Team Selection Round 1 - 2010

[nigelicious]

On another issue, I thought it might be a good idea to play Drummond on a wing. It would allow him to use his great kicking into the forward line as well as being able to kick more goals himself.

Do you want the whole team to play forward? Someone has to stay at home and protect the cookies! His value at the kick-ins cannot be understated. Unless TJ can prove himself reliable in that role, Drummo bringing the ball in is a priority.

 

[BigCat2]

Clark's endurance and contested marking are real weapons, but until his kicking for goal becomes better (I've seen him spray a few on the full from 30m out this preseason) he's going to be frustrating as hell as a forward option and can actually erode team confidence in their marking forward. For now his rucking is sound and his field kicking is good. Let him do what he's doing best. If he goes forward it'll be him drifting ahead of the contest to expose the opposition's ruckman who can't keep up with him.

As for Staker, you might call inconsistent and several other things, but slow definitely isn't one of them. He's a bit of a freak athlete at his size.

I'll be happy to see Drummond playing wing or half forward and pinging 60m goals, but there's a couple of concerns. We often looked second rate trying to bring the ball out of defence without Drummond, and Drummo had earlier played further downfield without great success. With the former, if Johnstone or McGrath can somewhat replace Drummond's kick then I'm fine with it. As a winger I worry he's not pacy or elusive enough to be effective. In defence he's got time and space to aim his bullet passes. His kicking under pressure is still ok but not as good as Daniel Rich IMO. Also in the crowded midfield his one-sidedness can be exposed by the opposition corralling him on his left side.

 

[Stocka]

I'd be reluctant to see Drummond moved out of defense. He is a good reader of the play and often drops back to take marks off of the in-coming ball.

I'd be more inclined to release someone like McGrath into the midfield, perhaps not in a complete positional change, but rather by having players like Hawksley and Patfull drop back and provide coverage whilst McGrath plays up through the middle when we have possession of the ball. McGrath has that C.Johnson-like ability to carry the ball and evade opponents, taking a few bounces and then delivering brilliantly into the forward-line. We've missed that since Johnson's days of doing that at his peak.

On top of that, I don't think Drummond is a particularly good runner in any sense of the word. I'm pretty sure there was even an article/interview on the Lions' site last year in which something was said about Drummond being neither a fast runner nor a great endurance runner (by comparison to the best in the game).

 

[banana_bus]

I used to view Clark as being a potential CHF, with Brown moving to FF. It's not going to happen now, considering we've recruited Fevola, and a move to CHB (as others have suggested) also appears unlikely considering we've got Maguire and Patfull as options in that role.

If you were to take a read on selection from the Possibles/Probables hit out yesterday, the team will look like this:

McGrath Merrett Hawksley
Patfull Maguire Drummond
Adcock Brennan Sherman
Buchanan Brown Power
Banfield Fevola Staker
Clark Black Rich
Rischitelli Redden Leuenberger ????

Guys, wasnt Patfull being used as a negating midfielder in the preseason, especially in the recent intra club match? I seem to recall him starting in the middle with the likes of Rich and Black for the Gold (Probables) team.

Is this move likely to be permanent for the season or is he going to get sent down back?

 

[Nuggo]

I've got no problems with Staker being the third tall. He won't be a permanent half forward flanker. More of part time gig. He will need to throw is big body around at the stoppages and then make a bolt for the forward when we are on the attack. In this regards he may well do a better job than if Bradshaw had to play the same role.

 

[nigelicious]

Guys, wasnt Patfull being used as a negating midfielder in the preseason, especially in the recent intra club match? I seem to recall him starting in the middle with the likes of Rich and Black for the Gold (Probables) team.

Is this move likely to be permanent for the season or is he going to get sent down back?

Correct, he was playing as a negating midfielder in the intraclub. Not sure we can read too much into this though. Probably be used as a utility this season, depending on our match-ups and requirements for each game.

 

[3KZ is Football]

Correct, he was playing as a negating midfielder in the intraclub. Not sure we can read too much into this though. Probably be used as a utility this season, depending on our match-ups and requirements for each game.

I can remember Patful playing a number of games in the forward half in his first season or so. He has good hands and is a great kick, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him bobbing up forward of the centre on occasions this year.

As many posters have indicated, it is hard to fit all the players who deserve a senior bearth into the 22 places available. With this in mind, I will be watching Voss closely, because I would argue he has an enhanced capacity to make a difference to outcomes this year through the selection, tactical and positional decisions he makes. As a coach, Voss is very much a work in progress and while people were generally happy with his performance last year, I suggest he will do even better in 2010.

It's going to be a great year.

Go Lions!

http://www.fitzroyfc.com.au/2010-FFC-Member-Form.pdf

 

[Last of the Roys]

Maybe I wasn't that wide of the mark with the thought of Clark floating forward this year - here is an extract from the Vossy's View email just released / and on the website.

We will likely use our ruckmen in different positions at varying times throughout the season. You need to be able to do that as a ruckman now, otherwise too many of your resources are sucked up in one particular spot.”

“West Coast certainly do it. Natanui and Cox both go forward at times and we will no doubt use Mitch Clark and Matthew Leuenberger in that kind of role as well.”

I guess we will all just have to watch to see what happens on this front.

 

[swannies]

I see Todd Banfield selected, for his debut? Good luck to him, but not the Lions in general.

 

[Panthera]

Holidaying up here so I'll be at the Gabba tomorrow night (got row E which was pleasing) to watch the mighty Lions! Massive danger game; need at least 6 other goal kickers apart from the 2 gun forwards. Have a feeling that the ruck duel will be massive, as will the clearances; let's hope we've proved in that area

Think well see Patfull run with Cox after the bounces, especially if Merrett/Maguire clamp down on Lynch/Kennedy. The one that worries me is Le Cras, little shit is always on fire against us!

Can't wait to see us get over the line by 5pts

 

[chopperduck]

Not sure if im remembering correctly, but i think the last game LeCras was tearing us up until ash was moved onto him. managed to shut him down, but the damage was already done.

 

[Gibbo_88]

Not sure if im remembering correctly, but i think the last game LeCras was tearing us up until ash was moved onto him. managed to shut him down, but the damage was already done.

I can't recall who was moved onto him but I know at one stage Patfull was on Lecras and was beating him easily, probably the only player to ever convincingly beat Patfull with those go go gadget arms of his.

2009 team
B: Ashley McGrath (9), Daniel Merrett (21), Joel Patfull (24)
HB: Luke Power (6), Joel Macdonald (26), Josh Drummond (39)
C: Bradd Dalziell (34), Simon Black (20), Jed Adcock (7)
HF: Michael Rischitelli (35), Jonathan Brown (16), Justin Sherman (11)
F: Travis Johnstone (4), Daniel Bradshaw (36), Mitch Clark (1)
Foll: Matthew Leuenberger (23), Scott Harding (5), Daniel Rich (10)
Int: Rhan Hooper (33), Cheynee Stiller (32), Tom Collier (22), Troy Selwood (28)

Emerg: Jamie Charman (19), Tim Notting (8), James Polkinghorne (31) NEW: Daniel Rich (Subiaco - WA)

2010 team
B: Joel Patfull (24), Daniel Merrett (21), Ash McGrath (9)
HB: Josh Drummond (39), Matt Maguire (36), Jed Adcock (7)
C: Justin Sherman (11), Daniel Rich (10), Michael Rischitelli (35)
HF: Luke Power (6), Jonathan Brown (16), Jack Redden (30)
F: Amon Buchanan (33), Brendan Fevola (5), Todd Banfield (18)
Foll: Mitch Clark (1), Jared Brennan (17), Simon Black (20)
Int: Travis Johnstone (4), Andrew Raines (29), Matthew Leuenberger (23), Brent Staker (14)

Emerg: Cheynee Stiller (32), Tom Rockliff (38), James Hawksley (12)

The bottom few players in the team has improved a lot. Hooper, Collier, Harding and Dalziell were the worst performing players in that 2009 team and now the weakest players is possibly Raines and Leuey because of inexperience who have loads of potential.

 

[CoZi36]

Our team looks so much better compared to this time last year.

 

[chopperduck]

It is the best thing we could have done. We did well to get to 6th last year with our team, this year have have replaced our 4-5 worse players in our 22. Can't see any passengers which is a great sign.

 

[Lehmo87]

I'm lovin' seeing Adcock in the half back line and Power up forward.

 

[Vipertooth]

The list we have atm is the best its been for years!