Round 1 2004 Team

PJ Power

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OK, this thread has probably been done before and it certainly has for other clubs' sites, but if we take the players currently on our list, excluding draftees-to-be, how would your preferred line-up look at the start of next year, assuming everyone is fit (dangerous assumption I know)?

My line-up:

FF: P. Burgoyne Primus Pickett

HF: White Tredrea Schofield

C: S. Burgoyne Carr K. Cornes

HB: Wanganeen C.Cornes Montgomery

FB: Wilson Wakelin Thurstans

Ruck: Brogan James Francou

Int: Lade Poulton Ebert Salopek

Points:
I would be tempted to play three ruckmen, especially as all are quality. If this is the case, two must be on the ground at any time. Primus for mine is the most likely to prove a spearhead but I am sure Choco wants him on the ball as much as possible.
Chad must fill the void at CHB. If you are going to play him there against the best CHFs (eg Brown and Tarrant), play him there all the time. Arguably our best performances this year, came when Warren played without Chad alongside of him (Essendon and Collingwood) and Damon White should be tried as the tall roaming HF.
Backline speed has been raised by Michelangelo Rucci as a concern. I still think we are OK here with Wangas and Wilbur, but Shaun needs to be run more across centre or off half-back. Thurstans really impresses me and I think investing in him as the third tall defender is the better option than Bishop who is really backup.
Poulton, Ebert and Salopek earn places before Dew, Hardwick and Cochrane. Dewy has to become a more complete player - too one dimensional at the moment. An extra midfield option especially one who knows where the goals are is more valuable to us (applicable to Salopek and Ebert).
Other options are to work on Broges to play at CHB and Chad to become more committed to playing as a true key forward (ie inside 50). Wilbur may also get gametime in the middle, with Poults taking his backpocket.
 

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Russian

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#2
Lade is a better KPP than Primus so I'd start Lade at full forward with Matty to change in the ruck with Brogan. Could go forward if Tredrea/Lade went down.

Choppy's a good kick, i'd rather have him up the ground a bit kicking long

Salopek is a good enough player to make the starting 18, particularly if he starts to trust his left foot

Schoey has disappointed this year. I believe he deserved to be dropped for the prelim. that was his best game of the year but there are too many players who missed out this year because of the reputations of this sort of player. He has to earn his spot back.

Junior Burger started the season brilliantly, got the Melbourne press to recognise him then hardly had an influence for the rest of the year. Borderline whether he stays in the team. Dewy was disappointing too but he had a reasonably serious injury so I give him the second chance first.

Poulton deserves his chance in defence, Wilbur always used to play across the middle and half-back, he can play in defence but id rather he play up the ground

I agree Chad needs to play in defence. Bishop & Thurstans aren't big enough to hold down the best FF's & CHF's. Morgan was the one I thought could've done this but he's gone. I like the looks of White, the sooner he makes the team at HF the better. Thurstans' versatility makes him one of the first picked IMO, even if he does start on the bench.

Ebert & Salopek are the future and must be given a chance to make names for themselves. Cassisi deserves to be in the team but there really isn't room at the moment.

With Primus and Ebert on the bench, the other two spots are fought out by Dew, Hardwick, Cassisi, Cochrane, Schofield & S Burgoyne. IMO Dew gets a second chance due to his injury-interrupted season and Hardwick because of his presence. Burgoyne & Cassisi are next but Cochrane could come in to play on the taller midfielders such as Hird and Judd

FF: P Burgoyne, Lade, Salopek
HF: Pickett, Tredrea, White
C: K Cornes, Francou, Wilson
HB: Monty, C Cornes, Wangas
FB: Poulton, Wakelin, Thurstans
1R: Brogan, James, Carr
Int: Primus, Hardwick, Ebert, Dew
Em: Bishop, Cochrane/Cassisi, S Burgoyne
 

PJ Power

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Your points are all very valid Russian. Dewy is an intriguing player really. Not surprisingly when you consider he is an opportunist forward, his form runs in distinct patches.
2001 and 2002 were good examples. He would play 4-5 games kicking on average 3-4 goals each match and then go for eight weeks without kicking more than 1-2 per game. And so the cycle would go on. I would love to see him collect more disposals especially by foot (12-15 kicks per game).
Shaun really is talented. He definitely regressed after round 8 this year and did not look like breaking the shackles in the last few weeks. I just hope that he doesn't become boxed into playing as a small forward solely. If anyone has the ability to run with the Judds, Headlands and Koutoufides of the footy world, Shaun does - height, pace, balance, footy smarts. He just needs consistency and more backbone.
 

Eago77

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#4
Look for Bishop to receive the gold pass left by Kingers.

In a ideal world the likes of Salopek & Ebert will get a game a head of the likes of maybe Dimma, Bishop, Cochrane & Dew, but it wont happen unfortunately.
 

PJ Power

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Originally posted by Eago77
Look for Bishop to receive the gold pass left by Kingers.

In a ideal world the likes of Salopek & Ebert will get a game a head of the likes of maybe Dimma, Bishop, Cochrane & Dew, but it wont happen unfortunately.
The old "gold pass" eh? Don't know what you are talking about....ahem.

Favourites? Choco doesn't have favourites does he?
If Poulton had played for Essendon in some form before, I reckon his place in the team would be sacred.;)
 

aaricho

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#6
FB: G.Wanganeen D.Wakelin M.Wilson
HB: J.Poulton T.Thurstans B.Montgomery
C: P.Burgoyne R.James B.Ebert
HF: B.Pickett W.Tredrea S.Burgoyne
FF: S.Salopek C.Cornes S.Dew
1R: M.Primus J.Francou J.Carr
INT: D.Brogan D.Hardwick S.Cochrane M.Bishop
 
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