The Crows 2014 Premiership Team

[A FEW GOOD MEN]

In the "What happened to playing the kids" thread Allefgib posed the following question

"Rattle off for us your 2014 team if you could AFGM. Let's start from that and work backwards to who we should be pumping games into"

I believe this deserves it's own thread so here goes

It's open to debate, but I do not expect Doughty to be around in 2014, I have a big question mark over Rutten and a smaller question mark over Johncock (the coffin nails will finally slow him down), Callinan and Reilly.

Providing they are not struck down by injuries, I have twelve definites, Mackay, Dangerfield, Smith, Sloane, Tippett, Crouch, Porplyzia, Walker, Jacobs, van Berlo, S. Thompson and Vince. We need to find out who can fill the other ten spots. I have named Crouch as a definite based on the excellent strike rate for top 5 draft picks who play in the midfield since the mid 2000's.

(Johncock??) (Rutten???) (Otten??)

(Shaw???) (Talia ??) (Henderson??)

Mackay Dangerfield Smith

Sloane Tippett Crouch

Porplyzia Walker (Jenkins or McKernan???)


Jacobs van Berlo S. Thompson


Interchange; Vince (Kerridge??) (Douglas??) (Petrenko??)



What this indicates is the potential problem with our back six and to a lesser extent the small forward role due to Porplyzia's injury problems.

We need to give games to Otten, Shaw, Talia, Henderson, Jenkins, Mckernan, Kerridge and Petrenko to ensure they are up to speed by the end of 2014.

We also need to find out whether Lyons, Johnston, Brown, L.Thompson, Wright, Jaensch, Martin and Lynch are up to it. (Plus our gun recruit in the 20102 superdraft) This doesn't include Riley, Grigg, Ellis Yolmen and Joyce who are further back in the pecking order.

Or we can pump another 40 games each into Doughty, Reilly, Symes, Callinan and Tambling.

Your thoughts?

 

[Geoffa32]

Hmm lets see

Doughty* Talia Shaw

Petrenko Otten Jeanch

Mackay Danger Smith

Porps Tip Kerridge

McIntyre Walker Lynch

Jacobs Sloane VB Thommo.


Int. Coruch Hendo McKernan Douglas




* Nah Johncock will still be round.............Not sure about Truck though. If he is, he plays FB and Talia to CHF, Otten and Shaw fight out for third tall spot.

 

[VSTone]

using our history as a guide one of the first things Malcolm did was move on a couple of aging once were warriors... for the new breed of super crow... and we landed the rolls royce that is Darren Jarman...

so maybe the go hard till it's obvious this isn't the year and then roll in the baby Crows... what a ride were in for...oh the optimism...its been too long..

Go Crows...

 

[1990crow]

Ruck: Jacobs Sloane Dangerfield
FF: Porplyzia Walker Petrenko
HF: Vince Tippett VB
C: Crouch Thompson Mackay
HB: Jaensch Shaw Henderson
FB: Reilly Talia Otten
Bench: Brown Smith McKernan Douglas (Kerridge, Martin, McIntyre, Lynch etc.)

Who really knows how players will develop and regress. Johncock and Rutten could well still be around.

 

[Southerntakeover]

You'd hope given this is touted as a super draft, that atleast one of the players we'd drafted would be in our best team in two years time.

Edit: Saw that AFGM did mention this.

 

[knobby]

(Johncock??) (Rutten???) (Otten??)

(Shaw???) (Talia ??) (Henderson??)

Mackay Dangerfield Smith

Sloane Tippett Crouch

Porplyzia Walker (Jenkins or McKernan???)


Jacobs van Berlo S. Thompson


Interchange; Vince (Kerridge??) (Douglas??) (Petrenko??)



What this indicates is the potential problem with our back six and to a lesser extent the small forward role due to Porplyzia's injury problems.

We need to give games to Otten, Shaw, Talia, Henderson, Jenkins, Mckernan, Kerridge and Petrenko to ensure they are up to speed by the end of 2014.

We also need to find out whether Lyons, Johnston, Brown, L.Thompson, Wright, Jaensch, Martin and Lynch are up to it. (Plus our gun recruit in the 20102 superdraft) This doesn't include Riley, Grigg, Ellis Yolmen and Joyce who are further back in the pecking order.

Or we can pump another 40 games each into Doughty, Reilly, Symes, Callinan and Tambling.

Your thoughts?

Reckon you've pretty much nailed it !

Question marks like you said on Truck & Stiffy and the backline appears a bit top heavy but I guess Shaw & Otto are flexible in this regard as well.

S Thompson as well could be doubtful he will be 32/33 ??? On current form obviously no doubts, but as we've seen the end comes quite quick these days unfortunately.

2012 1st rounder should be pressing claims and I would like to think 2013 maybe ?? but I dont know the draft quality for 2013 at this stage.

Personally would like to see Grigg make it as well.

Tambling dont forget is still only 25, should be kept on for depth.

EDIT: S Thompson will be 31 in 2014, so should be OK

 

[Mad Fan of AFL]

This is a good debate. Who knows who would still be around? Johncock, Rutten and Thompson are the obvious ones that may or may not.

Here is my go.

B:Johncock Talia Otten
HB:Jaensch L. Thompson Vanberlo
C:Mackay Dangerfield Smith
HF:*Orval Tippett Porplyzia
F:Brown Walker Petrenko

Ruck: Jacobs Vince Sloane

Int:Jenkins/Mckernan Crouch Tambling Reilly?

A few smokies there!

 

[Allefgib]

Thanks AFGM - good thread.

I'd encourage posters to consider not just their teams - but the follow on, who do we need to pumping games into now to either 'find them out' and move on to our view of who is in that side, or lifting their experience level so they are closer to their peaks in that year.

I'll come back with my view over lunch.

 

[Vader]

I'd say there's a pretty good chance that Reilly might still be around in 2014 - he's at least as likely as Johncock and probably more likely than Rutten. I'm assuming that Doughty will retire at the end of 2012. I'm also assuming that Tambling, Knights & Symes will all be gone at the end of 2012 - it's hard to see any of them being selected this year, so we don't have to worry about them keeping youngsters out of the senior team.

As for which players need to have games "pumped" into them.. first on the list is Crouch, for fairly obvious reasons. I'm guessing our first round selection from the 2012 ND will get a decent run in 2013 and should be a regular in 2014, assuming we draft a midfielder. If our 1st round selection is a KPP defender, then that scenario would almost certainly change.

Of the players currently on our list, I'd like to see Brown & Kerridge in particular being given some opportunities this year. Most of our other 2012 arrivals have lower expectations. If they earn an AFL debut then I hope they get it, but I don't see any reason to be gifting them games given that they're competing with similar aged players on our list.

I've already seen Wright & Jaensch. I think they have the potential to be good-average players, but there's nothing about this pair which screams "potential champion" to me. As far as selection goes, I'm not fussed one way or another whether they get selected.

 

[Freddy Bassett]

Confirmations barring injury or homesickness....


......... Walker ............

Vince Tippett Crouch ( Be amazed if he isnt a big part of it )

Mackay Danger Van Berlo

Smith Talia .............

............ Rutten Johncock

1st Jacobs Thompson Sloane

For me that is 9 available spots with plenty of blokes in contention... We are building a very solid team.... Especially considering the two guns who left us last year, who would both easily slot in that team... Admittedly we wouldn't have Crouch then or possibly Lynch who is looking a likely starter.

 

[Mismatched]

I could quite easily see Thommo, Rutten and Johncock being around in 2014 and best 22 as well, Reilly to a lesser extent, but should probably still be on the list at the very least.

2014 isn't that far away, Rutten and Thommo would be turning 31 and Johncock 32, hardly complete fossils.

Personally I think we should be challenging pretty hard from next year for the top 4. This year is as much about getting used to Sandos game plan and getting 22 more games into the likes of Danger, Sloane, Walker, Tippett, Talia, Smith, Mackay, Jacobs etc as it is anything else. A "trial run" even for the real thing.

I think the backbone of our side is pretty much set, it's just a matter of finding the right peripheral players and ensuring the continued development of those potential a-graders on our list.

 

[Mismatched]

Confirmations barring injury or homesickness....


......... Walker ............

Vince Tippett Crouch ( Be amazed if he isnt a big part of it )

Mackay Danger Van Berlo

Smith Talia .............

............ Rutten Johncock

1st Jacobs Thompson Sloane

For me that is 9 available spots with plenty of blokes in contention... We are building a very solid team.... Especially considering the two guns who left us last year, who would both easily slot in that team... Admittedly we wouldn't have Crouch then or possibly Lynch who is looking a likely starter.

pretty much my thoughts exactly

 

[Team DJ]

B: Otton Talia Jaensch
HB: Brown Shaw Smith
C: Mckay Dangerfield Van Berlo
HF: Petrenko McKernan Crouch
FF: Vince Walker Porplyzia
R: Jacobs Sloane Kerrige

B: Thompson Lynch Johncock Lyon
Emg: Henderson Wright Jenkins

Tippett Knights and Douglas all to have left the club by then.
Tambling delisted

 

[Bob Neil]

Working on the assumption that none of Rutten, Johncock, Reilly, Callinan, Porplyzia, Doughty or Scott Thompson will be there and that any new players (drafted or traded) are a bonus on top.

F: Lyons -- Walker -- Lynch

HF: Crouch -- Tippett -- Kerridge

C: van Berlo -- Dangerfield -- Mackay

HB: Smith -- Thompson (Luke) -- Henderson

B: Shaw -- Talia -- Jaensch

R: Jacobs -- Vince -- Sloane

Int: McKernan -- Brown -- Douglas -- Petrenko

 

[Vader]

Where do people think that Porps will be in 3 years time?

There's an interesting article on him, currently on the AFC website.

Reading that article, I get the impression that he's been struggling a bit with the increased pace of AFL footy. He's always been highly skilled and an intelligent user of the footy, but speed & stamina have been something he's constantly had to work at. These are also the reason why he was delisted after spending time on our rookie list, way back in the dim dark past.

AFL footy is not showing any signs of slowing down - and I don't expect that to change in the next 3 years. Will Porps be able to keep up, noting that he's already struggling with the jump in pace since 2009?

 

[A FEW GOOD MEN]

Where do people think that Porps will be in 3 years time?

There's an interesting article on him, currently on the AFC website.

Reading that article, I get the impression that he's been struggling a bit with the increased pace of AFL footy. He's always been highly skilled and an intelligent user of the footy, but speed & stamina have been something he's constantly had to work at. These are also the reason why he was delisted after spending time on our rookie list, way back in the dim dark past.

AFL footy is not showing any signs of slowing down - and I don't expect that to change in the next 3 years. Will Porps be able to keep up, noting that he's already struggling with the jump in pace since 2009?

Interesting point Vader. The optimist in me says he will be the number one small forward in the AFL over the next three years.

The pessimist sees a similar career path to Hentschel and posters in two years time saying "why didn't we get rid of him three years ago"

This is part of my problem with playing Callinan and Porplyzia as our small forwards. There is a good chance that neither of them will be with us at the end of 2013 and we will only have one season to groom the replacements for the 2014 Grand Final. Fortunately we will still have the AFL's top small forward..................PETRENKO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ruscy002]

Where do people think that Porps will be in 3 years time?

There's an interesting article on him, currently on the AFC website.

Reading that article, I get the impression that he's been struggling a bit with the increased pace of AFL footy. He's always been highly skilled and an intelligent user of the footy, but speed & stamina have been something he's constantly had to work at. These are also the reason why he was delisted after spending time on our rookie list, way back in the dim dark past.

AFL footy is not showing any signs of slowing down - and I don't expect that to change in the next 3 years. Will Porps be able to keep up, noting that he's already struggling with the jump in pace since 2009?

There's always room for players in the AFL who read the play well and have good clean hands/disposal - even if he doesn't pick up the pace as well as he'd like to, I think he can adapt. It will be more a question of his body and his psyche - can he get his head right so that he can tackle/contest without fear, and if so, will the shoulders hold up?

 

[Freddy Bassett]

Where do people think that Porps will be in 3 years time?

There's an interesting article on him, currently on the AFC website.

Reading that article, I get the impression that he's been struggling a bit with the increased pace of AFL footy. He's always been highly skilled and an intelligent user of the footy, but speed & stamina have been something he's constantly had to work at. These are also the reason why he was delisted after spending time on our rookie list, way back in the dim dark past.

AFL footy is not showing any signs of slowing down - and I don't expect that to change in the next 3 years. Will Porps be able to keep up, noting that he's already struggling with the jump in pace since 2009?

It is the reason why I haven't listed him as a definite....I would say a 50/50 prospect at this stage

 

[Mismatched]

Where do people think that Porps will be in 3 years time?

There's an interesting article on him, currently on the AFC website.

Reading that article, I get the impression that he's been struggling a bit with the increased pace of AFL footy. He's always been highly skilled and an intelligent user of the footy, but speed & stamina have been something he's constantly had to work at. These are also the reason why he was delisted after spending time on our rookie list, way back in the dim dark past.

AFL footy is not showing any signs of slowing down - and I don't expect that to change in the next 3 years. Will Porps be able to keep up, noting that he's already struggling with the jump in pace since 2009?

I think Porps will have to become a genuine midfielder if he is to survive in AFL football. Unfortunately he's a key forward trapped in a small forwards body and clubs have realised as much and hence will play stronger marking types on him. Watching him this season, his lack of height really seems to be hurting his game, in this modern era where forwards are required to run back with the flight of the ball so often, rather than lead up towards it.

I think he has the ability to become an extremely classy inside mid, his ability to take the ball cleanly under immense pressure affords him time to dish off that others just don't have. He can still spend some time up forward, but in a similar way to say Chapman of Geelong.

Unfortunately for Porps this will mean he has to continue to focus hard on his aerobic ability, although on the flip side, aerobic style endurance is quite easy to develop. Also, the more time he spends in the midfield, the fitter he will get.

If he can't become more of a midfielder than a forward, I think he will struggle to hold out the likes of Lynch, Johnstone, even McKernan and Jenkins for that medium marking forward spot, as they will be far better suited to such a role with their height.

I don't believe Porps has the ability to become much of a crumber, his instincts are always to go for the grab and I don't like instructing players to go against their instincts, it would destroy him I think.

 

[Lawrst]

......... Walker .........
......... Tippett Crouch
Smith Danger Van Berlo
............ Talia ..........
......... .......... ..........

1st Jacobs Thompson Sloane

The only players i think would be garenteed a spot barring injuries come 2014

 

[Freddy Bassett]

......... Walker .........
......... Tippett Crouch
Smith Danger Van Berlo
............ Talia ..........
......... .......... ..........

1st Jacobs Thompson Sloane

The only players i think would be garenteed a spot barring injuries come 2014

You dont rate Vince or Mackays chances of still playing AFL?

I think because of his pace, Johncock will play for the very least 3 more years..

 

[A FEW GOOD MEN]

Most posters agree that we have quite a few of the midfield and forward spots covered. Our potential weakness is the back six. If we play Johncock, Rutten, Doughty and Reilly for most and all of the season, we will have a lot of work to do in 2013/2014.

 

[Allefgib]

agreed afgm.

Need to find the kpd and probably one small defender specialist. Flanks we can use excess mids for to a degree.

 

[Paladin]

Most posters agree that we have quite a few of the midfield and forward spots covered. Our potential weakness is the back six. If we play Johncock, Rutten, Doughty and Reilly for most and all of the season, we will have a lot of work to do in 2013/2014.

Agree we need to fast track Brown/Shaw and Jaensch. If Matty J needs to work on his physicality let him do it in the AFL. I dont think the team loses much if anything by swapping Jaensch for Doughty. In fact we gain drive and creativity (albeit losing doughty's proven shutdown ability) . If Brown has a few games in a row like he did on the weekend lets get him in. If we really need to play Doughty rotate him in the middle or perhaps Johncock up front.

 

[Lawrst]

Agree we need to fast track Brown/Shaw and Jaensch. If Matty J needs to work on his physicality let him do it in the AFL. I dont think the team loses much if anything by swapping Jaensch for Doughty. In fact we gain drive and creativity (albeit losing doughty's proven shutdown ability) . If Brown has a few games in a row like he did on the weekend lets get him in. If we really need to play Doughty rotate him in the middle or perhaps Johncock up front.

I agree with about all of this.