Opinion The Rookie List: Who Should We Upgrade?

[DrMike]

OK ladies and gentlemen, this is the question on the end of everyones lips, who should we upgrade? We can, as confirmed by Stig, only upgrade 1 player prior to the season commencing. I posted confirmation here, don't argue. So who's it gonna be?

• Petterd our forward/back flanker that's this weeks hero after the super goal that won us the game.
• Lonergan the extractor extraordinaire, capable of pulling footballs out of wangs sister without deanbigfooty noticing
• Stephenson the on again off again ruck, we're currently on, he's so dreamy
• Cadeyn "Kinder Surprise" Williams, what's he got, you'll never know until you pick him
• Ben Darrou, the rookie from the block, he'll smash you
• Verrier, he cured cancer according to the Tiger Sanctuary

Discuss

 

[THECHIEFTON]

It really is a bit of a dilemma. If Ivan goes down we are in trouble but Petterd or Lonergan would be a handy inclusions.

Big O would be the safe option. Interested to watch Lonergan live this week. I've got a feeling it may be Petterd.

 

[theflea]

I'm torn between lonergan and oren. Dont know.

 

[Jozzy]

It's out of the three mature aged recurits, Pettard, Big O and Lonergan.

Pettard has preformed the best out of the three, Big O isn't far behind Pettard preformance wise but he's just unlikely to get games unless injuries, if he is promoted and you don't want to promote someone not to play but if Ivan goes down but not long enough to be placed on the LTI, we're basically screwed. I was really happy with us picking up Lonergan, a real hard nut who I think can make a real impact, I've got high hopes but seeing we currently have a pretty strong midfield I can't see him coming in just yet.

I can't decide who, any of the three will make me happy, I've got faith in whoever the club decides.

 

[DrMike]

It's out of the three mature aged recurits, Pettard, Big O and Lonergan.

I think The Rusty Trombone might disagree with you there!

 

[Harmichael]

Stephenson - for purely practical reasons. Going into the season without him on the main list would be akin to going skydiving without packing the reserve parachute.

Personally I wish we could downgrade a certain few players to the rookie list so we could elevate a couple of the others too.

 

[_Wang_]

Man I'm sick of all this talk about my sister DrMike, she's a lovely person who has a lot of male friends.. She waxes lyrically about how much of a gent deanbigfooty is and how he always drives her home every night..

 

[sregit]

How could Richmond on current form promote Lonergan before Pettard? Surely must be either Big O for safety or Pettard on exposed form that get the gig first!

 

[Holy Foley!]

At this stage I think Stephenson. Back up ruck > back up HBF.

 

[_DBF_]

Man I'm sick of all this talk about my sister DrMike, she's a lovely person who has a lot of male friends.. She waxes lyrically about how much of a gent deanbigfooty is and how he always drives her home every night..

On my L plates

 

[carn tigez]

If Maric goes down I reckon we'll find someone to chuck on the LTI list. Maybe a Foley, or McGuane

 

[plough]

exactly

 

[The Rusty Trombone]

On my L plates

You may only be a learner deanbigfooty but Dave's sister tells me your a very fast learner.

 

[Capitano_Cotch]

At first I thought Petterd and Lonergan were shoe-ins.
Now, I'm thinking Petterd and Big O.
Let's see how Lonergan performs this week against the Hawks, but if Foley is aiming for a Round 2/3 return I don't see a need to elevate him.

 

[johnno77]

I thought there would be 2 elevations. With the info (that I assume to be correct DrMike seems to have his s**t together) that there will only be one elevation, I'm torn.

After watching only 1 game from each of Big O and D Rex in the NAB Cup, I would say our biggest need is backup in the ruck.

Based on form it goes to Pettard. Based on needs it goes to Big O.

If Maric gets a 1-2 week injury and we haven't upgraded another ruckman, we could be stuck with D-Rex which is something I don't want to contemplate.

Pettard will get his chance later in the season. That's my two bobs worth.

 

[DrMike]

I should probably add my opinion. Also it's 1 rookie prior to the season commencing and possible from what other people are saying, 1 rookie half way through.

3 weeks ago people were sitting here saying how bad Orren was and how we never should have picked him up, it's amazing how one game can change peoples perceptions. For example everyone is saying the same thing about Derickx, someone that has spent the last 6 months or so with a wrist/hand injury from what I've read and has played seniors once as a part time ruck and never in reserves. Then in NAB people bagged the s**t out of him when I actually thought his secondary efforts were pretty good, he was trying, he knew what he was supposed to but (imo) just had some nerves to deal with, nothing more exposure and time won't fix. I would like to think that we'll see a lot better things from Derickx at Coburg if he's given a chance. But we also have Vickery, the problem last year was that when Maric when down we didn't have Vickery either and that meant we had to play Graham as our primary ruck. Talk is that we're not going to use Vickery for that role any more however and will primarily be a forward/pinching ruck instead of a forward/ruck. All this however is on the risk that Maric does go down, otherwise we might effectively be elevating Orren for no reason, or more likely if he does get elevated then Maric won't play 22 as they'll rest him, something I'm not sure he would want to do. Orren is the "just in case" option.

Lonergan hasn't proven anything and in the next few games I don't think he's going to get a chance. He's coming back from injury so there's more risk with playing him early. Vlastuin, Conca, Ellis and Edwards are all fairly decent depth options for the midfield, add Foley coming back after a couple of rounds and I don't see the need to bring Lonergan in just yet. There also hasn't been much talk about him from the club, which would make sense given he hasn't been able to play, but when you compare that to Orren or Petterd it just doesn't seem likely that he'll be elevated. However, if Lonergan can prove his ability over the next 2 games he's the smokey, he offers more immediate value than the others, more than likely though I think we will see him halfway through the year.

Petterd as I said is the name everyone is talking about, including the club, at a guess I think it's going to be him but I still can't decide if that's the right choice or not, particularly if we're going to be playing him in defence. Our back line is pretty solid, the only real risk there is Chaplin or Grimes not getting back on the park, so I just can't see him fitting in. Of all our positions across the ground I think our back line is the easiest to fill, that means the only other option is up forward. Knights potentially offers more because he has the mid/forward experience anyway, or Aaron Edwards for the direct forward target, also both of these guys are getting paid the coin to be put on the park before a rookie. Then we also have Newman swinging up the ground, Nahas, King, Edwards, Martin, etc. Petterd saved the day but it was an NAB game, it means nothing.

So I'm gonna go with Orren. Our injury list is pretty bare and the biggest risk we face due to limited options is our ruck. We're always going to have to list a ruck on the emergency and it seems like Orren can go alright. The other 2 will depend on how our injury lists are looking mid season and what we need to cover. If we need mids, Lonergan gets the nod, if we need a defender Petterd might get a look and potentially if we need a forward Cadeyn could get a look in, depends how he's progressing.

Actually, Verrier.

 

[tropicaltiger]

its obvious Petterd is gunna be upgraded. why ??. coz he's a certainty for selection in round 1 v the bluebaggers. thats why..

 

[CoggaRules]

the big O for me...we cant afford to be in the position we have been a few times and had to swing Derrilix into the ruck...just cant cut the mustard.

 

[nut]

1 oren
2 lonergan
3 pettard

And most will agree on lonergan after this weekend.

 

[theflea]

Man I'm sick of all this talk about my sister DrMike, she's a lovely person who has a lot of male friends.. She waxes lyrically about how much of a gent deanbigfooty is and how he always drives her home every night..

......Does she.........

 

[The Rusty Trombone]

its obvious Petterd is gunna be upgraded. why ??. coz he's a certainty for selection in round 1 v the bluebaggers. thats why..

Is he a certainty for selection over Morris , Houli , Ellis , Newman , Batchelor , Dea , and Vlaustin .

I put Dea in there so you have something to hang your hat on TT.

Orren for mine . Really looking forward to seeing Lonergan over the next 2 games as well.

 

[tunksy]

wont vote until i see lonergan play. its clearly between orren, petterd and lonergan atm with pets and O ahead.

 

[Morro]

Those saying Petterd is only a flanker maybe didnt notice him starting in the centre square last week at times???

I am not saying he is a mid, or even a good one, but maybe the club has other ideas???

 

[Riskingheadandshin]

Can you put up a "wait til Lonergan plays then make my decision" button?!

I reckon having the big O on talking tigers this week, he's in and that was his intro/welcome segment.

 

[NZ_Tiger]

Big O. Need to be able to rest Maric if he needs a week off and we start with a hard draw so we don't want to rely on Derickx. I'd also place Foley on the LTI list.