I have had two sides of Collingwood's on an excel sheet all preseason, and throwing the teams around a bit after each game. I think I will keep this up over the season. Usually I would just have it all in my head. After a loss I would go through the numbers and think what can we change next week, and try to predict the changes.
This year is harder than ever before. My best side is after all games in the off season is this;
Backs: 26. Marley Williams 16. Nathan Brown 17. Jonathan Marsh
Half Backs: 8. Tom Langdon 20. Ben Reid 10. Scott Pendlebury
Centres: 25. Jack Crisp 2. Jordan De Goey 22. Steele Sidebottom
Half Forwards: 18. Travis Varcoe 32. Travis Cloke 19. Levi Greenwood
Forwards: 1. Alex Fasolo 30. Darcy Moore 5. Jamie Elliott
Rucks: 4. Brodie Grundy 13. Taylor Adams 7. Adam Treloar
Interchange: 36. Dane Swan 38. Jeremy Howe 14. James Aish 37. Brayden Maynard
Emergencies: 11. Jaryd Blair 15. Jarrod Witts 28. Ben Sinclair
For the first round, we will be without Ben Reid, Jamie Elliott and Jeremy Howe from my best side hopefully that will be all, which is pretty good. Blair has more than proved himself as a top 22 player still in the first round. I would be happy to have two ruckman in Witts and Grundy in the first game. I wasn't overly impressed with Witts V the Doggies, but others seem to think he did quite well. I was more disappointed with his mistakes that were totally frustrating. I think his ruckwork could be improved to be sure. If he fixed up his downfalls, he would be awesome, and I want him to do that, because I am a big fan of what he could be. He jumps and reaches a good height, then comes down, hits the ground THEN the ball comes. TIMING is something I would be yelling out to Witts ALL the time if I was a coach. It is terrible. When he still gets the tap at his lowest point, the competition for the ball is greater, and he often taps to opposition. If only his timing could put him on his own, and his direction would be awesome. Then I am sure Frosty will be fairly solid until Reid is back in round two.
So that is the two best 22's out in Elliott and Howe and Blair and Witts in.
So the two's. Here is my best side if everyone was fit.
Backs: 43. Adam Oxley 23. Lachlan Keeffe 34. Alan Toovey
Half Backs: 6. Tyson Goldsack 45. Jack Frost 31. Jackson Ramsay
Centres: 28. Ben Sinclair 35. Brayden Sier 12. Matthew Scharenberg
Half Forwards: 24. Josh Thomas 9. Jesse White 29. Tim Broomhead
Forwards: 40. Josh Smith 46. Mason Cox* 44. Corey Gault*
Rucks: 15. Jarrod Witts 3. Brent McAffer 11. Jarryd Blair
Interchange: 39. Ben Crocker 27. Matthew Goodyear* 21. Tom Phillips 41. Tim Golds
Emergencies: 33. Rupert Wills 47. Darrean Wyatt
The obvious things firstly is Lachlan Keefe, Josh Thomas and Matthew Scharenberg is out for the year. Other ? for round one is Goldsack, Rupert Wills and Josh Smith.
I expect Ben Reid to be at VFL level and AFL level in week 2 with any luck. Obviously VFL players will come in to fill these spots and Blair and Witts being lost to the One's.
Ones who would be obvious choices to replace are;
Keeffe - Pendlebury
Thomas - Jordan Kelly
Scharenberg - Hellier
Goldsack -Callum Matheson
Blair - Moloney
Witts - Cox, Cox replaced by Ash Close at Full Forward.
Wills - Not really needed, as our two's are deep enough to not have to replace him.
I have been looking at the VFL players, and I am thinking, if we can field a side that is 80% AFL listed players, we will be a force this year. Half the side at least can easily slip into the AFL. Will be better in 2017, with Lachlan Keeffe in the mix, and it will be great to hopefully see two old names in the Two's in Josh Daicos and Callum Brown as well.
If we have a good injury year, the poor VFL players won't get a look in. Makes me think, wonder what a VFL Reserves side would look like. If Collingwood could get a VFL Reserves side, all our VFL listed players could stay together, instead of playing for their local sides. Would be a better environment to develop the likes of Ned McKeown and Ben Monkhorst that will not be playing in our VFL side this year. I would like to create a better environment of as many levels as possible. I would like to see Collingwood making a better effort to keep old players too. I would of loved to see Dwyer, Young, Armstrong and one or two others stay in the VFL. It would make us stronger, and VFL flags would be enjoyable. With AFL Ticket prices going through the roof, I think we need to create a better passion in our VFL supporters. To do that, we need to see some faces we know. Imagine Didak playing one or two seasons in the VFL at the end, and many others over the years.
Anyway, that is a dream of mine, now the thirds, or VFL Seconds from names of last year that I haven't seen eliminated from the squad, and the names in the practice matches and reports;
Backs: 56. Jeremy Taylor 55. Ryan Pendlebury 52. Lachie Wallace
Half Backs: 54. Jordan Collopy Matthew Smith 66. Dale Hinkley
Centres: 70. Marty Hore 60. Jordan Kelly 62.Callum Matheson
Half Forwards: 63. Gus Borthwick 51. Michael Still 61. Nick Gray
Forwards: Will Knight 71. Ash Close 69. Jack Blair
Rucks: 65. Lachlan Howe 53. Jack Hellier 58. Ben Moloney
Interchange: Joel Moloney 64. Jesse Wallin Lachie Ferguson Marcus Alessi
Emergencies: 52. Theo Rosenthal 67. Trent Cody David Mennen 38. Andrew Bell 79. Ned McKeown 68. Lachlan Tardrew 68. Josh Turner Kieran Ellis Angelo Rambaldi Joel Moloney 74. Jackson Viola Adrian Indovino
That is a HUGE number of players. I am sure there is many here that will not even get games in the VFL this year. I think we will see Pendlebury, Taylor, Wallace, Collopy, Matheson, Gray, Still, Borthwick, Close, Blair, Hellier, Moloney, Ferguson fairly often if we get injuries and rest players sometimes.
New comers Smith, Hore, Kelly, Knight have all come with rumours of decency. Others are fairly unknown, but will be interesting to see if Joel Moloney has even a little bit of what his brother Ben brings, we will have a player. Actually quite surprised that Moloney and Close didn't get drafted, but one more year for our VFL to benefit.
This year is harder than ever before. My best side is after all games in the off season is this;
Backs: 26. Marley Williams 16. Nathan Brown 17. Jonathan Marsh
Half Backs: 8. Tom Langdon 20. Ben Reid 10. Scott Pendlebury
Centres: 25. Jack Crisp 2. Jordan De Goey 22. Steele Sidebottom
Half Forwards: 18. Travis Varcoe 32. Travis Cloke 19. Levi Greenwood
Forwards: 1. Alex Fasolo 30. Darcy Moore 5. Jamie Elliott
Rucks: 4. Brodie Grundy 13. Taylor Adams 7. Adam Treloar
Interchange: 36. Dane Swan 38. Jeremy Howe 14. James Aish 37. Brayden Maynard
Emergencies: 11. Jaryd Blair 15. Jarrod Witts 28. Ben Sinclair
For the first round, we will be without Ben Reid, Jamie Elliott and Jeremy Howe from my best side hopefully that will be all, which is pretty good. Blair has more than proved himself as a top 22 player still in the first round. I would be happy to have two ruckman in Witts and Grundy in the first game. I wasn't overly impressed with Witts V the Doggies, but others seem to think he did quite well. I was more disappointed with his mistakes that were totally frustrating. I think his ruckwork could be improved to be sure. If he fixed up his downfalls, he would be awesome, and I want him to do that, because I am a big fan of what he could be. He jumps and reaches a good height, then comes down, hits the ground THEN the ball comes. TIMING is something I would be yelling out to Witts ALL the time if I was a coach. It is terrible. When he still gets the tap at his lowest point, the competition for the ball is greater, and he often taps to opposition. If only his timing could put him on his own, and his direction would be awesome. Then I am sure Frosty will be fairly solid until Reid is back in round two.
So that is the two best 22's out in Elliott and Howe and Blair and Witts in.
So the two's. Here is my best side if everyone was fit.
Backs: 43. Adam Oxley 23. Lachlan Keeffe 34. Alan Toovey
Half Backs: 6. Tyson Goldsack 45. Jack Frost 31. Jackson Ramsay
Centres: 28. Ben Sinclair 35. Brayden Sier 12. Matthew Scharenberg
Half Forwards: 24. Josh Thomas 9. Jesse White 29. Tim Broomhead
Forwards: 40. Josh Smith 46. Mason Cox* 44. Corey Gault*
Rucks: 15. Jarrod Witts 3. Brent McAffer 11. Jarryd Blair
Interchange: 39. Ben Crocker 27. Matthew Goodyear* 21. Tom Phillips 41. Tim Golds
Emergencies: 33. Rupert Wills 47. Darrean Wyatt
The obvious things firstly is Lachlan Keefe, Josh Thomas and Matthew Scharenberg is out for the year. Other ? for round one is Goldsack, Rupert Wills and Josh Smith.
I expect Ben Reid to be at VFL level and AFL level in week 2 with any luck. Obviously VFL players will come in to fill these spots and Blair and Witts being lost to the One's.
Ones who would be obvious choices to replace are;
Keeffe - Pendlebury
Thomas - Jordan Kelly
Scharenberg - Hellier
Goldsack -Callum Matheson
Blair - Moloney
Witts - Cox, Cox replaced by Ash Close at Full Forward.
Wills - Not really needed, as our two's are deep enough to not have to replace him.
I have been looking at the VFL players, and I am thinking, if we can field a side that is 80% AFL listed players, we will be a force this year. Half the side at least can easily slip into the AFL. Will be better in 2017, with Lachlan Keeffe in the mix, and it will be great to hopefully see two old names in the Two's in Josh Daicos and Callum Brown as well.
If we have a good injury year, the poor VFL players won't get a look in. Makes me think, wonder what a VFL Reserves side would look like. If Collingwood could get a VFL Reserves side, all our VFL listed players could stay together, instead of playing for their local sides. Would be a better environment to develop the likes of Ned McKeown and Ben Monkhorst that will not be playing in our VFL side this year. I would like to create a better environment of as many levels as possible. I would like to see Collingwood making a better effort to keep old players too. I would of loved to see Dwyer, Young, Armstrong and one or two others stay in the VFL. It would make us stronger, and VFL flags would be enjoyable. With AFL Ticket prices going through the roof, I think we need to create a better passion in our VFL supporters. To do that, we need to see some faces we know. Imagine Didak playing one or two seasons in the VFL at the end, and many others over the years.
Anyway, that is a dream of mine, now the thirds, or VFL Seconds from names of last year that I haven't seen eliminated from the squad, and the names in the practice matches and reports;
Backs: 56. Jeremy Taylor 55. Ryan Pendlebury 52. Lachie Wallace
Half Backs: 54. Jordan Collopy Matthew Smith 66. Dale Hinkley
Centres: 70. Marty Hore 60. Jordan Kelly 62.Callum Matheson
Half Forwards: 63. Gus Borthwick 51. Michael Still 61. Nick Gray
Forwards: Will Knight 71. Ash Close 69. Jack Blair
Rucks: 65. Lachlan Howe 53. Jack Hellier 58. Ben Moloney
Interchange: Joel Moloney 64. Jesse Wallin Lachie Ferguson Marcus Alessi
Emergencies: 52. Theo Rosenthal 67. Trent Cody David Mennen 38. Andrew Bell 79. Ned McKeown 68. Lachlan Tardrew 68. Josh Turner Kieran Ellis Angelo Rambaldi Joel Moloney 74. Jackson Viola Adrian Indovino
That is a HUGE number of players. I am sure there is many here that will not even get games in the VFL this year. I think we will see Pendlebury, Taylor, Wallace, Collopy, Matheson, Gray, Still, Borthwick, Close, Blair, Hellier, Moloney, Ferguson fairly often if we get injuries and rest players sometimes.
New comers Smith, Hore, Kelly, Knight have all come with rumours of decency. Others are fairly unknown, but will be interesting to see if Joel Moloney has even a little bit of what his brother Ben brings, we will have a player. Actually quite surprised that Moloney and Close didn't get drafted, but one more year for our VFL to benefit.
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