is a good goal kicker and so would be useful resting forward if fit and in form.
Small forward - titch, someone else that forces their way in. Currently Lloyd, but others might do it. Resting mids are also useful in this role.

Look IMHO we have a core group of forwards and then a large pool to choose from. I'd be all for Griff moving more towards the ruck/forward/mid role. That would not affect the forward line much but would allow us to play another forward type. But I would actually be for 2 forward line spots to be for rotating midfielder types, or role players doing a specific job.

 

[Football Tragic]

Prefer to see Deledio in the midfield. So i dont agree with the OP's premise anyway.

When the kids show enough i prefer the following.

H/F Lennon - Riewoldt - Rioli
F/F Butler - McKenzie - Vickery.

Unlike most i believe for us to become a top 4 side and a genuine contender we need many of the juniors to step up and force out about 8 of the regulars.

I think Lids has shown that he plays his best footy 60% HF and 40% midfield. He gets lost as a permanent midfielder and tagged out of a game too easily. Making him a forward and link player allows him to play his best footy and be the most damaging to the opposition. He has made the AA Team for the first time so that obvious means something.

 

[theflea]

Now Fleabag.
Is Lids,Jack,Dusty the f/fwd line or the HF line?

Stop be picky you numpty!

Of course its HFF then FF line, going down the page you post nazi!

 

[Tango67]

My team

B. Grimes Rance Chaplin
H. Yarran Astbury Houli
C. Ellis Townsend Macintosh
H. Lennon Jack Martin
F. Edwards Vickery Deledio
R. Maric Cotchin Miles
I. Vlastuin Conca Broad Moore

Would love to fit Rioli in but can't and would role the dice with 2 rucks in Maric and Vickery

 

[sregit]

My team

B. Grimes Rance Chaplin
H. Yarran Astbury Houli
C. Ellis Townsend Macintosh
H. Lennon Jack Martin
F. Edwards Vickery Deledio
R. Maric Cotchin Miles
I. Vlastuin Conca Broad Moore

Would love to fit Rioli in but can't and would role the dice with 2 rucks in Maric and Vickery

That team is crap. We need at least 2 of the younger brigade i.e. C Ellis, Menadue, butler , Rioli, Markov or others to force their way into the team. If not then we are stagnating. In total I expect to see at least a 15 - 20% turnover in the top 22 as Yarran and hopefully one or more of our aged recruits also claim a spot. If our best 22 looks like that at seasons end then we are stuffed. Your team does not include any of our top 3 picks in two seasons/drafts and if that is the case our recruiting staff should be sacked.

 

[BS_82]

I think Lids has shown that he plays his best footy 60% HF and 40% midfield. He gets lost as a permanent midfielder and tagged out of a game too easily. Making him a forward and link player allows him to play his best footy and be the most damaging to the opposition. He has made the AA Team for the first time so that obvious means something.

Deledio is no joke as a forward. Play him forward now that Yarran is on the list and make him have bursts on the ball.

Dusty is the big bodied midfielder you already have and the guy is almost untackleable,

 

[fargothegreat]

Surely Chaplin plays full forward and everyone else clears out*





*against Port

 

[Football Tragic]

Surely Chaplin plays full forward and everyone else clears out*





*against Port

I would love to see that aeroplane again!

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Stop be picky you numpty!

Of course its HFF then FF line, going down the page you post nazi!

Next time can you be more.

.

 

[Tango67]

That team is crap. We need at least 2 of the younger brigade i.e. C Ellis, Menadue, butler , Rioli, Markov or others to force their way into the team. If not then we are stagnating. In total I expect to see at least a 15 - 20% turnover in the top 22 as Yarran and hopefully one or more of our aged recruits also claim a spot. If our best 22 looks like that at seasons end then we are stuffed. Your team does not include any of our top 3 picks in two seasons/drafts and if that is the case our recruiting staff should be sacked.

Who would you drop and who would you select hot shot?

 

[OhDustinMartin]

KPFs - TV and Jack for certain with Griff playing some sort of CHF/roving tall role. Although I've noticed some fo the pre-season reports saying Griff is often rucking. I'd love for Griff to play as a mobile tall/ruck/lead up forward. That would free up space for another tall to play. Which could be McBean or a medium sized marking player like Lennon.
Medium forwards - Lids + someone else. Lennon, Dusty in periods, plus others - whatever works/fits on the day. E.g. Conca is a good goal kicker and so would be useful resting forward if fit and in form.
Small forward - titch, someone else that forces their way in. Currently Lloyd, but others might do it. Resting mids are also useful in this role.

Look IMHO we have a core group of forwards and then a large pool to choose from. I'd be all for Griff moving more towards the ruck/forward/mid role. That would not affect the forward line much but would allow us to play another forward type. But I would actually be for 2 forward line spots to be for rotating midfielder types, or role players doing a specific job.

Love Griff as backup ruck and tall fwrd pocket. Gives Ty the KPP role.
Preffered forward setup:
Lloyd/Rioli JR Griff
Dusty/ Lids Ty Sheds/resting mid

 

[have a RHG]

That team is crap. We need at least 2 of the younger brigade i.e. C Ellis, Menadue, butler , Rioli, Markov or others to force their way into the team. If not then we are stagnating. In total I expect to see at least a 15 - 20% turnover in the top 22 as Yarran and hopefully one or more of our aged recruits also claim a spot. If our best 22 looks like that at seasons end then we are stuffed. Your team does not include any of our top 3 picks in two seasons/drafts and if that is the case our recruiting staff should be sacked.

Agreed but we're not going to gift it to them just because. They earn it they play simple...

 

[mopsy]

If i lived in Melbourne i would be wa

That team is crap. We need at least 2 of the younger brigade i.e. C Ellis, Menadue, butler , Rioli, Markov or others to force their way into the team. If not then we are stagnating. In total I expect to see at least a 15 - 20% turnover in the top 22 as Yarran and hopefully one or more of our aged recruits also claim a spot. If our best 22 looks like that at seasons end then we are stuffed. Your team does not include any of our top 3 picks in two seasons/drafts and if that is the case our recruiting staff should be sacked.

Yet that side is very close to what they will go with at least 21 of Tangos side will play imo. He has left out Griffiths, Edwards and Grigg.We all know Hardwick wont be making many changes and those three will certainly be played right or wrong.
If Hardwick sticks to what he has done in the past he will stick with the older players early in the year.Personally i would like to see at least 6 changes to the team that lost the E/F.

 

[sregit]

Who would you drop and who would you select hot shot?

As I am not privy to who is gunning it out of our younger players, I will just state whoever from the list of youngsters that are going best should come into the side. At least one or two, else we are going backwards.

From you team selected I'd like to see Chaplin gone.

Unless Conca hits the ground running then piss him off. No more excuses for this bloke.

5 or 6 games for Astbury and if he can't cut it then cut him.

The team you have selected is not far off our best from last year. Griff is another who needs to deliver now.

Unfortunately we have thin stocks in the talls at the club but I'd rather go with shorter players than these non contributor types. I should not have been critical of what you selected, as on exposed form it is as good as most teams selected by others. It's just that no matter what way we select the team unless we see a bit of change then we will not advance. That list you supplied is just not good enough.

 

[Tango67]

If i lived in Melbourne i would be wa

Yet that side is very close to what they will go with at least 21 of Tangos side will play imo. He has left out Griffiths, Edwards and Grigg.We all know Hardwick wont be making many changes and those three will certainly be played right or wrong.
If Hardwick sticks to what he has done in the past he will stick with the older players early in the year.Personally i would like to see at least 6 changes to the team that lost the E/F.

Edwards is there
Griffiths is out - dud
Moore replaces Grigg as he is bigger a better athlete and more versatile
The only changes I would make would be Chaplin replaced by someone bit not yet
Rioli in for someone ??